Children's Home run by Barnardo’s in Oxfordshire

Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC013143 1 SC013143

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This children’s home cares for up to six children with learning disabilities, physical disabilities and sensory impairment. The service is operated by a national charitable organisation.

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Information about this children’s home

There is no registered manager in post since 2 April 2021.

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Information about this children’s home

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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Information about this children’s home

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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Information about this inspection

At this inspection, the inspector evaluated:

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Information about this inspection

 the care of children  the safety of children  the effectiveness of leaders and managers. Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children, using the social care common inspection framework. This assurance 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’. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC013143 2

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Findings from the inspection

We identified the following serious widespread concerns in relation to the care or protection of children at this assurance inspection:

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Findings from the inspection

 Shortfalls in the care of medicines.  Insufficient staffing to provide effective care to children.  Shortfalls in the home environment.  A failure to notify Ofsted of serious events.  Poor recording.  Shortfalls in how staff communicate with children’s social workers.  Failures in leadership.

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The care of children

This home was judged as requires improvement to be good at the last full inspection in April 2022.

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The care of children

At this assurance visit, Ofsted has found widespread concerns in the care of children. Four compliance notices have been issued to the registered provider under Regulation 13, The leadership and management standard; Regulation 23, Medicines; Regulation 6, The quality and purpose of care standard; Regulation 40, Notification of a serious event.

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The care of children

Managers have not addressed most of the requirements raised at the last full inspection. These ongoing shortfalls have a negative impact on children’s care.

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The care of children

The matching process when new children move into the home lacks scrutiny. For example, staff confirmed that some children find it difficult to build positive relationships with other children due to their different interests, and the way they express their feelings and emotions. The failure to fully assess children’s compatibility has resulted in some children struggling to settle in and to have positive experiences.

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The care of children

Children engage in fun and sensory based activities. They visit the local park, go to the shops and enjoy playing in the home’s sensory garden. However, some children’s planned activities and family visits continue to be cancelled or rescheduled due to staff shortages. These sudden changes unsettle the children.

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The care of children

There has been a slight improvement in the home environment. However, children’s privacy continues to be compromised. The lounge and one child’s bedroom still do not have fitted curtains. Some children continue to sleep on plastic mattresses Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC013143 3 regardless of their personal care needs. One child’s bedroom has an unpleasant smell that has not been adequately addressed.

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The safety of children

Although risk assessments are in place, some have not been reviewed regularly or been subject to managerial oversight.

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The safety of children

Although children’s behaviour management plans are regularly updated, their contents hold contradictory information that has not been picked up by managers and staff. As a result, staff do not have clear guidelines to help them to de-escalate situations and this leads to more serious incidents occurring.

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The safety of children

A member of staff has been physically assaulted by a child who had been left unsupervised. One child has also been able to physically assault another child. These incidents are recorded in the daily logs and make it hard to identify patterns and to review staff practice. Some of these incidents have not been shared with relevant external agencies, including children’s social workers. This compromises children’s safety and means that incidents do not have the required oversight.

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The safety of children

Failures in the administration of medication puts the children’s health at risk. On one occasion, staff did not obtain a child’s repeat prescription on time. Consequently, the child did not receive their prescribed medication.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

There is no registered manager in post. Senior leaders have failed to formally inform Ofsted of the recent manager’s resignation and the interim management arrangements. Although the responsible individual left their role some time ago, senior managers have failed to appoint a new responsible individual and to formally notify Ofsted of this change.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Staff sufficiency and continuity of care have been shortfalls that have been raised at the last three inspections. These shortfalls remain unresolved, resulting in children’s care being compromised.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

A planned recruitment drive has been put in place. However, this is too slow, with no clear staff retention plan in place. In an attempt to combat staff shortages, the home has needed to become reliant on using agency staff daily. The team manager and staff indicated that this has had a negative impact on the children’s care, especially on staff being able to maintain children’s routines.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

On occasions, leaders and managers have not notified Ofsted about serious events. This means that Ofsted has not been able to have the required level of regulatory oversight between inspections.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Staff and managers do not receive regular supervision meetings in line with the home’s statement of purpose. As a result, there is limited opportunity for staff to Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC013143 4 formally reflect on their practice, review their training needs and raise any concerns. This is having a negative impact on staff morale. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC013143 5

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

25/04/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good 09/08/2021 Full Good 19/02/2020 Interim Declined in effectiveness 11/06/2019 Full Good Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC013143 6

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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 enjoyment and achievement standard is that children take part in and benefit from a variety of activities that meet their needs and develop and reflect their creative, cultural, intellectual, physical and social interests and skills.

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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

develop the child’s interests and hobbies;

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Requirement Due date

participate in activities that the child enjoys, and which meet and expand the child s interests and preferences;

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Requirement Due date

make a positive contribution to the home and the wider community; and

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Requirement Due date

that each child has access to a range of activities that enable the child to pursue the child s interests and hobbies. (Regulation 9 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(b)) 23 October 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

ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child; and 23 October 2022 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC013143 7 ensure that the homes workforce provides continuity of care to each child. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b)(2)(d)(e))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated.

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Requirement Due date

The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspire s 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

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(h))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that the manager has oversight of children’s risk assessment records. 23 October 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

an incident requiring police involvement occurs in relation to a child which the registered person considers to be serious;

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Requirement Due date

there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40 (4)(b)(c))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated. 23 October 2022

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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; and

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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— 23 October 2022 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC013143 8 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

enable each child to participate in the daily life of the home. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c)(i)(ii))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees—

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Requirement Due date

undertake appropriate continuing professional development;

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Requirement Due date

undertake appropriate continuing professional development;

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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)(a)(b)(c)) 23 October 2022

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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

ordered for a patient, for provision to the patient, under or by virtue of the National Health Service Act 2006 or section 176(3) of the Health and Social Care (Community Health and Standards) Act 2003(b); or

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Requirement Due date

in a case not falling within sub-paragraph (a), prescribed for a patient in accordance with regulation 217 of the Human Medicines Regulations 2012(c). (Regulation 23 (1) (4)(a)(b)) 23 October 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;

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Requirement Due date

children receive advice, services and support in relation to their health and well-being; and

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Requirement Due date

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— 23 October 2022 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC013143 9 that staff help each child to—

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Requirement Due date

take part in activities, and attend any appointments, for the purpose of meeting the child’s health and well-being needs; and

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Requirement Due date

understand and develop skills to promote the child’s well- being. (Regulation 10 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(ii)(iv))

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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; and

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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 children are admitted to the home only if their needs are within the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the home is to provide care and accommodation, as set out in the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

ensure the effective induction of each child into the home;

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Requirement Due date

manage and review the placement of each child in the home; and

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Requirement Due date

that the child’s placing authority is contacted, and a review of that child’s relevant plans is requested, if—

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Requirement Due date

the registered person considers that the child is at risk of harm or has concerns that the care provided for the child is inadequate to meet the child’s needs. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b)(2)(a)(b)(i)(ii)(e)(i)) 23 October 2022

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Requirement Due date

An individual may only carry on a children’s home if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (5).

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Requirement Due date

An organisation may only carry on a home if—

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Requirement Due date

the organisation has notified HMCI of the name, address and position in the organisation of the responsible individual. 23 October 2022 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC013143 10 (Regulation 26 (1) (4)(ii))

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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

help each child to understand how to keep safe;

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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

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; and

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Requirement Due date

are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, that managers ensure that staff have clear plans for how to support children when their behaviours escalate. 23 October 2022

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Requirement Due date

If the registered provider appoints a person to manage the home, the registered provider must, without delay, give HMCI notice of—

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Requirement Due date

the name of the person so appointed; and

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Requirement Due date

the date on which the appointment takes effect.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 27 (2)(a)(b)) 23 October 2022 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC013143 11 *These requirements are subject to a compliance notice. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC013143 12

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Barnardos, 1 Lumley Court, Drum Industrial Estate, Chester-le-Street, County Durham DH2 1AN

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Inspector

Alphie Khumalo, Social Care Inspector Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC013143 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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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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