Children's home run by Strive to Care Limited

Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: 2598004 1

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Strive To Care 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 operated by a private company. The home offers care and accommodation for up to three children who may experience emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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This monitoring visit

As a result of a notification received by Ofsted, in which concerns were raised, a monitoring visit was undertaken at this children’s home. This is the home’s first visit by Ofsted since it was registered in October 2020.

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This monitoring visit

The visit looked specifically at how children are safeguarded while living at the home, external monitoring systems and staff recruitment and vetting practices.

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This monitoring visit

Children’s previous risk-taking behaviours are assessed, and strategies are in place to reduce risks. However, these strategies are not tested out. This is because children do not have the opportunity to leave the home unless they request that the locked gates securing the premises are unlocked and opened by staff. Children are therefore unable to leave the property and explore their community independently. This means that children’s liberty is restricted. As a result, children’s true risks are not identified so that they can be assessed, and appropriate strategies devised

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This monitoring visit

Records of the use of physical intervention in the home demonstrate that there has been only one incident requiring this measure. However, other records, such as incident reports and the home’s logbook, clearly identify other incidents where physical intervention has taken place. The registered manager and staff must ensure that any form of physical intervention, no matter how small or brief, must be appropriately recorded and must be followed by a debrief with the child. Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: 2598004 2 External monitoring reports require development. Reports do not provide a narrative for the child, their parents, or stakeholders about the care the child receives. This means that the voice of the child and the voices of those who are involved with the child are not sought and evaluated. In addition, the external monitoring report lacks a clear analysis of the care provided at this children’s home.

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This monitoring visit

Some records about the children in the home are not clear. They are open to misinterpretation and are therefore not helpful for the children or the professionals who are reading them. This specifically concerns records relating to incidents between children, the de-escalation techniques used to redirect children, and how incidents are resolved. Records must provide a transparent account of all matters in the home.

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This monitoring visit

Staff are recruited through a social care recruitment agency and through word of mouth. The team is made up of male and female staff, with a balance of experienced and non-experienced staff. The staff’s personal files demonstrate that safer recruitment processes are adhered to. This means that all appropriate checks have been undertaken prior to a staff member commencing employment at the home.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement N/A Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: 2598004 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

When the independent person is carrying out a visit, the registered person must help the independent person, if they consent, to interview in private such of the children, their parents, relatives and persons working at the home as the independent person requires. (Regulation 44 (2)(a)) 15 April 2021

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Requirement Due date

Restraint in relation to a child must be necessary and proportionate. These Regulations do not prevent a child from being deprived of liberty where that deprivation is authorised in accordance with a court order. (Regulation 20 (2) (3)) 15 April 2021

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that within 24 hours of the use of a measure of control, discipline or restraint in relation to a child in the home, a record is made which includes the name of the child;

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Requirement Due date

details of the child’s behaviour leading to the use of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

the date, time and location of the use of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

a description of the measure and it’s duration;

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Requirement Due date

details of any method used or steps taken to avoid the need to use the measure;

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Requirement Due date

the name of the person who used the measure (the user), and of any other person present when the measure was used. (Regulation 35 (3)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)) 15 April 2021

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Requirement Due date

*These requirements are subject to a compliance notice.

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Recommendations

 Children’s home staff should take reasonable precautions to make informed professional judgements based on the individual child’s needs and Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: 2598004 4 developmental stage about when to allow a child to take a particular risk or follow a particular course of action. Staff should discuss the decision with the child’s placing authority where appropriate. If a child makes a choice that would place them or another person at significant harm, staff should assist them to understand the risks and manage their risk-taking behaviour to keep themselves and others safe. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 42, paragraph 9.7)

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Recommendations

 Staff should be familiar with the home’s policies on record-keeping and understand the importance of careful, objective and clear recording. Staff should record information on individual children in a non-stigmatising way that distinguishes between fact, opinion and third-party information. Information about the child must always be recorded 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). Specifically, ensure that records are not open to misinterpretation.

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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 address: 206 Waterloo Street, Oldham OL4 1ES

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Inspector

Maria McGranaghan, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: 2598004 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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