Children's Home run by United Children's Services Limited in Leicestershire

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1280237 1

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United Children’s Services Limited

Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is run by a private provider. The home is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to three children who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager resigned after the last full inspection in February 2020. Interim management arrangements are in place while the provider is actively recruiting a new manager.

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This monitoring visit

This children’s home was judged inadequate at its full inspection on 11 and 12 February 2020. The provider quickly provided Ofsted with a comprehensive action plan.

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This monitoring visit

No monitoring visit was undertaken to the setting because of the current COVID-19 (coronavirus) crisis. Monitoring of the setting was carried out through a series of calls to the provider, written submissions from the provider, contact with the placing local authority and a review of reports provided by the home’s independent visitor.

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This monitoring visit

Ofsted received an updated action plan from the provider on 30 April 2020. This action plan clearly outlined the steps that have been taken to address the requirements made at the full inspection.

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This monitoring visit

In addition, Ofsted has closely scrutinised the home’s independent visitor’s reports. These indicate that there have been improvements in the home.

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This monitoring visit

The manager has submitted notifications following any significant incidents. Following a review of these notifications, staff practice appears to have improved. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1280237 2 Feedback has also been obtained from the placing authority and considered as part of this review. The placing authority social worker has confirmed that there have been improvements to the quality of care provided and that the young person is making progress.

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This monitoring visit

Sufficient work has been carried out to address the requirements made at the full inspection. The quality of care for young people has been improved, and they are better protected from the risk of harm.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 11/02/2020 Full Inadequate 10/10/2019 Interim Not judged Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1280237 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

The care planning standard is that children receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home; and have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

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Requirement Due date

that arrangements are in place to ensure the effective induction of each child into the home and to manage and review the placement of each child in the home.

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Requirement Due date

This includes ensuring that children’s care plans and risk assessments are reviewed and updated to reflect current needs and risks. 29/03/2020

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Requirement Due date

The education standard is that children make measurable progress towards achieving their educational potential and are helped to do so.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure that staff—

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Requirement Due date

help each child to achieve the child’s education and training targets, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

support each child’s learning and development, including helping the child to develop independent study skills and, where appropriate, helping the child to complete independent study;

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Requirement Due date

understand the barriers to learning that each child may face and take appropriate action to help the child to overcome any such barriers; 29/03/2020 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1280237 4 help each child to understand the importance and value of education, learning, training and employment;

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Requirement Due date

promote opportunities for each child to learn informally;

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Requirement Due date

help a child who is excluded from school, or who is of compulsory school age but not attending school, to access educational and training support throughout the period of exclusion or non-attendance and to return to school as soon as possible;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to attend education or training in accordance with the expectations in the child’s relevant plans.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 8 (1)(2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(viii)(x))

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Requirement Due date

The positive relationships standard is that children are helped to develop, and to benefit from, relationships based on ─

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Requirement Due date

an understanding about acceptable behaviour; and

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Requirement Due date

positive responses to other children and adults.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure that staff—

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Requirement Due date

meet each child’s behavioural and emotional needs, as set out in the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to develop socially aware behaviour;

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Requirement Due date

encourage each child to take responsibility for the child’s behaviour, in accordance with the child’s age and understanding;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to develop and practise skills to resolve conflicts positively and without harm to anyone;

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Requirement Due date

communicate to each child expectations about the child’s behaviour and ensure that the child understands those expectations in accordance with the child’s age and understanding;

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Requirement Due date

strive to gain each child’s respect and trust; 29/03/2020 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1280237 5 understand how children’s previous experiences and present emotions can be communicated through behaviour and have the competence and skills to interpret these and develop positive relationships with children;

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Requirement Due date

are provided with supervision and support to enable them to understand and manage their own feelings and responses to the behaviour and emotions of children, and to help children to do the same;

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Requirement Due date

de-escalate confrontations with or between children, or potentially violent behaviour by children.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 11 (1)(a)(b)(c)(2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(viii)(ix)(x)(xi))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there.

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Requirement Due date

After consultation with the fire and rescue authority, the registered person must ensure, by means of fire drills and practices at suitable intervals, that persons working at the home and, so far as reasonably practicable, children are aware of the procedure to be followed in case of fire.

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Requirement Due date

The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that—

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Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

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Requirement Due date

lead and manage the home in a way that is consistent with the approach and ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set out in the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child; 29/03/2020 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1280237 6 ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child; and

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Requirement Due date

understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b)(2)(a)(c)(d)(e)(f))

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Requirement Due date

The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that—

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Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

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Requirement Due date

lead and manage the home in a way that is consistent with the approach and ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set out in the home’s statement of purpose; and

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Requirement Due date

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b)(2)(a)(h)) 29/03/2020

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that each employee completes an appropriate induction, undertakes appropriate continuing professional development and receives practice- related supervision by a person with appropriate experience.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 33 (1)(a)(4)(a)(b)) 01/03/2020

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Requirement Due date

keep the statement of purpose under review and, where appropriate, revise it; and 01/03/2020 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1280237 7 notify HMCI of any revisions and send HMCI a copy of the revised statement within 28 days of the revision.

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Information about this inspection

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.

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: United Children’s Services Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: The Old Coach House, Drinsey Nook, Lincoln, Nottinghamshire LN1 2JJ

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Inspector

Katarina Djordjevic, social care inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1280237 8 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

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