Children's home run by Halliwell Homes Limited in Staffordshire Moorlands

Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: SC470224 1 SC470224

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Halliwell Homes Limited

Inspected under the social care common inspection framework.

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Information about this children’s home

This is a private children’s home that provides care for up to ten children. The home’s statement of purpose states that children living in this home may have a range of social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The home registered in November 2013. The home is currently operating without a registered manager. He left his position in April 2022. A new manager started her role in June 2022. She is suitably qualified and experienced. She will apply to Ofsted for registration.

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This monitoring visit

Ofsted carried out a visit to the home to monitor two compliance notices that were served under regulation 12 and 13 following the home’s full inspection on 21 June 2022. The compliance notices related to the lack of manager oversight and monitoring, to arrangements for safeguarding children that were inadequate and to poor assessment of risk to support children to reduce their risk-taking behaviour. At the time of the monitoring inspection, seven children were living at the home. The inspector found that suitable action had been taken to meet both compliance notices.

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This monitoring visit

A restriction of accommodation notice was served on 23 June 2022 with immediate effect until 15 September 2022. The provider has complied with this notice, as no children have been admitted to the home since the last inspection. However, the restriction of accommodation notice remains in place.

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This monitoring visit

Staff told the inspector that there have been improvements in the safeguarding of children, a more robust approach to allegation management and some improvements in the leadership of the home since the last inspection. The staff and Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: SC470224 2 children spoken to by the inspector reported that they have confidence in the new manager, and they spoke positively of her approach.

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This monitoring visit

Allegation records provide evidence of a safe and swift approach to keeping both children and staff safe. Children are supported throughout the investigation process, and, when suitable, restorative work is used to repair children’s relationships with staff or to discuss their feelings and understanding of the process. Managers now use lessons learned exercises effectively in order to reflect on the management of allegations. However, on one occasion, a placing authority’s out of hours team was not notified about a child’s allegation against a member of staff. Although the child did not allege any physical harm, this is not in line with good practice in order to ensure that a consistent approach is taken in relation to allegation management.

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This monitoring visit

Clear arrangements have been implemented to ensure that there is no conflict of interest or compromise of safeguarding investigations when managers with personal relationships with other staff members are working in the home. Staff are clear about the lines of accountability for the home, and who they should report concerns to if they have any concerns about a child’s safety or welfare. This has been revisited with staff at a team meeting, chaired by senior managers.

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This monitoring visit

The quality of behaviour support plans and health plans has improved. They are overseen by the manager to ensure that they are kept up to date. Children’s specific risks are identified and there are clear strategies for staff to follow to help children reduce their risk-taking behaviour. Records provide evidence that staff follow specific guidance set out in children’s plans in order to keep them safe, such as completing regular checks to monitor children’s mobile phone activity and taking suitable action when children are at risk of self-injurious behaviour.

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This monitoring visit

Key-work sessions focus on reducing children’s risk-taking behaviour and educating them about making safer choices. Referrals are made to appropriate external agencies and internal professionals to keep children safe. There is an improved multi-agency approach being developed to support children effectively. The prevent team, nutritionists and agencies that offer support associated with child and teenage eating disorders are accessed, and plans for children to receive regular direct work are in place.

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This monitoring visit

Children’s virtual family time is now facilitated through smart phones purchased for the home. Staff are no longer permitted to use their own phones to support children with video calls, and the manager monitors this closely. Additionally, staff spoken to understand the company policies associated with children not accessing staff personal phones.

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This monitoring visit

Safer recruitment has been improved, particularly relating to the scrutiny of any gaps in staff employment. Senior managers have spent time with human resources to review their oversight of safer recruitment and ensure that suitable checks are in place. Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: SC470224 3 The home environment has improved significantly. Bathrooms are being refurbished and new carpets are being laid throughout the home. The home is cleaner, furnishings are to a higher standard and children’s bedrooms have been personalised and made more homely. Children’s bedrooms reflected more investment and care from the staff team. Furthermore, children said they were happy with the improvements to their home.

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This monitoring visit

Both children and staff reported that the staff team has started to stabilise. There has been minimal staff turnover and staff morale has improved. Some staff have been seconded from another home, and new staff have been recruited. These new staff will be slowly integrated into the home to support the continuity of care for children and to ensure that there is as little disruption to care as possible. Staffing levels are sufficient to meet the needs of children living in the home and to sustain specific staff to child ratios.

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This monitoring visit

The remaining areas of concern raised at the full inspection were not looked at during this visit. Therefore, they remain requirements and recommendations until the home’s next inspection. Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: SC470224 4

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 21/06/2022 Full Inadequate 28/07/2021 Full Good 18/12/2019 Interim Declined in effectiveness 25/06/2019 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: SC470224 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 registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety.

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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.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that full information is available in relation to each of the matters listed. 17 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;

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that children’s case records are kept up to date. This was a requirement at the last inspection and is reinstated. 17 August 2022

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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

there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there; 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.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 40 (4)(c)(e)) 17 August 2022 Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: SC470224 6 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

When the independent person is carrying out a visit, the registered person must help the independent person—

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Requirement Due date

if they consent, to interview in private such of the children, their parents, relatives and persons working at the home as the independent person requires.

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Requirement Due date

The independent person must produce a report about a visit ("the independent person’s report") which sets out, in particular, the independent person’s opinion as to whether—

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Requirement Due date

children are effectively safeguarded; and

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Requirement Due date

the conduct of the home promotes children’s well-being.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that the independent person seeks feedback from others, improves the evaluative content of the report and states their opinion as to whether children are effectively safeguarded. 17 August 2022

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that the relevant officer or teams within the local authority should be informed promptly of all allegations that come to an employer’s attention or that are made directly to the police. Specifically, the placing authority out of hours or duty team should be notified without delay of any allegation made by a child when their social worker is not available. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 44, paragraph 9.18)  The registered person should ensure that records show information relating to children’s access to return home interviews after incidents of children going missing from care, specifically when they have raised this with the child’s placing authority. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 45, paragraph 9.30)

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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: SC470224 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Halliwell Homes Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Pearce House, 80 Cawdor Street, Eccles M30 0QF

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Inspector

Cheryl Field, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: SC470224 8 regulates and inspects 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 who looked after, safeguarding and child protection. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or

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Inspector

medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

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Inspector

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Inspector

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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