Children's Home run by Vcare - 24 Limited in East Riding of Yorkshire

Inspection report for children’s home: 2591501 1 Registered provider: Vcare – 24 Limited Interim inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is owned and managed by a private provider. It provides care for up to two children who may have social and/or emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The home was registered with Ofsted in July 2020. The registered manager left the home in February 2022. An interim manager is in day-to-day charge of the home until the newly appointed manager commences their role.

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Inspection date: 25 March 2022

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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Inspection date: 25 March 2022

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2591501 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 declined in effectiveness.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home does not provide children with stability. Since the last inspection, three children have moved out of the home. Children’s time living at the home has varied from nine months to just 17 days. The home is currently commissioned as a solo provision. The child is at the beginning of her care journey at this home. The care being provided by the staff is encouraging the child’s engagement in daily activities and education.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Children experience unplanned moves into the home. In these circumstances, the manager has failed to gather adequate information about the children to ensure that their needs and risk can be met by staff in the home. Inadequate planning has led to children being involved in incidents that place themselves and other children at risk. Poor planning has led to children experiencing further unplanned moves out of the home and this has had an impact on their care experience and stability. The manager has failed to maintain an accurate register of children’s moves into and out of the home.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Impact risk assessments are not bespoke to each child. Children have been placed together when risks have not been fully explored or reviewed by the manager. The quality of risk-assessing for children has recently improved, but as a solo placement there is currently no impact on other children.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff have not taken necessary steps to protect children. Children have continued to be involved in risk-taking behaviours. On one occasion, the staff did not follow a child’s plan to go out to look for them when the child went missing. Not following the child’s plan prevents the child, who is at a risk of exploitation, from being found. Records fail to evidence whether there were enough staff working in the home to facilitate the ongoing search. This shortfall in staff practice was also evident at the last inspection.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Not all risks associated with the child are recorded on their care plan and risk assessment. This shortfall in practice could result in the child being at continued risk of harm.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Not all staff have completed equality and diversity training. This limits their knowledge and understanding of the children’s needs, especially of those children who do not identify with their biological sex. Inspection report for children’s home: 2591501 3 There have been evident improvements to the decoration and presentation of the home and garden. The home is now a positive and welcoming place for children. However, there are still aspects which are incomplete, such as securing a loft hatch and the children’s bedroom doors.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Social worker feedback is positive, as they commend the manager for the preparation and planning that supported their child’s recent move into the home.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The manager is using the electronic recording system to aid her oversight of staff practice and the needs and progress of the children. The manager will not accept substandard practice. The manager has clear expectations of practice performance and will take immediate action to address any deficits.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Internal and external monitoring systems help the manager to address the deficits that were highlighted at the last full inspection. However, external reviews and the manager’s biannual review of the home lack evaluation and consultation with others, including children. The requirements and recommendation from the last inspection have been met. However, further requirements have been set for new shortfalls under the same regulations. Inspection report for children’s home: 2591501 4

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

09/06/2021 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children’s home: 2591501 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 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)) 20 May 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

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child. (Regulation 13 (1)(b) (2)(c)) 20 May 2022

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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. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b)) 20 May 2022 Inspection report for children’s home: 2591501 6

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that the home is maintained so that it is a homely environment and complies with relevant health and safety legislations. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9)  The registered person should ensure that the electronic admissions and discharge register provides accurate information and that it can be easily accessed by anyone with a legitimate need to view it. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 14.2)  The registered person should ensure that their six-monthly review focuses on the quality of the care provided by the home, the experiences of children living there and the impact the care is having on outcomes and improvements for the children. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 64, paragraph 15.2)

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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: 2591501 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Unit 18, Becklands Park, York Road, Market Weighton, York YO43 3GA

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Victoria Simpson

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Inspector

Jennifer Fenlon, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2591501 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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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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