Children's Home run by Oasis Adolescent Services Ltd in Oldham

Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 1258975 1

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Oasis Adolescent Services 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 operated by a private organisation. The home offers care and accommodation for up to three children who may experience emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. The home is managed by an experienced manager who was registered in October 2017.

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This monitoring visit

This monitoring visit was undertaken following concerns about the home’s safeguarding practice.

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This monitoring visit

The home was registered in October 2017. It has received two outstanding judgements since registration. There have been no requirements or recommendations made for this service.

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This monitoring visit

Children have a previous history of educational disruption and non-attendance. From their initial starting points, individual educational needs are well met. For example, staff work with a range of external providers to ensure that each child can achieve educationally in a variety of settings. This means children have a range of innovative opportunities to help them in their educational journey. As a result, children grow in self-esteem and confidence and develop personal goals and aspirations for their futures.

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This monitoring visit

The safety and protection of children is prioritised. Risk assessments are clearly written, updated and regularly reviewed. This means that children’s risks are suitably managed, by staff who have clear and consistent guidance. Since living at this home, children’s risk-taking behaviour has reduced.

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This monitoring visit

Children rarely go missing or absent themselves from the home. On the occasions when this has occurred, staff are swift in their response. This means that children Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 1258975 2 are returned to the home quickly. In addition, an independent return home interview is conducted. Any concerns raised as part of this interview are shared with the home’s manager and included in an updated missing-from-home plan.

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This monitoring visit

Children are helped to recognise the impact of their negative or challenging behaviours. Overall, sanctions are restorative and are supported by regular targeted key-work sessions. This enables a child to be supported to put things right. However, some sanctions are not consistently assessed for their effectiveness, for example, the use of supervised spends. The lack of evaluation means that some behaviours are repeated once the short period of supervision of spends is complete. A recommendation is made to address this matter.

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This monitoring visit

Since the last inspection in February 2020, there have been four instances when children have accessed cannabis. Staff have actively engaged the community drug and alcohol service, who provide regular individual and group support to the children and staff. Children engage positively with services and continue this work with staff through regular key-work sessions and children’s meetings.

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This monitoring visit

Children are supported by staff who are trained in the use of physical intervention. Since the last inspection, there have been three occasions when a physical intervention has been required. Records are detailed and proportionate and include the key-work session, debrief and a discussion with the home’s psychologist after each event. However, when a child is presenting with disruptive behaviours staff respond by restricting children’s access to areas such as the kitchen and the living room, by locking the doors. This practice results in children being confined and not having free access to areas of their home. A requirement is made to address this matter.

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This monitoring visit

Children’s free time in the community is agreed once they are settled in the placement and are familiar with the local area. Staff work together with the placing authority to plan how free time is to be allocated, managed and reviewed. On the whole, children’s free time is suitably allocated and takes into account their individual level of risk.

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This monitoring visit

Prior to the COVID-19 restrictions on social engagement, all children were regularly accessing a range of sporting activities, including football, cricket, boxing and the gym. The pandemic restrictions have had a negative impact on some children, resulting in an increase in negative and challenging behaviours. However, it is pleasing to see that staff continue to keep children engaged and informed about the pandemic and their community restrictions.

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This monitoring visit

The children’s home is registered to care for children who may experience emotional and behavioural difficulties. However, there have been two new admissions to the home which fall outside of this registration category. As a result, children with a mental health diagnosis have moved into the home without the staff having the required expertise to care for them. Consequently, leaders and managers have not Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 1258975 3 operated the children’s home in accordance with its statement of purpose. A requirement is made to address this matter.

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This monitoring visit

Most staff working in the children’s home have completed the diploma at level 3. Staff undertake regular training and have received some training in relation to specific mental health concerns. All staff receive regular formal supervision. Records demonstrate that supervision is practice led and provides staff members with goals and targets. Team meetings take place regularly and provide staff with a forum to discuss the children and their outcomes.

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This monitoring visit

Internal and external monitoring systems provide the home with a suitable approach to the overall monitoring of care. Reports highlight areas for development, and the manager’s action plan details the methods used to enhance the service. Staff recruitment and selection is thorough. This means that children are cared for by staff who have been appropriately selected and vetted in accordance with the children’s home regulations.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 24/02/2020 Full Outstanding 14/02/2019 Interim Sustained effectiveness 18/07/2018 Full Outstanding Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 1258975 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 registered person must ensure that— the privacy of children is appropriately protected; children can access all appropriate areas of the children’s home’s premises; and any limitation placed on a child’s privacy or access to any area of the home’s premises— is intended to safeguard each child accommodated in the home; is necessary and proportionate; is kept under review and, if necessary, revised; and allows children as much freedom as is possible when balanced against the need to protect them and keep them safe. (Regulation 21 (a)(b)(c)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)) 18 December 2020

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must compile in relation to the children’s home a statement "(the statement of purpose") which covers the matters listed in Schedule 1. The registered person must provide a copy of the statement of purpose to HMCI and make a copy of it available upon request to— a person who works in the home; a child, or a child for whom accommodation in the home is being considered; a parent of a child, or a parent of a child for whom accommodation in the home is being considered; a child’s placing authority; and in the case of a qualifying school, the Secretary of State.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must— keep the statement of purpose under review and, where appropriate, revise it; and 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

If a home has a website, the registered person must ensure that a copy of the statement of purpose is published on that website unless the registered person considers that such 18 December 2020 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 1258975 5 publication would prejudice the welfare of the children in the home.

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Requirement Due date

Subject to paragraph (6), the registered person must ensure that the home is at all times conducted in a manner which is consistent with its statement of purpose.

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Requirement Due date

Nothing in paragraph (5) or regulation 46 (review of premises) requires or authorises the registered person to contravene or not comply with— any other provision of these regulations; or any conditions in relation to the registration of the registered person under Part 2 of the Care Standards Act 2000. (Regulation 16 (1) (2)(a)(b)(c)(d)(e) (3)(a)(b) (4) (5) (6)(a)(b))

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that all incidents of control, discipline and restraint are subject to systems of regular scrutiny to ensure that their use is fair and the above principles as set out in 9.35 are respected. (Guide to the children’s homes regulation including the quality standards, page 46 paragraph 9.36) Specifically, managers should review the effectiveness of sanctions used in the home.

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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: Oasis Adolescent Services Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 9 Beacon Grove, Oldham, Lancashire OL8 2XH

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Children’s home details

Registered manager: Shahzaad Iqbal Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 1258975 6

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Inspector

Maria McGranaghan, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 1258975 7 to achieve excellence in the care of children and children, 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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