Children's home run by Acorn Children’s Home (Branston) Ltd

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1250287 1

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Acorn Children’s Home (Branston) Ltd

Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This privately owned children’s home is registered to provide care for up to four children who have moved following a breakdown in either their fostering or residential placement or who are required to live away from home.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager was registered with Ofsted in December 2019 and holds a level 5 qualification in leadership and management. He informed inspectors that he intends to leave the organisation and to cancel his registration with Ofsted.

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This monitoring visit

Ofsted completed a remote monitoring inspection on 6 May 2020. On 7 May 2020, a notice of restriction of accommodation was issued. This was because Ofsted believed that, should any further children be admitted to the home, it would place the existing child and any new children at risk of harm.

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This monitoring visit

To further assess the safeguarding practices in the home, a monitoring inspection was completed on 12 May 2020. Following this visit, Ofsted continues to be concerned. The notice of restriction of accommodation remains in place. Two compliance notices have been issued to focus leaders and managers to make improvements relating to safeguarding and leadership and management practice.

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This monitoring visit

A further two regulatory breaches were identified. Staff did not check the inspector’s identification before she entered the home. This does not promote the safety of the child living in the home.

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This monitoring visit

One member of staff has not obtained the required level 3 qualification needed to work in the home within the required time frames. This is not a widespread issue, but managers have not considered when the member of staff should complete this by. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1250287 2 No issues were identified with the administration of a child’s medication. However, staff re-write medication administration records when they look untidy. This is not good practice and allows the potential for records to be changed and edited.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 20/08/2019 Full Inadequate 14/05/2019 Full Inadequate 17/07/2018 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1250287 3

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person(s) must take to meet the Care Standards Act 2000, Children’s Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the ‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’. The registered person(s) must comply within the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— that staff— assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child’s relevant plans, and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child; that the home’s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm. (Regulation 12(2)(a)(i)(b))* 14/06/2020

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to— ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child. (Regulation 13(2)(c))* 14/06/2020

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Requirement Due date

For the purposes of paragraph (3)(b), an individual who works in the home in a care role has the appropriate qualification if, by the relevant date, the individual has attained— (a) the Level 3 Diploma for Residential Childcare (England) (‘the Level 3 Diploma’); or (b) a qualification which the registered person considers to be equivalent to the Level 3 Diploma. (Regulation 32(4)) 14/06/2020

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if— there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40(4)(e)) 14/06/2020

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that an independent person visits the children’s home at least once each month. (Regulation 44(1)) 14/06/2020

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Requirement Due date

In order to complete a quality of care review the registered person must establish and maintain a system for monitoring, reviewing and evaluating— the feedback and opinions of children about the children’s home, its facilities and the quality of care they receive in it; and any actions that the registered person considers necessary in order to improve or maintain the quality of care provided for children. (Regulation 45(2)(b)(c)) 14/06/2020

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Requirement Due date

*These requirements are subject to a compliance notice. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1250287 4

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Recommendations

 Ensure that when a child returns to the home after being missing from care or away from the home without permission, the responsible local authority must provide an opportunity for the child to have an independent return home interview. Homes should take account of the information provided by such interviews when assessing risks and putting arrangements in place to protect each child. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 45, paragraph 9.30)  Please see regulation 23. Care must be taken to ensure prescribed medicines are only administered to the individual for whom they are prescribed. Medicines must be administered in line with a medically approved protocol. Records must be kept of the administration of all medication, which includes occasions when prescribed medication is refused. Regulation 23 requires the registered person to ensure that they make suitable arrangements to

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Recommendations

manage, administer and dispose of any medication. These are fundamentally the same sorts of arrangements as a good parent would make but are subject to additional safeguards. Where the home has questions or concerns about a child’s medication, they should approach an expert such as a General Medical Practitioner, community pharmacist or designated nurse for looked-after children. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 35, paragraph 7.15) This relates to staff re-writing medication administration documents.

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Information about this inspection

Ofsted is aware of the challenges that COVID-19 (coronavirus) is currently posing to those we regulate. During this visit, the inspectors took into consideration the impact of any measures being taken to slow the spread of COVID-19 by the home. This has included the effect these have had on staffing arrangements. The purpose of this visit was to monitor the action taken and the progress made by the children’s home since its last Ofsted inspection.

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Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1250287 5

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Acorn Children’s Home (Branston) Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Claremont House, 223 Branston Road, Burton-on- Trent, Staffordshire DE14 3BT

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Inspector

Lisa O’Donovan, social care inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1250287 6 to achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children’s social care and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: http://www.gov.uk/ofsted

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