Children's Home run by Oak Childcare Plus Limited in Wolverhampton

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1273769 1 Registered provider: Oak Childcare Plus Limited

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is privately owned and provides care for up to three children who have experienced childhood instability leading to trauma and associated complex behaviours.

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Information about this children’s home

The home has been without a registered manager since June 2021

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This monitoring visit

Ofsted visited the home to complete a full inspection on 20 and 21 April 2022. At the inspection, serious and widespread failures were found that meant children were not protected or their welfare promoted. The home was judged inadequate.

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This monitoring visit

Due to the significant concerns found during the inspection, Ofsted issued 13 requirements and two compliance notices, under regulation 12 (the protection of children standard) and regulation 13 (the leadership and management standard).

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This monitoring visit

Ofsted also suspended the home’s registration. This means that no children can live in the home while the suspension notice is in place.

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This monitoring visit

A monitoring visit took place on 7 June 2022. At this visit, the inspector found that some improvement had been made and the requirements under regulations 11, 12, 23, 26 and 40 were found to be met. One compliance notice, under regulation 12 (the protection of children standard), had also been met. However, shortfalls remained in some aspects of leadership and management. As a result, the compliance notice was issued again under regulation 13 (the leadership and management standard). The home’s registration remained suspended.

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This monitoring visit

On 4 July 2022, a further monitoring visit took place to review the notice of suspension, compliance notice and requirements. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1273769 2 During this visit, the inspector found that further improvements have been made and that the compliance notice under regulation 13 (the leadership and management standard) is considered to be met. A requirement under regulation 33 is also considered to be met.

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This monitoring visit

Managers have implemented auditing tools to provide effective monitoring and oversight of the home. Systems are in place to provide a multi-team approach that helps to identify shortfalls and areas of development. Actions are discussed between senior leaders with timescales for improvements and shared during team meetings, so that all members of the team are aware, with individual actions delegated to the team. Consequently, managers are able to review the impact of the quality of care in the home.

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This monitoring visit

Staff receive routine supervision in line with the organisation’s supervision policy. Managers review each documented of supervision completed to ensure the effectiveness of these. For example, the interim manager felt that a concern raised was not appropriately responded to by a supervisor and followed this up with further supervisions to support the member of staff. The supervisor has also been allocated further supervision training to enhance their skills with completing supervisions. This shows that staff are supported and the manager has good oversight of the service.

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This monitoring visit

Despite this good progress, managers have yet to make sufficient progress in other areas to meet two requirements.

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This monitoring visit

Maintenance work is ongoing. During the visit, the inspector observed further works being carried out. Improvements to children’s bedrooms have been completed. Managers informed the inspector that a new bathroom suite has been purchased and is scheduled to be fitted within the coming week.

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This monitoring visit

The home continues to have no permanent manager, following the resignation of the manager immediately after the full inspection. An interim manager is in day-to-day charge of the home until a permanent manager is recruited.

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This monitoring visit

Following this monitoring visit, the notice of suspension remains in place. This is because ongoing work to the environment means the home is not in a position to admit children at this time. A further notice of suspension will be served on 15 July 2022, unless the provider makes contact with the regulator to confirm the works on the environment have been completed and Ofsted has the opportunity to revisit the home to review its readiness to safely accept children. Six requirements have been raised. Requirements under regulations 6 and 28 have been raised again, having not been met in full. Requirements under regulations 8, 10, 14 and 35 have not been reviewed during this monitoring visit. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1273769 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

20/04/2022 Full Inadequate 16/09/2021 Interim Declined in effectiveness 28/04/2021 Full Requires improvement to be good 17/02/2020 Interim Declined in effectiveness Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1273769 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 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

enable each child to participate in the daily life of the home. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c)(i)(ii))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the manager ensuring that all maintenance issues are addressed and that the home is maintained to a standard that meets children’s needs. 14 August 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—

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Requirement Due date

help each child to achieve the child’s education and training targets, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to attend education or training in accordance with the expectations in the child’s relevant plans. 3 July 2022 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1273769 5 (Regulation 8 (1) (2)(a)(i)(x))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the manager ensuring that there are effective arrangements in place to meet the educational needs of children.

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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; and

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Requirement Due date

children are helped to lead healthy lifestyles. (Regulation 10 (1)(a)(b)(c))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the manager ensuring that there are effective arrangements in place to meet the health needs of children. 3 July 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; and

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Requirement Due date

have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the manager carrying out a placement matching risk assessment before a child moves into the home. 3 July 2022

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Requirement Due date

A person may only manage a children’s home if—

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Requirement Due date

having regard to the size of the home, its statement of purpose, and the number and needs (including any needs arising from any disability) of the children—

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Requirement Due date

the person has the appropriate experience, qualification and skills to manage the home effectively and lead the care of children. (Regulation 28 (1)(b)(i))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the provider ensuring that there is a registered manager in post who has the necessary training and skills to manage the home. 14 August 2022 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1273769 6 The registered person must ensure that—

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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

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 effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the measure. (Regulation 35 (3)(a)(ii)(iv)(v)(vii))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the manager ensuring that all physical intervention incidents are recorded clearly, including stating the holds used and that the manager has oversight. 3 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: 1273769 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Oak Childcare Plus Limited

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Inspector

Kev Brammer, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1273769 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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