Children's Home run by iMapcentre Limited in Cheshire West and Chester

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2613341 1

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iMapcentre Limited

Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is privately run. It provides care for up to nine children with learning disabilities.

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This monitoring visit

This home was judged inadequate at a full inspection on 16 and 17 June 2021. The inspector identified serious and widespread poor practice at the home.

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This monitoring visit

The purpose of this visit was to assess the progress made by the provider regarding compliance notices issued under section 22a of the Care Standards Act 2000. These related to regulation 8 (the education standard), regulation 12 (the protection of children standard), regulation 13 (the leadership and management standard) and regulation 14 (the care planning standard).

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This monitoring visit

Education plans are now in place for children. Plans show the actions that the staff take to promote children’s informal learning and to help them to meet their individual targets. A child’s transition plan demonstrates how the staff will help a child to prepare for starting school in September. A key person has applied for a college course for another child. The staff are more proactive in encouraging children’s interests, to help them to overcome barriers to learning.

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This monitoring visit

One child’s personal education plan (PEP) is now on file. The responsible individual has escalated the request for another child’s PEP at a meeting with the placing authority. The provider has requested that an education, health and care plan is expedited to ensure that the child’s needs will be met going forward.

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This monitoring visit

The staff have reviewed the children’s risk management plans. They have addressed how they help children to understand what needs to happen in the event of a fire, Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2613341 2 for example by using pictures. They are more proactive in trying to help children to understand how to keep themselves safe.

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This monitoring visit

The staff have had additional training and now understand and demonstrate the actions they need to take to keep children safe. There are better systems in place to monitor the staff team’s knowledge and response. Some plans are not updated to guide practice regarding some re-emerging risks, but staff are aware of the concerns and know what they need to do.

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This monitoring visit

The home environment is much improved. The work is being carried out with sensitivity to the children’s needs so that they do not become upset or face disruption to their routines.

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This monitoring visit

Recruitment for a new manager is ongoing. An assistant manager is now in post. She has developed assurance systems to ensure that the staff develop plans that reflect children’s individual needs and track their progress. New senior team members provide support and guidance to the whole staff team. This means that there is greater consistency in how the team works to support children in line with the statement of purpose. Staff report feeling more positive and confident in their roles.

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This monitoring visit

Team members have been enrolled to achieve a suitable residential childcare qualification. The staff say that recent additional training helps them to better understand children’s individual needs. This means that they respond differently, for example when a child gets upset and frustrated. As a result, there are fewer incidents.

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This monitoring visit

New documentation is in place to ensure that all children’s needs are assessed so that they can safely live at the home together. No new children have moved to the home to test its effectiveness. However, the responsible individual will have oversight of all future referrals and pre-admission planning when a new manager is recruited.

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This monitoring visit

Children’s family members are now visiting the home. An additional telephone has been bought to ensure that there are no barriers to children speaking to their families. Clear plans are in place about arrangements for family telephone and video calls as well as visits.

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This monitoring visit

There are several review systems now in place with clear lines of accountability. Specific meetings are held regularly with key members from across the organisation to review children’s plans. This ensures that children’s plans are updated promptly to provide practice guidance for the staff and to track children’s progress and experiences more effectively.

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This monitoring visit

The provider has demonstrated adequate progress to meet the steps of the compliance notices. A case review was held on 16 August 2020. The decision was taken to address the shortfall under regulation 12 by setting a requirement. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2613341 3

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 16/06/2021 Full Inadequate Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2613341 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 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

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)(b))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person should ensure that the staff update risk assessments and management plans in relation to new or emerging risks. The registered person should ensure that the staff identify and respond to risks as recorded in children’s plans. 19 September

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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; 19 September Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2613341 5 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; and

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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; and

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Requirement Due date

has signed the record to confirm it is accurate; and

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Requirement Due date

within 5 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 measure. (Regulation 35 (3)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(viii)(b)(i)(ii)(c))

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Requirement Due date

After consultation with the fire and rescue authority, the registered person must—

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Requirement Due date

ensure, by means of fire drills and practices at suitable intervals, that persons working at the home and, so far as reasonably practicable, children are aware of the procedure to be followed in case of fire. (Regulation 25 (1)(d))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, when children do not evacuate during a fire drill, staff must ensure that they help children to understand through alternative methods what they need to do in the event of an emergency. 19 September

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees—

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Requirement Due date

receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience. (Regulation 33 (4)(b)) 19 September Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2613341 6 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

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

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)(iv))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person should ensure that the staff are supported to understand how they are to deliver consistent, individualised and good-quality care that helps children to make progress and aligns with the home’s statement of purpose. 19 September

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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

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. (Regulation 10 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(ii)) 19 September Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2613341 7 In particular, children should be helped to understand the importance of appropriate routines that promote their well- being, and the staff should help them to achieve this.

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that the review of the location of the home considers specific risks for individual children, such as railway stations, and how the staff should respond to mitigate them if a child leaves the building. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 64, paragraph 15.1)  The registered person should ensure that the staff record information about individual children in a non-stigmatising way that is helpful to the child if they choose to read their records at a later date. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4)  The registered person should ensure that the workforce plan contains the details of the staff team’s current qualifications and identifies any further training required. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 53, paragraph 10.8)

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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. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2613341 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: iMap School, Barrowmore Estate, Barnhouse Lane, Great Barrow, Chester CH3 7JA

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Anthony Yearsley

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Inspectors

Karen Willson, Social Care Inspector Michael Charnley, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2613341 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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