Children's home run by Positive Outcomes Childcare Ltd

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1227330 1

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Positive Outcomes Childcare Ltd

Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

A private company operates this home. It is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to three young people who may have social and/or emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The home has been without a registered manager since July 2019.

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Information about this children’s home

An interim manager is currently in post who has not yet registered with Ofsted.

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This monitoring visit

This children’s home was judged good at the full inspection in November 2019. Ofsted inspected the home on 14 May 2020. This was in response to a young person making a serious allegation on 10 May 2020. The inspection was completed remotely due to COVID-19 (coronavirus). Following this inspection, the home’s registration was suspended on 15 May 2020 until 6 August 2020 inclusively. Two compliance notices were issued, and eight new requirements were raised.

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This monitoring visit

The purpose of this monitoring visit was to review progress made in meeting the compliance notices issued in relation to regulation 12 (the protection of children standard) and regulation 13 (the leadership and management standard). This inspection was also completed remotely.

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This monitoring visit

The inspection found that, while some progress had been made, the compliance notices have not been met.

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This monitoring visit

The home is currently without a registered manager. The interim manager is new to the post. She has no experience of managing staff to bring about changes in practice or developing services. The responsible individual has resigned and is working his notice period from home. A new responsible individual is in the process Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1227330 2 of being recruited. However, the current leadership and management of the home are lacking.

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This monitoring visit

Since Ofsted suspended the home’s registration, staff have not been working in the home. The manager has not received training in staff supervision. This means that she does not have the skills to develop and support the staff team.

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This monitoring visit

To date, the staff team has not had the opportunity to reflect on the quality of care and the impact this has on young people’s progress and experience. Staff have also not received supervision.

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This monitoring visit

Staff have completed some additional training in child sexual exploitation, recording and report writing. The effectiveness of training has not yet been explored with staff. The manager has not discussed child protection policies and protocols with the staff team to assure herself that staff understand their roles and responsibilities in protecting children.

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This monitoring visit

The two compliance notices have been re-issued, and the home’s registration remains suspended. The requirements will be reviewed at a future inspection.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 11/11/2019 Full Good 07/11/2018 Full Good 24/07/2018 Full Inadequate 23/05/2017 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1227330 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 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— 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; help each child to understand how to keep safe; have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm; understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person; take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare; and are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies. (Regulation 12 (1)(2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)) * 02/08/2020

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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— helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and promotes their welfare. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to— 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; ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child; ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child; 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 02/08/2020 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1227330 4 development of the quality of care provided in the home;

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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. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b)(2)(a)(c)(d)(f)) * 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. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— that children are admitted to the home only if their needs are within the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the home is to provide care and accommodation, as set out in the home’s statement of purpose; that each child’s relevant plans are followed; that the child’s placing authority is contacted, and a review of that child’s relevant plans is requested, if— the registered person considers that the child is at risk of harm or has concerns that the care provided for the child is

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Requirement Due date

inadequate to meet the child’s needs. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b)(2)(a)(c)(e)(i)) 02/08/2020

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must— keep the statement of purpose under review and, where appropriate, revise it; and notify HMCI of any revisions and send HMCI a copy of the revised statement within 28 days of the revision. (Regulation 16 (3)(a)(b)) 02/08/2020

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that— the privacy of children is appropriately protected; children can access all appropriate areas of the children’s home’s premises; and any limitation placed on a child’s privacy or access to any area of the home’s premises— is intended to safeguard each child accommodated in the home; is necessary and proportionate; is kept under review and, if necessary, revised; and allows children as much freedom as is possible when balanced against the need to protect them and keep them safe. (Regulation 21 (a)(b)(c)(i)(ii)(iv)) 02/08/2020

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety. The registered person may only— employ an individual to work at the children’s home; or 02/08/2020 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1227330 5 if an individual is employed by a person other than the registered person to work at the home in a position in which the individual may have regular contact with children, allow that individual to work at the home, if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3) The requirements are that— full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2. (Regulation 32 (1)(2)(b)(3)(d)) The registered person must ensure that all employees— undertake appropriate continuing professional development; receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain in the home the records in Schedule 4; ensure that the records are kept up to date; and retain the records for at least 15 years from the date of the last entry.

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Requirement Due date

This is in relation to maintaining a copy of an accurate staff duty roster of persons working at the home and a record of the actual rosters worked. (Schedule 4(3)) (Regulation 37 (1)(2)(a)(b)) 02/08/2020

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must review the appropriateness and suitability of the location of the premises used for the purposes of the children’s home at least once in each calendar year. When conducting the review, the registered person must consult, and take into account the views of, each relevant person. Regulation 46 (1)(2) 02/08/2020

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Requirement Due date

*These requirements are subject to a compliance notice.

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Recommendations

 Children must be consulted regularly on their views about the home’s care, to inform and support continued improvement in the quality of care provided. Due consideration should be given to the child’s cognitive ability in the development and implementation of any consultation processes. Children should be able to see the results of their views being listened to and acted upon. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 22, paragraph 4.11)  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 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1227330 6 opportunity for the child to have an independent return home interview. Homes should take account of information provided by such interviews when assessing risks and putting arrangements in place to protect each child.

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Recommendations

(‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 45, paragraph 9.30)

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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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Information about this inspection

Ofsted is aware of the challenges that COVID-19 is currently posing to those we inspect. 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.

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Positive Outcomes Childcare Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Positive Outcomes Childcare Ltd, Suite 3 Churchill House Queen Street, Wellington, Telford, Shropshire TF1 1SN

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Inspector

Debbie Holder, social care inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1227330 7 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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