Children's home run by Shropshire Council

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC370982 1 SC370982

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Shropshire Council

Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is run by the local authority and offers support, education and care for five young people who may have experienced neglect, abuse or trauma which has left them vulnerable. The manager of the home registered with Ofsted in March 2009 and holds a relevant qualification at level 5.

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This monitoring visit

A monitoring visit was carried out on 16 June 2020 to follow up on concerns that Ofsted received about the home. Following this inspection, Ofsted issued the provider with two compliance notices under section 22a of the Care Standards Act 2000. The compliance notices were issued in relation to regulation 12, the protection of children standard, and regulation 35, Behaviour management policies and records, of the Children’s Homes (England) Regulations 2015.

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This monitoring visit

The purpose of this monitoring visit was to monitor the actions that the provider has taken to comply with the notices. The inspection was carried out remotely. Staff, children and professionals were spoken to via telephone and the inspector reviewed a range of records, documents and policies.

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This monitoring visit

The provider has taken sufficient action to ensure that the steps in the regulation 35 compliance notice are met. The provider has updated the behaviour management policy and completed work with staff in team meetings and supervision sessions to ensure that staff understand the policy. Staff are up to date with behaviour management training.

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This monitoring visit

In terms of the regulation 12 compliance notice, the provider has ensured that staff have received training in respect of the role of the designated officer, deprivation of Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC370982 2 liberty orders and the safeguarding policy. This work has been followed up in team meetings and supervision sessions to ensure that staff understand.

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This monitoring visit

However, further shortfalls were identified in terms of regulation 12. There was a delay in a young person receiving medical treatment when they said they had swallowed glass. Furthermore, the recording of this incident is not clear and does not accurately demonstrate the action taken by the staff.

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This monitoring visit

Risk assessments for young people do not give clear guidance for staff about what action they are expected to take to reduce known risks for young people. This does not give staff the guidance they need to keep children safe.

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This monitoring visit

In some documents, risks are not identified. For example, for one young person there is no reference to self-harm, despite the fact he has been found on train tracks or that he is prescribed medication in his profile document, which is used when the young person goes missing from care. This does not ensure that staff or external professionals have the required information to keep him safe.

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This monitoring visit

The manager does not always notify Ofsted of incidents requiring police involvement. This hinders Ofsted’s monitoring of the home.

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This monitoring visit

Ofsted has issued the provider with one further compliance notice to address the shortfalls in regulation 12. Ofsted will undertake a further monitoring visit to monitor the provider’s compliance with this notice.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 24/07/2019 Full Good 11/03/2019 Full Requires improvement to be good 14/08/2017 Full Good 07/03/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC370982 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.

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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

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

(Regulation 12 (1)(2)(a)(i)(v)) * 13/09/2020

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if—

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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. (Regulation 40 (4)(b)) 13/09/2020

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Requirement Due date

*These requirements are subject to a compliance notice.

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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: SC370982 4 Ofsted is aware of the challenges that COVID-19 (coronavirus) is currently posing to those it inspects. 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 address: Shirehall, Abbey Foregate, Shrewsbury, Shropshire SY2 6ND

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Inspector

Sarah Billett, social care inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC370982 5 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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