Children's Home run by Impact For Change Ltd in Devon

Inspection report for children’s home: 2549629 1 Registered provider: Impact For Change Ltd Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is part of a small organisation. The home provides care for up to three children. At the time of the inspection, two children were living in the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager has been in post since February 2020.

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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 and widespread failures that mean children and young people are not protected or their welfare is not promoted or safeguarded, and the care and experiences of children and young people are poor and they are not making progress.

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inadequate

Date of last inspection: 27 September 2021

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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: 2549629 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

27/09/2021 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2549629 3

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inadequate

Leaders and managers have failed to ensure that the home provides the care and support outlined in its statement of purpose.

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inadequate

There are two children living in the home. Since the previous inspection in September 2021, six children have lived in the home. Leaders and managers have failed to ensure that all children have a positive experience when moving in and out of the home. Three children moved out of the home in an unplanned way because leaders and managers recognised, they could not keep them safe or meet their needs. In doing so, form some of these children were unable to form long-lasting relationships.

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inadequate

Children are not sufficiently consulted with, and staff are not always given sufficient time to reflect on endings and beginnings of relationships. For example, one child is recorded as becoming distressed and agitated when they learned of a new child moving into the home. This incident reflects the impact for children of not investing time in preparing them for the arrival of new children in the home.

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inadequate

Children’s progress is variable. The two children living in the home go to school and participate in fun activities when at home. Social workers spoke positively of the progress some of the children have made, and records capture the attempts by staff to engage with the children. However, despite these attempts, records evidenced staff failing to positively engage the children when they are most upset. This has directly resulted in the children becoming increasingly distressed. Children have displayed their distress through repeatedly causing substantial and extensive damage to the home and property. The inspector noted damage and broken items throughout the house. Leaders and managers assured the inspector they had plans to carry out repairs.

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

Since the previous inspection in September 2021, the registered manager and staff have struggled to meet the needs and manage the behaviour of most of the children who have lived, and currently live, in the home. Leaders and managers have been swift to recognise when they are not able to safeguard the children. They take decisive action to move them on. However, the number of staff who have been seriously injured is concerning and is a measure of how leaders and managers have failed to support and train staff to manage the behaviour of children with complex needs. For example, some staff have been seriously injured by children throwing objects at them, assaulting them with a knife and fork, or by being kicked or punched. Inspection report for children’s home: 2549629 4 A high number of serious incidents have occurred since the previous inspection. These incidents have resulted in injuries to children and staff and extensive damage

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

to the property. Furniture, windows, doors and cars have been repeatedly damaged. These incidents have been lengthy and have at times continued through the night. On more than one occasion, police have been called to the home to assist staff with managing children’s behaviours. As a result, the children have experienced being arrested, being held in custody and potentially facing criminal charges.

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

Staff physically intervene when children are placing themselves and others at risk. In the main, these interventions are appropriate and proportionate. However, on two occasions, staff failed to undertake safe holds and placed themselves and the children at risk of injury.

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

Staff know how to respond to children when they go missing, and records evidence the attempts by staff to prevent episodes of children going missing. However, despite attempts leaders and managers were unable to manage the risks of two children using their mobile phones. As a result, the children’s misuse of the phone directly led to the children going missing and the subsequent risk of exploitation.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Leaders and managers have failed to ensure the children are supported and kept safe in line with their plans. Records capture the sharing of information and partnership working during what has been an extremely challenging period. Despite this, the registered manager has not been able to sufficiently influence the behaviours of some of the children. As a result, some of the children have had to experience unplanned endings to their time living in the home, and have not made sufficient or sustained progress.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Leaders and managers failed to evaluate sufficiently the impact of children moving into the home. As a result, the range of needs of the children living in the home has meant that they have not always been well matched to live together.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The registered manager and the staff have not been able to meet the needs of the children. Training and supervision are provided, and staff told the inspector that they valued this support. However, despite this, leaders and managers have failed to adequately equip staff to meet the children’s complex needs and consequently, at times, they exhibit behaviours which place themselves and others, including staff at risk.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Leaders and managers recognise that there are too many incidents occurring in the home, and that they have not been able to reduce or prevent these incidents. They have taken immediate action to safeguard the children and are in the process of completing a review of practice and procedures. Seven requirements are made because of the serious and widespread failings identified during this inspection. Ofsted will continue to monitor the actions taken by the provider. Inspection report for children’s home: 2549629 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

understand and apply the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

understand and apply the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

protect and promote each child’s welfare;

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Requirement Due date

treat each child with dignity and respect;

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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)(a)(b)(i)(ii)(iii)(c)(i))

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Requirement Due date

This directly relates to the leaders and managers ensuring there is a consistent staff team that is sufficiently skilled and experienced to understand and support children with complex needs. 4 November 2022

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Requirement Due date

The children’s views, wishes and feelings standard is that children receive care from staff who— 4 November 2022 Inspection report for children’s home: 2549629 6 develop positive relationships with them;

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Requirement Due date

take their views, wishes and feelings into account in relation to matters affecting the children’s care and welfare and their lives.

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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

ascertain and consider each child’s views, wishes and feelings, and balance these against what they judge to be in the child’s best interests when making decisions about the child’s care and welfare;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to express views, wishes and feelings;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand how the child’s views, wishes and feelings have been taken into account and give the child reasons for decisions in relation to the child (Regulation 7 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii))

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Requirement Due date

Leaders and managers must ensure that they consult with all children, capture their views and respond, and reassure them prior to other children moving into their home.

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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;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to develop socially aware behaviour; 04 November Inspection report for children’s home: 2549629 7 encourage each child to take responsibility for the child’s behaviour, in accordance with the child’s age and understanding;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to develop and practise skills to resolve conflicts positively and without harm to anyone;

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Requirement Due date

communicate to each child expectations about the child’s behaviour and ensure that the child understands those expectations in accordance with the child’s age and understanding;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to develop the understanding and skills to recognise or withdraw from a damaging, exploitative or harmful relationship;

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Requirement Due date

strive to gain each child’s respect and trust;

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Requirement Due date

understand how children’s previous experiences and present emotions can be communicated through behaviour and have the competence and skills to interpret these and develop positive relationships with children;

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Requirement Due date

de-escalate confrontations with or between children, or potentially violent behaviour by children (Regulation 11 (1)(a)(b)(9) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(vi)(vii)(vii)(ix)(xi))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to leaders and managers ensuring that staff are provided with the skills and support to enable them to build positive and trusting relationships with children. Staff are to be equipped with strategies to safeguard children when they are upset and prevent the children from becoming so upset that they damage and destroy their home.

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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

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm; 4 November 2022 Inspection report for children’s home: 2549629 8 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; and

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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;

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Requirement Due date

that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed, furnished and maintained so as to protect each child from avoidable hazards to the child’s health (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(iii)(iv)(vi)(b)(c)(d))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the leaders and managers ensuring that children are kept safe in and outside the home, and that they live in a home that is free from damage.

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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; 04 November Inspection report for children’s home: 2549629 9 understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home;

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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

research and developments in relation to the ways in which the needs of children are best met; and

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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)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(c)(d)(e)(f)(g)(i)ii)(h))

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Requirement Due date

Leaders and managers must ensure there are sufficient staff, in line with each of the child’s care plans, across a 24-hour period and when there is a lack of staff that there are clear and explicit plans for how the children will be supported safely.

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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

plan for, and help, each child to prepare to leave the home or to move into adult care in a way that is consistent with arrangements agreed with the child’s placing authority (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(i)(iii)) 04 November Inspection report for children’s home: 2549629 10 This specifically relates to the leaders and managers ensuring they robustly and strategically plan for the move of children in and out of the home, and that moves are not rushed and allow sufficient time for all the staff to be prepared for a child’s arrival.

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Requirement Due date

Restraint in relation to a child is only permitted for the purpose of preventing—

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Requirement Due date

injury to any person (including the child);

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Requirement Due date

serious damage to the property of any person (including the child);

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Requirement Due date

Restraint in relation to a child must be necessary and proportionate (Regulation 20 (1)(a)(b) (2))

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Requirement Due date

Leaders and managers must ensure that staff undertake physical intervention that is in line with their training and the home’s protocols and that no hold is unsafe. 04 November

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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: 2549629 11

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Impact For Change Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Canns Down Press, Beaford, Winkleigh, Devon EX19 8LZ

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Nicholas Scribbins

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Children’s home details

Registered manager: Hannah Lloyd-Perkins

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Inspector

Linda Bond, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2549629 12 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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