Children's home run by Homes for Support

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2592713 1

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Homes For Support Limited

Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is a privately operated home and was registered in August 2020. The home provides care and accommodation for up to five children or young people who may have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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This monitoring visit

Two young people are living at the home. Staff ensure that young people are registered with local medical services and that they have access to education. One young person attends an education provision, another young person has access to on-site education. Young people have the opportunity to partake in fun activities. For some young people, this is a new and enriching experience.

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This monitoring visit

A monitoring visit took place following notification to Ofsted that a young person was missing from the home. This young person is subject to an order instructed by the courts.

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This monitoring visit

Careful planning and discussion took place with staff and a multi-disciplinary team around the young person to ensure his successful transition to the home. However, significant safeguarding measures, such as waking-night staff and the fitting of an electronic monitoring device to monitor curfew had not been implemented at the point of admission. As a result, the young person went missing for one night shortly after being placed in the home. Once appropriate provisions were in place, waking- night staff ceased due to a period of stability at the home.

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This monitoring visit

Staff identified the importance of waking-night staff to keep young people calm and reassured in the evening. Some young people can find the night time challenging, when emotional and/or behavioural regulation is more difficult. The failure of staff to check on the young person, despite his electronic monitoring device being activated, resulted in a young person going missing during the night. Inspectors noted serious Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2592713 2 shortfalls and safeguarding concerns in the failure to protect a vulnerable young person. No known serious harm came to the young person during his episode of being missing from the home. A requirement subject to compliance action has been made to address this matter.

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This monitoring visit

All young people have impact risk assessments and risk management plans according to their specific behaviours. The documents fall short due to the inconsistent implementation of procedures into practice. Consistency is required across the whole team to ensure that all staff can safeguard young people in their care. Managers are required to ensure that all staff have the skills, experience and qualifications to meet the needs of young people. A requirement has been made to address this matter.

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This monitoring visit

There have been inconsistencies in the sharing of information and notification of serious incidents to Her Majesty’s Chief Inspectorate (HMCI). A notification has been made to address this matter.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement Not previously inspected Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2592713 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, the 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 notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if—

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Requirement Due date

a child is involved in or subject to, or is suspected of being involved in or subject to, sexual exploitation;

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Requirement Due date

an incident requiring police involvement occurs in relation to a child which the registered person considers to be serious;

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Requirement Due date

there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there;

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Requirement Due date

a child protection enquiry involving a child —

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Requirement Due date

concludes (in which case, the notification must include the outcome of the child protection enquiry); or

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Requirement Due date

there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40 (4)(a)(b)(c)(d)(i)(ii)(e)) 31 January 2021

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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

lead and manage the home in a way that is consistent with the approach and ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set out in the home’s statement of purpose; 31 January 2021 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2592713 4 ensure that staff work as a team where appropriate;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(c)(d)(e))

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Requirement Due date

*The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) 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 plans, and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child;

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Requirement Due date

manage relationships between children to prevent them from harming each other;

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Requirement Due date

understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person; and

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Requirement Due date

are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(iv)(v)(vii)) 28 January 2021

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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; and

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Requirement Due date

have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— 31 January 2021 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2592713 5 that children are admitted to the home only if their needs are within the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the home is to provide care and accommodation, as set out in the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

ensure the effective induction of each child into the home;

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Requirement Due date

manage and review the placement of each child in the home; and

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Requirement Due date

that each child’s relevant plans are followed.

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Requirement Due date

That the child’s placing authority is contacted, and a review of that child’s relevant plans is requested, if—

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Requirement Due date

the registered person considers that the child is at risk of harm or has concerns that the care provided for the child is inadequate to meet the child’s needs;

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Requirement Due date

the child is, or has been, persistently absent from the home without permission; or

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Requirement Due date

the child requests a review of the child’s relevant plans. (Regulation 14 (1)(a) (2)(a)(b)(i)(ii)(c)(e)(i)(ii)(iii))

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Requirement Due date

*These requirements are subject to a compliance notice.

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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: Homes For Support Limited Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2592713 6 Registered provider address: 1st Floor, Cloister House Riverside, New Bailey Street, Manchester M3 5FS

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Inspector

Kamal Bhamra, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2592713 7 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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