Children's Home run by Trax MX Limited in Lancashire

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2635351 1

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Trax MX Limited

Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is registered to provide care for up to six children with social and/or behavioural difficulties and is operated by a private provider.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in August 2021.

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Information about this children’s home

A school, operated by the same provider, operates on the same site. The inspectors only inspected the social care provision.

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This monitoring visit

On 2 and 3 February 2022, a full inspection was undertaken at the home, during which serious and widespread shortfalls were found.

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This monitoring visit

During the full inspection, inspectors identified poor practice relating to: decisions made before admitting children to the home; safeguarding; risk management; and high levels of surveillance. The inadequacies in these areas had a significant and detrimental impact on children’s safety, welfare and progress.

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This monitoring visit

Therefore, the home was judged inadequate and three compliance notices were served relating to: regulation 16, the protection of children; regulation 13, leadership and management; and regulation 24, monitoring and surveillance.

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This monitoring visit

This monitoring visit was to consider the action taken by the provider to comply with the steps in the compliance notices.

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This monitoring visit

Since the full inspection, a new responsible individual has been appointed by the provider. As a result, oversight of the setting has improved. This has led to a number Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2635351 2 of improvements, including the introduction of a range of documents that support regular monitoring of the quality of care.

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This monitoring visit

Staff have received additional training in relation to safeguarding. For some, this has acted as a useful refresher, whereas for others it has significantly increased their understanding of their responsibilities to keep children safe.. Some staff have still to receive the refresher training, but a comprehensive plan is in place which monitors necessary training for all staff. A training hub is in place which ensures that staff complete required training as part of their induction.

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This monitoring visit

Staff spoken to felt that the training provided since the last inspection has significantly improved the effectiveness of the staff team. As a result, the team has begun to introduce consistent boundaries, which is having a positive effect on children’s behaviour. One member of staff said that staff felt more confident in the work they were doing with children, while another said that morale had improved. Overall, staff said that practice had changed since the last inspection, and this had felt positive.

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This monitoring visit

A number of measures to manage risks have been revised. New documents ensure that risks are identified and considered when assessing whether staff can meet the needs of children who may come to live at the home. Risk assessments for children have been reviewed and consider strategies that staff should follow to provide a safer environment for children. The use of personal cars to transport children has been minimised, and checks on drivers are more robust.

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This monitoring visit

Safeguarding has more focus during staff supervisions and recruitment. Supervisions now offer greater opportunity to allow reflection on meeting children’s needs, response to any risks and the practice of staff, including the practice of others working in the team.

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This monitoring visit

A child spoken to during the visit said that they felt they have had a good experience of living at the setting and would like to stay and work here. The child felt that changes made since the last inspection have made it a safer place for children who move in, as there are always staff available.

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This monitoring visit

There has been a reduction in the use of surveillance following a review of risks, which is positive. Unfortunately, not all staff or children were aware that they were no longer under surveillance, which detracts from the positive message that this gives. However, some of the accommodation still has 24-hour CCTV in children’s living space. The CCTV is not actively monitored and can only be used retrospectively following a request for release of the information. Staff were unable to show a clear understanding of why it was being used, or even if it was still being used. Surveillance remains intrusive and requires clear justification for its use. Some CCTV use on site is necessary for security, and the provider needs to distinguish between security and surveillance to fully comply with regulations. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2635351 3 Many of the changes have been recently introduced and the sustainability of any

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This monitoring visit

improvements will be considered at future inspections. At the time of the monitoring visit, the provider had not received the report from the previous inspection.

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This monitoring visit

Following this visit, a case review was held which considered the provider’s actions to meet the compliance notices. One compliance notice was not met and a new notice has been issued following this monitoring visit. A recommendation has been raised to reduce any ambiguity in risk assessments. The requirements set at the last visit were not considered at this visit. Those requirements have been included in this report and will be considered at a future inspection. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2635351 4

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 02/02/2022 Full Inadequate Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2635351 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

* The registered person may only use devices for the monitoring and surveillance of children if —

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Requirement Due date

the monitoring or surveillance is for the purpose of safeguarding and promoting the welfare of the child concerned, or other children; and

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Requirement Due date

the monitoring and surveillance is no more intrusive than necessary, having regard to the child’s need for privacy. (Regulation 24 (1)(a)(d)) 8 May 2022

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if—

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Requirement Due date

there is any [other] incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40 (4)(e)) 16 March 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

details of the child’s behaviour leading to the use of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

the date, time and location of the use of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

a description of the measure and its duration;

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Requirement Due date

details of any methods used or steps taken to avoid the need to use the measure; 16 March 2022 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2635351 6 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

the effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the measure; and

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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. (Regulation 35 (3)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(viii))

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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.

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Requirement Due date

maintain in the home the records in Schedule 4;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the records are kept up to date. (Regulation 37 (1) (2)(a)(b)) 16 March 2022

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Requirement Due date

*These requirements are subject to a compliance notice.

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that risk assessments fully reflect the level of risk, including the correct use of colour coding to prevent ambiguity. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 42, paragraph 9.5)

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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: 2635351 7

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Inspectors

Mark Broomhead, Social Care Inspector Louise Redfern, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2635351 8 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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