Children's Home run by Care Perspectives Ltd in Walsall

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1263977 1

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Information about this children’s home

This home provides care for up to eight children with mental health difficulties and/or associated complex needs. The home was registered in December 2017. There were seven children living in the home at the time of this visit.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager was registered with Ofsted in July 2022.

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This monitoring visit

On 8 July 2022, an assurance inspection was undertaken and identified serious failures in the help and protection of children. A compliance notice was issued under regulation 12, the protection of children standard.

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This monitoring visit

The purpose of this monitoring visit was to review progress in meeting the compliance notice. The inspector found that insufficient progress had been made and the compliance notice was considered unmet. The compliance notice has been reissued. In addition, two further compliance notices have been issued under regulation 13, the leadership and management standard, and regulation 21, the privacy and access standard.

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This monitoring visit

The risk management of children is inadequate. Managers have failed to review risk assessments to consider children’s behaviours and risks. This means that staff are not given clear guidance on how to minimise risks and promote positive relationships between children.

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This monitoring visit

Some risk assessments have been updated; however, staff have yet to read these. On the day of the visit, a folder containing the printed versions of the risk assessments could not be located. This does not demonstrate an effective approach to the safeguarding of children.

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This monitoring visit

Staff do not ensure that children are appropriately supervised. As a result, a child has alleged that they were harmed. The registered manager has not adequately Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1263977 2 considered whether steps need to be taken to address staff practice in relation to this and other similar incidents.

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This monitoring visit

The registered manager has imposed unnecessary restrictive practice to manage children’s risks and behaviours. Staff are restricting the movements of all children across the home, and have placed locks on doors. This blanket approach deprives children of their liberty and ability to freely move around their home. Children are frustrated with the restrictions that are imposed on them.

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This monitoring visit

The registered manager’s oversight of the quality of care provided to children is insufficient. The current care arrangements provided to children are not consistent with the aims and ethos as described in the home’s statement of purpose. The registered manager has failed to drive forward improvements in the care provided to children. This has impacted negatively on the safety and experiences of children who live at the home. Three children raised concerns regarding their current care arrangements. Children expressed frustration with the restrictions imposed on them.

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This monitoring visit

The registered manager has not provided Ofsted with an accurate and up-to-date statement of purpose in the required timeframes.

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This monitoring visit

The requirements raised at the last inspection were not considered at this visit so will be carried over to the next inspection.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 06/06/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good 29/03/2022 Interim Sustained effectiveness 23/06/2021 Full Requires improvement to be good 11/03/2020 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1263977 3

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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

In meeting the quality standards, the registered person must, and must ensure that staff—

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Requirement Due date

seek to secure the input and services required to meet each child’s needs;

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Requirement Due date

if the registered person considers, or staff consider, a placing authority’s or a relevant person’s performance or response to be inadequate in relation to their role, challenge the placing authority or the relevant person to seek to ensure that each child’s needs are met in accordance with the child’s relevant plans. (Regulation 5 (b)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person should ensure that when the needs of children are not met by others, they effectively escalate their concerns. 25 September

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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;

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Requirement Due date

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare; and 25 September Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1263977 4 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;

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Requirement Due date

that the premises used for the purposes of the home are located so that children are effectively safeguarded. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(iii)(vi)(vii)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the manager must ensure that when there are concerns about the safety and welfare of children, that child protection policies are adhered to and that effective action is taken. The manager must ensure that staff have the necessary skills to consider risks to children and take appropriate action in response. When a child is not at the home, thorough risk assessment that considers the location should be in place.

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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— that staff—

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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

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

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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)(i)(iv)(vi))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the manager must ensure that risk assessments are in place for all children and that staff read, understand and follow these risk assessments.

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Requirement Due date

The manager must ensure that swift and effective action is taken when there is a concern around a child’s welfare. 25 September Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1263977 5 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 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

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. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c)(g)(ii))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the manager should ensure that staff have the experience and skills to make decisions that consider the needs of the children, taking into account risks.

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Requirement Due date

In addition, the manager should ensure that when children receive feedback on their experiences in a child-centred manner, that it is evidence based. 25 September

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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

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)(h)) 25 September Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1263977 6 In particular, the manager must ensure that all children receive care as outlined in the home’s statement of purpose.

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Requirement Due date

The manager must ensure that monitoring systems in place are effective and that shortfalls are recognised and effectively responded to.

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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.

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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 each child’s relevant plans are followed. (Regulation 14 (1)(a) (2)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the manager should ensure that children receive care and support in line with their care plans and individual needs. 25 September

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Requirement Due date

keep the statement of purpose under review and, where appropriate, revise it; and

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Requirement Due date

notify HMCI of any revisions and send HMCI a copy of the revised statement within 28 days of the revision. (Regulation 16 (3)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the manager must ensure that they provide Ofsted with any revisions of the statement of purpose within the required timeframes. 25 September

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Requirement Due date

*The registered person must ensure that—

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Requirement Due date

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

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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 intended to safeguard each child accommodated in the home;

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Requirement Due date

is necessary and proportionate; 25 September Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1263977 7 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)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the manager must ensure that blanket restrictions are not used within the home. Any restriction must be necessary and proportionate, and must be care planned and risk assessed.

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the records are kept up to date. (Regulation 37 (2)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the manager should ensure that all case records are up to date and are clear and objective. 25 September

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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 (3)(b)(i)(ii)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the manager should ensure that the user is spoken to about the measure and that records evidence reflective challenge to staff practice with the aim of learning from and developing the staff approach. The manager or an authorised person should confirm that they have spoken to the child within five days. 25 September

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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; 25 September Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1263977 8 there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40 (4)(c)(e))

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Requirement Due date

*These requirements are subject to a compliance notice.

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that supervision is child centred. Supervision should enable staff to reflect and act upon how their own feelings and behaviour may be affected by the behaviour of the children they care for. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 39, paragraph 8.15)

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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: 1263977 9

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Care Perspectives Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 36 Frederick Street, Loughborough LE11 3BJ

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Rodrigo Ferreira

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Inspector

Debbie Holder, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1263977 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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