Children's Home run by Options Autism (5) Limited in Shropshire

Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC361167 1 SC361167

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Options Autism (5) Limited

Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home provides care for children with autism spectrum disorder. The children may also have additional medical and/or complex needs.

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Information about this children’s home

This setting is an independent residential special school registered as a children’s home. It is owned and operated by a private company. The home offers specialised education and care for up to eight children.

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Information about this children’s home

A new manager was appointed in December 2021 and has yet to apply to register with Ofsted. She is suitably experienced and is working towards the level 5 qualification in management.

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This monitoring visit

On 15 February 2022, Ofsted carried out a monitoring visit at this home in response to concerning information arising out of investigations in relation to unexplained injuries to a child.

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This monitoring visit

During that visit, Ofsted found serious and widespread concerns in relation to the protection of children and the leadership and management of the home. As a result of that visit, Ofsted issued a notice of restriction of accommodation. Seven new requirements were raised, including two that were subject to compliance notices. Some requirements raised at the monitoring visit on 1 February 2022 were not reviewed on 15 February 2022 and so were restated.

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This monitoring visit

On 2 March 2022, the provider notified Ofsted that it will be voluntarily cancelling the home’s registration and the home will close on 28 March 2022. Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC361167 2 This monitoring visit was made to review the progress managers and staff had made in meeting the steps outlined in the two compliance notices raised in relation to the protection of children and the leadership and management of the home.

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This monitoring visit

The provider had complied with the restriction of accommodation. There have been no new admissions, and seven children lived at the home at the time of the monitoring visit.

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This monitoring visit

Management oversight of children’s care and welfare is not always effective and leaves children at risk of harm. Shortfalls in medication management have re- emerged. For example, there is no clear record of why a child was administered medication for pain relief on occasion. In addition, it is not clear if information about changes in medication and concerns about the health of a child are disseminated to staff effectively. Furthermore, a cream for a child was not being administered in line with the prescription.

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This monitoring visit

Some children’s health needs require urgent review. While the provider is escalating these concerns with placing authorities and local clinical commissioning groups, for some children, this has not yet resulted in a clear plan about how these needs are going to be assessed and reviewed. As a result, not all aspects of children’s health are met well.

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This monitoring visit

There has been some improvement in managers reviewing daily records. For example, staff are monitoring and recording more effectively what children eat and drink. In addition, some incident reports benefit from good oversight. However, improvements do not go far enough. The review of incidents and physical interventions is not consistently good. In addition, managers miss important information regarding illnesses and incidents. For example, one child’s daily record indicates they had two incidents on one day, but only one incident record had been completed. On another occasion, staff recorded that a child had communicated that they were sad due to a sore throat, but it was not clear whether staff responded to this promptly and if so how.

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This monitoring visit

There have been concerns regarding unexplained injuries to children and about the quality of recording of any injuries or marks children sustain. As a result, managers have undertaken a review with staff and provided additional guidance about how staff need to record such information. Despite this, shortfalls in recording important information remain. For example, one child’s record stated ‘old/new injuries’, but it is not clear what this means. This shows that staff are not following guidance and managers are not picking up on such issues as part of their monitoring.

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This monitoring visit

Staffing arrangements at the home are unclear. Rosters do not clearly show which staff are caring for which child and when. For example, nightly planners have not been completed on some days, meaning that it is not clear which staff members have been working with which children. On occasions, agency staff are asked to care for children with escalating and highly complex needs. It is not always clear whether Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC361167 3 these staff have the training and skills to meet the needs of the children they are asked to care for.

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This monitoring visit

Inspectors observed positive relationships between children and staff. Children continue to access the on-site school. Children enjoy time in the garden areas, and some children occasionally enjoy a trip away from the home.

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This monitoring visit

Managers have progressed investigations into staff conduct and practice, and they have taken action, when necessary, in consultation with human resources colleagues. Challenges remain in relation to staff sufficiency and the skills and experience of some staff. As a result, some children are not always supported in line with their plans and needs.

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This monitoring visit

Following the monitoring visit on 15 February 2022, three additional managers were assigned to the home from other settings in the organisation to help oversee practice and improvement, and provide additional reassurance about the safety and welfare of children. However, two out of the three managers were redeployed and so did not carry out this function for as long as initially planned for. This has limited the scope for improvement and has not addressed the shortfalls in day-to-day management oversight of the service.

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This monitoring visit

The compliance notices were found not to be met. Given that the home is closing, no additional requirements or recommendations have been raised following this visit. The focus is on care planning for children to ensure that they move from the home safely. Ofsted has been in communication with the provider and the children’s placing authorities about concerns in relation to children’s care and welfare. Ofsted will continue to monitor the home until it closes.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

26/10/2021 Full Requires improvement to be good 04/08/2021 Full Inadequate 22/10/2019 Full Good 27/06/2018 Full Good

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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: SC361167 4

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Options Autism (5) Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Atria, Spa Road, Bolton BL1 4AG

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Inspectors

James Tallis, Social Care Inspector Jackie Line, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC361167 5 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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