Children's Home run by Discovered Limited in West Northamptonshire

Inspection report for children's home: 2545027 1 Registered provider: Discovered Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This privately run home provides care for one child who may be experiencing emotional, social and behavioural difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

There has been no registered manager since August 2021.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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requires improvement to be good

How well children and young people are helped and protected requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The children’s home is not yet delivering good help and care for children and young people. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children's home: 2545027 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

30/06/2021 Full Requires improvement to be good 11/05/2021 Full Inadequate 30/12/2019 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children's home: 2545027 3

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improvement to be good

The child continues to experience changes with the staff caring for her. She has not been appropriately supported to cope with these changes. Some staff have let her down by making negative comments about the quality of her home. Additionally, some have made good relationships with her, then subsequently left. There have been times when she has felt distressed by constant staff changes.

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improvement to be good

The child is not yet comfortable with some of the new staff. This affects her daily life. She does not want to go on family visits or on activities with staff whom she does not know. The new staff team members are kind, respectful and knowledgeable about the child’s needs. However, new relationships with the child need to be embedded so that she can feel comfortable in her own home.

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improvement to be good

The child’s educational arrangements have been unsatisfactory. This has gone unchallenged for several months. The new acting manager is committed to improving this situation. He has listened to the child, whose voice has now been heard. He has held other professionals to account and has been a strong advocate for the child. There are now improved plans to get the child back into education.

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improvement to be good

The child has very recently made some positive progress. Despite the negative influence of some previous staff, she has maintained a period of stability. She is slowly developing some independence skills. The child’s social worker commented positively on the work in this area. She is also confident that the quality of care is improving.

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improvement to be good

There are some improvements to care planning with a new, more streamlined, practical approach. Some further improvement is needed on specific areas such as meeting the child’s nutritional needs and personal hygiene.

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improvement to be good

Areas of risk are documented, and actions that staff should take are set out in risk assessments. Staff generally respond well when the child becomes unsafe. However, there has been an isolated incident where she became unsafe, and staff did not inform the manager. The issue was not responded to in a timely manner. There is a danger that staff will continue to make their own decisions rather than inform the appropriate people if this is not addressed.

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improvement to be good

Staff’s knowledge about child protection is developing through a new training programme. However, further development is required. One member of staff did not fully understand how children can be exploited or the process for referring safeguarding concerns to external agencies. Inspection report for children's home: 2545027 4 Staff have been effective in helping the child to reduce self-harmful behaviour. The child has been harming herself less over recent months. This is good progress, despite coping with a lot of change. There have been very few significant events in the home and the child’s safety is improving.

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improvement to be good

The safe recruitment of new staff has been managed well. However, one member of staff had gaps in their employment record, which were not accounted for. This increases the risk of unsuitable people working in the home because of the lack of robust checks taking place.

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good

The new acting manager is committed. He is going through the Ofsted registration process. He is aware that the home has been poor at times, and he has a good understanding of what has gone wrong. He has worked tirelessly to develop some new systems and improve the overall quality of care. This is still a work in progress.

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good

Multiple staff changes have been a longstanding issue. However, this is now an improving picture. The home has been through a transitional phase as new staff have been recruited. The staff team is starting to become more established. The new team is keen and has already started to develop some positive relationships with the child. Leaders have worked very hard to recruit the right people and are now confident in their team.

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good

Not all staff have received regular one-to-one meetings with their manager. Some of the meetings have not been of good quality. For example, managers have missed performance issues.

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good

The acting manager is working directly with the child himself. He is modelling good practice and working alongside staff to develop their skills, knowledge of the child and skills. He has a very good relationship with the child and is liked by her.

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good

There are improved relationships between leaders and the child’s social worker. The social worker reported that they get to know about key events and important information. However, there has been an isolated incident where a previous staff member’s performance was poor, leading to the child becoming distressed. The social worker was not aware of this. This was resolved during the inspection.

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good

The child did not receive her Ofsted letter after the last inspection informing her of the inspection judgement. She is confused and feels vulnerable about the inspection judgements because this provider has not shared information with her in relation to her own home. Inspection report for children's home: 2545027 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 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; and

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(c)(e))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring staff stability to provide consistent and good-quality care for the child. 26 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

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. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(b)) This specifically relates to staff responding appropriately to important safeguarding information. 26 May 2022 Inspection report for children's home: 2545027 6 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

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;

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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

This is in relation to care planning with regard to health and personal hygiene needs. 26 May 2022

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Requirement Due date

Ensure the registered person recruits staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety.

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Requirement Due date

employ an individual to work at the children’s home; or

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Requirement Due date

if an individual is employed by a person other than the registered person to work at the home in a position in which the individual may have regular contact with children, allow that individual to work at the home, if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3).

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Requirement Due date

full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2. 26 May 2022 Inspection report for children's home: 2545027 7 (Regulation 32 (1) (2)(a)(b) (3)(a)(b)(c)(d))

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Requirement Due date

This is in relation to gaps in employment found on a staff member’s personnel file.

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that good employment practice is followed. They must ensure that recruitment, supervision and performance management of staff safeguard children and minimise potential risks to them. This is in relation to the regularity and thoroughness of staff supervision. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.1)  The registered person should ensure that staff have the knowledge and skills to recognise and be alert for any signs that might indicate a child is in any way at risk of harm. The registered person should ensure that skills in safeguarding are gained, refreshed and recorded in the home’s workforce plan. This is in relation to staff’s knowledge about how children can be exploited and about who they should pass safeguarding concerns to. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 43, paragraph 9.12)

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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: 2545027 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 4-4a Blackburn Road, Accrington, Lancashire BB5 1HD

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Inspector

Caroline Brailsford, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: 2545027 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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