Children's home run by Kedleston (Wings Education) Limited

Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC402370 1 SC402370

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Information about this children’s home

This is a privately owned children’s home with a school on the same site. The inspectors only inspected the social care provision at this school.

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Information about this children’s home

The home is owned and operated by a private organisation. It is registered to accommodate up to 54 children aged between nine and 17 years. The current occupancy is 26. Children are usually experiencing social, emotional and behavioural difficulties and they may have additional needs.

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This monitoring visit

This monitoring visit was carried out in order to review a restriction notice that was served on 12 October 2021. The notice prevented additional children moving into the home until safeguarding and management arrangements had been improved.

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This monitoring visit

Although managers and staff have taken steps to improve the home, there continue to be shortfalls in practice that have the potential to have an impact on the safety of children. As a result, the restriction on new admissions has been extended.

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This monitoring visit

There continue to be weaknesses in risk management systems. Managers are not proactive enough in identifying and addressing risk. This means that some potential hazards have not been addressed. For example, a long-standing practice of children occasionally being allowed to sleep in each other’s rooms, ‘sleep overs’, has not been reviewed to ensure that it remains appropriate for current residents. In one case, a child who required one-to-one staff supervision took part in an unsupervised ‘sleep over’.

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This monitoring visit

Staff believe that children have smoked drugs during two recent ‘sleep overs’. Staff took appropriate action by ending the ‘sleep overs’ on both occasions. However, there is no evidence that staff have attempted to locate the cannabis or identify the source of the cannabis. For example, no room search took place. In addition, staff Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC402370 2 did not consult with external agencies to identify whether the children required any additional guidance or support to reduce drug use.

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This monitoring visit

Potential hazards within the grounds have not yet been made safe. Managers have made plans to minimise potential risks in the grounds, but most have not yet been implemented. Managers monitor the grounds on a weekly basis but have not identified or addressed some hazards.

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This monitoring visit

There continue to be incidents of physical violence between children. Children say that there are fewer violent incidents now and that they feel safer as a result. However, they also say that they still feel vulnerable at times. For example, one child talked about a risk of violence if he did not adhere to unwritten rules imposed by other children.

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This monitoring visit

Staff now keep clear records of any violent incidents but have not logged these as potential bullying incidents. This has the potential to hinder the monitoring of bullying and may mean that staff are not able to identify patterns of behaviour that place children at risk.

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This monitoring visit

Spot checks on mobile devices are now being recorded. This helps to keep children safe from exploitation and online bullying.

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This monitoring visit

Requirements and recommendations from the last inspection were not reviewed during this visit unless they were pertinent to the restriction notice. Therefore, a recommendation made at the last inspection has been repeated.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 07/12/2021 Full Requires improvement to be good 05/10/2021 Full Inadequate 23/07/2019 Full Outstanding 13/08/2018 Full Outstanding Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC402370 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

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm;

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Requirement Due date

manage relationships between children to prevent them from harming each other;

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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

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; 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)(iii)(iv)(v)(b)(d))

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Requirement Due date

This relates to the management of risk, behaviour management and hazards within the grounds. 31 March 2022

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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— 31 March 2022 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC402370 4 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

demonstrate that practice in the home is informed and improved by taking into account and acting on—

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Requirement Due date

feedback on the experiences of children, including complaints received; and

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Requirement Due date

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)(g)(ii)(h))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, this relates to management oversight of health and safety systems and safeguarding processes.

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that children are helped to explore their cultural identity. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations, including the quality standards’, page 17, paragraph 3.22)

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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: SC402370 5

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Kedleston (Wings Education) Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Unit 8 Brook Business Centre, Cowley Mill Road, Uxbridge, Middlesex UB8 2FX

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Inspectors

Joanne Vyas, Social Care Inspector Laura Walker, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC402370 6 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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