Children's Home run by Dorset Council in Dorset

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2624723 1 Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is owned and managed by a local authority. It is registered to provide care for one child aged between seven and 17 years. According to the home’s statement of purpose, it offers residential care for children with emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

There has been no registered manager in post since 1 June 2021. The current manager is in the process of registering with Ofsted.

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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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This monitoring visit

This children’s home was previously inspected on 19 to 20 May 2021 when it was judged to be requires improvement to be good in all areas. Since this inspection, concerns were raised by the independent person regarding staff failing to keep the child safe, a lack of management oversight and presence in the home, and staff feeling unsupported. This, in addition to several notifications regarding the child going missing, led to a monitoring visit being carried out.

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This monitoring visit

The home is not being managed effectively. This is due to the manager not being consistently present in the home. Prior to the school summer holidays, the manager was in the home two or three days a week, as reported by staff and the responsible individual. The manager has had additional duties which has led to a lack of focus on the needs of this home.

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This monitoring visit

At times, notifications are not being made to Ofsted or are not being made without delay as required by the regulations. Senior staff do not have a clear understanding of when a notification is required. This is concerning as they are responsible for managing the home in the manager’s absence. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2624723 2 Staff are not taking swift effective action when they have concerns about the child. An example of this is when the child’s boyfriend was suspected to have spent the night in the child’s bedroom. Staff were not confident in what actions should be taken, so they contacted the on-call person and then failed to act on the advice given. In addition, those managing the home in the manager’s absence lacked clear knowledge of another occasion when a similar event happened.

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This monitoring visit

Several of the child’s plans require updating. These include the local authority care plan and risk assessment. Also, the home’s risk assessment and missing persons’ protocol has not been updated following multi-agency meetings held to review the child’s needs.

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This monitoring visit

Staff are not receiving regular good-quality supervision, and supervisions for two of the senior staff could not be made available for review. This does not aid in the development of the individual member of staff or the team. Staff did report that they do feel supported in their role and that the team is starting to feel more cohesive.

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This monitoring visit

The most recent independent person’s report is more positive. Of the eight actions set, four have been met and progress has been made on the remaining four actions. The requirements set at the full inspection remain in place. Additional requirements have been raised as a result of the findings at this monitoring visit.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 18/05/2021 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2624723 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—

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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

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;

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies; and

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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)(iii)(v)(vi)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This relates to the registered person ensuring—

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Requirement Due date

that children’s internet and mobile phone access is managed by the staff in a way that ensures a reasonable duty of care in providing online age-appropriate safeguarding; 1 July 2021 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2624723 4 that they assess children’s safety online and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce risk;

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Requirement Due date

that staff take appropriate action to safeguard children if they leave the home at night; and

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Requirement Due date

that timely action is taken in response to safeguarding precautions, as identified by the manager, including the installation of closed circuit television (CCTV) outside the home.

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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

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

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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. (Regulation 13 (1)(b) (2)(b)(c)(e)) 1 July 2021

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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 1 July 2021 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2624723 5 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))

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Requirement Due date

at all times, at least one person on duty at the home has a suitable first aid qualification. (Regulation 31 (2)(a)) 1 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; 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

protect and promote each child’s welfare;

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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

make decisions about the day-to-day arrangements for each child, in accordance with the child’s relevant plans, which give the child an appropriate degree of freedom and choice.

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Requirement Due date

that the care is delivered by a person who—

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Requirement Due date

has the experience, knowledge and skills to deliver that care; and

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Requirement Due date

is under the supervision of a person who is appropriately skilled and qualified to supervise that care.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(b)(ii)(iv)(ix) (3)(c)(i)(ii)) 29 October 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. 29 October 2021 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2624723 6 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;

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Requirement Due date

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

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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

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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; 29 October 2021 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2624723 7 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; and use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(c)(f)(h))

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Requirement Due date

In addition, the manager of the home must be in day-to-day management and control of the home.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees—

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Requirement Due date

undertake appropriate continuing professional development; and

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Requirement Due date

receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience. (Regulation 33 (4)(a)(b)) 29 October 2021

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Requirement Due date

If there is a referral of a person working in the home pursuant to section 35 (Regulated activity providers: duty to refer) of the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006(1), the registered person must without delay notify—

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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

is instigated; or 29 October 2021 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2624723 8 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 (3)(a)(b)(c) (4)(a)(b)(c)(d)(i)(ii)(e))

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Requirement Due date

In addition, all staff who are left in change of the home must have a clear understanding of when a notification is required, how to make a notification and who is to be notified.

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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

The independent person must produce a report about a visit (“the independent person’s report”) which sets out, in particular, the independent person’s opinion as to whether—

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Requirement Due date

children are effectively safeguarded; and

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Requirement Due date

the conduct of the home promotes children’s well-being.

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Requirement Due date

The independent person’s report may recommend actions that the registered person may take in relation to the home and timescales within which the registered person must consider whether or not to take those actions. (Regulation 44 (1) (4)(a)(b) (5))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that actions set by the independent person are addressed in a timely manner to aid in the development of the home. 29 October 2021

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that staff provide a nurturing environment that is welcoming, supportive and which provides appropriate boundaries in relation to their behaviour. The home must also meet children’s basic day-to-day needs and physical necessities. Staff should seek to meet the child’s basic needs in the way that a good parent would, recognising that many children in residential care have experienced environments where these needs have not been consistently met, and doing so is an important aspect of demonstrating that the staff care for the child and value them as an individual. In particular, ensure that children’s bedrooms are kept to a reasonable standard of tidiness. (‘Guide to the quality standards including the children’s homes regulations’, page 15, paragraph 3.7) Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2624723 9

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Information about this inspection

The purpose of this visit was to monitor the action taken to concerns raised in the independent persons report and the notifications received by Ofsted.

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Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000.

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Inspector

Wendy Anderson, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2624723 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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