Children's home run by Wiltshire Council

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC032439 1 SC032439 Registered provider: Wiltshire Council

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This children’s home is registered to provide a short-break service for up to seven children. Some children may have physical disabilities, learning disabilities and/or sensory impairment. The local authority operates the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager has been in post since August 2020 and registered with Ofsted since December 2020.

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This monitoring visit

At the full inspection in February 2022, Ofsted judged the home to be inadequate. Serious and widespread failures in safeguarding, staffing levels and leadership were identified. At the full inspection, seven requirements were made. During this monitoring visit, progress has been seen in respect of the requirements, however, these are not yet fully embedded and will remain in place.

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This monitoring visit

Immediately following the full inspection leaders and managers made the decision to close the home for two days each week to address the staffing sufficiency issues. This has had a positive impact on staff well-being. Staff members told the inspectors that they feel more ‘energised’ to come to work and staff morale is improving.

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This monitoring visit

All staff have now received supervision and this is being prioritised as a monthly commitment. Staff told the inspectors that they feel better supported and know who they can talk to if they would like further support.

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This monitoring visit

Team meetings are taking place and there is emphasis within these on safeguarding practices and developing team knowledge and confidence in dealing with any concerns. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC032439 2 Safeguarding practices are now more robust, with steps added to ensure prompt management oversight. In one case, this meant the right services were consulted in a timely manner to support a child.

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This monitoring visit

Children’s records are being scrutinised by leaders and managers, who have plans to improve them further. The inspectors found that records contain ambiguous language, meaning that they remain unclear.

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This monitoring visit

Mechanisms for improving management review and oversight are currently being developed. However, there is support from senior leaders in the interim to provide further scrutiny and challenge.

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This monitoring visit

The requirements raised at the full inspection will remain in place, to be reviewed at the next full inspection. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC032439 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

22/02/2022 Full Inadequate 28/10/2019 Full Good 02/01/2019 Interim Sustained effectiveness 24/07/2018 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC032439 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 quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children;

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Requirement Due date

use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential.

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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

understand and apply the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

understand and apply the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

protect and promote each child’s welfare;

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Requirement Due date

treat each child with dignity and respect;

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Requirement Due date

provide personalised care that meets each child’s needs, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans, taking account of the child’s background. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that children’s care plans are followed and children are cared for by the appropriate number of staff, as assessed and detailed in their plan. In addition, ensure that careful consideration is given to the matching of children to ensure that their competing needs can be met in the home. 31 March 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; 31 March 2022 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC032439 5 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 each child has access to such dental, medical, nursing, psychiatric and psychological advice, treatment and other services as the child may require. (Regulation 10 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that medical attention is sought for children when they are injured and/or showing signs of being in pain.

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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;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand how to keep safe;

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Requirement Due date

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm;

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Requirement Due date

manage relationships between children to prevent them from harming each other;

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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;

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Requirement Due date

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare;

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Requirement Due date

are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies; 31 March 2022 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC032439 6 that the home’s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm; and

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Requirement Due date

that the effectiveness of the home’s child protection policies is monitored regularly. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(b)(e))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that identified safeguarding concerns are recorded and reported fully and in a timely manner, and that investigations into concerns are rigorous and identify learning opportunities and improvements in the quality of care.

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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

lead and manage the home in a way that is consistent with the approach and ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set out in the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff work as a team where appropriate;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child;

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Requirement Due date

understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home; 30 April 2022 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC032439 7 demonstrate that practice in the home is informed and improved by taking into account and acting on— feedback on the experiences of children, including complaints received; and

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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. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(c)(d)(e)(f)(g)(ii)(h))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that care notes are reviewed and that there is strong oversight and understanding of the experiences of children. Ensure there are sufficient staff to care for the children safely and that feedback is used to monitor and continually improve the service delivered.

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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 (4)(b)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that staff and managers receive regular and effective supervision that encourages reflective practice, with agreed actions, and is recorded fully and accurately. 31 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; 31 March 2022 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC032439 8 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;

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Requirement Due date

within 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)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(viii)(b)(i)(ii)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that when incidents have occurred these are recorded in detail and children are given opportunities to communicate their feelings.

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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))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that records accurately reflect the child’s needs, and are regularly reviewed, signed and dated. 31 March 2022 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC032439 9

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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: SC032439 10

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Director of Social Services, County Hall, Bythesea Road, Trowbridge, Wiltshire BA14 8LE

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Inspectors

Katie Ratcliffe, Social Care Inspector Paula Lahey, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC032439 11 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

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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