Children's home run by Willows (Devon) Ltd

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC484790 1 SC484790

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Willows (Devon) 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 part of a small organisation. The manager has been registered since 2018.

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This monitoring visit

During the current COVID-19 (coronavirus) crisis, Ofsted is not carrying out routine inspections of social care provisions. When Ofsted has judged a service to be high risk, we need to determine what activity is needed to mitigate the risk.

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This monitoring visit

Since the previous full inspection on 11 February 2020, off-site monitoring activity took place on 21 April 2020. At that time, Ofsted reported that the leaders and managers had taken immediate steps to improve the arrangements for children and to address the statutory requirements set following the full inspection. This report outlines the steps taken to assess what action has been taken since the last report and the current level of risk.

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This monitoring visit

Off-site activity undertaken by the inspector included telephone discussions with the registered manager, the responsible individual, a member of staff, one placing authority representative and one of the young people living in the home. The inspector electronically reviewed all necessary documents and undertook a virtual tour of the home.

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This monitoring visit

The inspector found that the registered manager and staff strongly advocate for the young people and ensure that they are fully involved in the day-to-day running of the home. Several records clearly show good consultation, planning and the involvement of the young people in relation to the care, activities and education they receive. Since the previous monitoring visit, one young person has moved out of the home. Records confirm that this was well planned. This young person has since Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC484790 2 shared her experiences of living in the home. This feedback is overwhelmingly positive.

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This monitoring visit

Since the previous monitoring report, the home has remained very settled. The two young people living here have continued to enjoy their home. For one young person, the process of incubating chicken eggs remains very exciting.

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This monitoring visit

During this inspection period, there have been no significant incidents. Information about young people’s needs and experiences continues to be shared appropriately with social workers. There have been no allegations or complaints and no incidents that required the use of physical intervention. Furthermore, the staff have not been challenged by the behaviours of the young people.

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This monitoring visit

Feedback given to the inspector from a placing social worker, one of the young people living in the home and a member of staff was overwhelmingly positive.

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This monitoring visit

Following this off-site monitoring activity, the evidence provided for Ofsted indicates that there are no serious or widespread failures that leave children being harmed, at risk of harm, or their welfare not being safeguarded. Ofsted will continue to monitor the performance of the home.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 11/02/2020 Full Inadequate 19/09/2018 Full Good 20/06/2017 Full Good 24/08/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC484790 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 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 ensure that staff—

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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

provide personalised care that meets each child’s needs, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans, taking account of the child’s background;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand and manage the impact of any experience of abuse or neglect;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to develop resilience and skills that prepare the child to return home, to live in a new placement or to live independently as an adult;

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Requirement Due date

make decisions about the day-to-day arrangements for each child, in accordance with the child’s relevant plans, which give the child an appropriate degree of freedom and choice;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that any care that is arranged or provided for a child—

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Requirement Due date

satisfies the conditions in paragraph (3).

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Requirement Due date

The conditions are— 20/03/2020 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC484790 4 that the care meets the child’s needs;

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Requirement Due date

that the care is delivered by a person who—

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Requirement Due date

has the experience, knowledge and skills to deliver that care; and

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Requirement Due date

is under the supervision of a person who is appropriately skilled and qualified to supervise that care.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 6(1)(a)(b)(2)(b)(i)(ii)(iv)(v)(vi)(ix)(d)(3)(b)(c)(i)(ii))

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Requirement Due date

The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe. 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

help each child to understand how to keep safe;

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Requirement Due date

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm;

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Requirement Due date

understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person;

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Requirement Due date

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare; and

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Requirement Due date

are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies;

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Requirement Due date

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; and

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Requirement Due date

that the effectiveness of the home’s child protection policies is monitored regularly. 20/03/2020 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC484790 5 (Regulation 12(1)(2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(v)(vi)(vii)(b)(e))

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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

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

ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to 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 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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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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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)(b)(c)(e)(f)(g)(i)(ii)(h)) 20/03/2020

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Requirement Due date

Behaviour management policies and records

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must prepare and implement a policy (‘the behaviour management policy’) which sets out— 20/03/2020 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC484790 6 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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details of the child’s behaviour leading to the use of the measure;

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

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a description of the measure and its duration;

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

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

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

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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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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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has spoken to the user about the measure; and

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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 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC484790 7 person or the authorised person adds to the record confirmation that they have spoken to the child about the measure.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 35(1)(a)(b)(2)(3)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(b)(i)(ii)(c))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if a child is involved in or subject to, or is suspected of being involved in or subject to, sexual exploitation;

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Requirement Due date

an incident requiring police involvement occurs in relation to a child which the registered person considers to be serious;

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Requirement Due date

there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there;

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Requirement Due date

a child protection enquiry involving a child is instigated;

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Requirement Due date

or concludes (in which case, the notification must include the outcome of the child protection enquiry);

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Requirement Due date

or there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 40(a)(b)(c)(d)(i)(ii)(e)) 20/03/2020

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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: SC484790 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Willows (Devon) Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Stephen Quay Accountancy, The Granary, Hinton Business Park, Tarrant Hinton, Blandford Forum DT11 8JF

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Inspector

Linda Bond, social care inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC484790 9 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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