Children's home run by Constant Child Care Limited in Walsall

Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC368032 1 SC368032

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Constant Child Care Ltd

Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This privately owned children’s home provides care for up to three children who may have experienced trauma. Such trauma may mean that children experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

There has been no registered manager since July 2019. A new manager has recently been appointed and will need to submit an application to register with Ofsted. He started work at the home on 16 November 2020.

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This monitoring visit

Ofsted received a request from the provider to visit the home to review the restriction of accommodation notice before its end date. The provider requested an earlier visit on the basis that the young person living at the home had moved on and, in their view, they had met the requirements raised at the previous monitoring visit.

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This monitoring visit

The purpose of this monitoring visit was to review the restriction of accommodation notice and to review the progress towards the requirements raised at the previous visit.

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This monitoring visit

Inspectors found that staff had not sustained the changes that they had made at the previous monitoring visit on 3 November 2020. In relation to safeguarding practice, staff were not following the absent-without-authorisation and missing-from-care procedures. For example, they were not maintaining regular contact with a young person when he was away from the home and his whereabouts were unknown. On occasions, there was no attempt to contact the young person for several hours. Managers, including the responsible individual, were not aware that staff had not been following the agreed procedures to safeguard the young person. The lack of Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC368032 2 care and concern from staff for a vulnerable young person placed him at risk of harm.

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This monitoring visit

On one occasion, when the young person refused to return to the home, the staff did report him to the police as absent or missing from home, in line with the risk management plan. However, when the police refused to log the young person as missing from home neither the staff nor managers escalated this. This meant that the young person spent a night away from the home and no one was looking for him. The following day, the young person was involved in a significant incident away from the home and this placed him at risk of harm. The young person moved on from the home suddenly and with little preparation for what would happen next.

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This monitoring visit

Recruitment practice has improved. There is more professional curiosity in seeking to verify why new staff have left roles involving young people and vulnerable adults and in seeking more references. However, improvements do not yet go far enough and some further work is needed in relation to verifying a member of staff’s employment history.

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This monitoring visit

A new manager has now been appointed. He is developing an understanding of the needs of the service and actions required to bring about improvement. In particular, the new manager recognises the need for staff to reflect on what has happened and review what additional support and training they need moving forward. It is, however, early days, and the new manager’s management skills have yet to be tested.

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This monitoring visit

Staff rosters have been revised and provide a clear overview of who is working at the home and when. In addition, improvements are being made to the environment to make this homelier and welcoming for young people.

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This monitoring visit

The provider has met one of the three requirements raised at the previous monitoring inspection. The restriction of accommodation notice remains in place.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 02/10/2019 Interim Declined in effectiveness 01/05/2019 Full Requires improvement to be good 23/10/2018 Full Requires improvement to be good 01/08/2018 Full Inadequate Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC368032 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— helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and promotes their welfare. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to— ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child; 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. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c)(f)) 16 December 2020

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Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children— receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)) 16 December 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. The registered person may only— employ an individual to work at the children’s home; if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3). The requirements are that— the individual is of integrity and good character; full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2. (Regulation 32 (1) (2)(a) (3)(a)(d)) 16 December 2020 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC368032 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: Constant Child Care Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 4 Parkside Court, Greenhough Road, Lichfield, Staffordshire WS13 7FE

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Inspectors

Shazana Jamal, Social Care Inspector Jackie Line, Regulatory Inspector Manager Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC368032 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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