Children's home run by Progress Children’s Services Ltd in Wolverhampton

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC020859 1 SC020859

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Progress Children’s Services Limited

Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is owned by a private provider and is registered to provide care for up to six children with learning disabilities and associated emotional and behavioural needs.

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Information about this children’s home

There is currently no registered manager at this home.

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This monitoring visit

Ofsted carried out a full inspection of the home on 22 and 23 September 2021. Ofsted found significant shortfalls to children’s safety and welfare. As a result, Ofsted issued a notice of suspension to the provider. Three compliance notices were also issued under regulations 12, 13 and 25.

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This monitoring visit

The purpose of this visit was to review the suspension notice and the three compliance notices.

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This monitoring visit

This visit found that the compliance notices have been met. The provider has new systems to help them to identify concerns at an early stage. The provider aims for these systems to improve oversight of the home and allow for emerging patterns, trends and accountability to be identified in a timely manner.

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This monitoring visit

Staff are currently undergoing further training to help them to understand their roles and responsibilities. On the day of the visit, staff were undertaking online safety training. Staff told the inspector about their learning from this training and how it will positively impact on their ability to support children when accessing the internet.

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This monitoring visit

The provider has identified that two staff are out of the timescales for completing their relevant qualifications in residential childcare and leadership and management. However, the inspector has now been informed that the necessary work has been Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC020859 2 completed and submitted. Other staff are working within the permitted two-year time frame to achieve their residential childcare qualification at level 3.

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This monitoring visit

The provider has continued to comply with the suspension notice and no children were living in the home at the time of the visit. The provider does not plan to admit children until the ongoing substantial refurbishment work is completed and a new manager is recruited. The refurbishment work includes plans to have a new fire alarm system fitted.

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This monitoring visit

As a result of the progress made since the full inspection, the suspension notice has been lifted and a condition has been added to the home’s registration. This means that the provider must consult with Ofsted before another child moves into the home. Ofsted will continue to monitor this situation.

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This monitoring visit

The remaining requirements were not assessed during this visit and will be reviewed at a future inspection.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 22/09/2021 Full Inadequate 12/06/2019 Full Good 14/12/2018 Interim Sustained effectiveness 17/04/2018 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC020859 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 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

ensure that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed and furnished so as to—

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Requirement Due date

meet the needs of each child. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c)(i))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that the home is well presented and maintained. 27 November 2021

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Requirement Due date

the privacy of children is appropriately protected;

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Requirement Due date

any limitation placed on a child’s privacy or access to any area of the home’s premises—

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Requirement Due date

is intended to safeguard each child accommodated in the home;

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Requirement Due date

is kept under review and, if necessary, revised; and 27 November 2021 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC020859 4 allows children as much freedom as is possible when balanced against the need to protect them and keep them safe. (Regulation 21 (a)(c)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv))

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Requirement Due date

This relates to ensuring that children’s bedrooms promote their privacy and dignity and that risk assessments clearly reflect the locking of external doors and the rationale around this.

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Requirement Due date

have the capacity, experience and skills to supervise the management of the home, or the homes, in respect of which the responsible individual is nominated. (Regulation 26 (7)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the responsible individual’s supervision of the manager and home. 27 November 2021

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Requirement Due date

A person may only manage a children’s home if—

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Requirement Due date

having regard to the size of the home, its statement of purpose, and the number and needs (including any needs arising from any disability) of the children—

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Requirement Due date

the person has the appropriate experience, qualification and skills to manage the home effectively and lead the care of children.

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Requirement Due date

For the purposes of paragraph (1)(b)(i), a person has the appropriate experience and qualification if the person has—

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Requirement Due date

the Level 5 Diploma in Leadership and Management for Residential Childcare (England) ("the Level 5 Diploma"); or

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Requirement Due date

a qualification which the registered provider considers to be equivalent to the Level 5 Diploma.

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Requirement Due date

in the case of a person who starts managing a home after 1st April 2014, the date which falls 3 years after the date on which that person started managing a home. (Regulation 28 (1)(b)(i) (2)(c)(i)(ii) (3)(a)) 27 November 2021 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC020859 5 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,

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Requirement Due date

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 specifically relates to ensuring that full Schedule 2 information is obtained for staff working with children in the home. 27 November 2021

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain records ("case records") for each child which—

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Requirement Due date

include the information and documents listed in Schedule 3 in relation to each child.

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Requirement Due date

securely in the children’s home during the period when the child to whom the case records relate is accommodated there; and

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Requirement Due date

in a secure place after the child has ceased to be accommodated in the home. (Regulation 36 (1)(a) (2)(c)(d)) 27 November 2021 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC020859 6 This relates to children’s case records being securely stored within the home and past children’s records not being accessible to current children or visitors.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that the following items, which may be kept in electronic form, are kept in an accessible manner—

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Requirement Due date

records of the use of measures of control, discipline or restraint (see regulation 35);

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Requirement Due date

children’s case records (see regulation 36);

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Requirement Due date

records of complaints (see regulation 39). (Regulation 38 (h)(i)(j)(l))

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Requirement Due date

This relates to ensuring that children’s records are accessible 27 November 2021

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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.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must supply to HMCI, at HMCI’s request, a statement containing a summary of any complaints made during the preceding twelve months and the action that was taken in response to each complaint. (Regulation 39 (3) (5))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that complaints are investigated and that outcomes are communicated to the complainants. 27 November 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; 27 November 2021 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC020859 7 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

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Requirement Due date

there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious

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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 (4)(a)(b)(c)(d)(i)(ii)(e))

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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: Progress Children’s Services Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Progress House, 127 Millfields Road, Wolverhampton, Staffordshire WV4 6JG

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Inspector

Louise Battersby, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC020859 8 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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