Children's Home run by Our Place (2008) Limited in Worcestershire

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC407929 1 SC407929 Registered provider: Our Place (2008) Ltd

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

A private company operates this children’s home. It provides care for 10 children with learning disabilities, including autism spectrum disorder and associated challenging behaviours. Children may stay after they reach 18 years old.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager left on 14 April 2022. A new manager is in post. He intends to apply to register.

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This monitoring visit

On 21 and 22 June 2022 an assurance inspection was undertaken at the home. Inspectors identified serious and widespread concerns in relation to the care and protection of children. A notice of restriction of accommodation and compliance notices under regulations 12, 13 and 35 were issued. The restriction notice is in effect from 23 June 2022 until 14 September 2022.

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This monitoring visit

The purpose of this visit was to review the provider’s adherence to the notice restricting accommodation and to review the progress made by the provider in meeting the compliance notices.

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This monitoring visit

Inspectors found that, since the last inspection, the provider has complied with the restriction of accommodation notice. Ten children remain living at the home.

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This monitoring visit

The progress made to address all three compliance notices is slow. As a result, none of the three compliance notices are met.

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This monitoring visit

Inspectors found continued shortfalls in safeguarding practice and management oversight. For example, when children sustain an injury, staff and managers do not Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC407929 2 take appropriate or adequate action to safeguard the children. This means that in some instances children do not receive the medical treatment they require.

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This monitoring visit

Significant shortfalls in the recording, management oversight and evaluation of restraint practice remain. Managers fail to meaningfully evaluate the practice of staff. This limits opportunities for learning and fails to ensure that practice is consistently safe. Children and staff are more regularly having the opportunity of a debrief following a restraint. However, these debriefs offer little opportunity for reflection and evaluation. This is a missed opportunity to understand the underlying reasons for children’s behaviour and if staff’s practice is safe and appropriate.

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This monitoring visit

Managers’ oversight of children’s records, including incidents, remains insufficient. This means that staff are not given clear guidance about how to reduce the likelihood of children hurting each other. Managers were unaware that staff do not complete records detailing injuries to children as required. Continued lack of diligence by managers in overseeing children’s records means that important information necessary to ensuring children’s safety and well-being may be missed, leaving children vulnerable to harm.

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This monitoring visit

Since the last inspection, managers have referred new concerns about staff practice to the local authority designated officer. However, managers do not keep a clear record of these discussions or the advice that has been provided. Failure to keep clear records of safeguarding advice could undermine the effectiveness of any actions needed to ensure the safety and welfare of children.

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This monitoring visit

Since the last inspection, a new process has been developed to record safer recruitment checks for agency staff and ensure that they receive an induction to the home and the needs of the children. However, managers have failed to ensure that this process is implemented. This means that children could receive care from adults who are unsuitable or who lack essential insight into their needs.

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This monitoring visit

Staff have still not received an appraisal of their performance and not all staff have received regular professional supervision. A significant number of staff do not have current training in key areas including learning disabilities, physical intervention, medication awareness and first aid. A new requirement has been raised, as the manager’s training has lapsed in all these areas. Furthermore, managers are unable to demonstrate that staff have sufficient skills to meet the specific needs of individual children. Shortfalls in the support and development of staff do not give assurance that staff have sufficient skills to meet the needs of children and care for them safely.

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This monitoring visit

Managers were unable to demonstrate that there are always sufficient staff on duty to meet children’s needs. For example, on one occasion, rotas indicated only two night staff were on duty between midnight and 6am, when there should be at least three. On two occasions when the rotas showed shortfalls in night staff, the manager was unable to confirm who, if anyone, had covered the gaps. Shortfalls in maintaining an accurate record of staffing have been raised as a new requirement. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC407929 3 Widespread and continued shortfalls demonstrate that leaders and managers do not have an effective system to review and monitor the quality of care provided in the home.

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This monitoring visit

Two new requirements have been raised, under regulations 28 and 37. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC407929 4

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

26/04/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good 20/01/2022 Interim Sustained effectiveness 03/08/2021 Full Requires to be good 27/11/2019 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC407929 5

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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

provide to children living in the home the physical necessities they need in order to live there comfortably;

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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)(b)(vii)(c)(i))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the managers ensuring that the environment is improved and meets the needs of the children living in the home. 24 July 2022

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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; and children are helped to lead healthy lifestyles.

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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 staff help each child to— 24 July 2022 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC407929 6 take part in activities, and attend any appointments, for the purpose of meeting the child’s health and well-being needs. (Regulation 10 (1)(a)(c) (2)(a)(iii))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the manager ensuring that the actions set by medical professionals in children’s health reviews are completed.

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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—

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Requirement Due date

meet each child’s behavioural and emotional needs, as set out in the child’s relevant plans. (Regulation 11 (1)(b)(c) (2)(a)(i))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the provider ensuring that staff support children to keep safe and that staff follow children’s plans. 24 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

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

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(iii)) 31 July 2022 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC407929 7 *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

manage relationships between children to prevent them from harming each other;

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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

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(iv)(v)(vi)) 29 August 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

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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 work as a team where appropriate;

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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

understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each 29 August 2022 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC407929 8 child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home; 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)(b)(c)(d)(e)(f)(h))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety.

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Requirement Due date

employ an individual to work at the children’s home; or

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Requirement Due date

if an individual is employed by a person other than the registered person to work at the home in a position in which the individual may have regular contact with children, allow that individual to work at the home,

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Requirement Due date

if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3).

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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) (2)(a)(b) (3)(d))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the registered manager ensuring that all gaps in agency employment are checked and that information about the worker is clear and consistent. 29 August 2022

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that the home is at all times conducted in a manner which is consistent with its statement of purpose. (Regulation 16 (5))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the statement of purpose being up to date with the care that is provided in the home. 29 August 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

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Requirement Due date

the measures of control, discipline and restraint which may be used in relation to children in the home. 29 August 2022 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC407929 9 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

the effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the measure; and

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Requirement Due date

a description of any injury to the child or any other person, and any medical treatment administered, as a result of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

within 48 hours of the use of the measure, the registered person, or a person who is authorised by the registered person to do so (“the authorised person”)—

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Requirement Due date

has spoken to the user about the measure; and

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Requirement Due date

has signed the record to confirm it is accurate; and

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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)(vii)(viii)(b)(i)(ii)(c))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must make arrangements for the handling, recording, safekeeping, safe administration and disposal of medicines received into the children’s home.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that—

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Requirement Due date

medicines kept in the home are stored in a secure place so as to prevent any child from having unsupervised access to them. (Regulation 23 (1) (2)(a))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that medication is stored safely.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was raised at the last inspection and was not reviewed during this inspection. 1 June 2022

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Requirement Due date

The registered person may only use devices for the monitoring or surveillance of children if— 1 June 2022 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC407929 10 the monitoring or surveillance is for the purpose of safeguarding and promoting the welfare of the child concerned, or other children. (Regulation 24 (1)(a))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that door alarms, CCTV and two-way radios are only used as set out in a child’s agreed risk assessment.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was raised at the last inspection and was not reviewed during this inspection.

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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 the person has the appropriate experience, qualification and skills to manage the home effectively and lead the care of children (Regulation 28 (1)(b) 29 August 2022

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees—

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Requirement Due date

receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience; and

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Requirement Due date

have their performance and fitness to perform their roles appraised at least once every year. (Regulation 33 (4)(b)(c))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to managers ensuring that all staff working in the home receive practice-related supervision and appraisals. 29 August 2022

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain records (“case records”) for each child which—

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Requirement Due date

include the information and documents listed in Schedule 3 in relation to each child. (Regulation 36 (1)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the need for the home to have children’s up-to-date care plans and education plans. 24 July 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— 29 August 2022 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC407929 11 maintain in the home the records in Schedule 4. (Regulation 37 (1) (2)(a))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring there is an accurate and up-to-date record of the staff who have worked in the home.

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Requirement Due date

*These requirements are subject to a compliance notice.

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Recommendation

 The registered person should have a workforce plan which can fulfil the workforce-related requirements of regulation 16, schedule 1. The plan should be updated to include any new training and qualifications completed by staff and used to record the ongoing training and continuing professional development needs of staff, including the home’s manager. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 53, paragraph 10.8)

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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: SC407929 12

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Inspectors

Sarah Billett, Social Care Inspection Manager Alison Cooper, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC407929 13 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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