Children's home run by Exceptional Care Limited

Inspection report for children’s home: 2537801 1 Registered provider: Exceptional Care Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is operated by a private company. It currently provides care and accommodation for up to three children.

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Information about this children’s home

There is no registered manager in post. A new manager has been appointed but has not yet applied to Ofsted for registration.

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Information about this children’s home

Inspectors were aware during this inspection that a serious incident that had occurred at the setting since the previous inspection is under investigation by the appropriate authorities. While Ofsted does not have the power to investigate incidents of this kind, actions taken by the setting in response to the incident were considered (where appropriate) alongside other evidence available at the time of the inspection to inform inspectors’ judgements.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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inadequate

How well children and young people are helped and protected inadequate

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inadequate

The effectiveness of leaders and managers inadequate

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inadequate

There are serious failures that mean children are not safeguarded.

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inadequate

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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inadequate

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2537801 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

23/06/2021 Full Good 18/02/2020 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2537801 3

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inadequate

Significant shortfalls identified in respect of safeguarding and leadership and management have hindered the experiences and progress of children living in this home.

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inadequate

Children have not made good progress since the home was last inspected. Some children have experienced disruption to their lives due to shortfalls in the care provided to them by staff. This has resulted in a placement breakdown for one child. Another child has had to temporarily move out of the home.

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inadequate

Children’s relationships are not always positive, either with each other or with staff. On some occasions, children have influenced others to engage in disruptive behaviour. They have caused significant damage to the home as a result. Some staff have been assaulted during incidents when children have been unable to regulate their emotions or behaviour.

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inadequate

Outcomes and experiences for two children have been disrupted in several areas, including attendance at school and engagement with staff. There has also been a significant escalation in missing-from-home and self-harm incidents.

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inadequate

Some positives were identified, in relation to the direct work that staff provide for children. This helps children to learn and understand information which is relevant and important to them.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: inadequate

There are significant shortfalls relating to staff pre-employment and suitability checks. Gaps in employment history are not explored or scrutinised. There are weaknesses in relation to risk assessments which consider staff’s criminal offences. Risks relating to these are not accurately assessed. Inspectors found a lack of information-gathering and investigation in respect of employees’ previous referrals to safeguarding partners. This means that those working with children in the home have not been thoroughly assessed as safe to do so. Appropriate safeguards to protect children from harm are not being implemented.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: inadequate

There were two occasions when concerns were raised in respect of a staff member’s conduct. Sufficient action was not taken to investigate these concerns and staff practice in the home. Additionally, managers and staff have not recognised signs of potential abuse, misconduct or breaches of professional boundaries. This has had a direct impact on children’s safety, well-being and progress in the home. Inspection report for children’s home: 2537801 4 An absence of professional boundaries has led to staff not knowing or understanding what acceptable professional practice looks like. This has resulted in children not being safeguarded effectively on several occasions.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

There is no registered manager in post. At the time of the inspection, the previous manager had decided to withdraw her application to register. A new manager has been employed but has not yet started work.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Written communication between staff and children is not well monitored or reviewed. Children’s risk assessments identify the use of handwritten notes by children to staff as a strategy to support them to share their feelings. However, processes in place to document and review written communication are not clear and are not implemented by all staff. This has allowed inappropriate and unprofessional communication to occur.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Leaders and managers have failed to take appropriate action following concerns raised by people external to the home. Leaders and managers did not thoroughly investigate concerns raised. Nor did they implement appropriate monitoring or put the necessary safeguards in place to protect a child. This has been detrimental to the child’s safety and welfare.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Managers and staff have failed to recognise and act on signs of misconduct and potential abuse. This does not demonstrate that staff have the correct skills and knowledge to identify and act on warning signs or concerns. This puts children at increased risk of harm and hinders staff’s ability to protect children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

On some occasions, leaders and managers have demonstrated the ability to reflect, analyse, explore and understand children’s behaviours, needs and feelings. This is particularly apparent in respect of behaviours arising from self-harm, suicidal ideation and missing-from-home incidents. Action plans formed as a result have helped staff to support children and provide an individualised response.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Inspectors deemed that sufficient progress had been made to meet the requirements and recommendations from the previous inspection. Inspection report for children’s home: 2537801 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 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

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; and

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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;

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Requirement Due date

that the effectiveness of the home’s child protection policies is monitored regularly. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(iii)(v)(vi)(vii)(b)(e)) 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— 25 September Inspection report for children’s home: 2537801 6 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

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

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)(b) (2)(a)(c)(g)(ii)(h))

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Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children—

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Requirement Due date

have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the 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)(b) (2)(c)) 25 September

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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

The requirements are that— 25 September Inspection report for children’s home: 2537801 7 the individual is of integrity and good character;

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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)(a)(d))

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Requirement Due date

*These requirements are subject to a compliance notice.

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people, using the social care common inspection framework. This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000 to assess the effectiveness of the service, how it meets the core functions of the service as set out in legislation, and to consider how well it complies with the Children’s Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the ‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’. Inspection report for children’s home: 2537801 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Exceptional Care Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Exceptional Care Limited, Malthouse Business Centre, Southport Road, Ormskirk L39 1QR

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Inspectors

Natalie Bennett, Social Care Inspector Charlie Bamber, Social Care Compliance Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2537801 9 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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