Children's Home, Residential special school run by Kedleston (Wings Education) Limited in Westmorland and Furness

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC048552 1 SC048552

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Kedleston (Wings Education) Limited

Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to 50 children and young people, irrespective of gender. It is a privately owned residential special school which is also registered as a children’s home. The home provides care for children and young people who may have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager took up post in July 2020 and was registered with Ofsted in December 2020.

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This monitoring visit

This monitoring visit was undertaken due to the home having not been inspected for well over a year. This is due to Ofsted suspending full inspections and, more recently, assurance visits during the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic. In addition, a new registered manager has been appointed since the last inspection, following the previous manager moving to another home run by the company.

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This monitoring visit

The home has experienced two outbreaks of COVID-19 during this last year. These have been appropriately and efficiently managed, protecting all children and staff concerned. Staff have shown considerable commitment and isolated themselves with children, when required; some remaining continuously on shift for up to 16 days to comply with government advice. Managers have worked in close cooperation with statutory bodies and other agencies. This has enabled the home to contain and minimise further spread of the virus. Managers, staff and children have all adapted well during COVID-19 and shown considerable resilience.

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This monitoring visit

The registered manager and the senior leadership team have worked together effectively to ensure the continued smooth running of the home. Staff spoken to during this visit reported morale to be high. They confirmed that staff have been Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC048552 2 well supported throughout Covid-19 with particular consideration being given to their own families who have been ill or have needed to isolate.

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This monitoring visit

Managers have maintained good communication with Ofsted since the home’s last inspection, updating their inspector of any new developments, making formal notification when appropriate, and providing regular quality of care reviews at regular intervals. This has promoted the home’s transparency with Ofsted during the period since the last full inspection.

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This monitoring visit

Ofsted have appropriately received notifications on those intermittent occasions when managers have been concerned that children have gone missing from the home. Staff act swiftly to search for children and report them missing to police to ensure their safe return to the home. Children are always given the opportunity to speak to someone independent of the home on their return as well as being debriefed by staff.

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This monitoring visit

However, preventative planning to minimise children going missing tends in some cases to be somewhat vague and rather generic. This does not clearly identify the most appropriate strategies bespoke to the individual child that are likely to be most effective in reducing such incidents. Also, some records do not clearly reflect the detail of discussion had with children and their understanding of what was discussed. These may not make sense for children reading their records later.

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This monitoring visit

Observations and discussions with children during this visit confirmed that they are enjoying themselves at this home. They feel happy, secure and safe, and can easily identify several adults that they feel able to speak to, should they have a concern or a complaint to make. Children that were asked, on this occasion, said they rate the home very highly, the majority agreeing on 10 out of 10.

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This monitoring visit

One former resident has recently returned to the home’s independent school as a teaching assistant. He enjoyed his experience at the home and school so much that he was eager to return as a staff member. This has fulfilled a wish he held for many years.

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This monitoring visit

A recent incident reported to Ofsted, concerning an allegation against staff that resulted in a disciplinary process, was also explored during this visit. The matter was quickly and appropriately reported to the local authority designated officer, internally investigated, and has concluded with proportionate action being taken. A reconciliation meeting was successfully completed, ensuring relationships were effectively repaired. One decision made during the investigation was not readily recorded in the disciplinary meetings. Senior managers have reviewed this and have addressed this with a lessons-learned approach.

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This monitoring visit

The home has also recently reported an error in administering medication. This was identified immediately and reported by the staff member concerned. Good practice and procedure were followed to ensure the child’s safety and all relevant parties Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC048552 3 were notified of this incident. The home has since retrained the staff member, and completed observations with them to ensure safe practice is firmly embedded. As a result of this incident, all staff have reviewed the procedure to ensure continued safe practice.

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This monitoring visit

External monitoring arrangement has been maintained. At times, visits have been conducted remotely, taking account of government restrictions and times when the home has reported COVID-19 outbreaks.

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This monitoring visit

As a result of this visit, one requirement is made to acknowledge a breach in regulation and two recommendations are made to improve planning and recording practice.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 13/08/2019 Full Good 12/02/2019 Interim Sustained effectiveness 17/10/2018 Full Good 13/02/2018 Interim Improved effectiveness Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC048552 4

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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 registered person must make arrangements for the handling, recording, safekeeping, safe administration and disposal of medicines received into the children’s home.

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Requirement Due date

In particular the registered person must ensure that—

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Requirement Due date

medicine which is prescribed for a child is administered as prescribed to the child for whom it is prescribed and to no other child.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 23 (1) (2)(b)) 30 April 2021

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that children’s placement plans reflect the individual strategies unique to the child to minimise the likelihood of them going missing from the home. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 45, paragraph 9.24)

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure staff understand the importance of careful, objective and clear recording, and information concerning the child is written in such a way that will be helpful to the child and support their understanding. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4) Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC048552 5

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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

Provision sub-type: Residential special school

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Kedleston (Wings Education) Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Unit 8 Brook Business Centre, Cowley Mill Road, Uxbridge, Middlesex, UB8 2FX

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Inspectors

Gillian Walters, Social Care Inspector Kathryn Grindrod, HMI, Social Care Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC048552 6 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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