Children's home run by Impact For Change Ltd

Inspection report children’s home: 1264756 1 Registered provider: Impact For Change Ltd Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is part of a small organisation. The home is registered to care for up to two children. Since the last visit, the registered manager has resigned. A new manager has been recruited and her application to register with Ofsted is in process.

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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 17 November 2020 to carry out a monitoring visit. The report is published on our website.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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inadequate

How well children and young people are helped and protected inadequate

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inadequate

The effectiveness of leaders and managers inadequate

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inadequate

There are serious and/or widespread failures that mean children are not protected or their welfare is not promoted or safeguarded.

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inadequate

Date of last inspection: 10 January 2020

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inadequate

Overall judgement at last inspection: Requires improvement to be good

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Enforcement action since last inspection:

On 7 October 2020, an assurance visit took place due to increased concerns that the welfare of the child living at the home was not being safeguarded and promoted. Inspection report children’s home: 1264756 2 Following this visit, one compliance notice was issued. The compliance notice related to Regulation 13: the leadership and management standard.

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Enforcement action since last inspection:

On 17 November 2020, a monitoring visit took place to review the compliance notice. Inspectors found that leaders and managers had taken sufficient action to address the requirements of the compliance notice. Inspection report children’s home: 1264756 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

10/01/2020 Full Requires improvement to be good 18/09/2019 Full Inadequate 19/03/2019 Interim Declined in effectiveness 05/06/2018 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: 1264756 4

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inadequate

The registered provider decided to place two children into this home when it did not have a registered manager. The organisations director was overseeing the running of the home from October 2020 to March 2021 when a manager was appointed.

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inadequate

One of these children’s experiences in this home are inadequate, and he is not being supported to make good progress. This child is not safeguarded from the risk of harm and exploitation, and his health needs are not met. Leaders and managers allow the child to spend considerable time each day away from the home; staff do not know where he is or who he is with. The child has been found in possession of unaccounted for money and of drug paraphernalia. Leaders and managers share their concerns about this with the local authority and safeguarding agencies, but insufficient action has been taken to mitigate the risks.

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inadequate

Staff do not instil good parenting boundaries and expectations. Because one child is out of the home for several hours each day, staff do not ensure that he eats regular meals that are healthy and nutritious. He often eats late at night. In addition, leaders and managers have not ensured that a clear plan is in place to support the child to engage in drug and alcohol cessation programmes.

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inadequate

The education arrangements for one child are inadequate. These are limited to 19 hours per week. His involvement in this timetabled provision is limited, and his attendance is minimal. Not enough is being done to support the child to engage in education or training. The manager has not been successful in escalating her concerns with the education providers. As a result, the child’s educational needs are not being met.

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inadequate

Another child has made steady progress since living at this home. He has completed formal education, and is being supported to identify and secure a place at a further education provision. His progress since living at the home full time is recognised and is celebrated by the staff. The child’s progress and activities that he has engaged in are well documented. These records will provide the child with positive memorabilia of his time living at the home.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: inadequate

The provider has failed to safeguard one child in their care who is at risk of harm and of exploitation. A free time plan agreed with the local authority has resulted in this child spending too much unstructured and unsupervised time away from the home. Staff maintain telephone contact with him but as they are not expected to complete welfare checks, they do not know where or who he is with. The child has been involved in high risk anti-social and criminal activities. Staff have not taken sufficient action to disrupt these activities and to prevent them from happening Inspection report children’s home: 1264756 5 again.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: inadequate

The manager has shared her concerns about this child with a range of safeguarding agencies, and regularly attends multi-agency strategy meetings to review the concerns. Despite this positive approach, actions arising from the meetings are ineffective. There is no agreed safety plan in place for staff to manage this child’s time outside of the home or to mitigate the risks he faces.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: inadequate

Risk assessments, care plans and behaviour management plans are in place for both children, and are regularly reviewed. Despite this, the plans for one child do not accurately reflect the severity of the risks or safety measures to protect the child from harm or exploitation. As a result, staff are not responding well enough to safeguard the child.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The provider is failing to operate the home in accordance with the children’s home regulations and to ensure that all staff protect and promote each child’s welfare. The statement of purpose makes it clear that children are to receive ‘good enough parenting’ in a ‘safe family environment’. This aim is not being achieved for one child.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Since the home’s registration in 2017, this home has had four different registered managers. Inspection history since registration is weak, and enforcement action has been taken previously. Neither the provider nor the leaders and managers have taken sufficient action to consistently improve the poor performance of this home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

All staff are compliant with basic mandatory and specialist training. Despite this, the providers’ training is not effective. Staff do not apply their learning in practice. The staff’s understanding of their role and responsibilities to safeguard children is poor. The staff are failing to demonstrate sufficient professional curiosity about one child’s whereabouts and well-being when he is away from the home. As a result, the child’s needs are not being met, and he is not being safeguarded.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Since the last inspection, a new manager has been appointed who is in the process of applying to register with Ofsted. Since her appointment, she has recruited four new staff. Safer recruitment practices are maintained and ensure children are looked after by staff who are assessed as safe. Children are now provided with continuity of care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The new manager’s monitoring of staff practice and daily records is effective. She has taken appropriate action to address inappropriate and unprofessional practice. Inspection report children’s home: 1264756 6

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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 quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children; and

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Requirement Due date

use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

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Requirement Due date

understand and apply the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

understand and apply the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

protect and promote each child’s welfare; and

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Requirement Due date

provide personalised care that meets each child’s needs, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans, taking account of the child’s background.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(i)(ii)(iv))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, review the free-time arrangements currently in place to ensure children are engaged in age-appropriate activities and that care provided accurately reflects the level of risk and concern about exploitation children are exposed to. 9 July 2021

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Requirement Due date

The education standard is that children make measurable progress towards achieving their educational potential and are helping to do so.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— 30 July 2021 Inspection report children’s home: 1264756 7 that staff

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Requirement Due date

help each child to achieve the child’s education and training targets, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

support the child’s learning and development, including helping the child to develop independent skills and, where appropriate, helping the child to complete independent study; and

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Requirement Due date

understand the barriers to learning that each child may face and take appropriate action to help the child to overcome such barriers.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure care staff work closely with education staff to promote the attendance and engagement of children in education.

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Requirement Due date

The health and well-being standard is that—

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Requirement Due date

the health and well-being needs of children are met;

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Requirement Due date

children receive advice, services and support in relation to their health and well-being; and

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Requirement Due date

children are helped to lead healthy lifestyles.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

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Requirement Due date

achieve the health and well-being outcomes that are recorded in the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

understand the child’s health and well-being needs and the options that are available in relation to the child’s health and well-being, in a way that is appropriate to the child’s age and understanding;

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Requirement Due date

take part in activities, and attend any appointments, for the purpose of meeting the child’s health and well-being needs; and

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Requirement Due date

understand and develop skills to promote the child’s well- 9 July 2021 Inspection report children’s home: 1264756 8 being.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 10 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure children are supported to maintain a nutritionally balanced diet, and identify supporting agencies that will help staff and children to understand the impact and effects of alcohol and substance misuse.

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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—

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Requirement Due date

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;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand how to keep safe;

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Requirement Due date

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm;

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Requirement Due date

understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person; and

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Requirement Due date

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(v)(vi))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure a safety plan is in place for a child who is thought to be at risk of harm and/or exploitation, and ensure that when children spend time in the community, staff know where children are and who they are with, and ensure that staff are able to engage children with effective behaviour management strategies, and that boundaries and expectations are clear and achievable. 9 July 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— 30 July 2021 Inspection report children’s home: 1264756 9 In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

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Requirement Due date

lead and manage the home in a way that is consistent with the approach and ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set out in the home’s statement of purpose; and

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Requirement Due date

understand the impact that the quality of care provided by the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home.

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Requirement Due date

keep the statement of purpose under review, and where appropriate, revise it; and

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Requirement Due date

notify HMCI of any revisions and send HMCI a copy of the revised statement within 28 days of the revision.

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Requirement Due date

* These requirements are subject to a compliance notice.

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that staff are 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. In particular, ensure that the recording of incidents is factually accurate, clear and concise. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4)

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people, using the ‘Social care common inspection framework’. This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000 to assess the effectiveness of the service, how it meets the core functions of the service as set out in legislation, and to consider how well it complies with the Children’s Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the ‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’. Inspection report children’s home: 1264756 10

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Impact For Change Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Canns Down Press, Beaford, Winkleigh, Devon EX19 8LZ

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Inspector

Sharron Escott, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children’s home: 1264756 11 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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