Children's home run by Happy Group (UK) Limited

Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: 2589537 1

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Happy Group (UK) Limited

Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This is a privately owned and managed children’s home. It was registered in June 2020 to provide care for up to three children who may have social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager has been absent from the home since March 2021. Ofsted has now received the manager’s voluntary cancellation. There is an acting manager in post.

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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 5 May 2021 to carry out a full inspection. The report is not yet published on the Ofsted website.

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This monitoring visit

At the full inspection on 5 May 2021, the inspectors found serious and widespread concerns in several areas of practice relating to the care and support that children receive. As a result, children were found to be at risk of harm.

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This monitoring visit

Ofsted issued two compliance notices under section 22 of the Care Standards Act 2000. These were in relation to regulation 12, the protection of children standard and regulation 13, the leadership and management standard. In addition, a condition was imposed, restricting the number of children living at the home.

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This monitoring visit

The purpose of this inspection visit was to assess the progress made to meet the compliance notices. During the visit, the acting manager provided the inspector with information to show what progress has been made in response to the two compliance notices. Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: 2589537 2 The provider has made some progress; however, not enough time has elapsed to enable managers to put in place the required measures identified in their action plan. As a result, the two compliance notices are not met and have been reissued. Risk assessments do not yet have the relevant information about children. They do not provide staff with the direction and strategies needed to reduce the risk of harm to children. Care plans do not yet provide the staff with consistent information about the support that children need.

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This monitoring visit

Staff do not yet fully understand the contents of children’s plans. This could limit the progress the children make and/or result in their needs not being met.

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This monitoring visit

Staff have received training on safeguarding, recording skills and behaviour management that is relevant to the specific needs of the children. The child currently living at the home has also taken part in some of the training to help staff understand her experiences of being in care. However, the provider does not have in place systems to test out the professional standards and competency of staff. This does not provide the regulator with assurance that staff can embed this training in their day-to-day practice to keep children safe.

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This monitoring visit

The provider does not yet have effective oversight of the home. The acting manager’s own monitoring system is incomplete. The independent visitor reports continue to lack curiosity and rigorous scrutiny about the quality of care that children receive. This limits the regulator’s ability to review the care provided and could result in children being at risk of harm.

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This monitoring visit

The acting manager has had a positive influence on the staff and the children since being appointed. The child living at the home told the inspector that things have improved recently, and she now feels safe. The child said: ‘[acting manager] has made a difference; staff are now more consistent with me.’

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This monitoring visit

Senior managers are providing regular support to the acting manager to help him put in place the standards needed to improve the quality of care for children. Permanent staff numbers have increased and there is more stability in the team.

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This monitoring visit

The additional requirements raised at the last inspection have not been reviewed at this visit. These will be explored at the next inspection.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

05/05/2021 Full Inadequate Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: 2589537 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 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;

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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

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

help each child to understand and manage the impact of any experience of abuse or neglect;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to develop resilience and skills that prepare the child to return home, to live in a new placement or to live independently as an adult. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(b)(iv)(v)(vi))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to adapting how staff work and support children based on their individual needs. 13 June 2021

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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 25 July 2021 Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: 2589537 4 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

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is 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;

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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

that the home’s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(v)(vi)(b))

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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—

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Requirement Due date

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—

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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;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff work as a team where appropriate;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child;

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Requirement Due date

understand the impact that the quality of care provided in 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

demonstrate that practice in the home is informed and 25 July 2021 Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: 2589537 5 improved by taking into account and acting on research and developments in relation to the ways in which the needs of children are best met;

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Requirement Due date

feedback on the experiences of children, including complaints received; and

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Requirement Due date

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(c)(e)(f)(g)(i)(ii)(h))

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Requirement Due date

The registered provider must ensure that all staff have sufficient skills and knowledge to meet the specific needs of the children.

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Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children—

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Requirement Due date

have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home.

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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

plan for, and help, each child to prepare to leave the home or to move into adult care in a way that is consistent with arrangements agreed with the child’s placing authority;

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Requirement Due date

that the child’s placing authority is contacted, and a review of that child’s relevant plans is requested, if—

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Requirement Due date

the registered person considers that the child is at risk of harm or has concerns that the care provided for the child is inadequate to meet the child’s needs. (Regulation 14 (1)(b) (2)(b)(iii)(e)(i))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to disruption meetings taking place prior to decisions to end placements for children. 13 June 2021

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must compile in relation to the children’s home a statement (“the statement of purpose”) which covers the matters listed in Schedule 1.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must— 15 August 2021 Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: 2589537 6 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. (Regulation 16 (1) (3)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

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—

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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 its duration;

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Requirement Due date

details of any methods 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;

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Requirement Due date

the effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

a description of any injury to the child or any other person, and any medical treatment administered, as a result of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

within 48 hours of the use of the measure, the registered person, or a person who is authorised by the registered person to do so (“the authorised person”)—

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Requirement Due date

has spoken to the user about the measure;

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Requirement Due date

has signed the record to confirm it is accurate;

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Requirement Due date

within five days of the use of the measure, the registered person or the authorised person adds to the record confirmation that they have spoken to the child about the 13 June 2021 Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: 2589537 7 measure. (Regulation 35 (3)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(viii)(b)(i)(ii)(c))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if—

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Requirement Due date

a child is involved in or subject to, or is suspected of being involved in or subject to, sexual exploitation;

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Requirement Due date

an incident requiring police involvement occurs in relation to a child which the registered person considers to be serious;

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Requirement Due date

there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there;

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Requirement Due date

a child protection enquiry involving a child—

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Requirement Due date

concludes (in which case, the notification must include the outcome of the child protection enquiry); or

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Requirement Due date

there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40 (4)(a)(b)(c)(d)(i)(ii)(e)) 13 June 2021

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Requirement Due date

If the person who is in day-to-day charge of the children’s home proposes to be absent from the home for a continuous period of 28 days or more, the registered person must give notice in writing to HMCI of the proposed absence.

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Requirement Due date

Except in the case of an emergency or unforeseen absence, a notice under paragraph (1) must—

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Requirement Due date

specify with respect to the proposed absence—

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Requirement Due date

in the case of the absence of the registered manager, the arrangements that have been, or are proposed to be, made for appointing another person to manage the home during the absence, including the proposed date by which the appointment is to be made. (Regulation 48 (1) (2)(b)(v)) 13 June 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.

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Requirement Due date

When the independent person is carrying out a visit, the registered person must help the independent person— 13 June 2021 Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: 2589537 8 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;

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Requirement Due date

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.

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Requirement Due date

A visit by the independent person to the home may be unannounced. (Regulation 44 (1) (2)(a)(b) (3))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to visits being undertaken at the home and obtaining the views of parents and other appropriate professionals.

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Requirement Due date

*These requirements are subject to a compliance notice.

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that full recruitment and verification checks are completed, including the reason for leaving a previous role if this was working with children or vulnerable adults. The registered manager should ensure that regular supervision and performance management of staff safeguards children and minimises potential risks to children. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.1)  The registered person must have systems in place so that all staff, including the manager, receive supervision of their practice from an appropriately qualified and experienced professional, which allows them to reflect on their practice and the needs of the children assigned to their care. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.2)

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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: 2589537 9

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Happy Group (UK) Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: West Walk House, 99 Princess Road East, Leicester, Leicestershire LE1 7LF

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Inspector

Aaron Mcloughlin, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: 2589537 10 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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