Children's home run by Manuel Cornwall Ltd

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2662998 1

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Information about this children’s home

The children’s home provides care for up to three children. At the time of this visit, no children were living in the home and the registration with Ofsted was suspended.

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Information about this children’s home

There is no manager in post and the responsible individual is overseeing the home while recruiting for a new manager.

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This monitoring visit

Ofsted suspended the home’s registration at the last full inspection due to serious and widespread failings that placed children at risk of harm. The two children living in the home at that time moved out and the registered manager’s voluntary resignation with Ofsted expired.

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This monitoring visit

This monitoring visit was undertaken to review the action that the provider had taken since the full inspection.

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This monitoring visit

The home does not currently have a manager. This role is being fulfilled by the responsible individual and the deputy manager. Recruitment for a new manager and full-time deputy manager is underway.

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This monitoring visit

Leaders and managers accept the safety concerns identified at the previous inspection and have sought professional advice to help them to address the shortfalls. They are receiving regular and frequent support from the local authority and another children’s home provider. The home has also recruited an independent person to complete monthly audits. This has meant that the home has a clear and detailed action plan to make necessary improvements.

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This monitoring visit

Leaders have completed some redecoration of the home. The damage to walls seen at the previous inspection has been repaired. Bedroom blinds are currently being Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2662998 2 replaced with curtains to avoid opportunities for cords to be used as ligatures. This also creates a more homely feel.

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This monitoring visit

Medication processes have been reviewed and updated. There are now appropriate cabinets to store medication, including controlled medication.

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This monitoring visit

Staff have received training in behaviour management and the safe use of restraint. Staff who the inspector spoke to are aware of when and how to use restraint. They also recognise that restraint is used as a last option to prevent children from harming themselves or others. The recording of the use of restraint is currently being developed.

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This monitoring visit

Training is ongoing to ensure that staff know how to complete accurate records. This includes records of significant incidents, children’s plans and risk assessments.

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This monitoring visit

Managers are ensuring that staff have regular supervision. The deputy manager is booked to attend supervision training.

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This monitoring visit

Action has been taken to address the shortfalls identified at the last inspection. However, more work is required to complete all of the actions and to embed the changes. The suspension of the home’s registration remains in place and further monitoring visits to the home will be completed.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 17/05/2022 Full Inadequate Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2662998 3

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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; and

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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

provide personalised care that meets each child’s needs, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans, taking account of the child’s background;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to develop resilience and skills that prepare the child to return home, to live in a new placement or to live independently as an adult. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(i)(ii)(iv)) 20 July 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 staff— 20 July 2022 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2662998 4 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; and

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Requirement Due date

are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii))

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Requirement Due date

This relates to having risk assessments and care plans that understand children’s needs and provide staff with clear and consistent strategies to respond to them and keep them safe.

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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 effectiveness of the home’s child protection policies is monitored regularly. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(e))

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Requirement Due date

This relates to ensuring that there is management oversight of safety plans for children and that they are reviewed regularly, particularly when significant incidents occur. 20 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 promotes their welfare. 20 July 2022 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2662998 5 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.

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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)(h))

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Requirement Due date

This relates to the registered provider ensuring that the home has a skilled and knowledgeable staff team and that it has sufficient staff to care for the children living in the home. There should be consistency in the approach taken by staff when caring for children. There should be robust monitoring of the care provided.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must make arrangements for the handling, recording, safekeeping, safe administration and disposal of medicines received into the children’s home.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that—

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Requirement Due date

medicines kept in the home are stored in a secure place so as to prevent any child from having unsupervised access to them; and

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Requirement Due date

a record is kept of the administration of medicine to each child.(Regulation 23 (1) (2)(a)(c)) 20 July 2022 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2662998 6 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. (Regulation 33 (4)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This relates to all staff receiving regular, quality supervision, and that records of this are made in a timely way. 20 July 2022

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must prepare and implement a policy ("the behaviour management policy") which sets out—

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Requirement Due date

how appropriate behaviour is to be promoted in the children’s home; and

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Requirement Due date

the measures of control, discipline and restraint which may be used in relation to children in the home.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must keep the behaviour management policy under review and, where appropriate, revise it. (Regulation 35 (1)(a)(b) (2))

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Requirement Due date

This relates to having policies in place so that all staff understand what restraint is and when to use it. 20 July 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;

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Requirement Due date

the name of the person who used the measure (“the user”), and of any other person present when the measure was used; Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2662998 7 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 five 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

This relates to the accurate recording of each separate occasion when a child has been subject to a restraint by a member of staff.

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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

This relates to all staff keeping accurate records of the child’s life while living in the home. 20 July 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

a child is involved in or subject to, or is suspected of being involved in or subject to, sexual exploitation;

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Requirement Due date

an incident requiring police involvement occurs in relation to a child which the registered person considers to be serious; 20 July 2022 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2662998 8 there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there;

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Requirement Due date

a child protection enquiry involving a child — is instigated; or

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Requirement Due date

concludes (in which case, the notification must include the outcome of the child protection enquiry); or

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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)(a)(b)(c)(d)(i)(ii)(e))

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Requirement Due date

This relates to serious incidents being reported to Ofsted and other agencies in a timely way.

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Requirement Due date

The registered provider must appoint, at the registered provider’s expense, a person ("the independent person") to visit and report on the children’s home carried on by the registered provider. (Regulation 43 (1)) 20 July 2022

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that an independent person visits the children’s home at least once each month. (Regulation 44 (1)) 20 July 2022

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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.

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Inspector

Penelope Kutz, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2662998 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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