Children's Home run by Momentum Residential Care Home Ltd in Essex

Inspection report for children's home: 2621215 1 Registered provider: Momentum Residential Care Home Limited Interim inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This privately owned home provides care for up to four children who may have experienced trauma that has left them vulnerable and who have difficulties managing their emotions and behaviour.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager left in September 2021. There is currently no manager in place.

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Inspection date: 20 January 2022

Date of last inspection: 15 September 2021

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Inspection date: 20 January 2022

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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Inspection date: 20 January 2022

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children's home: 2621215 2

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged requires improvement to be good at the last full inspection. At this interim inspection, Ofsted judged that it has sustained effectiveness.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

This inspection was brought forward in order to address specific concerns received by Ofsted. These concerns have been explored as part of the inspection.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Children are well supported and the care that they receive is making a positive difference to their lives. Staff demonstrate a good understanding of each child and are committed to helping them achieve their full potential.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Children have formed strong attachments with the staff. Clear boundaries and routines, coupled with a consistent staff group, enable children to feel settled and to gain a sense ownership of their home. Staff genuinely want children to achieve, and work hard to support them to make progress. Because of this, children make steady and consistent progress in many areas of their lives when measured against their starting points on admission to the home.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Children who had minimal attendance in education before they moved into the home now access and engage in education. Staff maintain effective partnerships with teachers. Because of this, children are making better progress in their education. Learning is further supplemented by home tutors.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The home looks and feels like a family home. The children are happy and have good relationships with each other. Their daily lives are filled with warmth, positive experiences and laughter.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

There are always more staff than children at the home. This creates a safe environment and the children always have someone to go to or be with. The children engage in individual activities of their choice.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Effective safeguarding practice contributes to children’s sense of safety and well- being. Risk management elements of care planning are carefully considered for each child. There is clear identification of the risks, potential triggers for behaviours and strategies to minimise or manage those risks.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Records highlight that children’s behaviour has continued to settle and the frequency of behavioural incidents has reduced. However, records of physical intervention and sanctions lack detail and have not been carefully monitored and evaluated by senior staff. Debriefing sessions with children and staff have not taken place. This does not provide opportunities to explore each incident to see whether lessons can be learned and whether the incident could have been handled differently. Inspection report for children's home: 2621215 3 Safe recruitment processes are not consistently effective. Not all references from previous employers have been sourced or verified and qualifications held by staff are not on file. This could lead to unsuitable adults working at the home.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The home’s location risk assessment lacks specific information on the impact of local community risks, such as anti-social behaviour and gang crime. Therefore, the actual risk indicators on the assessment are not reflective of the risks in the local community and surrounding areas.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The independent person’s reports lack evaluation and analysis of the quality of care provided. The reports are, at times, hard to decipher and information is sparse. The independent person does not always speak with professionals or parents to gain feedback on the quality of care provided. This does not support the home to make improvements. Senior staff have failed to send the quality of care report to Ofsted. This does not enable Ofsted to fully evaluate the service and care provided.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Senior staff have met four of the seven requirements raised at the last inspection. Three requirements, in respect of monitoring, safe recruitment and the home appointing a suitable manager, are restated. One of the two recommendations raised at the last inspection has been met and one recommendation in relation to the location risk assessment is restated. Inspection report for children's home: 2621215 4

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

15/09/2021 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children's home: 2621215 5

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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 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

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(h))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was raised at the full inspection and is restated. 28 February 2022

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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. (Regulation 27 (1)(a))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was raised at the full inspection and is restated. 31 March 2022

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Requirement Due date

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, 28 February 2022 Inspection report for children's home: 2621215 6 if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3).

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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)(d))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that checks on new staff include verification of all references as far as possible and that a copy of staff qualifications is held on file.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was raised at the full inspection and is restated.

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Requirement Due date

within 24 hours of the use of a measure of control, discipline or restraint in relation to a child in the home, a record is made which includes—

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Requirement Due date

details of the child’s behaviour leading to the use of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

the date, time and location of the use of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

a description of the measure and its duration;

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Requirement Due date

details of any methods used or steps taken to avoid the need to use the measure;

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Requirement Due date

the name of the person who used the measure ("the user"), and of any other person present when the measure was used;

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Requirement Due date

the effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the measure; and

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Requirement Due date

a description of any injury to the child or any other person, and any medical treatment administered, as a result of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

within 48 hours of the use of the measure, the registered person, or a person who is authorised by the registered person to do so ("the authorised person")— 28 February 2022 Inspection report for children's home: 2621215 7 has spoken to the user about the measure; and

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Requirement Due date

has signed the record to confirm it is accurate; and

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Requirement Due date

within 5 days of the use of the measure, the registered person or the authorised person adds to the record confirmation that they have spoken to the child about the measure. (Regulation 35 (3)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(viii)(b)(i)(ii)(c))

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Requirement Due date

When the independent person is carrying out a visit, the registered person must help the independent person—

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Requirement Due date

if they consent, to interview in private such of the children, their parents, relatives and persons working at the home as the independent person requires; and

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Requirement Due date

to inspect the premises of the home and such of the home’s records (except for a child’s case records, unless the child and the child’s placing authority consent) as the independent person requires.

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Requirement Due date

The independent person’s report may recommend actions that the registered person may take in relation to the home and timescales within which the registered person must consider whether or not to take those actions. (Regulation 44 (2)(a)(b) (5)) 28 February 2022

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Recommendations

 The registered person should review the appropriateness and suitability of the location and premises of the home. Specifically, ensure that the assessment is informed by up-to-date crime intelligence related to children’s identified vulnerabilities. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations, including the quality standards’, page 64, paragraph 15.1)  The registered person should have a system in place to monitor the matters set out in Regulation 45 at least once every six months. The registered person should undertake a review that focuses on the quality of the care provided by the home, the experiences of children living there and the impact that the care is having on outcomes and improvements for the children. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations, including the quality standards’, page 64, paragraph 15.2) Inspection report for children's home: 2621215 8

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Information about this inspection

This inspection focused on the effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of children and young people since the most recent full inspection.

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people, using the ‘Social care common inspection framework’. This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000 to assess the effectiveness of the service, how it meets the core functions of the service as set out in legislation, and to consider how well it complies with the Children’s Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the ‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations, including the quality standards’. Inspection report for children's home: 2621215 9

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Momentum Residential Care Home Limited

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Inspector

Cathy Russell, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: 2621215 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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