Children's home run by Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council

Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC453372 1

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Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council

Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home registered in March 2021 and is owned by a local authority. It provides care for up to two children with social, emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager resigned in December 2021 and a new manager is in the process of registering with Ofsted.

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This monitoring visit

This visit has been undertaken to ensure that no regulations are being breached after Ofsted received concerns about the home. One child currently lives at the home.

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This monitoring visit

The inspector found serious shortfalls in safeguarding practices at the home. The staff’s day-to-day care is not delivered consistently to keep the child safe and protected from harm. In addition, weaknesses in the leadership and management of the home and inadequate staffing arrangements mean that the child is exposed to risk.

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This monitoring visit

The home has a core team of permanent employed staff to look after the child living at the home. However, several staff are currently on long-term sick and there are two staff vacancies. There have been attempts to have the same agency staff working in the home, but this has not been sustained. This results in the child being cared for by a high number of different carers, which leads to inconsistent care.

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This monitoring visit

On many occasions, agency staff have made up half of the staff working on a shift. In the last three months, there have been six shifts when care has been delivered fully by agency staff. In other instances, staff from other children’s homes have worked at the home. Therefore, good-quality care has not been consistently delivered by staff who are sufficiently skilled or know the child well. Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC453372 2 No staff meetings have taken place. This does not help staff to fully understand their roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting and caring for the child. It does not assist the manager to deliver guidance, training and support, where required, to promote consistent work practice.

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This monitoring visit

Permanent staff receive supervision. However, this is often interrupted and reconvened due to the need to provide care to the child. This does not assist in providing the best support to staff or give the managers good oversight of individual staff’s care practices.

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This monitoring visit

The written risk assessments relating to a child have not been read and signed by all staff working at the home, including agency staff. This includes the written risk assessment for when the child leaves the home and goes missing. This means that not all staff know how to provide support and care for the child and keep them safe.

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This monitoring visit

The current system established for new staff to read the child’s care plan and risk assessments when they come on shift is not effective. It does not give staff sufficient time as they are rostered to start work immediately to support the child.

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This monitoring visit

Internal and external monitoring systems are not efficient. Audits do not detect all deficits or act on all omissions and shortfalls in a timely manner.

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This monitoring visit

More positively, the child has established good relationships with several permanent staff working at the home. Furthermore, the child is progressing well in their education placement.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 20/07/2021 Full Good Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC453372 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, the 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

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

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. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(b)) 13 February 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—

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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; 13 February 2022 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC453372 4 ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home's workforce provides continuity of care to each child;

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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)(c)(d)(e)(h))

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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 aspects of the service to ensure that the home is operating in line with the children’s home regulations.

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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: Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council, Riverside House, Main Street, Rotherham S60 1AE

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Inspector

Debbie Foster, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC453372 5 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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