Children's home run by Unity Residential Care Services Limited

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2543081 1

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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

The home provides care and accommodation for up to three children who have experienced childhood instability, resulting in trauma and associated complex behaviours. The home is privately owned and forms part of a large social care organisation.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has been registered since August 2019. She is suitably experienced and holds a level 5 in leadership and management.

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This monitoring visit

This visit took place in response to a complaint sent to Ofsted. The complaint raised concerns about the safety of children, for example poor staffing levels, lack of staff experience and insufficient training. Due to the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic, this visit was undertaken remotely.

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This monitoring visit

The registered manager continues to ensure that there are enough staff to meet the children’s needs in the home. There have been some staffing changes due to the current pandemic. When staffing changes have taken place, members of staff who children know have covered shifts. The registered manager has used the same staff to ensure continuity of care to the children.

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This monitoring visit

Children make positive relationships with staff. For example, they enjoy visits to the local park, playing Pokémon Go and tag. The relationships between children’s families and staff are positive. During the monitoring visit, parents told an inspector that they considered the home and staff to be warm and welcoming.

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This monitoring visit

Managers and staff receive regular training and supervision. This means that managers and staff are receiving regular feedback on their practice and have the opportunity to develop their knowledge and skills to support children better. For example, staff have received specific training to meet the individual needs of the Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2543081 2 children in their care. During the inspection, staff report that they feel supported by the manager.

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This monitoring visit

At the time of the inspection, three children were living at the home. The children continue to access education and are supported by staff to engage. As a result, children are achieving and making progress from their starting points. Staff provide children with key-work sessions on topics identified within their care plans. These sessions allow children to express their views, wishes and feelings.

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This monitoring visit

Children receive information about how to complain. When children do complain, this is taken seriously, and complaints are investigated by the manager. On one occasion when a child made an allegation, a member of staff did not adhere to the organisation’s child protection and safeguarding policies by immediately reporting this. As soon as the manager became aware of the allegation, she took appropriate action to safeguard the child while this was investigated further. Although the child did not come to harm on this occasion, failing to promptly act had the potential to place the child at risk of harm.

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This monitoring visit

There have been a few occasions when the quality of recording has been variable, due to staff not recording accurately. This lack of a clear audit trail has the potential to impact up the manager’s monitoring of the service.

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This monitoring visit

Managers and staff maintain good working relationships with children’s families and professionals. During the monitoring visit, families and professionals informed the inspectors that they are pleased with the quality of care provided to children and that managers and staff keep them well informed.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 21/01/2020 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2543081 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 protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure that staff— 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 risk of any harm to the child; understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person and are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies. (Regulation 12 (1)(2)(v)(vi)(vii)) 31 May 2021

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Recommendations

 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. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2543081 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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Inspectors

Sarah Junor-Fitzpatrick, Social Care Inspector Joanna Warburton, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2543081 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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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: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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