Children's home run by Five Rivers Child Care Limited in Wiltshire

Assurance visit report: SC025938 1 SC025938

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Information about this children’s home

This children’s home is operated by a national private organisation. It provides care and accommodation for up to five children who may have emotional or behavioural difficulties. This home has not been operational since November 2018. The provider advised Ofsted of their intention to admit children again in December 2020.

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Information about this children’s home

There is an interim manager who was appointed in September 2020 and her application for registration is being processed.

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Information about this children’s home

Previous inspection date: 11 February 2020

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Information about this children’s home

Previous inspection judgement: Not judged

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Information about this visit

Due to COVID-19 (coronavirus), Ofsted suspended all routine inspections in March 2020. As part of a phased return to routine inspection, we are undertaking assurance visits to children’s social care services that are inspected under the social care common inspection framework (SCCIF).

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Information about this visit

At these visits, inspectors evaluate the extent to which:

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Information about this visit

 children are well cared for  children are safe  leaders and managers are exercising strong leadership. This visit was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000, following the published guidance for assurance visits.

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Information about this visit

Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education, Children’s Services and Skills is leading Ofsted’s work into how England’s social care system has delivered child-centred practice and care within the context of the restrictions placed on society during the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Findings from the visit

Assurance visit report: SC025938 2 We did not identify any serious or widespread concerns in relation to the care or protection of children at this assurance visit.

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The care of children

Although the home has remained registered, it has been closed since January 2019. A condition of the registration was to inform Ofsted and give three months’ notice, of the intention to open and receive placements. The provider contacted Ofsted in April and advised of its intention to reopen the home.

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The care of children

Since that time, extensive refurbishment has taken place. In addition, a new onsite school has been established on the site and is registered. No children have been placed during this period.

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The care of children

The assurance visit was undertaken as the home has an active registration but has been closed for a long time. Inspection of the premises was also carried out as part of the visit. This visit was initially scheduled for September 2020; however, this was deferred as the building work had not been completed.

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The care of children

Significant redecoration and refurbishment have resulted in a high-quality standard of accommodation for children. There has been a focus on making the building as homely as possible, therefore there is minimal signage.

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The safety of children

The provider has ensured the safety of the building and location for children. For example, there is a new fire risk assessment and an updated local area risk assessment.

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The safety of children

The policy and procedures, including the statement of purpose have been updated and are now in place to support staff in the safe care of children.

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Leaders and managers

A new responsible individual and a new manager have been appointed. The manager has applied for registration with Ofsted. They are recruiting a new staff team.

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Leaders and managers

Two requirements and one recommendation made at previous inspections relating to the building and the statement of purpose are met. As the home has not been operational, the further requirements and recommendations detailed below will be followed up at the next inspection. No requirements or recommendations arise from this visit.

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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 safe. In particular, the standard 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 plan and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child. (Regulation 12 (2)(a)(i))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the home must ensure that risk assessments contain all identified risks in relation to using doors as ligature points, hugging staff and access to knives. 31 March2021

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that each employee completes an appropriate induction. (Regulation 33 (1)(a))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the home must ensure that the staff induction includes the Children’s Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the ‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’. 31 March 2021

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Requirement Due date

The system referred to in paragraph (2) quality of care review must provide for ascertaining and considering the opinions of parents, placing authorities and staff. (Regulation 45 (5)) 31 March 2021

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Recommendations

 The registered person must ensure the review of premises includes the identification of any risks and opportunities presented by the home’s location for managing these. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 64, paragraph 15.1)

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Recommendations

In particular, consider the risks from gangs and unsafe individuals. Assurance visit report: SC025938 4  The registered person must ensure that staff should receive supervision of their practice from an appropriately qualified and experienced professional, which allows them to reflect on their practice and the needs of the children assigned to their care. In particular, supervision must be on a regular basis. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.2)

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Recommendations

 The registered person must ensure that all staff must have their performance and fitness to carry out their role formally appraised at least once annually. This appraisal should take into account, where reasonable and practical, the views of other professionals who have worked with the staff member over the year and children in the home’s care. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.5)

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Recommendations

 The registered person must ensure that 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 14.5)

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Recommendations

In particular, ensure that records are meaningful, and that they include the child’s feelings and the impact of the therapeutic intervention.

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Recommendations

 The registered person must ensure that staff are ambitious for every child. In particular, help children to set short goals for the duration of their placement. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 52, paragraph 10.7)

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Recommendations

 The registered person must ensure that where children placed in the home are not participating in education, in the interim the child should be engaged in suitable structured activity. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 28, paragraph 5.15)

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Five Rivers Child Care Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Five Rivers Child Care, 47 Bedwin Street, Salisbury SP1 3UT

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Christopher Newman

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Inspector

Assurance visit report: SC025938 5 Jacqueline Graves, Social Care Regulatory Inspector Assurance visit report: SC025938 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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