Children's Home run by The Beeches UK limited in Peterborough

Assurance visit report: SC466786 1 SC466786

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Information about this children’s home

This privately owned children’s home provides care for four children who have a learning disability and other complex needs.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager was registered with Ofsted in June 2020.

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Information about this children’s home

Previous inspection date: 29 October 2019

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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

We did not identify any serious or widespread concerns in relation to the care or protection of children at this assurance visit. Assurance visit report: SC466786 2

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The care of children

Four children live at this home. One child moved in after April 2020. The children are settled and making progress because of the support that they receive. Professionals are positive about the quality of care and the effectiveness of the home.

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The care of children

The management team and the staff help children to spend time with their families. This includes enabling face-to-face and virtual time together.

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The care of children

Children enjoy activities with staff. Professionals reported that the children’s horizons are broadening as they try new activities. Staff make positive records of activities. These records will be helpful for the children and their families in the future.

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The care of children

Children attend school. A social worker described one child as having made significant progress in his engagement with education. Another child spoke very positively about the help that the staff give him with his schooling.

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The care of children

Since the last inspection, the carpets have been replaced and the communal areas have improved. However, areas that detract from the homeliness of the building remain. The office door is damaged and two walls require attention.

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The safety of children

When staff physically intervene, the interventions are short and designed to keep children safe.

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The safety of children

The staff understand how to raise concerns about the conduct of colleagues.

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The safety of children

Risk assessments are in place. However, the monitoring of these has not been strong enough, with some containing errors or omissions. While these issues have not resulted in harm, unchecked they have the potential to do so.

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The safety of children

A risk assessment concerning seizures has not been shared with social workers or health professionals. As a result, some professionals are unaware of potential issues and the plans to address them. This is a missed opportunity to enable a multi- agency approach and provide additional assurance that health risks are safely managed.

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Leaders and managers

The staff feel supported by the manager and the manager feels supported by her line manager. However, management capacity has been significantly reduced over recent months. A management team of four has been reduced to a management team of two. This reduction in capacity has affected the quality of managerial oversight. As a result, the managers’ monitoring has not been strong. For example, managers’ reviews of physical intervention records have not been taking place consistently and issues identified in routine visits by an independent person are not always followed up promptly. Assurance visit report: SC466786 3 The COVID-19 pandemic has affected the home’s ability to recruit new staff, resulting in staff and managers covering additional shifts. The pandemic is not the singular cause of these difficulties, as the wider organisation has moved four staff to other homes run by the provider, including two to a newly opened home. These

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Leaders and managers

decisions have contributed to staff feeling stretched and tired.

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Leaders and managers

The manager provides regular supervision for permanent staff despite the loss of management capacity. However, this has not extended to agency staff, including agency staff who are working the equivalent of full-time hours. In addition, the management team has not provided staff with annual appraisals. This means that the staff are not receiving the full support and guidance that they should.

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Leaders and managers

The manager is realistic about the current weaknesses at the home and is aware of the shortfalls. Plans are in place to address these.

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Leaders and managers

The management team has addressed most of the issues that were identified at the last full inspection. The review of the quality of care has improved. Recruitment checks on agency staff are now clearer and compliant with regulations.

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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. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(h)) 31 December

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees—

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Requirement Due date

undertake appropriate continuing professional development; 28 February 2021 Assurance visit report: SC466786 4 receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience; and

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Requirement Due date

have their performance and fitness to perform their roles appraised at least once every year. (Regulation 33 (4)(a)(b)(c))

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that the home is well maintained and homely. (‘Guide to children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9)  The registered person should ensure that risk assessments are clear, up to date, accurately reflect the risks for the individual child and are shared with appropriate professionals. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 42, paragraph 9.5)

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: The Beeches UK Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 212 Ballards Lane, SBCH House, Middlesex N3 2LX

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Rebecca Ouellani

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Inspector

Ashley Hinson, Social Care Inspector Assurance visit report: SC466786 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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Inspector

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