Children's Home run by North East Lincolnshire Council in North East Lincolnshire

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC477428 1 SC477428

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North East Lincolnshire Council

Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is owned and operated by a local authority. It provides long-term care for up to three children who have learning and/or physical disabilities.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager is suitably qualified and experienced. She has been in post since September 2017 and registered with Ofsted in May 2018.

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This monitoring visit

Ofsted has paused assurance visits at this time as a result of the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic. This monitoring visit was carried out in response to increasing concerns in relation to the management of children’s admissions into the home and the effectiveness of the staff’s supervision of children.

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This monitoring visit

Ofsted last inspected this home on 9 July 2019, when it completed a full inspection. This monitoring visit was carried out with a blend of on- and off-site activities. The visit included the review of documents, discussions with children and their families, and with relevant professionals.

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This monitoring visit

Staff do not always adequately supervise and observe the children. On one recent occasion, this resulted in an incident when a child was able to access medication. During this incident, staff failed to follow safeguarding procedures. They did not take appropriate action to protect the child because they did not inform the registered manager of this incident in a timely manner. Although the child was unharmed on this occasion, the failure to appropriately supervise children increases risks to their safety and welfare.

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This monitoring visit

Children experience planned moves into the home. The staff have the knowledge and skills to equip them to meet each child’s needs. The registered manager’s pre- admission planning and preparation helps the children to settle into the home. She fully considers the impact that the placement of a new child will have on the existing Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC477428 2 group of children. However, this consideration is not documented within the children’s records.

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This monitoring visit

As children approach adulthood, staff create suitable transition plans, in partnership with other relevant professionals, that support them to move towards independence. However, this level of planning is not always applied when children are moved between children’s homes operated by this local authority. As a result, a child experienced a placement move without the knowledge of their independent reviewing officer. This approach does not reflect good care planning.

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This monitoring visit

The registered manager has high aspirations for children and this means that staff practice continues to strengthen to meet children’s individual needs. One parent said, ‘My son has come on leaps and bounds.’ The registered manager has addressed the requirements and recommendations set at the last full inspection. These include the review of the statement of purpose and ensuring that Ofsted is notified of all significant incidents. This demonstrates a capacity for continual improvement.

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This monitoring visit

Independent external monitoring visits for this home are not routinely undertaken. When monitoring reports are completed, these are not of a consistently good standard or quality. This affects the regulator’s ability to assess children’s safety, protection and care. Furthermore, the independent person continues to complete visits to the home remotely. This is despite this flexibility having been removed from the regulations.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 09/07/2019 Full Good 07/08/2018 Full Good 04/09/2017 Full Good 07/12/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC477428 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— take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare; and are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(vi)(vii)) 12 May 2021

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that an independent person visits the children’s home at least once each month. 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; and to inspect the premises of the home and such of the home’s records (except for a child’s case records, unless the child and the child’s placing authority consent) as the independent person requires. The independent person must produce a report about a visit (“the independent person’s report”) which sets out, in particular, the independent person’s opinion as to whether— children are effectively safeguarded; and the conduct of the home promotes children’s well-being. (Regulation 44 (1) (2)(a)(b) (4)(a)(b)) 12 May 2021

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Recommendations

 The registered person should have fully considered the impact that the placement of a child will have on the existing group of children and this Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC477428 4 should be documented within the child’s records. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 56, paragraph 11.4)  The registered person should ensure that significant changes to a looked- after child’s care, such as a change of placement, should only take place following a statutory review of their care plan chaired by their Independent Reviewing Officer (IRO). (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 57, paragraph 11.10)

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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: North East Lincolnshire Council

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: North East Lincolnshire Council, Civic Offices, Knoll Street, Cleethorpes, Lincolnshire DN35 8LN

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Inspector

Jennifer Fenlon, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC477428 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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