Children's home run by Oracle Care Limited in Central Bedfordshire

Inspection report children’s home: SC408513 1 SC408513 Registered provider: Oracle Care Limited Interim inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

A private company owns the 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 manager has been registered since February 2019.

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Inspection date: 2 January 2020

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC408513 2

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged good at the last full inspection. At the interim inspection, Ofsted judges that it has sustained effectiveness.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Since the last inspection in July 2019, young people have continued to make steady progress. There have been no new admissions or discharges since the last inspection. Young people who currently live in the home have lived at the home for at least two years and are in a stable and secure placement.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

It has been a challenging time over the past few months. Each young person has faced their own individual emotional challenges. Sometimes, this has led to an escalation in incidents. The care team has responded well to each young person’s individual need. The team uses therapeutic advice, and guidance, from a therapy team and each young person has individual therapy sessions. To help young people work through some relevant topical themes, detailed and well-thought-out key-work sessions also take place.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The home has recently had all the internal doors changed to ensure compliance with current fire regulations. Despite this disruption, carers and young people have managed the building work well. This is part of the ongoing refurbishment and modernisation in the home. Young people have been consulted about colour schemes and soft furnishings. Each young person has had the opportunity to personalise their own bedroom, allowing the young people to have a say in the design of their home. This helps young people to have a sense of ownership over their living space. One young person said, ‘I like it here. Staff are nice. I like my bedroom and it feels like home.’ All young people have positive and trusting relationships with their carers.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

One young person is in the process of moving on to semi-independent living as she will soon turn 18 years old. Carers have completed key-work sessions with the young person to increase her confidence with her independence skills. There is a clear pathway plan in place for when the young person moves to her new place. She is both excited but naturally apprehensive about the move. On a few occasions, she has refused to return home in the evening and opted to stay out with her friends. When this has happened, carers have followed safeguarding procedures and contacted all relevant professionals, family members and the police. The young person has stayed in contact with carers when she has been out, maintaining her links with the home. This shows her positive attachment to her carers.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The care team has been proactive in supporting and helping each young person to manage their own challenging behaviours. All young people have detailed behaviour support plans that are followed well in practice. Inspection report children’s home: SC408513 3 Over the past few months, there has been an increase of incidents and the use of physical intervention for one young person. This young person is struggling to emotionally regulate at present due to several changes in her personal situation. The use of restraint has been necessary to keep this young person safe. Detailed incident reports are completed with a full evaluation and debrief with carers and, where possible, the young person. Physical intervention is only used as a last resort and restraint has been fair, reasonable and proportionate.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The registered manager of the home evaluates and provides feedback for all incident reports. She has noted and commented that some incidents could have been de-escalated sooner by her staff. Through ongoing development and training, the registered manager is planning to explore de-escalation techniques and conflict resolution. This is a relevant and necessary piece of work to help increase her staff’s knowledge in childhood trauma and attachment issues. The manager is proactive and continues to develop her staff team.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

There is evidence of good working relationships with placing authorities and partner agencies. The registered manager was able to draw on the expertise of the local fire service to come to the home and complete a piece of work on fire safety with the young people. This was a great opportunity for young people to learn about the risks of arson and to relate it to their own experiences.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The registered manager has been proactive and submitted safeguarding notifications and contacted the local authority designated officer for advice and information. The registered manager should ensure that all safeguarding disclosures made by young people in the home are revisited with the statutory agencies to check on satisfactory conclusion and protection for the discloser.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The staff team members have a range of skills and experience and are passionate about the young people and genuinely care about them. Since the last inspection, there has been one new staff member recruited to the team and one member of staff is on long-term sick leave. The home uses one agency staff member who knows the young people well. This maintains consistency and familiarity for the young people. The home has been without a deputy manager and attempts are being made to recruit to this post. Inspection report children’s home: SC408513 4

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

09/07/2019 Full Good 19/12/2018 Full Requires improvement to be good 08/08/2017 Full Outstanding 28/02/2017 Interim Improved effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: SC408513 5

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What does the children’s home need to do to improve?

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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Recommendations

Staff should be alert to the possibility that children may be at risk from relationships with other children in the home, staff, family members, friends and others outside the home, and therefore should take appropriate steps to protect a child where there are concerns for a child’s safety. (‘Guide to children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 43, Paragraph 9.13)

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Information about this inspection

This inspection focused on the effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of children and young people since the most recent full inspection.

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people, using the ‘Social care common inspection framework’. This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000 to assess the effectiveness of the service, how it meets the core functions of the service as set out in legislation, and to consider how well it complies with the Children’s Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the ‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’. Inspection report children’s home: SC408513 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Oracle Care Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Unit 54 Wrest Park, Silsoe, Bedford MK45 4HS

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Inspector

Kamal Bhamra, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC408513 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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