Children's Home run by Connect Care Solutions Limited in Lancashire

Inspection report for children's home: 2606135 1 Registered provider: Connect Care Solutions Limited Interim inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This children’s home is operated by a private organisation and provides care for one child.

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Inspection date: 16 March 2022

Date of last inspection: 14 December 2021

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Inspection date: 16 March 2022

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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Inspection date: 16 March 2022

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children's home: 2606135 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.

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children and young people since the most recent 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

Two of the three requirements of the last inspection have been met. Further shortfalls identified during this visit have led to additional requirements being raised.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Children are supported to move into and out of the home in a planned way and said that, on arrival at the home, they had felt welcomed. The registered manager has demonstrated that the procedure for assessing the suitability of referrals is matched against the home’s statement of purpose and the skills and experience of the staff team.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Children are supported to attend education and learning, and their health needs are met. Good multi-agency working has led to improved outcomes for children.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Risk assessments and behaviour management plans do not provide the staff with clear guidance to inform their practice. Further work is required to improve the content of these documents.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff manage behavioural incidents appropriately and in line with the child’s plans. Staff respond to children in ways that help them de-escalate at times of high anxiety. Plans are reviewed following incidents and updated to include any learning that is taken from them.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Not all staff understand their roles and responsibilities in protecting children. Although staff have attended training, this has not improved their knowledge and skills. Staff require further training to ensure that they can respond to safeguarding concerns.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff report that they feel supported by the management team. However, staff do not receive regular supervision in line with the provider’s policy. This makes it difficult for the managers to monitor the performance and professional development needs of individual staff members.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The interior of the home is warm and nurturing and is maintained to a high standard. However, parts of the exterior of the home are unsafe. This is due to broken glass being left in the garden, a drain cover being missing and the grass being overgrown. Inspection report for children's home: 2606135 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

14/12/2021 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children's home: 2606135 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 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

help each child to understand how to keep safe;

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Requirement Due date

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm; and

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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)(ii)(iii)(vi))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the team having a good knowledge base about complex safeguarding issues and how to respond to these specific risks with the help of specialist services. 30 April 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

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. 30 April 2022 Inspection report for children's home: 2606135 5 (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(h))

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Requirement Due date

This relates to ensuring that there are monitoring and review systems to make improvements in the quality of care provided in the home.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees—

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Requirement Due date

receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience. (Regulation 33 (4)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, supervision should be undertaken in line with the provider’s policy and a record made of discussions. 30 April 2022

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Requirement Due date

Schedule 4 sets out the other information that the registered person must keep in relation to a children’s home. (Regulation 37 (1) (2)(a)

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Requirement Due date

In particular, keep a record of the actual hours worked by staff and managers. 30 April 2022

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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: 2606135 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Connect Care solutions limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Connect Care Solutions, 17 Victoria Road East, Thornton-Cleveleys FY5 5HT

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Inspectors

Michelle Edge, Social Care Inspection Manager Elaine Allison, Social Care Inspection Manager Inspection report for children's home: 2606135 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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