Children's home run by Onextra Care Limited

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2571031 1

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Onextra Care Limited

Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This children’s home is operated by a private organisation. It is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to two children who may have emotional and/or social difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager post has been vacant since 17 May 2021.

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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 11 and 12 May 2021 to carry out a full inspection. The report is published on our website.

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This monitoring visit

This visit took place to monitor the home’s progress in relation to one of three compliance notices served on 19 May 2021. The notices were served against regulation 12, the protection of children standard, regulation 13, the leadership and management standard, and regulation 14, the care planning standard. The visit also looked at the home’s compliance with the notice of restriction of accommodation served on 14 May 2021.

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This monitoring visit

The home has complied with the notice of restriction of accommodation. No children have been admitted to the home since the last inspection. There are currently no children being looked after at the home.

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This monitoring visit

This monitoring visit focused on progress made against regulation 12, the protection of children standard. The home has met the regulation 12 notice, as suitable progress has been made against the specified steps. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2571031 2 Following the full inspection, the registered manager left the home. A new manager is in post who has applied for registration with Ofsted.

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This monitoring visit

The manager has made progress to improve the quality of risk assessments. Updated risk assessments are in place for the one child who lived at the home until recently. These reflect the child’s identified risks. Assessments provided staff with clear actions to support them to care for the child effectively. The manager has introduced a child’s consultation record which focuses on assessment of risk. The aim of this is to work alongside the child to identify and reduce risks. These improvements are still in their infancy and need time to embed in the practice of the staff team.

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This monitoring visit

The needs of the child and the responsibilities of staff to meet these needs were discussed in team meetings and in individual staff supervision. This led to some improvements in the consistency of care for the child. Due to the number of new staff and the reduced staff team, the understanding and implementation of these roles and responsibilities will need to be further developed over time.

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This monitoring visit

There have been significant changes to the staff team since the last inspection. The four staff currently employed in the home have all had additional training to meet the needs of the one child who was living at the home. As a result, staff were provided with an opportunity to gain additional skills and knowledge to understand his behaviours and provide him with care which meets his individual needs. The training provided has been through online courses. The longer-term impact of this method of training in relation to the practice of staff has yet to be evaluated.

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This monitoring visit

Significant improvements have been made to the home environment. Thumb-turn locks have been fitted to external doors and children have access to all areas of the home. Previous damage to the property has been rectified. The home has been refurbished. Children’s bedrooms have been redecorated and new bedroom furniture has been purchased. The home provides a welcoming environment for children.

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This monitoring visit

The compliance notices made under regulations 13 and 14, as well as requirements not subject to compliance, were not reviewed at this visit, therefore they remain in place. Progress against these requirements will continue to be monitored by Ofsted.

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This monitoring visit

The restriction of accommodation remains in place.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 11/05/2021 Full Inadequate Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2571031 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 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

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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 has sufficient staff to provide care for 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. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(c)(d)(e)(f))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that—

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Requirement Due date

 there are sufficient experienced staff who are suitably trained, understand their roles and responsibilities and work as a cohesive team to care for children safely 18 July 2021 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2571031 4  the registered manager has the capacity to undertake her role and fulfil her leadership and management obligations  the rota is a balance of experienced and inexperienced staff  the registered manager has improved oversight and understanding of the quality of care that children experience and the impact this has on their progress.

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Requirement Due date

*The care planning standard is that children—

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Requirement Due date

receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home; and

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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

that children are admitted to the home only if their needs are within the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the home is to provide care and accommodation, as set out in the home’s statement of purpose. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b) (2)(e)(i)(f))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered manager should ensure that—

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Requirement Due date

 children’s needs are clearly identified and assessed prior to admission  the skills of staff can meet the needs of children admitted to the home  concerns are escalated regarding the risk a child may present with the relevant placing authority without delay  children are supported to contribute to their records in a way that is appropriate for their age and understanding  children are supported to leave the home in a planned and positive manner. 18 July 2021

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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; 30 July 2021 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2571031 5 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

protect and promote each child’s welfare;

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Requirement Due date

treat each child with dignity and respect;

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

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person should ensure that—

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Requirement Due date

 staff understand the statement of purpose  the staff team demonstrates an understanding of children’s needs and has sufficient skills to support children in the home.

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Requirement Due date

In meeting the quality standards, the registered person must, and must ensure that staff—

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Requirement Due date

seek to involve each child’s placing authority effectively in the child’s care, in accordance with the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

seek to secure the input and services required to meet each child’s needs;

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Requirement Due date

if the registered person considers, or staff consider, a placing authority’s or a relevant person’s performance or response to be inadequate in relation to their role, challenge the placing authority or the relevant person to seek to ensure that each child’s needs are met in accordance with the child’s relevant plans. (Regulation 5 (a)(b)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered manager should escalate concerns to the placing local authority if arrangements are not in place for a child’s education. 30 July 2021 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2571031 6 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; and

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Requirement Due date

a record is kept of the administration of medicine to each child. (Regulation 23 (1) (2)(b)(c))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, that there are systems in place to monitor the recording of administration of medication which minimise the risk of errors occurring. 30 July 2021

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must prepare and implement a policy (“the missing child policy”) setting out—

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Requirement Due date

the steps taken, and to be taken, to prevent children from being absent without permission; and

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Requirement Due date

the procedures to be followed, and the roles and responsibilities of persons working at the home, in relation to a child who is, or has been, so absent.

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Requirement Due date

Before implementing, or making an amendment which the registered person considers to be substantive to, the missing child policy, the registered person must—

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Requirement Due date

consult, and take into account the views of, each relevant person; and

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Requirement Due date

have regard to any relevant local authority or police protocols on missing children. (Regulation 34 (4)(a)(b) (5)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

 that information contained in missing-from-care plans is consistent with the information contained in other assessments and plans  that staff are proactive in searching for children when they are missing and that return home interviews are arranged for each child. 30 July 2021

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees— 30 July 2021 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2571031 7 receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience. (Regulation 33 (4)(b))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, that supervision is child centred and focuses on staff’s ability to understand and meet the needs of each child.

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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

If a home has a website, the registered person must ensure that a copy of the statement of purpose is published on that website unless the registered person considers that such publication would prejudice the welfare of children in the home. (Regulation 16 (3)(a)(b) (4))

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Requirement Due date

 the registered manager should keep the statement of purpose up to date  Ofsted should be notified of any changes to the statement of purpose  the statement of purpose should be uploaded to the organisational website. 18 July 2021

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Requirement Due date

establish a procedure for considering complaints made by or on behalf of children.

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Requirement Due date

ensure that a record is made of any complaint, the action taken in response, and the outcome of any investigation. (Regulation 39 (1)(3))

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Requirement Due date

in particular, the registered manager must follow the complaints procedure for all complaints made by or on behalf of children. 30 July 2021

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Requirement Due date

*These requirements are subject to a compliance notice. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2571031 8

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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: Onextra Care Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 443 Houldsworth Business and Arts Centre, Houldsworth Street, Stockport SK5 6DA

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Inspector

Dawn Parton, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2571031 9 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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