Children's home run by Oxfordshire County Council

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1229977 1

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Oxfordshire County Council

Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is run by a local authority. It is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to six children. It provides a residential experience for children needing accommodation during a period of assessment and for those requiring shared care. Children and families may also receive community support from the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has been registered with Ofsted since October 2018.

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This monitoring visit

This visit was carried out off site. These arrangements were in place to follow guidance issued by Public Health England, in response to the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic. The home was last visited on 10 March 2020, when an interim inspection was carried out.

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This monitoring visit

The focus of this monitoring visit was to follow up on concerns arising from safeguarding notifications and the independent visitor’s reports. In particular, the information contained within these documents highlighted the following: a medication error, poor health and safety practice in relation to portable appliance testing and fire safety risk assessments, gaps in staff training around safeguarding and physical intervention, concerns about children going missing and poor staff supervision records.

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This monitoring visit

During this visit, the inspector reviewed a range of documents, which were sent in a secure manner. The registered manager and deputy manager were spoken to via video calls. Feedback was also obtained from staff, parents and social workers. The registered manager was aware of the issues leading up to this visit and was able to explain the context and evidence that they had all been addressed. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1229977 2 In May 2020, the home’s administration of medication procedure was not followed. A young person was given a homely remedy by a member of staff who failed to get this witnessed by another member of staff. The error was fully investigated by the managers and action taken to prevent a reoccurrence. This included retraining the member of staff, competency checks to ensure that the policy was being followed and ongoing monitoring and performance management.

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This monitoring visit

The portable appliance tests are carried out annually. The last test took place in November 2019, so was due to be repeated in November 2020. However, on checking with the council, which oversees these works, the manager was informed that the procedure had changed and that these tests would be moving to every two years. In the meantime, the manager has put measures in place to reduce any risk. This includes staff doing daily health and safety checks.

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This monitoring visit

The fire risk assessment highlighted some work that needed to be done on the fire doors and glass. The finance for these works has now been agreed and work scheduled to take place soon. In the interim, the manager has obtained reassurance from the fire consultant that these issues do not compromise the fire safety of the home.

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This monitoring visit

Staff benefit from a comprehensive training programme that helps them to carry out their roles. However, the delivery of some face-to-face training for new staff, including around safeguarding and behaviour management, has been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Although this has been addressed through online training, the physical restraint element of the behaviour management course is still on hold. The manager has escalated the urgent need for this training to senior managers and, as a result, plans are in place to ensure that this is carried out as soon as is practicable.

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This monitoring visit

Over the past year, children have benefited from care and support that have led to positive outcomes. The staff have been very good at managing risk-taking behaviours, including incidents of children going missing which were notified to Ofsted and raised some questions about staff practice. Records of these incidents evidence that staff follow procedure and that they know and understand the reasons why the children go missing. The manager has good oversight of all incidents and was able to give examples of when the staff’s approach has been changed to prevent a reoccurrence.

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This monitoring visit

The independent visitor reported that staff supervision records were poorly recorded. Upon checking, the manager admitted that this largely related to her notes, and this has since been addressed. Supervision records sampled at this visit showed that staff benefit from meetings taking place regularly, opportunities to reflect on practice, having their training needs identified and clear actions that contribute to their overall development. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1229977 3 The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted on the way the service is delivered. The staff who usually work in the community with families have been working in the home instead. This has removed the need for external staff to be used to cover shifts and minimised the risk of the COVID-19 virus being transmitted. This, together with strict hygiene measures, effective use of personal protective equipment and staff staying

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This monitoring visit

at home if they are symptomatic, has meant that there have been no cases of COVID-19 among the staff or the children.

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This monitoring visit

The staff’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic has minimised its impact on the children. Despite the children not being able to participate in their usual activities, the staff have been busy keeping them occupied. The children have benefited from lots of outdoor activities, as well as themed events. Over the half-term holiday, children enjoyed ‘around the world in seven days’, where they got to learn about different countries, try different foods and play games.

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This monitoring visit

No requirements were made at this visit.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 10/03/2020 Interim Sustained effectiveness 28/10/2019 Full Good 20/03/2019 Interim Improved effectiveness 23/07/2018 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1229977 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: Oxfordshire County Council

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Oxfordshire County Council, County Hall, New Road, Oxfordshire OX1 1ND

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Inspector

Amanda Harvey, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1229977 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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