Children's Home run by Unique Care Homes Support Limited in Cambridgeshire

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC481015 1 SC481015

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Unique Care Homes Support Limited

Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is owned by a large private organisation. The home provides care for up to six children aged between 10 and 18 with social, emotional and mental health needs and cognition and learning needs.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager’s post has been vacant since 13 August 2020.

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This monitoring visit

This monitoring visit was undertaken following a significant incident at the home. The inspector was aware during this visit that a serious incident had occurred at the home since the last inspection. This incident is under investigation by the appropriate authorities. While Ofsted does not have the power to investigate incidents of this kind, actions taken by the home in response to the incidents were considered alongside other evidence available at the time of the visit, with a focus on staff conduct. The acting manager took appropriate action by notifying the relevant authorities of the incident.

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This monitoring visit

The inspector was advised on the day of the visit that the acting manager has resigned. The acting manager had been in post since July 2020.

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This monitoring visit

Three senior managers are actively supporting the home. The home was acquired at the beginning of the year by a large national organisation and is still in a transition phase. There is emphasis on familiarising staff with the organisation’s procedures, paperwork and approach to caring for children.

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This monitoring visit

One of the senior managers has been at the home assisting the manager during his probation period and therefore has a good understanding of the children and staff, and of the serious incident. This senior manager has taken the post as acting manager and intends to register with Ofsted. This offers greater continuity of care to Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC481015 2 the children. The staff feel very positive about this. They said that she is a strong manager who listens to them.

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This monitoring visit

Since the incident, the senior managers have taken decisive action and they are following the organisation’s safeguarding procedures. They are also making progress with actions identified at the allegations management meeting.

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This monitoring visit

The relevant risk assessments have been updated. These contain explicit instructions to staff about use of vehicles. Risk assessments have been discussed in team meetings and the staff have a good understanding of the measures contained in these.

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This monitoring visit

The managers have met with staff members for individual debriefs. Some staff felt that the debriefs could have taken place earlier and that paperwork took priority over the staff’s emotional well-being. However, the staff confirmed that they can access the organisation’s support service.

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This monitoring visit

The managers used the individual meetings and the most recent team meeting to reaffirm professional boundaries and to satisfy themselves that staff understand the whistle-blowing policy.

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This monitoring visit

The staff talked openly to the inspector about the incident. They reflected on wanting to provide the children with ‘normal’ experiences. They did not share any concerns about practice at the home. The staff are adapting to new expectations and approaches to supporting children.

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This monitoring visit

There are examples in recent months of when staff have challenged poor practice and escalated their concerns to managers in a timely way. Managers acted on these concerns. However, in relation to the recent incident, the manager had raised a practice issue with the staff member but failed to record this as a formal instruction. A retrospective account of the discussion is now on file.

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This monitoring visit

Staff have not received supervision in line with the organisation’s own policy. The manager has not reviewed the records of all sanctions in the required timescales. Combined, these factors have led to some inconsistencies in how staff respond to children. The acting manager is taking greater management oversight of everyday practice at the home. She has scheduled regular supervision with staff members.

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This monitoring visit

The independent visitor provides appropriate scrutiny. The managers address identified actions promptly. The managers have made progress with addressing the requirements from the last inspection. These were not fully explored as part of this monitoring visit. Therefore, some requirements remain. Shortfalls have been identified at this visit in relation to supervision and management oversight of records. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC481015 3

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 16/12/2019 Full Good 11/12/2018 Full Good 07/11/2017 Full Good 11/10/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC481015 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 positive relationships standard is that children are helped to develop, and to benefit from, relationships based on—

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Requirement Due date

an understanding about acceptable behaviour.

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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

understand and communicate to children that bullying is unacceptable; and

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Requirement Due date

have the skills to recognise incidents or indications of bullying and how to deal with them; and

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Requirement Due date

that each child is encouraged to build and maintain positive relationships with others. (Regulation 11 (1)(b) (2)(a)(xii)(xiii)(b)) 12/11/2020

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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

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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

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(h))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, maintain management oversight of sanctions imposed by staff to ensure consistency of practice. 12/12/2020 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC481015 5 The registered person must ensure that all employees—

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Requirement Due date

receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience. (Regulation 33 (4)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that staff receive supervision at a frequency in line with the organisation’s policy and that supervision records are signed. 12/12/2020

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Information about this inspection

The purpose of this visit was to monitor the action taken by the home following a significant incident.

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Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000.

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Unique Care Homes Support Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 2nd Floor Maybrook House, Queensway, Halesowen, Worcestershire B63 4AH

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Inspector

Paula Edwards, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC481015 6 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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