Children's home run by Salford City Council in Salford

Inspection report for children’s home: SC394283 1 SC394283 Registered provider: Salford City Council Interim inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is operated by a local authority and provides care for up to five children who may have emotional and/or social difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has been registered with Ofsted since 2012 but has been away from the home for over six months.

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Inspection date: 7 February 2022

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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Inspection date: 7 February 2022

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC394283 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

The registered manager has been away from the home for over six months. There is an acting manager in place who intends to apply to be the registered manager. Ofsted has not been notified of the long-term absence of the registered manager or the new management arrangements.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The deputy manager, supported by the newly appointed residential homes’ service manager, has made some improvements to various aspects of the home. However, not all the requirements and recommendations made at the last inspection have been met.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Before Christmas, some of the children and staff contracted COVID-19 and appropriate protocols were followed. As the home was well staffed, staffing remained stable and there was no impact on the children living at the home.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Since the last inspection, one child has moved into supported lodgings. The arrangements were detailed in a comprehensive plan and the pace of the move was directed by the needs of the child. The child is making good progress and remains in contact with the staff at the home.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

On the day of the inspection, two children were living at the home and one child moved in during the inspection. The planning for the move was very thorough and the child had the opportunity to visit beforehand to ensure that this was an appropriate place to stay. This is an improvement from the last inspection.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

One child told the inspector that she enjoys living at the home and that staff have supported her to develop skills for her adult life and encouraged her to attend her education provision and make progress.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Another child is also attending education, but the acting manager recognises that the current offer from the local authority is insufficient to prepare her to obtain the qualifications she will require for the next stage of her life. The staff have helped her to develop appropriate friendships and make safer decisions.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The overall quality of care planning is improving with the development of the care planning documents called ‘My plan’. Children and staff work collaboratively on the plans so that all are involved in the decision-making process.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The number of times children go missing from the home has reduced. There have been no significant incidents, complaints or the requirement to use physical Inspection report for children’s home: SC394283 3 intervention since the last inspection. This demonstrates that children are settled in their home.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The home submitted a review of the quality of care in November 2021. The report was not compiled by the registered person. It does not contain any recommendations or an action plan and is largely made up of comments on the recommendations from the external monitoring reports. There is no analysis of current practice to support the manager and staff to improve the overall quality of care in the home.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The home has a new independent person, who is employed by the authority to carry out visits. The reports are detailed and the independent person consults with the children, their families and staff. The independent person does not include in the report her opinion as to whether children are effectively safeguarded and if the conduct of the home promotes children’s well-being. The visits and subsequent reports concentrate on the quality of record-keeping in the home and read more like an audit report of record-keeping. This does not follow the expectation of an independent person’s report as set out in regulation.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The acting manager has not yet created a workforce plan, as recommended at the last inspection. Some work has been carried out to identify the staff’s training needs, which will influence the plan, but the work has not yet started.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The statement of purpose for the home is about to change and the manager reported that the home will soon become a home for children aged over 16. The property is currently undergoing refurbishment to create four ‘trainer’ flats so that children can be supported to develop the skills they need for their adult life. Ofsted has not been notified formally of these significant changes. Inspection report for children’s home: SC394283 4

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

15/06/2021 Full Requires improvement to be good 23/01/2020 Interim Sustained effectiveness 08/05/2019 Full Requires improvement to be good 16/04/2018 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children’s home: SC394283 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

If the person who is in day-to-day charge of the children’s home proposes to be absent from the home for a continuous period of 28 days or more, the registered person must give notice in writing to HMCI of the proposed absence.

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Requirement Due date

Except in the case of an emergency or unforeseen absence, a notice under paragraph (1) must—

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Requirement Due date

be given no later than one month before the proposed absence commences, or within such shorter period as may be agreed with HMCI; and

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Requirement Due date

specify with respect to the proposed absence—

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Requirement Due date

the arrangements which have been made for running the home during the absence;

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Requirement Due date

the address, name and qualifications of the person who will be responsible for the home during the absence; and

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Requirement Due date

in the case of the absence of the registered manager, the arrangements that have been, or are proposed to be, made for appointing another person to manage the home during the absence, including the proposed date by which the appointment is to be made.

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Requirement Due date

If the absence arises as a result of an emergency or is unforeseen, the registered person must give notice of the absence—

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Requirement Due date

within one week of the beginning of the absence; and

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Requirement Due date

specifying the matters in paragraph (2)(b). 1 March 2022 Inspection report for children’s home: SC394283 6 If the notice required under paragraph (2) or (3) has not been given as required, it must be given without delay.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI of the return to duty of the person in day-to-day charge of the home not later than 7 days after the date of that person’s return. (Regulation 48 (1) (2)(a)(b)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v) (3)(a)(b) (4) (5))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the responsible individual must inform Ofsted that the registered manager has been away from the home for more than 28 days and set out what the ongoing management arrangements are.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must give notice in writing to HMCI, as soon as it is reasonably practicable to do so, if any of the following events take place or are expected by the registered person to take place—

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Requirement Due date

a person other than the registered person carries on or manages the children’s home;

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Requirement Due date

the premises of the home are significantly altered or extended, or additional premises are acquired. (Regulation 49(a)(g))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the responsible individual must notify Ofsted of the significant changes to the purpose of the home and the intended new management arrangements. 1 March 2022

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Requirement Due date

The independent person must produce a report about a visit ("the independent person’s report") which sets out, in particular, the independent person’s opinion as to whether—

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Requirement Due date

children are effectively safeguarded; and

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Requirement Due date

the conduct of the home promotes children’s well-being. (Regulation 44 (4)(a)(b)) 30 March 2022

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must complete a review of the quality of care provided for children ("a quality of care review") at least once every 6 months.

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Requirement Due date

In order to complete a quality of care review the registered person must establish and maintain a system for monitoring, reviewing and evaluating—

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Requirement Due date

the quality of care provided for children; 30 April 2022 Inspection report for children’s home: SC394283 7 the feedback and opinions of children about the children’s home, its facilities and the quality of care they receive in it; and

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Requirement Due date

any actions that the registered person considers necessary in order to improve or maintain the quality of care provided for children. (Regulation 45 (1) (2)(a)(b)(c))

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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: SC394283 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Salford City Council

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Civic Centre, Chorley Road, Swinton, Manchester M27 5DA

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Inspector

Helen Humphreys, Social Care HMI Inspection report for children’s home: SC394283 9 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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