Children's home run by Acorn Homes (UK) Ltd

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2588753 1 Registered provider: Acorn Homes (UK) Limited

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home provides care and accommodation for up to six children who may experience social, emotional and/or mental health difficulties. The home is run by a private organisation that operates several registered children’s homes.

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Information about this children’s home

This home has not had a registered manager since 8 March 2021.

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This monitoring visit

This children’s home was judged inadequate at the full inspection on 9 and 10 June 2021. Since that inspection, three monitoring visits have been undertaken. At the last monitoring visit, on 30 September 2021, seven requirements were reviewed and the provider’s compliance with the suspension notice was monitored. Six of these requirements were not met. The provider had continued to demonstrate compliance with the suspension notice. No children had been accommodated. Following that monitoring visit, six requirements were reissued, and the suspension notice was lifted.

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This monitoring visit

The purpose of this monitoring visit was to monitor progress made in relation to the requirements that were judged to remain unmet. There were no children living at the home at the time of this inspection.

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This monitoring visit

The provider has made wholesale changes to the management team and the staff who operate the home. New senior managers have a clear sense of what led to the shortfalls that resulted in the inadequate judgement. They have improved systems to ensure better strategic oversight of care practice and now have clear lines of accountability with regard to management monitoring.

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This monitoring visit

A new interim manager was recently appointed. She has suitable experience and has a clear induction plan in place that is aimed at providing her with the training and Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2588753 2 support she needs to carry out the role. The interim manager has made significant improvements to the physical environment. The children’s rooms are homely and welcoming, all locks on internal doors have been removed and action has been taken to ensure that fire doors are operating safely. This means that the requirements made at the last full inspection in relation to these matters are now met.

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This monitoring visit

A new core team of residential staff has been identified to work in the home. This includes a deputy manager and senior staff who are experienced and suitably qualified for their respective roles. They have all recently refreshed their training in the home’s behaviour management approach and physical intervention. The recruitment of additional permanent staff is ongoing. Two new staff have been identified and, subject to suitable recruitment checks, will join the core staff team. The provider has a clear plan in place to ensure that there are sufficient staff in post to meet the needs of any children placed in the home. The previous requirement relating to the need for staff to be suitably experienced, trained and qualified to meet the needs of the children is now met.

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This monitoring visit

The previous shortfalls in relation to assessing individual risks, to inform decisions about whether children moving into the home can be safely managed within the group of children already living in the home, could not be tested in practice. This is because there are no children currently living in the home. However, managers have undertaken training in risk assessment, new forms have been devised to ensure that all relevant risks are considered and there are improved arrangements for the management oversight of admissions. These measures reduce the risk that children will move into the home without careful assessment. The requirements made in relation to assessing risk and planning admissions are therefore met.

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This monitoring visit

The previous requirement relating to ensuring that all staff receive supervision by a suitably qualified person is repeated. This is because the manager is very new in post and the staff team is currently dispersed in other homes in the organisation, so practice in this area was not tested. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2588753 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

09/06/2021 Full Inadequate Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2588753 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 registered person must ensure that all employees—

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Requirement Due date

undertake appropriate continuing professional development;

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated. 28 February 2022

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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: 2588753 5

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Acorn Homes (UK) Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Unit 73-74, Maple Leaf Business Park, Manston, Ramsgate CT12 5GD

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Inspector

Lee Kirwin, Regulatory Inspection Manager Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2588753 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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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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