Children's home run by Solace for Children Limited

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2503710 1

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Solace for Children Ltd

Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This children’s home is owned by a private company. It is registered to provide care for up to four children, aged between seven and 17 years, with social and/or emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager holds a level 4 qualification in caring for children and young people and a level 4 qualification in leadership and management of residential childcare. The manager was registered with Ofsted in April 2019.

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This monitoring visit

The home was last inspected in October 2019. This monitoring visit was carried out to enable the regulator to obtain an up-to-date assessment of the staff’s ability to safely manage children’s behaviour.

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This monitoring visit

Due to the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic, Ofsted carried out the visit using a combination of both off-site and on-site inspection activity. Inspectors gathered evidence in several different ways, including talking to the manager and the responsible individual and asking them to provide electronic documents for inspectors to review.

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This monitoring visit

Three children are living at the home. The prolonged nature of the COVID-19 pandemic has started to take its toll on the children. Children are missing out in being able to do their favourite activities, such as playing in a local football team. Staff have tried hard to be creative by finding new activities for the children to take part in that do not compromise their safety and align with national restrictions. For example, the responsible individual has enlisted the help of a local farmer to build a bike track within the home’s extensive grounds. Staff have also organised the use of a bouncy castle for the day, so the children can practise their backflips. The children Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2503710 2 have also had the opportunity to sit in a luxury car. These varied activities have enabled children to develop positive childhood memories despite the difficult times

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This monitoring visit

Improvements have been made since the last inspection. For example, recruitment files now hold all the necessary information, new audits are in place to ensure that medication stock is correct, staff supervision is now taking place monthly, and the manager is now notifying Ofsted of serious events that occur in the home. This means that all the requirements raised at the last inspection have been met.

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This monitoring visit

Staff are skilled at de-escalating children’s heightened emotions and understanding their individualised needs. However, despite this positive work, children’s records do not capture this support. Records do not give the reader a full picture of the action that staff have taken to help children to feel calm. Furthermore, some of the terminology used in children’s records can be confusing. As a result, records are not helpful for children to understand or for the registered manager to be able to fully monitor staff practice.

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This monitoring visit

The registered manager’s monitoring systems are not yet fully developed. For example, he has not identified the weakness in staff recordings or that children’s risk management plans are not always kept up to date to reflect changes in risk. This omission has the potential for staff to not be fully informed of the measures necessary to protect children from harm. Furthermore, the registered manager has not updated the home’s statement of purpose or submitted the quality of care review to Ofsted within the necessary timescales.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 08/10/2019 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2503710 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 promotes their welfare.

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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))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the registered manager’s oversight of records. 5 March 2021

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must compile in relation to the children’s home a statement (“the statement of purpose”) which covers the matters listed in Schedule 1.

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Requirement Due date

keep the statement of purpose under review and, where appropriate, revise it; and

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Requirement Due date

notify HMCI of any revisions and send HMCI a copy of the revised statement within 28 days of the revision. (Regulation 16 (1) (3)(a)(b)) 5 March 2021

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must complete a review of the quality of care provided for children (“a quality of care review”) at least once every 6 months.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must— 5 March 2021 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2503710 4 supply to HMCI a copy of the quality of care review report within 28 days of the date on which the quality of care review is completed. (Regulation 45 (1) (3)(a))

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Recommendations

 The registered manager should ensure that staff record information that is clear and in a way that will be helpful to the child. (‘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: Solace for Children Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Attwoods 90-92 High Street, Evesham WR11 4EU

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Inspectors

Louise Battersby, Social Care Inspector Lydia Isaac, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2503710 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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: http://www.gov.uk/ofsted

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