Children's home run by Real Care Support Ltd

Inspection report for children's home: 2641767 1 Registered provider: Real Care Support Ltd Full 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. The home is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to five children.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, the registration of this home was suspended. Therefore, there were no children living in the home.

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Information about this children’s home

There is an acting manager in post who at the time of the inspection had not yet applied to register.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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inadequate

How well children and young people are helped and protected inadequate

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inadequate

The effectiveness of leaders and managers inadequate

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inadequate

There are serious and/or widespread failures that mean that children and young people are not protected or their welfare is not promoted or safeguarded and/or the care and experiences of children and young people are poor and they are not making progress.

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inadequate

Date of last inspection: 1 February 2022

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inadequate

Overall judgement at last inspection: inadequate

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inadequate

Enforcement action since last inspection: This children’s home was judged inadequate at the full inspection on the 1 February 2022. Following the full inspection, a notice suspending registration of this home was issued on 3 February 2022, until 27 April 2022. A monitoring visit took place on 14 March 2022 which found the home had complied with the suspension notice. Inspection report for children's home: 2641767 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

01/02/2022 Full Inadequate Inspection report for children's home: 2641767 3

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inadequate

There have been no children living in the home since the last inspection. The registration of the home was suspended at the last full inspection, in February 2022. The purpose of this inspection is to assess the progress that has been achieved since the last inspection and to look at whether the temporary suspension of the home’s registration can be lifted.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: inadequate

Since the last inspection, relevant records, such as impact risk assessments and behaviour management plans, have been reviewed. There have been updates made to the documents to assist with the effective matching of children’s needs and how these needs can be managed to reduce risk.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: inadequate

There are also plans in place to rectify issues of poor maintenance, with the introduction of anominated health and safety officer, a dedicated maintenance person and the introduction of weekly checks.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: inadequate

Safer recruitment policies are not always followed, with documents missing from some staff personnel files. Poor recruitment practices have the potential to negatively affect the safety and well-being of children living at the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Since the last inspection, staff have received a range of training. This has included training in safeguarding, therapeutic parenting, first aid and an introduction to psychology.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Staff have also benefited from weekly reflection sessions to identify areas of good practice as well as ways to improve their practice. Staff have also reflected on incidents that led to the temporary suspension of the home, as a group and individually. Shortfalls have been identified and ways to improve have been recognised.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Not all staff are receiving supervision. Some concerns identified about staff at the previous inspection had not been dealt with by leaders and managers.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The management structure of the home has changed. The previous acting manager is now the deputy manager, and a second deputy has been appointed. A new acting manager started in post in April 2022. They are yet to apply to be registered with Ofsted. Inspection report for children's home: 2641767 4 The Children’s Homes Regulations require a provider to employ a suitably qualified and experienced person with the skills to manage a children’s home, who is of good character and integrity. The regulations also require the provider to ensure that they have full and satisfactory information in place regarding that person.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Ofsted is not assured, at this time, that the management arrangements are sufficient to ensure that children will be adequately safeguarded.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Following the inspection, a case review was held. A decision was reached that a further suspension notice should be issued. This will allow leaders and managers to continue to make necessary improvements in line with their development plan, including enabling a suitably qualified person to apply to be the registered manager of the home. Inspection report for children's home: 2641767 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

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)) 19 July 2022

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Requirement Due date

A person may only manage a children’s home if—

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Requirement Due date

the person is of integrity and good character;

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Requirement Due date

having regard to the size of the home, its statement of purpose, and the number and needs (including any needs arising from any disability) of the children—

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Requirement Due date

the person has the appropriate experience, qualification and skills to manage the home effectively and lead the care of children; and

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Requirement Due date

the person is physically and mentally fit to manage the home; and

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Requirement Due date

full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the person in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2. (Regulation 28 (1)(a)(b)(i)(ii)(c)) 19 July 2022

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must recruit 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 19 July 2022 Inspection report for children's home: 2641767 6 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

the individual is of integrity and good character;

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Requirement Due date

the individual has the appropriate experience, qualification and skills for the work that the individual is to perform;

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Requirement Due date

the individual is mentally and physically fit for the purposes of the work that the individual is to perform; and

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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. (Regulation 32 (1) (2)(a)(b) (3)(a)(b)(c)(d))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees—

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Requirement Due date

undertake appropriate continuing professional development;

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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)(a)(b)) 19 July 2022

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that any sanctions used to address poor behaviour should be restorative in nature to help children recognise the impact of their behaviour. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 46, paragraph 9.38)

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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: 2641767 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Real Care Support Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 1st Floor, West Wing, Derby House, Lytham Road, Fulwood, Preston, Lancashire PR2 8JE

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Inspectors

Rachael Crook, Social Care Inspector Julia Toller, Regulatory Inspection Manager Inspection report for children's home: 2641767 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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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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