Children's Home run by Radical Services Limited in Westmorland and Furness

Inspection report for children’s home: SC476083 1 SC476083 Registered provider: Radical Services Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is run by a private organisation and is registered for up to three children. One child is living at the home at the time of the inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

A manager has been appointed but is not yet registered.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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requires improvement to be good

How well children and young people are helped and protected requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers inadequate

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requires improvement to be good

The children’s home is not yet delivering good help and care for children and young people. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC476083 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

05/10/2021 Full Good 11/03/2020 Full Outstanding 15/01/2019 Full Outstanding 22/11/2017 Full Outstanding Inspection report for children’s home: SC476083 3

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improvement to be good

The home is in a pleasant, rural setting and has a large garden. It is newly decorated and is clean and tidy. The home is furnished, but is not homely. There are no children’s toys on display. There are locks on internal doors that could be used to restrict the child from accessing all areas of the home. However, staff say they do not use these locks. The child’s room is furnished, but not personalised. Staff are starting to work with the child to understand what their likes and dislikes are, so that they can help them make the home feel like their own.

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improvement to be good

There have been a significant number of staff changes over the last few months and the child has not had the opportunity to form trusting relationships with staff. Permanent staff have now been recruited to support the child to feel more secure, but it will take time for trusting relationships to develop.

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improvement to be good

Staff have not communicated well with each other and have not been consistent in their care for the child. This has meant that the child has not had clear boundaries and, at times, has been allowed to participate in activities that are inappropriate for a child of their age and understanding. This has led to the child feeling very insecure. The new staff team is working towards better communication. More age-appropriate boundaries are now in place.

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improvement to be good

Long- and short-term incentives to encourage better behaviour are now being put into place for the child. This will help them see good behaviour as a positive aspect of their care and help them to regulate their own behaviour.

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improvement to be good

The child attends education, which has been inconsistent. There have been some difficulties in engaging with friendship groups at school. Staff have communicated well with school and helped to support the child to attend. The child’s attendance is improving, but the improvements are at an early stage and not yet sustained.

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improvement to be good

The child has their wishes and feelings heard by staff. They have input into their weekly menu and can influence the activities that they want to take part in.

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improvement to be good

Inspectors were aware during this inspection of a police investigation into an allegation of physical harm. While Ofsted does not have the power to investigate allegations of this kind, actions taken by the setting in response to the allegation were considered alongside the other evidence available at the time of the inspection to inform the inspector’s judgements.

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improvement to be good

The child has at times been physically held. Records of physical holds are not thorough. The child has not been offered the opportunity to speak to an adult Inspection report for children’s home: SC476083 4 afterwards. There have not been any incidents of physically holding the child since the new staff team has been looking after the child.

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improvement to be good

Staff have said inappropriate and unkind things about the child in front of them. This has led to the child feeling very upset and sad, and having feelings of anxiety and mistrust.

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improvement to be good

Safer recruitment processes for staff are in place. However, there is a lack of professional curiosity in making additional checks and following up when references are not clear.

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improvement to be good

Staff have not been made aware of the whistle-blowing procedure. This means that when staff have concerns about the child’s care, they do not know who they should report those concerns to.

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improvement to be good

The child has gone missing a very small number of times. When the child has gone missing, staff have responded quickly, and the relevant partner agencies have been contacted. Staff have quickly located the child.

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improvement to be good

There are risk assessments in place that identify effectively any known vulnerabilities for the child. The risk assessments are regularly updated to reflect any changes in risk for the child.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The registered manager post has been vacant since June 2021. The provider appointed a manager, but they were unable to take up the role. A person has been appointed but is not yet registered with Ofsted.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Several staff have left or are not in work. These staff are not qualified, are not offered supervision of their practice, and are not supported with effective training. This meant that the manager does not properly support those staff to meet the needs of the child. Supervision with staff who are at work has taken place and further supervision sessions have been planned. Essential training has been delivered and further training sessions have been planned.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Staff did not meet as a team until the current manager took over the management role. They were not offered the opportunity to communicate with each other, or to reflect on the emotional effect of their work. This means that they have been unclear about the child’s boundaries and routines. Since the new management arrangements have been in place, all staff have been offered supervision. A team meeting has been held and further meetings have been scheduled.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The rota system in the home was very unclear, the child did not know who would be caring for them each day, and staff did not know when they would be working. The manager completed a lot of shifts with the child themselves. This led to staff and the child feeling anxious and unsupported. This has now been rectified by the current manager. Inspection report for children’s home: SC476083 5 The quality of care of the home is not monitored effectively by senior leaders and managers. Those who are employed to carry out external monitoring have missed opportunities to scrutinise records effectively. This means that staff are not supported to care for the child effectively and safely. Inspection report for children’s home: SC476083 6

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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 registered person must ensure that an independent person visits the children’s home at least once each month.

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Requirement Due date

The independent person must provide a copy of the independent person’s report to—

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated. 25 July 2022

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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;

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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

ensure that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed and furnished so as to—

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Requirement Due date

meet the needs of each child. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c)(i))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, this includes removing locks on internal doors that could restrict children from accessing all areas of their home. 25 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 25 July 2022 Inspection report for children’s home: SC476083 7 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

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of 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)(c)(h))

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Requirement Due date

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

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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. (Regulation 33 (4)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated. 25 July 2022

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that all records relating to children that are kept in the home are up to date and contain the most recent and relevant information about the child. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.3)  The registered person should ensure that records of restraint are kept which should enable the registered person and staff to review the use of control, discipline and restraint to identify effective practice and respond promptly where any issues or trends of concern emerge. The review should provide the opportunity for amending practice to ensure it meets the needs of each child. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 49, paragraph 9.59)  The registered person should ensure that staff are fully aware of the company’s whistleblowing policy, and that they are supported to understand when it is

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Recommendations

appropriate to use this policy. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 43, paragraph 9.15) Inspection report for children’s home: SC476083 8

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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: SC476083 9

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Radical Services Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 2 The Calls, Leeds LS2 7JU

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Inspector

Cathy Wilkins, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC476083 10 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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