Children's home run by Beacon Childcare Ltd

Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: 2546172 1

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Beacon Childcare Limited

Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This provider is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to three children who have suffered early childhood trauma and have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. Following the previous inspection, a condition was applied to the home’s conditions of registration. At the moment, the home can only provide care and accommodation for up to two children.

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Information about this children’s home

The home registered in November 2019. The registered manager post has been vacant since May 2020. A manager was appointed, but left in December 2020. An interim manager is covering the home while the provider recruits a permanent manager.

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This monitoring visit

At an assurance visit on 2 and 3 December 2020, serious and widespread concerns were identified in relation to the care and protection of children. Five requirements were raised, three of which were the subject of compliance notices.

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This monitoring visit

The purpose of this monitoring visit was to consider whether leaders and managers have complied with the variation of the home’s conditions of registration, and to evaluate what steps the provider has taken to meet the three compliance notices and two requirements.

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This monitoring visit

This inspection found that the provider has complied with the variation of the home’s conditions of registration. One child moved out on the 4 December 2020 and two children remain. Some progress has been made, and so one compliance notice and two requirements have been met. However, leaders and managers have not made all of the necessary improvements. As a result, progress is slow and two of the compliance notices have not been met. In addition, two new requirements have been raised. Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: 2546172 2 Managers have taken some action to review young people’s risk assessments, and these now reflect young people’s known risks. However, it is not clear whether staff have read and understood the information in these documents, and if they know their responsibilities in keeping young people safe from harm.

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This monitoring visit

Staff have undertaken some training to help them to be able to identify potential risks to children, including risks related to child criminal exploitation and sexual exploitation. However, not all staff have completed training in bullying, internet safety and ‘Prevent’ duty. This hinders the staff’s ability to identify and take action on potential risks to children’s welfare and safety.

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This monitoring visit

Managers have devised a key-work plan covering a range of issues to discuss with the children. However, since the last inspection, staff have not undertaken any key- work sessions with the children in order to help them to understand their behaviours and how to keep themselves safe. This does not show that staff are taking action to reduce the risk of harm to children.

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This monitoring visit

Managers have not ensured that staff promptly complete all of the mandatory training set out in the organisation’s workforce development plan. For example, all staff have not completed training in safeguarding, fire safety and substance misuse. In addition, staff have not undertaken training that is relevant to the children’s specific needs. For example, one child has a specific learning need and staff have not undertaken targeted training to help them meet this need. Ineffective monitoring of workforce development means that staff continue to lack the knowledge and skills that they need to meet the children’s needs.

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This monitoring visit

Children do not live in a well-maintained home environment. For example, one child’s bedroom had damage to a wall and was very unkempt. In addition, the main bathroom was in an unsanitary condition which posed a risk to the health of the children and the staff. Action was taken during the monitoring inspection to address these shortfalls.

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This monitoring visit

The failure to meet compliance notices and shortfalls in the quality of the home environment brings into question the capacity of the responsible individual to oversee the management of the home. Shortfalls in leadership and management limit the speed and effectiveness of improvements to the quality of care provided for children.

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This monitoring visit

Managers have reviewed physical intervention records and have introduced a new format. This prompts staff to record information relating to any medical treatment required as a result of a restraint. In addition, staff are better equipped to understand if an incident is serious enough to require a notification to be sent to Ofsted. These new systems and improvements are encouraging, but still have to be tested out as there has not yet been an incident requiring physical intervention or notification to Ofsted. Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: 2546172 3 Managers have made improvements to care planning processes. A thorough pre- admission plan has been developed to help fully assess new children’s needs and compatibility with those children already living in the home. The local area risk assessment has also been reviewed to provide up-to-date information about the local area.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement N/A Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: 2546172 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 quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children;

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Requirement Due date

use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential.

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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

protect and promote each child’s welfare;

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Requirement Due date

provide to children living in the home the physical necessities they need in order to live there comfortably. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(ii)(vii))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that children live in a clean and well- maintained environment. 18 February 2021

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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

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm. (Regulation 12 (1)(2) (a)(i)(iii)) 18 February 2021 Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: 2546172 5 *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 full 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

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

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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)(c)(h)) 18 February 2021

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Requirement Due date

have the capacity, experience and skills to supervise the management of the home, or the homes, in respect of which the responsible individual is nominated. (Regulation 26 (7)(b)) 18 February 2021

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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: Beacon Childcare Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Hazlewoods, Windsor House, Bayshill Road, Cheltenham GL50 3AT Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: 2546172 6 Responsible individual: Ann-Cheri Callow

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Inspectors

James Tallis, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: 2546172 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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