Children's Home run by Assure Care Homes Ltd in Hampshire

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2666995 1 Registered provider: Assure Care Homes Ltd

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The children’s home provides care and accommodation for up to two children with social and emotional difficulties. It is owned by a private organisation.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager and the home have been registered with Ofsted since 18 November 2021.

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This monitoring visit

On 24 February 2022, Ofsted carried out a monitoring visit to the home to assess the practices of managers and staff in response to incidents that had been notified to Ofsted. At that inspection, serious shortfalls were identified and, as a result, seven requirements were made. Three of the requirements were subject to compliance notices.

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This monitoring visit

Following the visit, Ofsted issued a notice restricting accommodation to the children’s home on 25 February 2022, due to there being a risk of harm if further children moved into the home.

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This monitoring visit

The purpose of this monitoring visit was to ensure that the provider is complying with the notice restricting accommodation and to seek assurance that one compliance notice in relation to fire safety has been met.

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This monitoring visit

The provider is compliant with the notice restricting accommodation. No new children have moved into this home, meaning that one child continues to live here.

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This monitoring visit

The registered manager has completed the outstanding actions identified from the weekly fire safety checks. This was in relation to fire doors and emergency lighting systems working effectively. He has further streamlined recording systems to better evidence when actions are completed by the maintenance team. This means there is Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2666995 2 now a clear audit trail for any work done in the home. As a result, this step in the compliance notice has been met.

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This monitoring visit

Most of the staff have the relevant and necessary fire training. Since the last monitoring visit, senior leaders have arranged face-to-face fire warden training for the staff team. Most of the staff have also completed online fire safety training as part of their induction process. As a result, this step in the compliance notice has been met.

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This monitoring visit

Senior leaders say they have undertaken a written review of why fire safety checks were not completed. This was to demonstrate the measures they had put in place to prevent reoccurrences. However, this was not ready for review by the inspector on the day of this visit. The responsible individual informed the inspector it would be shared with Ofsted by 14 March 2022. Therefore, at the time of this report, this step in the compliance notice has not been met and is reissued.

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This monitoring visit

The seven requirements, including two compliance notices, made at the home’s first monitoring visit were not reviewed as part of this visit and remain in place. The due date for these requirements remains 10 April 2022.

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Recent inspection history

Not previously inspected Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2666995 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 health and well-being standard is that—

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Requirement Due date

the health and well-being needs of children are met;

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Requirement Due date

children receive advice, services and support in relation to their health and well-being; and

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Requirement Due date

children are helped to lead healthy lifestyles.

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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

take part in activities, and attend any appointments, for the purpose of meeting the child’s health and well-being needs. (Regulation 10 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(iii)) 10 April 2022

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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

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(vi)) 10 April 2022

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Requirement Due date

*If the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 applies to the home— 10 April 2022 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2666995 4 the registered person must ensure that the requirements of that Order and any regulations made under it, except for article 23 (duties of employees), are complied with in respect of the home. (Regulation 25 (2)(b))

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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)) 10 April 2022

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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

a description of the measure and its duration;

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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

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”)—

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Requirement Due date

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. 10 April 2022

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Requirement Due date

at all times, at least one person on duty at the home has a suitable first aid qualification. 10 April 2022 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2666995 5 (Regulation 31 (2)(a))

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Requirement Due date

*The care planning standard is that children—

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Requirement Due date

receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home; and

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Requirement Due date

have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home.

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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

that children are admitted to the home only if their needs are within the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the home is to provide care and accommodation, as set out in the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

ensure the effective induction of each child into the home. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(i)) 10 April 2022

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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 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: 2666995 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Assure Care Homes Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Unit 4, Northbrook Industrial Estate, Hollybrook Road, Shirley, Southampton, Hampshire SO16 6PB

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Inspector

Kelly Monniot, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2666995 7 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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