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

A new manager is in post who is in the process of registering 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).

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This monitoring visit

Following this inspection, the home’s registration was suspended on 15 May 2020 until 6 August 2020 inclusively. Two compliance notices were issued in relation to regulation 12 (the protection of children standard) and regulation 13 (the leadership and management standard). In addition, eight new requirements were raised.

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This monitoring visit

A monitoring inspection took place on 22 June 2020. This inspection was completed remotely. Little progress had been made against the compliance notices. Following this inspection, the compliance notices were reissued. The home’s registration remained suspended.

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This monitoring visit

The purpose of this monitoring visit was to review progress made in meeting the compliance notices, and to review the home’s readiness to reopen. Although some progress has been made, not all elements of the compliance notices are considered met. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1227330 2 There are ongoing concerns regarding the home’s current capacity to admit children and meet their needs. Since the last inspection four members of staff have resigned with immediate effect. This leaves the new manager and two support workers in post. A third support worker has recently been appointed but has not yet completed her induction or mandatory training.

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This monitoring visit

The responsible individual has failed to follow safer recruitment processes in recruiting the new manager. Some references were obtained after the manager commenced in post. In addition, the responsible individual has failed to obtain verification to the reason why the manager had left their previous roles when working with children or vulnerable adults. This means that the responsible individual has not assured himself that the manager is suitable to work with children.

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This monitoring visit

Managers have failed to investigate staff practice concerns that led to the initial suspension of the home. This raises concerns regarding the monitoring and oversight of the home.

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This monitoring visit

Managers have failed to notify Ofsted as the regulator, or the designated safeguarding officer of a concern regarding staff practice towards a young person. While these concerns have been discussed with the member of staff in supervision, child protection processes have not been followed. This raises concerns regarding the manager’s ability to safeguard young people.

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This monitoring visit

Following this inspection, the home’s registration has been suspended for a further 12 weeks. One new requirement was raised under regulation 40 (notification of a serious incident).

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This monitoring visit

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.

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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

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

(Regulation 12 (1)(2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii))* 13/09/2020

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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—

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Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and promotes their welfare. 13/09/2020 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1227330 4 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 have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for 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

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)(2)(a)(c)(d)(f)(h))* The care planning standard is that children—

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Requirement Due date

receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home; and

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Requirement Due date

have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home.

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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

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;

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Requirement Due date

that each child’s relevant plans are followed;

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Requirement Due date

that the child’s placing authority is contacted, and a review of that child’s relevant plans is requested, if— 13/09/2020 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1227330 5 the registered person considers that the child is at risk of harm or has concerns that the care provided for the child is inadequate to meet the child’s needs.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b)(2)(a)(b)(f)(i)) The registered person must—

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Requirement Due date

keep the statement of purpose under review and, where appropriate, revise it; and

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Requirement Due date

notify HMCI of any revisions and send HMCI a copy of the revised statement within 28 days of the revision.

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Requirement Due date

the privacy of children is appropriately protected;

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Requirement Due date

children can access all appropriate areas of the children’s home’s premises; and

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Requirement Due date

any limitation placed on a child’s privacy or access to any area of the home’s premises—

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Requirement Due date

is intended to safeguard each child accommodated in the home; is necessary and proportionate;

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Requirement Due date

is kept under review and, if necessary, revised; and

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Requirement Due date

allows children as much freedom as is possible when balanced against the need to protect them and keep them safe.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 21 (a)(b)(c)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)) 13/09/2020

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety.

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Requirement Due date

employ an individual to work at the children’s home; or 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).

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Requirement Due date

The requirements are that— 13/09/2020 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1227330 6 full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 32 (1)(2)(a)(b)(3)(d)) The registered person must

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Requirement Due date

undertake appropriate continuing professional development;

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Requirement Due date

receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience.

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Requirement Due date

maintain in the home the records in Schedule 4;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the records are kept up to date; and

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Requirement Due date

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 duty roster of persons working at the home, and a record of the actual rosters worked. (Schedule 4(3))the actual rosters worked. (Schedule 4(3)). 13/09/2020

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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.

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Requirement Due date

When conducting the review, the registered person must consult, and take into account the views of, each relevant person.

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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

there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there. (Regulation 40 (4)(a)(b)(c)(d)(i)(ii)(e)) 13/09/2020 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1227330 7 *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 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. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’,

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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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Children’s home details

Registered manager: Post Vacant Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1227330 8

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Inspector

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