Children's Home run by Loyal Care Limited in Suffolk

Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2652939 1 Registered provider: Loyal Care Limited

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

A private organisation runs this children’s home. It is registered to provide care for up to five children with social and emotional difficulties, who may have suffered from severe trauma.

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Information about this children’s home

The interim manager was appointed on 10 May 2022.

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This monitoring visit

Following a full inspection in May 2022, Ofsted served a compliance notice in relation to the leadership and management of the home. The purpose of this monitoring visit was to monitor the steps taken to meet the compliance notice served on 17 May 2022. The management team has failed to meet any of the steps in the compliance notice. As a result of these failings, Ofsted took immediate action to suspend the home’s registration.

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This monitoring visit

At the time of this visit, there were two children living at the home.

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This monitoring visit

Widespread management failures have contributed to ineffective leadership. Managerial monitoring and oversight are inadequate, leaving children at risk of harm. The current management capacity provides no assurance that the necessary improvements will be made.

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This monitoring visit

During a recent incident, the staff were unable to prevent the children entering the staff office. The children accessed the office without any supervision. This has resulted in a considerable amount of money being taken. Staff found some of the money in the garden and the local park, however, a large amount of money is unaccounted for. This does not provide confidence in the staff’s ability to safely supervise the children. Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2652939 2 The staff have failed to update children’s risk assessments and behaviour support plans following significant incidents. There are gaps in the children’s risk assessments and shortfalls in the managerial oversight of incidents. The lack of managerial oversight means that serious incidents have not been reviewed and action has not been taken to keep the children safe.

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This monitoring visit

Managers have failed to follow safe recruitment procedures. This has resulted in a member of the management team starting work before full recruitment checks had been carried out. This lack of scrutiny has left children at risk of being cared for by unsuitable adults.

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This monitoring visit

Children’s individual health needs are not being met. One child’s support plan fails to provide enough information and guidance for staff about the child’s mental health and concerns about self-harm. Referrals to specialist services have not been actioned and follow-up appointments have not been made. The failure to prioritise health concerns has led to delays in treatment for the child.

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This monitoring visit

Staff have failed to demonstrate sufficient curiosity in relation to a child’s substance misuse. The failure to explore the concern means opportunities to protect and safeguard a vulnerable child may have been missed.

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This monitoring visit

Managers have failed to ensure that serious incidents have been notified to Ofsted promptly. In one instance, a member of the management team was removed from working with the children. This incident was not notified to Ofsted. Failure to notify Ofsted without delay means that Ofsted’s capacity to monitor incidents and safeguarding has been considerably reduced.

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This monitoring visit

The four additional requirements that were raised at the full inspection in May 2022 will be reviewed at the next inspection. These requirements have been restated. Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2652939 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

11/05/2022 Full Inadequate Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2652939 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 secure the input and services required to meet each child’s needs. (Regulation 5 (b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that staff make contact and referrals to external professionals to arrange assessments and support for children as soon as possible.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was raised at the last inspection and is restated. 1 July 2022

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Requirement Due date

The education standard is that children make measurable progress towards achieving their educational potential and are helped to do so.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— that staff—

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Requirement Due date

support each child’s learning and development, including helping the child to develop independent study skills and, where appropriate, helping the child to complete independent study;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand the importance and value of education, learning, training and employment;

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Requirement Due date

promote opportunities for each child to learn informally;

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Requirement Due date

help a child who is excluded from school, or who is of compulsory school age but not attending school, to access educational and training support throughout the period of exclusion or non-attendance and to return to school as soon as possible. (Regulation 8 (1) (2)(a)(ii)(iv)(v)(viii)) 4 July 2022 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2652939 5 In particular, ensure that staff support educational activity throughout the day and advocate for children’s return to educational provision as soon as possible.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was raised at the last inspection and is restated.

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Requirement Due date

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. (Regulation 10 (1)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that staff seek immediate medical advice in relation to children’s health needs.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was raised at the last inspection and is restated. 1 July 2022

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Requirement Due date

The positive relationships standard is that children are helped to develop, and to benefit from, relationships based on—

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Requirement Due date

an understanding about acceptable behaviour; and

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Requirement Due date

positive responses to other children and adults.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— that staff—

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Requirement Due date

help each child to develop socially aware behaviour;

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Requirement Due date

encourage each child to take responsibility for the child’s behaviour, in accordance with the child’s age and understanding;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to develop and practise skills to resolve conflicts positively and without harm to anyone;

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Requirement Due date

communicate to each child expectations about the child’s behaviour and ensure that the child understands those expectations in accordance with the child’s age and understanding; 4 July 2022 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2652939 6 strive to gain each child’s respect and trust;

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Requirement Due date

de-escalate confrontations with or between children, or potentially violent behaviour by children. (Regulation 11 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(viii)(xi))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that staff are consistent in their response to children’s behaviour, challenge discriminatory behaviours and use restorative practices.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was raised at the last inspection and is restated.

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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

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

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare;

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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

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)(iii)(iv)(vi)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular: 1 July 2022 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2652939 7  ensure that staff receive training in the ‘Prevent’ duty, county lines and mental health awareness  update children’s risk assessments and plans after incidents; and  understand and act on information in children’s relevant plans.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was raised at the last inspection and is restated.

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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.

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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 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

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)(c)(d)(e)(h))

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Requirement Due date

 review the leadership and management of the home to ensure that there is sufficient management capacity to provide effective management, oversight and monitoring of the home 1 July 2022 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2652939 8  ensure that staff have the necessary skills and knowledge and receive appropriate training to provide effective care for children  ensure that individual children’s risk assessments and behaviour management plans contain all relevant information and are kept up to date  ensure that all records contain accurate information and are up to date; and  ensure that the home is led and managed in accordance with the home’s statement of purpose.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was raised at the last inspection and is restated.

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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.

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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 children are admitted to the home only if their needs are within the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the home is to provide care and accommodation, as set out in the home’s statement of purpose. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, undertake thorough matching assessments before a child moves into the home.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was raised at the last inspection and is restated. 4 July 2022

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Requirement Due date

The registered provider must appoint a person to manage the children’s home if—

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Requirement Due date

there is no registered manager in respect of the home. (Regulation 27 (1)(a))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was raised at the last inspection and is restated. 4 July 2022 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2652939 9 The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety.

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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) (3)(d))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that comprehensive recruitment checks are carried out before the appointed person starts work. 1 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

an incident requiring police involvement occurs in relation to a child which the registered person considers to be serious;

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Requirement Due date

there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there. (Regulation 40 (4)(b)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that Ofsted is notified of all relevant incidents.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was raised at the last inspection and is restated. 1 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. Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2652939 10

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 38c High Street, Leiston IP16 4EW

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Catalin Condurat

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Inspector

Rachel Watkinson, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2652939 11 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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