Children's Home run by Aspris Care Central Limited in Norfolk

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC379357 1 SC379357

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Castle Homes Care Limited

Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This privately owned children’s home is registered to provide care for up to four children with emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has been registered with Ofsted since June 2016.

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This monitoring visit

The home was judged as good following an inspection on 19 November 2019. Since July 2020, there have been increasing safeguarding concerns raised to Ofsted. These concerns primarily relate to allegations against staff. The purpose of this monitoring visit was to assess how the provider has managed these concerns. The monitoring visit was undertaken on site. All the requirements from the last inspection have been met. During this visit, no immediate safety or safeguarding issues were found.

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This monitoring visit

There are currently four children with complex behavioural needs living at the home. One child moved out of the home in July 2020 and another child moved into the home in September 2020. These changes in dynamics led to a period of unsettlement. Further to this, the periods of national restrictions due to COVID-19 have increased tensions as children have struggled with the limited activities and reduced structure.

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This monitoring visit

The manager has overcome these challenges by building a strong safeguarding culture in the home. When incidents occur, the children are given the opportunity to debrief to explore the incident and to reflect on how the situation could have been managed differently. The manager appropriately escalates any allegations to the designated officer. The manager has reviewed incidents and undertaken investigations. These are comprehensive, and the outcomes of these investigations are clearly recorded. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC379357 2 The manager is very child focused. She has proactively advocated for a multi-agency approach to ensure that the children receive services to meet their needs. The manager has secured additional staffing and further psychological assessments for a child. This specialist support enables the staff to begin to assess the children’s current behaviours and consider the type of care that they need.

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This monitoring visit

Individual risk assessments are of high quality. They contain clear guidance on how to manage the children’s individual risks effectively. In addition, the manager has ensured that specialist therapeutic guidance is incorporated in the risk reduction strategies.

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This monitoring visit

There are some issues in the recording of information. Some handwriting is illegible and not all conversations with children are clearly recorded. This can make effective monitoring and tracking difficult.

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This monitoring visit

Not all the staff have undertaken specialist training to meet the children’s individual needs. In addition, one member of staff has yet to achieve a relevant level 3 diploma, despite working for the provider for over two years. This means that some staff may not have the knowledge to pick up on all the children’s behaviours and know how best to respond to them.

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This monitoring visit

The staff and the manager have worked hard to build trusting relationships with the children. They have ensured that the children are supported in key-work sessions to understand the risks around their behaviours. The staff act as positive role models, showing patience, empathy and consistency in their approach. This is despite the physically and verbally challenging situations that the staff sometimes face. Such a compassionate approach provides the children with a secure base from which to reflect and learn ways of managing their behaviours better in the future.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 19/11/2019 Full Good 19/02/2019 Interim Improved effectiveness 04/06/2018 Full Good 12/03/2018 Interim Improved effectiveness Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC379357 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, 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 recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety.

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Requirement Due date

the individual has the appropriate experience, qualification and skills for the work that the individual is to perform.

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Requirement Due date

For the purposes of paragraph (3)(b), an individual who works in the home in a care role has the appropriate qualification if, by the relevant date, the individual has attained—

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Requirement Due date

the Level 3 Diploma for Residential Childcare (England) ("the Level 3 Diploma"); or

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Requirement Due date

a qualification which the registered person considers to be equivalent to the Level 3 Diploma.

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Requirement Due date

in the case of an individual who starts working in a care role in a home after 1st April 2014, the date which falls 2 years after the date on which the individual started working in a care role in a home; or

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Requirement Due date

in the case of an individual who was working in a care role in a home on 1st April 2014, 1st April 2016.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person may defer the relevant date if the individual—

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Requirement Due date

does not work, or has not worked, in a care role in a home for a prolonged period; or

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Requirement Due date

works, or has worked, in a care role in a home on a part- time basis. 9 August 2021 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC379357 4 (Regulation 32 (1) (3)(b) (4)(a)(b) (5)(a)(b) (6)(a)(b))

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that the staff have the knowledge and skills to recognise and be alert for any signs that might indicate that a child is in any way at risk of harm. The registered person should ensure that skills in safeguarding are gained, refreshed and recorded in the home’s workforce plan. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 43, paragraph 9.12)  The registered person should ensure that staff are familiar with the home’s policies on record-keeping and understand the importance of careful, objective, and clear recording. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4)

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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: Castle Homes Care Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Fifth Floor, 80 Hammersmith Road, London W14 8UD

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Inspector

Leemya McKeown, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC379357 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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Inspector

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Inspector

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