Children's Home run by HAVEN CARE GROUP LIMITED in Staffordshire

Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC474179 1 SC474179

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Haven Care Group Limited

Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is operated by a private provider. The home is registered to provide care for up to four children whose adverse childhood experiences can lead to them exhibiting complex behaviours.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager took up his post on 4 January 2021. He was registered with Ofsted on 15 April 2021. He has since resigned from the post and is scheduled to leave this role on 9 October 2021. The registered manager was not in day-to-day charge of the home at the time of this monitoring visit.

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Information about this children’s home

An acting manager has been overseeing the home. A new manager has been appointed and took up her post on 24 August 2021. She has yet to apply to register with Ofsted.

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This monitoring visit

Ofsted conducted a full inspection of this children’s home on 27 and 28 July 2021. As a result of the inspection, the home was judged to be inadequate. Ofsted issued three compliance notices, under regulation 13, regulation 14 and regulation 32.

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This monitoring visit

This monitoring visit was carried out to review the action that the provider has taken to meet the three compliance notices. In addition, the inspector reviewed action taken by the provider to meet a requirement raised under regulation 12.

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This monitoring visit

The inspector found that managers have made sufficient progress for two of the compliance notices under regulation 13 and regulation 14 to be considered met. Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC474179 2 Managers have undertaken a review of the statement of purpose. This now clearly defines the characteristics of the children that the home is equipped to provide care for.

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This monitoring visit

Managers have also undertaken an audit of staff training. This has helped them to identify shortfalls in this area and they have implemented a detailed training plan in response to the audit. This ensures that staff have access to the training that they require to enable them to provide care for children with complex needs.

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This monitoring visit

Managers have updated the matching process for the home. These changes are as yet untested, as no children have moved into the home since the last inspection.

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This monitoring visit

Despite this progress, managers have not taken sufficient action to meet the third compliance notice under regulation 32. Shortfalls remain in the safe recruitment of staff. For example, managers failed to recognise that the identity documents and the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check for one member of staff gave contradictory information. Continued omissions in the safe recruitment of staff do not safeguard children from the risk of being cared for by people who may not be suitable or safe to do so. Ofsted has reissued a compliance notice under regulation 32 in response to this ongoing regulatory breach.

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This monitoring visit

Managers have taken action to update the risk assessments for the one child who is living in the home. This means that staff have access to accurate, up-to-date information to enable them to safeguard the child. However, omissions remain in the assessment of staff safety when they are working alone in the home. Because of this continued shortfall, the requirement under regulation 12 has been restated.

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This monitoring visit

Managers have taken action to meet two further requirements raised at the full inspection. Alongside the update of the statement of purpose, managers have also updated the children’s guide for the home. This means that the information provided to children and wider stakeholders about the children’s home is accurate.

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This monitoring visit

One new requirement has been raised as a result of this inspection. Senior managers have failed to notify Ofsted of the significant management changes that have occurred since the last inspection. This leaves Ofsted without accurate information to support monitoring of the service.

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This monitoring visit

Seven requirements raised at the full inspection were not reviewed during this monitoring visit. These will be considered at the next full inspection.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC474179 3 27/07/2021 Full Inadequate 23/10/2019 Interim Declined in effectiveness 22/05/2019 Full Good 14/08/2018 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC474179 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 positive relationships standard is that children are helped to develop, and to benefit from, relationships based on—

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Requirement Due date

an understanding about acceptable behaviour; and

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Requirement Due date

positive responses to other children and adults.

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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

help each child to develop socially aware behaviour;

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Requirement Due date

encourage each child to take responsibility for the child’s behaviour, in accordance with the child’s age and understanding;

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Requirement Due date

communicate to each child expectations about the child’s behaviour and ensure that the child understands those expectations in accordance with the child’s age and understanding;

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Requirement Due date

understand how children’s previous experiences and present emotions can be communicated through behaviour and have the competence and skills to interpret these and develop positive relationships with children. (Regulation 11 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(ii)(iii)(v)(ix))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated.

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Requirement Due date

This particularly refers to ensuring that individual work with children is undertaken as specified in their care and placement plans, that staff have the necessary training and 30 September Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC474179 5 resources to enable them to undertake individual work with children and that staff understand the importance of consistency in the management of children’s behaviour and demonstrate this in their day-to-day practice.

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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

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

that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed, furnished and maintained so as to protect each child from avoidable hazards to the child’s health. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(v)(d))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated.

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Requirement Due date

This particularly refers to ensuring that staff understand reporting processes for safeguarding concerns. It also refers to ensuring that the assessments of lone working arrangements provide clear information about the training and guidance staff will receive in relation to this matter. 31 October 2021

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Requirement Due date

*The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety.

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Requirement Due date

employ an individual to work at the children’s home; or

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Requirement Due date

if an individual is employed by a person other than the registered person to work at the home in a position in which the individual may have regular contact with children, allow that individual to work at the home, 31 October 2021 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC474179 6 if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3).

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Requirement Due date

the individual is of integrity and good character;

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Requirement Due date

the individual has the appropriate experience, qualification and skills for the work that the individual is to perform;

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Requirement Due date

the individual is mentally and physically fit for the purposes of the work that the individual is to perform; and

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Requirement Due date

full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2. (Regulation 32 (1) (2)(a)(b) (3)(a)(b)(c)(d))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated.

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Requirement Due date

This particularly refers to ensuring that staff only come to work in the home when managers are assured that full checks have been undertaken and that staff are safe to do so.

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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))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated.

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Requirement Due date

This particularly refers to ensuring that the registered manager is supervised regularly in line with the home’s statement of purpose. 30 September

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Requirement Due date

Schedule 4 sets out the other information that the registered person must keep in relation to a children’s home.

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Requirement Due date

maintain in the home the records in Schedule 4. (Regulation 37 (1) (2)(a)) 30 September Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC474179 7 This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated.

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Requirement Due date

This particularly refers to maintaining a record of actual hours worked that include everyone who is employed in the home, including the registered manager. Subject to paragraph (6), the registered person must establish a procedure for considering complaints made by or on behalf of children.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must 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

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated.

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Requirement Due date

This particularly refers to ensuring that detailed records of complaints are maintained to enable management oversight. 30 September

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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

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated.

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Requirement Due date

This particularly refers to ensuring that, where concerns arise regarding the standard of the independent person’s reporting, managers have in place a system to review and identify necessary steps to achieve improvements in a timely way. 30 September

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must complete a review of the quality of care provided for children ("a quality of care review") at least once every 6 months.

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Requirement Due date

In order to complete a quality of care review the registered person must establish and maintain a system for monitoring, reviewing and evaluating— 30 September Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC474179 8 the quality of care provided for children;

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Requirement Due date

the feedback and opinions of children about the children’s home, its facilities and the quality of care they receive in it; and

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Requirement Due date

any actions that the registered person considers necessary in order to improve or maintain the quality of care provided for children.

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Requirement Due date

The system referred to in paragraph (2) must provide for ascertaining and considering the opinions of children, their parents, placing authorities and staff. (Regulation 45 (1) (2)(a)(b)(c) (5))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated.

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Requirement Due date

This particularly refers to ensuring that the manager’s systems for reviewing and reporting on the quality of care include feedback from all stakeholders.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must give notice in writing to HMCI, as soon as it is reasonably practicable to do so, if any of the following events take place or are expected to take place—

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Requirement Due date

a person other than the registered person carries on or manages the children’s home;

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Requirement Due date

a person cease to carry on or manage the home. (Regulation 49 (a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This particularly refers to ensuring that Ofsted is notified of any management changes in the home as soon as it is reasonably practicable to do so. 31 October 2021

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Requirement Due date

*These requirements are subject to a compliance notice.

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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: SC474179 9

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Haven Care Group Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Unit 6 Barberry Court, Parkway, Centrum One Hundred, Burton-on-Trent DE14 2UE

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Inspector

Tracey Coglan Greig, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC474179 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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