Children's Home run by Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council in Blackburn with Darwen

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC360599 1 SC360599

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Information about this children’s home

This is a local authority home. It provides care and accommodation for up to four children.

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Information about this children’s home

The home does not have a registered manager in post.

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This monitoring visit

This children’s home was judged requires improvement at the full inspection on 11 and 12 May 2022. Following the full inspection, a compliance notice was issued in respect of the leadership and management of the home. During this visit, the inspector monitored compliance with this notice.

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This monitoring visit

Assessments that are in place to manage risks do not include all significant risks to children, nor their known behaviours. For example, two children are at significant risk of criminality but strategies to manage this risk are not included. Records viewed in the home indicate that there have been incidents of antisocial behaviour in the community and violent behaviour in the home, resulting in injuries to children and staff. Furthermore, children have been at significant risk of harm due to climbing out of their bedroom windows. These known risks were not included in assessments. Failures to correctly identify and document risks and the strategies to mitigate risks, reduce children’s safety and the ability of staff to manage incidents effectively.

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This monitoring visit

Staff have not received training in areas that relate to children’s risk-taking behaviours, such as substance misuse, online safety and self-harm. Training has been provided in respect of the management of allegations. However, when questioned, staff were not fully aware of the procedures and processes in place to manage such incidents. This reduces their ability to provide children with effective, and informed help and protection.

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This monitoring visit

Action has been taken to address shortfalls in the home’s complaints processes and procedures. Complaints and advocacy professionals have attended the home to Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC360599 2 provide children with complaints procedures and ensure processes have been made clear. Because of this, one child has utilised this procedure. Due to the nature of the procedures used, formal complaints are escalated to those outside of the home. Because of this, inspectors were unable to view formal responses to children and their thoughts and feelings around these.

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This monitoring visit

The acting manager in post at the time of the last inspection has now left the organisation. A manager from another service is supporting the home. Both managers have contributed to improvements in the home in respect of increased monitoring and evaluation.

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This monitoring visit

The inspector found that incident records have been comprehensively evaluated, leading to the identification of shortfalls in staff practice and record-keeping. Staff have also received detailed, practice-related supervision. There is a clear, time- limited action plan to improve the service. The inspector was able to view evidence that action is being taken to improve the service in line with this plan. However, continued inconsistencies in leadership and management of the home have hindered the progress towards rectifying shortfalls identified at the full inspection.

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This monitoring visit

The inspector did not assess whether the requirements from the previous inspection had been met. These will be assessed at the next full inspection. Two recommendations were made previously in respect of children’s access to communal areas in the home and the homeliness of the environment. The inspector found that door locks remained in the home, which children were previously unhappy about. A requirement has been made to address this.

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This monitoring visit

Following this visit, a case review was held. It was determined that insufficient action has been taken to meet the notice. A compliance notice has been issued. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC360599 3

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 11/05/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good 14/03/2022 Interim Sustained effectiveness 13/12/2021 Full Requires improvement to be good 04/03/2020 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC360599 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

children can access all appropriate areas of the children’s home’s premises;

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Requirement Due date

any limitation placed on a child’s privacy or access to any area of the home’s premises—

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Requirement Due date

is kept under review and, if necessary, revised; and

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Requirement Due date

allows children as much freedom as is possible when balanced against the need to protect them and keep them safe. (Regulation 21 (b)(c)(iii)(iv))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, ensure that children are provided with a homely, nurturing environment by removing door locks which have prevented children accessing communal areas in the home. 4 September 2022

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Requirement Due date

The children’s views, wishes and feeling standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

develop positive relationships with them;

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Requirement Due date

take their views, wishes and feelings into account in relation to matters affecting the children’s care and welfare and their lives.

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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

ascertain and consider each child views and feelings, and balance these against what they judge to be in the child’s 17 July 2022 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC360599 5 best interests when making decisions about the child’s care and welfare;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to express their views wishes and feelings;

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Requirement Due date

regularly consult children, and seek their feedback, about the quality of the home’s care. (Regulation 7 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iv))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically refers to ensuring that children take an active and ongoing role in developing their plans and goals. The plans should be written in a way that is easily accessible and meaningful for children. This requirement was made 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. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)) 17 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

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

are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies;

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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; 17 July 2022 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC360599 6 that the effectiveness of the home’s child protection policies is monitored regularly. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(v)(vii)(b)(e))

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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

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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’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

demonstrate that practice in the home is informed and improved by taking into account and acting on—

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Requirement Due date

feedback on the experiences of children, including complaints received; and

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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)(e)(f)(g)(ii)(h)) 4 September 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 17 July 2022 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC360599 7 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

within 24 hours of the use of the 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 any methods used or steps taken to avoid the need to use the measure;

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Requirement Due date

within 5 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 (1)(a)(b) (3)(a)(v)(c))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically refers to the manager’s evaluation of events leading up to the incident and ensuring that children are given an opportunity to discuss the incident with the manager or designated person. This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated.

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Requirement Due date

Subject to paragraph (6), the registered person must establish a procedure for considering complaints made by or on behalf of children.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the procedure must provide that no person who is the subject of a complaint takes any part in its consideration or investigation, except at the informal resolution stage if the registered person considers it appropriate.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that a record is made of any complaint, the action taken in response, and the outcome of any investigation.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that no child is subject to any reprisal for making a complaint or representation.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must supply to HMCI, at HMCI’s request, a statement containing a summary of any complaints made during the preceding twelve months and the action that was taken in response to each complaint. (Regulation 39 (1) (2) (3) (4) (5)) 17 July 2022 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC360599 8 The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if—

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and was not assessed. 17 July 2022

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must complete a review of the quality of care provided for children ("a quality of care review") at least once every 6 months.

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Requirement Due date

In order to complete a quality of care review the registered person must establish and maintain a system for monitoring, reviewing and evaluating—

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Requirement Due date

the quality of care provided for children;

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Requirement Due date

the feedback and opinions of children about the children’s home, its facilities and the quality of care they receive in it; and

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Requirement Due date

any actions that the registered person considers necessary in order to improve or maintain the quality of care provided for children.

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Requirement Due date

After completing a quality of care review, the registered person must produce a written report about the quality of care review and the actions which the registered person intends to take as a result of the quality of care review ("the quality of care review report").

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Requirement Due date

supply to HMCI a copy of the quality of care review report within 28 days of the date on which the quality of care review is completed. (Regulation 45 (1) (2)(a)(b)(c) (3) (4)(a)) 17 July 2022

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must review the appropriateness and suitability of the location of the premises used for the purposes of the children’s home at least once in each calendar year taking into account the requirement in regulation 12(2)(c) (the protection of children standard). 17 July 2022 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC360599 9 When conducting the review, the registered person must consult, and take into account the views of, each relevant person. (Regulation 46 (1) (2))

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Requirement Due date

*These requirements are subject to a compliance notice. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC360599 10

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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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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Town Hall, King William Street, Blackburn BB1 7DY

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Inspector

Natalie Bennett, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC360599 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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