Children's Home run by Solo Independent Living Adolescent Care Services Limited in Rotherham

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2589440 1 Registered provider: Solo Independent Living Adolescent Care Services Limited

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Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This privately owned and managed home provides care for one child aged between 12 and 18. The home aims to support the child to develop their social and life skills, to help them integrate safely into the community and move on to independence.

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Information about this children’s home

The home registered with Ofsted in June 2021. The registered manager left in August 2021. A new manager was appointed in January 2022 but left in May 2022.

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Information about this children’s home

The previous child left the home on 5 May 2022 and no children are currently living in the home. The provider has made the decision to close the home. Currently, no members of staff or a manager are employed to work at this home.

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This monitoring visit

At the interim inspection on 7 December 2021, serious and widespread shortfalls were identified. As a result, two compliance notices were issued under regulation 13 (the leadership and management standard) and regulation 32 (fitness of workers).

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This monitoring visit

On 11 February 2022, Ofsted carried out a monitoring visit to assess whether the compliance notices had been met. During this visit, there was evidence of some improvements but shortfalls remained. Ofsted reissued the compliance notice under regulation 13.

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This monitoring visit

On 11 April 2022, a further monitoring visit was undertaken. The inspector found that the provider had failed to make improvements, which impacts on the safety and well-being of children. Ofsted reissued the compliance notice under regulation 13. A compliance notice was issued under regulation 12 (the protection of children standard), together with a notice to restrict accommodation at the home. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2589440 2 On 24 May 2022, a further monitoring visit was undertaken. The purpose of this visit was to assess the progress made to meet the compliance notices and to check the restriction of accommodation. The inspector found that the provider had failed to make the improvements needed under regulations 12 and 13. The child has moved out and the provider is complying with the restriction of accommodation notice.

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This monitoring visit

The provider has continued to fail to make the necessary improvements and limited action has been taken to meet the steps set out in the compliance notices.

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This monitoring visit

When the child was living at the home, the provider failed to ensure that risk assessments were reviewed and updated in a timely manner. This means that staff did not have access to up-to-date information about the child’s known and emerging risks and vulnerabilities. There were no clear strategies for staff to follow to mitigate against these risks and to safeguard the child.

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This monitoring visit

The provider failed to support the child to have an appropriate level of independence. Following the previous visit, the child was given unlimited time away from the home. The provider failed to give staff a suitable risk assessment that detailed the steps staff needed to take if the child went missing from the home. As a result, the child went missing for several hours and travelled a distance away from the home. The child was at risk of harm during this time.

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This monitoring visit

When the child was living at the home, the provider failed to ensure that an accurate care plan was in place. It is unclear when the plans were updated due to these being dated incorrectly as information within the documents happened after the alleged date of the care plan. Staff do not have the accurate information they need to support children.

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This monitoring visit

The manager does not record or share information with the staff team. Team meetings have taken place to discuss some of the findings of the monitoring visits, but these discussions lack clear actions or outcomes for staff to follow. The minutes from these meetings were not available to staff for over two weeks. In addition, no changes have been made to the filing systems in the home, which makes it difficult for staff or other professionals to access information. This means that staff are unclear on how to support the child.

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This monitoring visit

Repeated shortfalls continue to be identified in the quality of recording and the accuracy of the reporting of incidents. This means that pertinent information about the child is not clearly captured in records.

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This monitoring visit

An incident that happened on 30 April 2022 is poorly evaluated, and information within the recording differs from verbal accounts. This prevents any learning or evaluation of the event and changes to be made.

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This monitoring visit

Leaders and managers do not have full oversight of the home. The provider has not used the new internal auditing systems they have put in place, which has prevented Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2589440 3 errors in documents from being addressed. This means that shortfalls in practice are not identified.

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This monitoring visit

Decisions made to move the child from the home in an unplanned way were done to help safeguard the child from further harm. However, the recording regarding this, including from the independent visitor, differs from the rationale given to the regulator. This does not provide Ofsted with the confidence that recordings or information shared are accurate.

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This monitoring visit

The child did have some good relationships with staff. The move out of the home was made positive by ensuring that all items were transported to the child’s new home. The child also received a memory book of their time at the home.

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This monitoring visit

Due to the findings at this visit, the restriction of accommodation notice remains in place and a further two compliance notices have been issued. A notice of decision to cancel the home’s registration has also been issued separately.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 07/12/2021 Interim Declined in effectiveness 06/10/2021 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2589440 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 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

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; and

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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)(a)(i)(ii)(v)(vi)(b)) 3 July 2022

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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— 3 July 2022 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2589440 5 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 the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child;

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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)(e)(h))

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Requirement Due date

*These requirements are subject to a compliance notice.

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that the statement of purpose is regularly reviewed and kept up to date, including changes of staffing. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 14, paragraph 3.5)

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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: 2589440 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Solo Independent Living Adolescent Care Services Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: The Gatehouse, Ridings Business Park, Hopwood Lane, Halifax HX1 3TT

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Inspector

Debra Boldy, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2589440 7 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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