Children's home run by Orbis Education and Care Limited

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2519199 1

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Orbis Education and Care Limited

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 the providers education and care group and offers a 52-week placement, which may or may not include education. The home provides care and education for up to 10 children who have autism spectrum disorder and/or learning difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The home was registered with Ofsted on 2 May 2019. On 20 June 2019, Ofsted was informed that the registered manager had resigned. Following his resignation, the home was managed by an interim manager until a new permanent manager was appointed in October 2019. The intended manager withdrew her application to be registered with Ofsted on 8 June 2020. A manager from within the home has since submitted her application to register with Ofsted.

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Information about this children’s home

The children’s home and a school are on the same site.

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This monitoring visit

This children’s home was judged inadequate at the full inspection on 6 November 2019. During that inspection, a notice to suspend the registration was served. Ofsted has been monitoring the setting closely since the inspection in November 2019.

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This monitoring visit

Following the monitoring visit in January 2020 and the subsequent case review, the suspension notice ended on 31 January 2020. At the monitoring visit on 26 February 2020, inspectors reported that the home was taking steps to make the required improvements.

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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. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2519199 2 Monitoring reports have been written for inspection activity undertaken on 21 April 2020 and 4 May 2020. In both cases, inspection activity was conducted remotely by the inspector.

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This monitoring visit

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

Off-site activity undertaken by the inspector included telephone discussions with the manager, the responsible individual, the director of children’s services for the provision, one member of staff and the one child living in the home. The inspector electronically reviewed all necessary documents. This monitoring activity did not include a visit to the home.

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This monitoring visit

Since the previous report, there have been further changes to the senior leadership and management team. The manager designate, who had been in post since October 2019, withdrew her application with Ofsted and returned to her substantive post with as head of care. A manager from within the home has submitted her application to be registered with Ofsted, and the deputy manager has resigned.

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This monitoring visit

Senior leaders have recruited a home’s improvement manager. It is envisaged that this person will provide a further layer of quality assurance and work alongside the registered manager to improve and develop the home. While both appointments remain in their infancy, progress is noted by the inspector.

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This monitoring visit

It is recognised that the new manager has been influential in the reviewing of records, and there is already a marked improvement in the quality of management oversight. However, the inspector found the training matrix and the statement of purpose were not accurate. These were rectified during the inspection. The inspector reported on the practice of asking a child to sign documents to evidence consultation could be done in a more creative way. This was recognised by the manager designate

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This monitoring visit

Since the previous monitoring visit, there has been a significant reduction in the number of incidents when the staff have been challenged. The use of physical intervention has reduced, and records suggest the staff team is responding more confidently to the complex needs of the child. There is an improvement to the quality of the care plan and behaviour support plan. As a result, there is a more proactive rather than reactive response by staff when supporting some of the more complex behaviours of the child. Staff said that they are supported by the new manager, there is management presence in the home and they are enjoying their work.

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This monitoring visit

The new manager designate, and her senior leadership team are working to improve the quality of care children receive. A development plan is specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time bound (SMART) and reflects the improvement work necessary. Leaders and managers agree that work continues to be necessary to ensure that there is consistently good care.

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This monitoring visit

The inspector can report that there is evidence of a more settled home environment and progress is being made by the child. However, since the previous report there have been further changes to the management structure. It therefore remains Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2519199 3 imperative that senior leaders and managers stabilise the management team and, in doing so, embed the work that is necessary to improve the home further.

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This monitoring visit

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

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This monitoring visit

From evidence seen between this monitoring visit and the last, several previous requirements have now been met. Others will remain for further review at the next on- site inspection.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 06/11/2019 Full Inadequate Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2519199 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

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; and

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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

that the care is approved, and kept under review throughout its duration, by the placing authority; 30/04/2020 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2519199 5 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. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b)(2)(a)(b)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(ix)(3)(a)(b)(c)(i)(ii))

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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

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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Requirement Due date

research and developments in relation to the ways in which the needs of children are best met; and 30/04/2020 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2519199 6 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)(e)(f)(g)(i)(ii)(h))

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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: 2519199 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Orbis Education and Care Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Vision Court, Caxton Place, Pentwyn, Cardiff CF23 8HA

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Inspector

Linda Bond, social care inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2519199 8 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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