Children's home run by Care Assist Children’s Services Limited in West Lancashire

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC061678 1 SC061678

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is operated by a private provider. The home is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to four children. At the time of the inspection, there was one child living in the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager post is vacant. There is an interim manager in post who has been managing the home since December 2021.

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This monitoring visit

This visit was carried out to monitor the restriction notice which was issued on 14 January 2022.

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This monitoring visit

Since the last visit, the manager has made a change to his working hours so that they now have more dedicated management hours in the home. The manager is still completing some shifts. However, the majority of his time now is now spent on management tasks. The manager reports that this change has been positive and well received by the staff team, whose members feel they are benefiting from more management support.

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This monitoring visit

The development of effective management monitoring systems is ongoing. Although there is increased management oversight of significant events, shortfalls remain in the way in which the manager evaluates information and uses this to drive improvements in the quality of care for children. For example, a child expressed difficulties in falling asleep. The manager challenged staff for inappropriately suggesting medication to the child. However, they did not then detail what support the child should be given. The child’s health information was not updated to reflect Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC061678 2 their struggles with sleeping and staff were not informed about what actions should be taken to support the child going forward.

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This monitoring visit

Since the last visit, the manager has devised a new risk assessment for children. This has not yet been implemented. Therefore, the shortfalls identified during the previous inspection remain.

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This monitoring visit

The manager advised that there have been changes to the staff team. Recruitment is ongoing. However, there are currently only two permanent full-time members of staff. The home does not use agency staff but does rely on part time staff to complete full-time hours. As the manager has reduced the number of shifts that they work, other staff members have increased overtime shifts. On some weeks, staff are working three or four twenty-four-hour shifts.

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This monitoring visit

The continued shortfalls in risk assessments and management monitoring arrangements were discussed at a case review along with the staff shortages. It was the decision of the case review that the notice restricting accommodation should remain in place. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC061678 3

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 07/12/2021 Full Inadequate 24/08/2021 Full Inadequate 12/12/2019 Full Good 16/01/2019 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC061678 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 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

manage and review the placement of each child in the home; and

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Requirement Due date

plan for, and help, each child to prepare to leave the home or to move into adult care in a way that is consistent with arrangements agreed with the child’s placing authority; and

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Requirement Due date

that each child’s relevant plans are followed (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b) (2)(b)(ii)(iii)(c)) 28 March 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. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)) 28 March 2022 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC061678 5 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 their full 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)) 28 March 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: SC061678 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Care Assist Children’s Services Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 1 High Barn, Back Lane, Aughton, ORMSKIRK, Lancashire L39 6SX

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Inspectors

Emma Thornton, Social Care Inspector Julia Toller, Social Care Regulatory Inspection Manager Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC061678 7 regulates and inspects 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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