Children's home run by Blossom Care Group Ltd

Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2560305 1 Registered provider: Blossom Care Group Limited

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is privately owned. It provides care for up to three children with social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

There has been no registered manager since November 2020.

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This monitoring visit

The home was judged declined in effectiveness at an interim inspection on 15 February 2022. The provider was issued with two compliance notices. One compliance notice was issued under regulation 8, due to serious concerns about a child not attending school regularly and staff not engaging the child in structured activities when not in school. A second compliance notice, under regulation 13, was issued due to serious concerns about the leadership and management of the home.

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This monitoring visit

The purpose of this monitoring visit was to review the steps the provider has taken to address the compliance notices.

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This monitoring visit

No children were living at the home at the time of this inspection. The child who was living at the home has moved to the provider’s other children’s home. This move was planned in consultation with the child’s placing authority. This was deemed to be in the child’s best interests and the transition was child-focused.

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This monitoring visit

Following the interim inspection, staff made improvements to engage the child and understand why they were not regularly attending school. There was better liaison with teachers to develop an education plan in line with the child’s interests and needs. This led to some improvement in the child attending school, engaging with a tutor and attending a training centre before moving on from the home. Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2560305 2 When the child was not in formal education, staff created a structured timetable for them. This led to better engagement with staff in constructive activities such as baking and going to the gym. This motivated the child and prepared him to engage in more formal learning.

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This monitoring visit

Effective action was taken by the responsible individual when staff did not follow the child’s plan and the correct procedures when the child went missing from home. This included speaking with relevant staff in supervision, updating a child’s missing-from-care protocol and sharing this with staff to ensure that they are clear about what they need to do to when a child is missing from care.

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This monitoring visit

The responsible individual has a clear understanding of the service’s strengths and areas for development. Within a short period, the responsible individual has taken swift action to address safeguarding concerns.

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This monitoring visit

The provider has informed Ofsted that they do not intend to accept a new child to live at the home until they are fully staffed, staff are trained and a manager is in place. A manager has been appointed but has not yet started in their role.

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This monitoring visit

Following the monitoring visit, the compliance notices under regulation 8 and regulation 13 have been met. One recommendation raised at the interim inspection has been reviewed and is met. This is because the staff supported the child to be involved in more structured activities when they were not in school.

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This monitoring visit

The requirements raised at the interim inspection that have not passed the due date have not been reviewed and remain in place. One recommendation is also restated. Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2560305 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

15/02/2022 Interim Declined in effectiveness 21/04/2021 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2560305 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 enjoyment and achievement standard is that children take part in and benefit from a variety of activities that meet their needs and develop and reflect their creative, cultural, intellectual, physical and social interests and skills.

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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

develop the child’s interests and hobbies;

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Requirement Due date

participate in activities that the child enjoys and which meet and expand the child’s interests and preferences. (Regulation 9 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated. 17 April 2022

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Requirement Due date

The health and well-being standard is that—

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Requirement Due date

the health and well-being needs of children are met;

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Requirement Due date

children receive advice, services and support in relation to their health and well-being; and

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Requirement Due date

children are helped to lead healthy lifestyles.

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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

that staff help each child to— 17 April 2022 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2560305 5 achieve the health and well-being outcomes that are recorded in the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

understand the child’s health and well-being needs and the options that are available in relation to the child’s health and well-being, in a way that is appropriate to the child’s age and understanding;

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Requirement Due date

take part in activities, and attend any appointments, for the purpose of meeting the child’s health and well-being needs; and

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Requirement Due date

understand and develop skills to promote the child’s well- being. (Regulation 10 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv))

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Requirement Due date

The positive relationships standard is that children are helped to develop, and to benefit from, relationships based on—

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Requirement Due date

an understanding about acceptable behaviour; and

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Requirement Due date

positive responses to other children and adults.

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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

meet each child’s behavioural and emotional needs, as set out in the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to develop socially aware behaviour;

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Requirement Due date

encourage each child to take responsibility for the child’s behaviour, in accordance with the child’s age and understanding;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to develop and practise skills to resolve conflicts positively and without harm to anyone;

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Requirement Due date

communicate to each child expectations about the child’s behaviour and ensure that the child understands those expectations in accordance with the child’s age and understanding. (Regulation 11 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)) 17 April 2022 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2560305 6 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

help each child to understand how to keep safe;

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Requirement Due date

understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(ii)(v))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated. 17 April 2022

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Requirement Due date

ensure that each permanent appointment of an employee is subject to the satisfactory completion of a period of probation.

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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; and

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Requirement Due date

have their performance and fitness to perform their roles appraised at least once every year. (Regulation 33 (1)(b) (4)(b)(c))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated. 17 April 2022

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain records (“case records”) for each child which—

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Requirement Due date

include the information and documents listed in Schedule 3 in relation to each child;

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Requirement Due date

are signed and dated by the author of each entry. (Regulation 36 (1)(a)(b)(c)) 17 April 2022 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2560305 7 This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated.

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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—

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Requirement Due date

the quality of care provided for children;

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Requirement Due date

the feedback and opinions of children about the children’s home, its facilities and the quality of care they receive in it; and

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Requirement Due date

any actions that the registered person considers necessary in order to improve or maintain the quality of care provided for children.

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Requirement Due date

After completing a quality of care review, the registered person must produce a written report about the quality of care review and the actions which the registered person intends to take as a result of the quality of care review (“the quality of care review report”).

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Requirement Due date

supply to HMCI a copy of the quality of care review report within 28 days of the date on which the quality of care review is completed; and

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Requirement Due date

make a copy of the quality of care review report available on request to a placing authority, if the placing authority is not the parent of a child accommodated in the home.

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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)(a)(b)(c) (3) (4)(a)(b) (5)) 17 April 2022 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2560305 8

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that records of restraint include management reflection which looks at effective practice and learning. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 49, paragraph 9.59)

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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: 2560305 9

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Blossom Care Group Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 56 Rolleston Road, Burton-On-Trent, Staffordshire DE13 0JZ

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Inspector

Shazana Jamal, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2560305 10 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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