Children's Home run by Idem Living Limited in Somerset

Inspection report children’s home: SC489223 1 SC489223 Registered provider: Idem Living Limited Interim inspection 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. It is registered to provide care for two children.

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Information about this children’s home

The post for a registered manager has been vacant since April 2021. An interim manager was appointed, and subsequently left. Another manager was appointed in October 2021 and has applied to register.

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Inspection date: 16 March 2022

Date of last inspection: 3 November 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 children’s home: SC489223 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. At the interim inspection, Ofsted judges that it has declined in effectiveness.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

At the time of the inspection, one child was living at the home. However, notice to end the child’s placement has been given to the placing authority. This is because the responsible person has decided that staff can no longer keep the child safe. The responsible individual says that the safety of staff is at risk, and the ability to maintain safe and effective staffing is tenuous.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The child is not receiving good continuity and consistency of care. This is because some staff have recently left, new staff have been appointed, and agency staff are being used. Not all staff supporting the child have the necessary experience, training and skills to meet their needs. A requirement was raised at the last inspection, and at the inspection in 2019, about the training and skills of staff. This has not yet been met.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff are not able to support the child to manage their emotions and feelings effectively. Since the last inspection, leaders and managers have sought the advice of the organisation’s behaviour support team. The support team has worked in partnership with the staff to provide guidance for them to assist the child. Despite this, the number of incidents has not reduced, and staff are struggling to manage them effectively. As a result, the safety and well-being of the child and staff are being put at risk. On some occasions, the police have been called to assist. During some incidents, the child has become injured and staff have been assaulted and significantly injured.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Since the last inspection, the use of restraint has significantly increased. Restraint is used as a last resort to keep the child and staff safe, and most of the interventions are low level. However, discussions with children and staff following the use of an intervention are not always taking place. In addition, the duration of an intervention is not always recorded. This was a requirement at the last inspection and has not yet been met.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Leaders and managers do not always fully scrutinise, monitor and evaluate incidents, accidents or the use of physical intervention. This means that any potential safeguarding concerns or patterns and trends cannot be identified and acted on. This was a requirement at the last inspection and has not yet been met. In addition, some records contain institutionalised language. Inspection report children’s home: SC489223 3 The child is not in full-time education. Staff continue to support and encourage the child to attend school. Leaders and managers challenge and work in partnership with other professionals to improve the child’s outcomes. However, staff are not always recording how they are providing the child with opportunities for meaningful education. This was a requirement at the last inspection and has not yet been met.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Despite the staff’s efforts, the child has not made friends or friendship groups with children the same age. The child remains reluctant to participate in activities in the community.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Since the last inspection, many areas of the home have been redecorated and refurbished, and repairs have been made to the external lighting.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Leaders and managers respond effectively to potential safeguarding concerns and report these to the appropriate safeguarding agencies. The records of the actions taken, and the resolutions of concerns, are well documented.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

A previous requirement relating to the quality of care review will be reviewed at the next inspection as the completion date is not yet due. Inspection report children’s home: SC489223 4

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

03/11/2021 Full Requires improvement to be good 06/11/2019 Full Good 17/12/2018 Interim Sustained effectiveness 21/05/2018 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: SC489223 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 education standard is that children make measurable progress towards achieving their educational potential and are helped to do so.

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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

maintain regular contact with each child’s education and training provider, including engaging with the provider and the placing authority to support the child’s education and training and to maximise the child’s achievement. (Regulation 8 (1) (2)(a)(vi))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that staff record how they are providing meaningful opportunities for education while children are not in full-time education.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement is restated. 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 children’s home: SC489223 6 ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(h))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that the records of incidents, accidents and physical intervention are regularly monitored, scrutinised and evaluated.

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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

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. (Regulation 35 (3)(a)(iv)(b)(i)(ii)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that discussions are held with children and staff following an intervention and that the duration of the measure is always recorded.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement is restated. 30 April 2022

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must complete a review of the quality of care provided for children (“a quality of care review”) at least once every 6 months.

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Requirement Due date

In order to complete a quality of care review the registered person must establish and maintain a system for monitoring, reviewing and evaluating— 31 March 2022 Inspection report children’s home: SC489223 7 the feedback and opinions of children about the children’s home, its facilities and the quality of care they receive in it.

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Requirement Due date

The system referred to in paragraph (2) must provide for ascertaining and considering the opinions of children, their parents, placing authorities and staff. (Regulation 45 (1) (2)(b) (5))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that the quality of care review includes the views of the children and stakeholders, and evaluate how these views can inform improvements in the quality of care that is provided.

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that staff encourage children to develop friendships with children of their own age and encourage them to participate in activities in the community. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 31, paragraph 6.6)  The registered person should ensure that staff are familiar with the home’s policies on record-keeping and understand the importance of careful, objective and clear recording. In particular, institutionalised language should not be used in children’s records. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 14.4)

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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 children’s home: SC489223 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Idem Living Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 6 Stable Court, Business Centre Water Lane Tarbock Green, Prescot L35 1RD

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Inspector

David Kidner, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC489223 9 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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