Children's Home run by Oaktree Childcare Limited in Blackpool

Inspection report for children’s home: 1277158 1 Registered provider: Oaktree Childcare 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 up to two children. At the time of the inspection, there was one child living in the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has been registered with Ofsted since August 2021.

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Inspection date: 28 March 2022

Date of last inspection: 17 November 2021

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Inspection date: 28 March 2022

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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Inspection date: 28 March 2022

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 1277158 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 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

The actions taken by leaders and managers have not been sufficient to address the shortfalls that were identified at the last inspection. This has resulted in negative experiences and ineffective safeguarding arrangements for some children.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Not all children have had a positive experience of moving in and out of the home. One child who had moved into the home told the inspector that staff listen to their problems and help them. The support from staff has helped to reduce the child’s anxieties at bedtime and incidents during the night have significantly reduced. However, ineffective decision-making around the plans for another child moving into the home meant that their progress was limited and resulted in an abrupt and negative ending to their placement.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The risk assessment for one child was not clear about the risks to the child or the strategies for staff to follow to reduce risks. Actions taken by staff during significant events were inconsistent and ineffective, which placed the child at risk of harm.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Although the manager had reviewed records in relation to significant events, they had failed to address the shortfalls in staff practice. Staff did not engage in debriefs following significant events, which meant that ineffective behaviour management and safeguarding practice continued.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Furthermore, the manager had not notified Ofsted of all significant events. This does not support effective monitoring and therefore compromises children’s welfare and safety.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Although children rarely go missing from the home, the manager had not implemented robust protocols for staff to follow. When a child was missing, staff did not know what action to take and there was a significant delay in reporting the child missing to the police.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Some children were proud of their bedrooms, which had recently been redecorated and personalised to their own taste. They had been involved in the plans for the home, which included adding more vibrant colours in the communal areas of the home. Inspection report for children’s home: 1277158 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

17/11/2021 Full Requires improvement to be good 05/12/2019 Full Good 11/01/2019 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 1277158 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

In meeting the quality standards, the registered person must, and must ensure that staff—

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Requirement Due date

seek to involve each child’s placing authority effectively in the child’s care, in accordance with the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

seek to secure the input and services required to meet each child’s needs;

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Requirement Due date

If the registered person considers, or staff consider, a placing authority or a relevant person’s performance or response to be inadequate in relation to their role, challenge the placing authority or the relevant person to seek to ensure that each child’s needs are met in accordance with the relevant plans. (Regulation 5 (a)(b)(c)) 9 May 2022

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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

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. (Regulation 12 (1)(2)(a)(i)(ii)(v)(vi)) 9 May 2022 Inspection report for children’s home: 1277158 5 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 their full 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

ensure that the 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’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;

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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)(c)(e)(f)(h)) 9 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)) 9 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)) 9 May 2022 Inspection report for children’s home: 1277158 6

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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: 1277158 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Oaktree Childcare Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Ground Floor, Seneca House, Links Point, Amy Johnson Way, Blackpool FY4 2FF

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Inspector

Emma Thornton, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 1277158 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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