Children's Home run by Worcestershire Children First in Worcestershire

Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: 2548571 1

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Worcestershire Children First

Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home was previously owned by the local authority. It was re-registered in October 2019 when the local authority moved to be a holding company. It is registered for up to four children who have learning disabilities, including autism spectrum disorder.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in October 2019 and is working towards a level 5 diploma in leadership and management.

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This monitoring visit

Ofsted carried out this monitoring visit remotely. The inspector gathered evidence by talking to the registered manager and by reviewing electronic documents.

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This monitoring visit

Ofsted inspected the home on 22 and 23 September 2020 and found serious and widespread concerns in how staff were safely recruited and how they followed safeguarding procedures. As a result, Ofsted took the decision to issue a compliance notice under regulation 32, fitness of workers.

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This monitoring visit

This monitoring visit was carried out to review the progress that had been made in addressing these concerns.

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This monitoring visit

The registered manager has now carried out a full audit of all the staff files. This review has enabled the registered manager to rectify shortfalls in how staff have been recruited. This has now demonstrated that staff who are intending to work at the home are subject to procedures that ensure that they are suitable to work with children. As a result, the compliance notice is now met.

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This monitoring visit

The registered manager has also received further training and has liaised with other professionals to enhance her knowledge of child protection procedures. This has Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: 2548571 2 enabled her to have a greater insight into the processes that she must follow to ensure that children are protected from harm.

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This monitoring visit

All remaining requirements raised at the last inspection will be considered at a future inspection. Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: 2548571 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 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.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(h)) 29 October 2020

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Requirement Due date

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.

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Requirement Due date

within 24 hours of the use of a measure of control, discipline or restraint in relation to a child in the home, a record is made which includes—

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Requirement Due date

details of the child’s behaviour leading to the use of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

the date, time and location of the use of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

a description of the measure and its duration; 29 October 2020 Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: 2548571 4 details of any methods used or steps taken to avoid the need to use the measure;

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Requirement Due date

the name of the person who used the measure (“the user”), and of any other person present when the measure was used;

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Requirement Due date

the effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the measure; and

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Requirement Due date

a description of any injury to the child or any other person, and any medical treatment administered, as a result of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

within 48 hours of the use of the measure, the registered person, or a person who is authorised by the registered person to do so (“the authorised person”)—

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Requirement Due date

has spoken to the user about the measure; and

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Requirement Due date

has signed the record to confirm it is accurate; and

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Requirement Due date

within 5 days of the use of the measure, the registered person or the authorised person adds to the record confirmation that they have spoken to the child about the measure.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 35 (3)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(viii)(b)(i)(ii)(c))

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Requirement Due date

This is specifically regarding sanctions given to children.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must complete a review of the quality of care provided for children (“a quality of care review”) at least once every 6 months.

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Requirement Due date

In order to complete a quality of care review the registered person must establish and maintain a system for monitoring, reviewing and evaluating—

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Requirement Due date

the feedback and opinions of children about the children’s home, its facilities and the quality of care they receive in it.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 45 (1) (2)((b)) 29 October 2020 Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: 2548571 5

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Recommendations

 Staff should be familiar with the home’s policies on record keeping and understand the importance of careful, objective, and clear recording. Staff should record information on individual children in a non-stigmatising way that distinguishes between fact, opinion and third-party information. Information about the child must always be recorded in a way that will be helpful to the child. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4)

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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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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Worcestershire Children First

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: County Hall Campus, Spetchley Road, Worcester, Worcestershire WR5 2NP

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Inspector

Louise Battersby, social care inspector Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: 2548571 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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