Children's Home run by A-Triangle Care Limited in Blackpool

Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2557064 1 Registered provider: A-Triangle Care Limited

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This children’s home provides care for up to two children who may have social and emotional difficulties. The home is owned and operated by a private provider.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager was registered with Ofsted in April 2022.

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This monitoring visit

This home was judged inadequate at the full inspection on 10 and 11 May 2022. During the full inspection, the inspector found evidence of breaches of regulations relating to the safeguarding of children and the leadership and management of the home. Two compliance notices were issued, in relation to regulation 12 (the protection of children standard) and regulation 13 (the leadership and management standard).

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This monitoring visit

Ofsted carried out this monitoring visit to consider the action the provider had taken to meet the steps in the compliance notices. At the time of the visit, one child was living in the home. The child is making good progress, and observations of his care and support were positive.

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This monitoring visit

The registered manager has ensured that the child’s risk assessments and risk management plans have been reviewed and updated. This means that staff have up- to-date information on how to provide consistently safe care. Plans contain clear guidance to support staff to minimise risks to children.

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This monitoring visit

The child has started to make friends in the local area. The risk management plan to support him to remain safe when he is unsupervised by staff has been strengthened. Staff make regular checks on his welfare to ensure that he is safe and protected Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2557064 2 from harm. In addition, staff are now recording the places they are taking the child to and obtaining details about who he is spending time with.

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This monitoring visit

The manager has taken steps to ensure staff understand their roles and responsibilities in safeguarding children. Team meetings and individual supervision sessions have been used to ensure that staff are aware of the content of the child’s risk management plan. All staff have signed to confirm that they have read the child’s care plan and risk management plan. However, not all staff are clear on the actions to take in regard to timescales if they report the child as missing from home. A requirement is made to address this.

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This monitoring visit

The child rarely goes missing from home. However, the manager has ensured there is now clear guidance about where staff should search and when they should contact police. This supports a consistent and coordinated response. A discussion is always held with the child to try and find out why they went missing. This supports the child to consider the risks of being missing and think about how they could make different choices.

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This monitoring visit

The child is building positive relationships with staff. Staff are supporting him to adopt new routines and he has recently started attending education more regularly. The child told the inspector that he liked the staff and enjoyed some of the activities they did together, such as playing pool.

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This monitoring visit

The registered provider has made improvements to the internal decoration of the home. For example, one child’s bedroom has been replastered and redecorated.

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This monitoring visit

Since the last inspection, all staff have received training to support their understanding of risk management and the importance of accurate recording. As a result, the quality of recording has improved. Records of incidents are clear and this supports the manager’s understanding of the event and the actions staff have taken to safeguard children.

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This monitoring visit

Internal monitoring systems have been established and the manager now carries out daily monitoring tasks. In addition, the responsible individual has initiated monthly quality assurance audits. This is helping the manager to monitor the quality of care provided by the home. However, one significant incident that occurred was not reported to Ofsted. This hampers the regulator’s ability to review the information in a timely manner. A requirement is made to address this.

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This monitoring visit

The compliance notices issued following the last full inspection, under regulation 12 and regulation 13, have been met. Additional requirements and recommendations made at the full inspection were not considered so are repeated, for consideration at the next routine inspection. Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2557064 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

10/05/2022 Full Inadequate 23/11/2021 Interim Improved effectiveness 16/06/2021 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2557064 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

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

understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(v)) 26 August 2022

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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;

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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 child’s placing authority is contacted, and a review of that child’s relevant plans is requested, if—

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Requirement Due date

the registered person considers that the child is at risk of harm or has concerns that the care provided for the child is inadequate to meet the child’s needs. (Regulation 14 (1)(a) (2)(e)(i)) 26 June 2022

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must compile in relation to the children’s home a statement ("the statement of purpose") which covers the matters listed in Schedule 1. (Regulation 16 (1)) 26 June 2022

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Requirement Due date

Schedule 4 sets out the other information that the registered person must keep in relation to a children’s home.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must— 26 June 2022 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2557064 5 maintain in the home the records in Schedule 4;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the records are kept up to date. (Regulation 37 (1) (2)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This refers specifically to the home’s register of children.

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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;

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Requirement Due date

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 —

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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)) 26 August 2022

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Recommendations

 The registered person should undertake a review, every six months, that focuses on the quality of the care provided by the home, the experiences of children and the impact the care is having on outcomes and improvements for the children. This review should include the feedback and opinions of children and other stakeholders. (‘Guide to the Children’s Home Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 64, paragraph 15.2)  The registered person should ensure that staff are familiar with the home’s policies on record-keeping and understand the importance of careful, objective and clear recording. Staff should record information on individual children in a non-stigmatising way and non-judgemental way that distinguishes between fact and opinion. Information about the child must always be recorded in a way that Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2557064 6 will be helpful to the child. (‘Guide to the Children’s Home Regulations, including

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Recommendations

the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4)  The registered person should ensure that children who are not engaging in education should be supported to sustain or regain their confidence in education and be engaged in suitable structured activities. (‘Guide to the Children’s Home Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 28, paragraph 5.15)  The registered person should ensure that a record is kept of any searches of children’s bedrooms conducted by staff. (‘Guide to the Children’s Home Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 16, paragraph 3.20)

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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: 2557064 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: A-Triangle Care Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 5 Crescent East, Thornton-Cleveleys, Lancashire FY5 3LJ

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Inspector

Sophie Thomson, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2557064 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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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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