Children's home run by Fusion College Ltd

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2530801 1

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Fusion College Ltd

Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This children’s home is owned and managed by a private organisation. As a previously registered children’s home, it was acquired by this new provider in June 2019 with children living here and an established staff team. This home provides care and accommodation for up to eight girls. The statement of purpose specifies that this home provides medium- to long-term care for children with behavioural, emotional and social difficulties. The children’s home comprises two separate houses, and there is an independent school on the same site. The manager has been registered since June 2019.

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This monitoring visit

This children’s home was judged inadequate at the full inspection on 8 January 2020. A monitoring visit completed on 18 February 2020 judged that the home was making progress to address the areas of weakness.

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This monitoring visit

During the current COVID-19 (coronavirus) crisis, Ofsted is not carrying out routine inspections of social care provision.

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This monitoring visit

When Ofsted has judged a service to be high risk, we need to determine what activity is needed to mitigate the risk. This report outlines the steps taken to assess what action has been taken since the last inspection and the current level of risk.

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This monitoring visit

This is the second off-site monitoring report since the suspension of routine inspections. Off-site activity undertaken by the inspector has included virtual meetings with the registered manager, deputy manager and staff, the electronic sharing of documents and discussions with children, social workers, a team manager, a police community support officer and the designated officer. A virtual tour of the home also took place. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2530801 2 Four children continue to live at this home. A virtual tour confirmed that the home appeared comfortable and well furnished. Children did not share any concerns about living here. One child told the inspector, ‘It is really nice’, and the ‘food is good.’

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This monitoring visit

However, the home is not as homely as it could be; children do not have access to televisions in their bedrooms, and the children shared during this inspection that they are not usually allowed into the offices as the doors are locked. The registered manager told the inspector that he would address these issues.

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This monitoring visit

Since the last inspection, there has been once incident, in which a child was missing and stayed away from the home for just under 40 minutes. Records of the incident are very detailed and show that the police and placing authorities were notified. Staff provide reassurance and distraction to prevent children from leaving. Staff follow children, search familiar places and respond in a nurturing way to ensure their prompt return.

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This monitoring visit

The behaviour management plans, risk assessments and care plans reviewed during this inspection provided detailed information about children’s needs. The plans include clear actions that staff need to take in response to aggressive and anti-social behaviours to keep children safe. However, behaviour management plans do not include the use of door alarms in children’s bedrooms or justify why they are needed. This does not allow for regular review and careful oversight in the best interests of children. A requirement has been made about this issue.

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This monitoring visit

During this inspection, information received from social workers and a team manager was generally very positive about how staff keep in good communication with them and are helping children to make progress. There were no safeguarding concerns shared with the inspector.

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This monitoring visit

Since the last inspection, one complaint has been made by a child about their care. The registered manager responded the same day to the child and has provided a detailed reply in writing. Consequently, children feel listened to because the registered manager takes all complaints seriously and ensures that children know how to complain to other external organisations including Ofsted.

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This monitoring visit

Safeguarding concerns were found to be documented well. The manager has introduced a new form to record incidents effectively and provides scrutiny of these incidents. Child protection concerns have been reported within statutory timescales to the designated officer and placing authorities. The manager has given effective challenge to professionals where needed in the interests of safeguarding children. The designated officer shared positive feedback about how the registered manager has worked with him.

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This monitoring visit

During this inspection, two complaints were made to Ofsted, one from a child living at the home and another from an external complainant. The issues raised in these complaints were reviewed as part of the inspection, and Ofsted is satisfied that they have been managed appropriately by the registered manager. The registered manager has shared records with the inspector in response to the complaints, and effective action has been taken. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2530801 3 Information obtained as part of this off-site inspection indicates that children are cared for appropriately and that there are no widespread weaknesses. Ofsted will continue to monitor the performance of this home and action taken to address the requirements.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 08/01/2020 Full Inadequate Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2530801 4

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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 quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children;

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Requirement Due date

use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential.

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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

understand and apply the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

understand and apply the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

protect and promote each child’s welfare;

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Requirement Due date

treat each child with dignity and respect;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed and furnished so as to—

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Requirement Due date

enable each child to participate in the daily life of the home. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b)(2)(a)(b)(i)(ii)(iii)(c)(i)(ii)) 13/02/2020

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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. 13/02/2020 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2530801 5 In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

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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

help each child to understand, in a way that is appropriate according to the child’s age and understanding, personal, sexual and social relationships, and how those relationships can be supportive or harmful;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to develop the understanding and skills to recognise or withdraw from a damaging, exploitative or harmful relationship;

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Requirement Due date

strive to gain each child’s respect and trust;

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Requirement Due date

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; Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2530801 6 understand and communicate to children that bullying is unacceptable; and

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Requirement Due date

have the skills to recognise incidents or indications of bullying and how to deal with them; and

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Requirement Due date

that each child is encouraged to build and maintain positive relationships with others. (Regulation 11 (1)(a)(b)(c)(2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(viii)(ix)(x)(xi)(xii) (xiii)(b)) The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

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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

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.

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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 work as a team where appropriate;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child;

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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 13/02/2020 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2530801 7 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

demonstrate that practice in the home is informed and improved by taking into account and acting on—

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Requirement Due date

research and developments in relation to the ways in which the needs of children are best met; and

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Requirement Due date

feedback on the experiences of children, including complaints received; 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)(b)(c)(f)(g)(h)) Restraint in relation to a child is only permitted for the purpose of preventing—

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Requirement Due date

injury to any person (including the child);

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Requirement Due date

serious damage to the property of any person (including the child); or

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Requirement Due date

a child who is accommodated in a secure children’s home from absconding from the home.

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Requirement Due date

Restraint in relation to a child must be necessary and proportionate. (Regulation 20 (1)(a)(b)(c) and (2)) 13/02/2020

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that any limitation placed on a child’s privacy or access to any area of the home’s premises is kept under review and, if necessary, revised. (Regulation 21 (c)(iii))

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Requirement Due date

The manager must ensure that any door alarms used for children are necessary for the safety of the children, are included in a risk management plan and are regularly reviewed by all necessary parties. 31/07/2020

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must prepare and implement a policy which—

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Requirement Due date

is intended to safeguard children accommodated in the children’s home from abuse or neglect; and

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Requirement Due date

sets out the procedure to be followed in the event of an allegation of abuse or neglect. (Regulation 34 (1)(a)(b)) 13/02/2020 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2530801 8 Behaviour management policies and records The registered person must prepare and implement a policy (‘the behaviour management policy’) which sets out—

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Requirement Due date

how appropriate behaviour is to be promoted in the children’s home; and

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Requirement Due date

the measures of control, discipline and restraint which may be used in relation to children in the home.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must keep the behaviour management policy under review and, where appropriate, revise it.

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Requirement Due date

within 24 hours of the use of a measure of control, discipline or restraint in relation to a child in the home, a record is made which includes—

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Requirement Due date

details of the child’s behaviour leading to the use of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

the date, time and location of the use of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

a description of the measure and its duration;

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Requirement Due date

details of any methods used or steps taken to avoid the need to use the measure;

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Requirement Due date

the name of the person who used the measure (‘the user’), and of any other person present when measure was used;

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Requirement Due date

the effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the measure; and

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Requirement Due date

a description of any injury to the child or any other person, and any medical treatment administered, as a result of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

within 48 hours of the use of the measure, the registered person, or a person who is authorised by the registered person to do so (‘the authorised person’)—

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Requirement Due date

has spoken to the user about the measure; and 13/02/2020 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2530801 9 has signed the record to confirm it is accurate; and

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Requirement Due date

within 5 days of the use of the measure, the registered person or the authorised person adds to the record confirmation that they have spoken to the child about the measure. (Regulation 35 (1)(a)(b)(2)(3)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(viii)(b)(i)(ii)(c))

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Recommendations

 For children’s homes to be nurturing and supportive environments that meet the needs of their children, they will, in most cases, be homely, domestic environments. Children’s homes must comply with relevant health and safety legislations (alarms, food, hygiene etc.); however in doing so, homes should seek as far as possible to maintain a domestic rather than ‘institutional’ impression (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9). This is with reference to the use of locked doors in two offices in the home and children not being able to access these rooms.

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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. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2530801 10

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Rumwell Hall, Rumwell, Taunton, Somerset TA4 1EL

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Inspector

Anna Gravelle, social care inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2530801 11 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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