Atkinson Unit

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC046276 1 SC046276

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Devon County Council

Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This secure children’s home is managed by a local authority. The Department for Education approves it to restrict young people’s liberty. The children’s home can accommodate up to 12 children and young people who are aged between 10 and 17 years and accommodated under section 25 of the Children Act 1989. Admission of any young person under 13 years of age requires the approval of the Secretary of State.

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Information about this children’s home

The commissioning of health services in this home is the statutory responsibility of NHS England under the Health and Social Care Act 2012. Education is provided on site in dedicated facilities.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager is registered with Ofsted and has managed the home since August 2016.

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Information about this children’s home

Due to COVID-19 (coronavirus), at the request of the Secretary of State, we suspended all routine inspections of social care providers on 17 March 2020.

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Information about this children’s home

We last visited this setting on 12 to 14 October 2020 to carry out an assurance visit. The report is published on our website.

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This monitoring visit

A monitoring visit was carried out following receipt by Ofsted of a regulation 40 notification from the home. The notification concerned a child who became unresponsive during a physical restraint. The child had broken through internal gates and gained access to a separate part of the grounds.

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This monitoring visit

Inspectors had a tour of the unit, including looking at the areas where the security breach and the incident of restraint took place. They met with children and senior Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC046276 2 staff. They looked at records and viewed a number of incidents of restraint on CCTV (closed circuit television), including the restraint in question.

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This monitoring visit

As a result of this visit, concerns are identified about one restraint. There are no significant concerns about restraint practice in general. In the one case, inspectors found that there was a failure by managers to be curious about the reasons why the child had become unresponsive and limp for seven minutes, while being restrained on the ground in supine position. As a result, insufficient protective strategies had been explored, or put into place, to prevent the risk of the child becoming unresponsive if restrained in the future. Furthermore, the intervention used to incapacitate the child at the start of the restraint was overzealous and potentially harmful.

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This monitoring visit

Records about the restraint in question are contradictory, as participants and observers provide differing accounts of the incident. The regulation 40 notification to Ofsted completed by the registered manager failed to provide sufficient, accurate information. There is a failure to fully explore or urgently analyse all accounts of the incident, with a view to fully establishing risk factors.

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This monitoring visit

The monitoring and maintenance of the premises did not identify the corrosion of internal gates. As a result, the integrity of an internal gate was breached.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 03/03/2020 Interim Sustained effectiveness 08/10/2019 Full Good 05/03/2019 Full Good 30/10/2018 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC046276 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.

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Requirement Due date

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 the risk of any harm to the child; have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm; that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed, furnished and maintained so as to protect each child from avoidable hazards to the child’s health. (Regulation 12 (1)(2)(a)(i)(iii)(d))

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Requirement Due date

This relates to ensuring that staff have the skills to understand when the use of restraint may have a detrimental outcome on the child’s health. Also, ensuring that all known risks related to children’s health have been comprehensively explored in relation to the risk of using physical restraint.

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Requirement Due date

The premises must be maintained in good order, ensuring the integrity of all secure areas. 26 May 2021

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Requirement Due date

The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that— helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and promotes their welfare.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to— use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b)(2)(h)) 15 June 2021 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC046276 4 This relates to the registered manager ensuring essential monitoring of the premises so that the security of the building cannot be breached and to ensure that records and CCTV are monitored and reviewed effectively. Restraint in relation to a child is only permitted for the purpose of preventing— injury to any person (including the child); serious damage to the property of any person (including the child); or a child who is accommodated in a secure children’s home from absconding from the home. Restraint in relation to a child must be necessary and proportionate. (Regulation 20 (1)(a)(b)(c)(2)) 26 May 2021

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Requirement Due date

A notification made under this regulation— must include details of— the matter; and any actions taken by the registered person as a result of the matter. (Regulation 40 (5)(a)(i)(iii))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that notifications made to Ofsted are comprehensive and accurate. 26 May 2021

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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: SC046276 5

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Devon County Council

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Chief Officer for Children’s Social Services, Devon County Council, County Hall, Topsham Road, Exeter, Devon EX2 4QD

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Inspectors

Michelle Oxley, Social Care Regulatory Inspection Manager Janet Fraser, Senior Her Majesty’s Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC046276 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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