Children's Home run by Total Care Matters Limited in West Northamptonshire

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1268530 1

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Total Care Matters Ltd

Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This privately run children’s home provides care for up to three children with emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. There were two children living at this home at the time of the visit.

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This monitoring visit

A full inspection, carried out on 24 August 2021, identified several safeguarding concerns. As a result of this full inspection, Ofsted issued a restriction of accommodation notice. This meant that no more children could be admitted to the home.

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This monitoring visit

The notice had immediate effect from 27 August 2021 to 19 November 2021 inclusively. Ofsted planned to return midway through this period to monitor the home’s progress.

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This monitoring visit

On 4 October 2021, Ofsted received a complaint. This complaint raised concerns about the staff’s capacity to safeguard children. Due to the concerns raised, Ofsted carried out the planned monitoring visit the next day.

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This monitoring visit

Relationships between the children have been harmful. Physical altercations between the children have not been managed safely by staff. This has led to children being injured. Consequently, not all children feel safe at the home.

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This monitoring visit

Staff have not ensured that children received medical attention when they had been injured. Children have not received nurturing care when they have needed it, and their healthcare needs have not been promoted.

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This monitoring visit

Staff have failed to supervise children’s contact, leading to children being exposed to inappropriate discussions. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1268530 2 Safeguarding notifications to Ofsted and placing authorities are not always timely. Delayed notifications restrict external oversight of safeguarding practice.

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This monitoring visit

Staff have not been effective in de-escalating situations when children have struggled with strong emotions. This has led to very difficult dynamics between the children in the home, which have sometimes been harmful. Staff do not have the knowledge or skills to ensure that conflict management is effective.

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This monitoring visit

There are concerns that staff do not have the qualifications, skills or experience to manage behaviour effectively. Staff lack appropriate safeguarding knowledge.

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This monitoring visit

Staff do not demonstrate a good understanding of children’s individual needs. This has an impact on the quality of care provided.

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This monitoring visit

As a result of this visit, the restriction of accommodation will remain in place and other enforcement options will be considered. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1268530 3

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 24/08/2021 Full Inadequate 25/02/2020 Interim Sustained effectiveness 24/06/2019 Full Good 06/02/2019 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1268530 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

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

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Requirement Due date

seek to develop and maintain effective professional relationships with such persons, bodies or organisations as the registered person considers appropriate having regard to the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the children’s home is to provide care and accommodation. (Regulation 5 (d))

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Requirement Due date

This particularly refers to communicating effectively and consistently with placing authorities and social workers to ensure that children’s needs are met. 8 November 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;

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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

protect and promote each child’s welfare; 8 November 2021 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1268530 5 provide personalised care that meets each child’s needs, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans, taking account of the child’s background; and

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

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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— mutual respect and trust; an understanding about acceptable behaviour; and positive responses to other children and adults. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— that staff— help each child to develop and practise skills to resolve conflicts positively and without harm to anyone; 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; 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; and de-escalate confrontations with or between children, or potentially violent behaviour by children.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 11 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(iv)(v)(ix)(xi)) This particularly relates to ensuring that children learn how to resolve conflicts, with staff being clear in their communication about acceptable behaviour. 8 November 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

that staff— 8 November 2021 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1268530 6 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

are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(v)(vi)(vii))

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Requirement Due date

This relates to staff understanding and the implementation of each child’s risk assessment, and their role in keeping children safe. Also, ensuring the safe use of social media, ensuring risk assessment and supervision of children on activities, and staff adhering to risk management plans.

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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; 8 November 2021 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1268530 7 ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(c)(e))

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Requirement Due date

This relates to ensuring that there is a stable, well-trained and qualified management and staff team who have the skills to deliver care as described in the statement of purpose.

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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

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)(f))

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Requirement Due date

This relates, in particular, to ensuring that managers analyse the capacity to deliver quality care and review the impact of frequent management and staff changes on children. Also, to ensure that induction, training, recruitment and retention are reviewed for effectiveness. 8 November 2021

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Requirement Due date

The registered provider must appoint a person to manage the children’s home if—

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Requirement Due date

there is no registered manager in respect of the home; and

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Requirement Due date

is not, or does not intend to be, in day-to-day charge of the home. (Regulation 27 (1)(a)(b)(i)(ii)(iii)) 8 November 2021 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1268530 8 For the purposes of paragraph (3)(b), an individual who works in the home in a care role has the appropriate qualification if, by the relevant date, the individual has attained—

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Requirement Due date

the Level 3 Diploma for Residential Childcare (England) (“the Level 3 Diploma”); or

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Requirement Due date

a qualification which the registered person considers to be equivalent to the Level 3 Diploma.

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Requirement Due date

in the case of an individual who starts working in a care role in a home after 1st April 2014, the date which falls 2 years after the date on which the individual started working in a care role in a home; or

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Requirement Due date

in the case of an individual who was working in a care role in a home on 1st April 2014, 1st April 2016. (Regulation 32 (4)(a)(b) (5)(a)(b)) 8 November 2021

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if— there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40 (4)(e)) 8 November 2021

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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: 1268530 9

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Total Care Matters Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 230 Bathley Street, The Meadows, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire NG2 2ER

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Inspector

Amanda Ellis, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1268530 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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