Children's Home run by Unity Residential Care Services Limited in Staffordshire

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC447645 1 SC447645

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Unity Residential Care Services Limited

Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

A private provider runs this home. The home provides care and accommodation for up to four children who have experienced childhood instability that results in trauma and associated complex behaviours.

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Information about this children’s home

The current manager was registered with Ofsted in October 2020.

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This monitoring visit

On 15 December 2020, Ofsted completed a monitoring visit to the home in response to information that raised concerns about the safety of children. Following that visit, compliance notices were issued under regulation 12 (the protection of children standard) and regulation 13 (the leadership and management standard) due to shortfalls in risk assessment and the leadership and management of the home. In addition, Ofsted issued an urgent variation to the conditions of registration to limit the number of children who can live at the home to one child. The home has been subject to compliance action because of concerns about the safety of children and the sufficiency of appropriately skilled and trained staff on two occasions in the last six-month period.

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This monitoring visit

This monitoring visit was to review the progress made in respect of the two compliance notices. Due to the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic, this visit was carried out remotely. The inspector found that the provider had met the actions required in the regulation 12 compliance notice but had not met the actions set in the regulation 13 notice. One child has lived in the home since Ofsted’s last visit. The child has not stayed at the home since they left to spend Christmas with their family; there are no plans for this child to return to live in the home.

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This monitoring visit

The provider has failed to ensure that there are sufficient and appropriately trained staff to meet children’s needs. Only one of the four staff members working in the home has the required Level 3 qualification. Three out of the four staff have not Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC447645 2 completed first aid training. The current staff team is inexperienced. This means that staff require the guidance and advice of managers to ensure that they provide appropriate care to any child who moves into the home.

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This monitoring visit

The registered manager, the trainee manager and a residential care worker are unable to work in the home due to reasons associated with COVID-19. The absence of sufficient management oversight in the home means that staff are unlikely to receive the support that they need to meet the needs of children. This means that Ofsted is not assured that children will be admitted safely and cared for effectively in the home.

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This monitoring visit

The inspector found that the provider has taken sufficient action to ensure that the steps in the regulation 12 compliance notice are met. Risk assessment and behaviour management plans now include clear guidance and effective strategies for staff to manage children’s complex behaviours. Impact risk assessments now consider children’s historical risks. Managers have completed work with staff in team meetings to ensure that staff understand risk assessments. Managers have put systems in place for regularly sharing information with staff about children’s risks.

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This monitoring visit

Staff have completed online training to enable them to better understand how to manage children’s relationships with one another. This includes training around group living and living with teenagers. Staff have received additional safeguarding training, which they have discussed in online workshops.

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This monitoring visit

Following this visit, Ofsted issued a notice restricting accommodation in the home, which means that no children can move into the home. In addition, a compliance notice was reissued in relation to regulation 13 (the leadership and management standard). A further monitoring visit will take place to monitor the provider’s progress in addressing these shortfalls.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 29/10/2019 Full Good 19/02/2019 Full Good 10/01/2018 Full Good 22/03/2017 Interim Declined in effectiveness Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC447645 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 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

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically refers to the number of qualified and experienced staff working in the home and the availability of managers to work in the home. This also refers to staff not having a first aid qualification. 7 March 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. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC447645 4

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Unity Residential Care Services Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Belvoir Farmhouse, Woolsthorpe Road, Redmile, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire NG13 0GN

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Inspector

Karen Gillingwater, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC447645 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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