Children's home run by Exceptional Care Limited in Knowsley

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC483070 1 SC483070

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Information about this children’s home

This privately run children’s home provides care for up to four children. The home’s statement of purpose states that children living in this home may have a range of social and emotional difficulties. There are currently three children living in the home.

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Information about this children’s home

There is a suitably qualified manager in place, who registered with Ofsted in April 2022.

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This monitoring visit

This children’s home was judged to have serious and widespread concerns at the assurance inspection on 24 August 2022. Compliance notices were served under regulation 12, regulation 13 and regulation 35.

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This monitoring visit

A monitoring visit was conducted on 10 October 2022 to review the progress in addressing the steps in the compliance notices.

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This monitoring visit

The provider has taken steps to address shortfalls in safeguarding practice under Regulation 12.

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This monitoring visit

The provider has undertaken targeted training sessions with staff. These sessions have been developed to address shortfalls identified at the inspection, including additional training in safeguarding, complaints, managing allegations, what risk assessment should include and signs of safety. Further guidance has been created to inform staff practice. During this visit, staff were able to clarify the changes made and talk about their understanding of safeguarding practices in the home.

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This monitoring visit

The registered manager has arranged team meetings and supervision sessions for all staff. The meetings have been used to discuss the concept of whistle-blowing and the procedure, and the expectations of staff in regard to the organisation’s safeguarding policy. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC483070 2 The risk assessment for children swimming in open water has not been reviewed, updated or shared with staff since the last inspection. Direct work had been completed with children work about the risks involved in open-water swimming.

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This monitoring visit

Individualised direct work has been completed with children. This has been undertaken by staff at the home and specialist services have been accessed when required. Consequently, children are being supported to identify strategies to become increasingly safe.

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This monitoring visit

Children’s risk assessments have been reviewed and updated in consultation with children. The quality of risk assessments has improved, and clear strategies are now in place to prevent and respond to risks that children face.

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This monitoring visit

The provider has taken steps to address shortfalls in leadership and management under Regulation 13.

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This monitoring visit

Staff were able to demonstrate to inspectors that they understand risks faced by children. However, the registered manager has failed to implement appropriate monitoring systems to ensure that all updated documents have been read by staff.

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This monitoring visit

Team meetings have been completed since the inspection. The registered manager has not ensured that all identified actions are recorded within meeting minutes, therefore, is unable to monitor that assigned tasks have been completed in identified timescales.

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This monitoring visit

The provider has introduced a new computerised system. These can be used by both staff and children to make direct contact with the responsible individual and report any concerns directly. Children are aware of this and feel confident to use this system.

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This monitoring visit

The provider has created an interactive flow chart to prompt staff when raising concerns to ensure that they are reported in line with the organisation’s policy. Furthermore, the provider has introduced weekly and monthly monitoring systems to ensure that any incidents are reviewed, and shortfalls are identified.

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This monitoring visit

The registered manager has recruited a consistent staff team to work in the home. New staff members have received a two-week induction prior to working in the home, which includes relevant training. All staff are either qualified or within timescales. This means that children are being supported by a consistent staff team with the required skills and competencies to meet their needs.

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This monitoring visit

The provider has taken steps to address shortfalls in behaviour management records under Regulation 35. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC483070 3 There have been no physical interventions since the last inspection. The registered manager has reviewed and amended documentation used to record incidents of physical intervention. Staff have received training in relation to the completion of records.

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This monitoring visit

The registered manager has taken active steps to improve the quality of debriefs for staff and ensure that learning from incidents supports the development of the wider team. This document has not yet been used in relation to physical interventions. However, the registered manager was able to show how debriefs for other incidents have been used to improve practice.

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This monitoring visit

The registered manager has not implemented a debrief specifically for children after incidents of restraint. The registered manager was able to describe expectations around children’s debriefs, but this was not documented to ensure consistency for children.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 16/06/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good 15/03/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good 19/02/2020 Full Outstanding 09/05/2018 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC483070 4

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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 health and well-being standard is that—

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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. (Regulation 10 (1)(b)(c)) 9 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 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; 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)(c)(h))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was first raised on 15 March 22. 10 November 2022

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must prepare and implement a policy (“the behaviour management policy") which sets out—

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Requirement Due date

how appropriate behaviour is to be promoted in the children’s home; and

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Requirement Due date

the measures of control, discipline and restraint which may be used in relation to children in the home.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that— 10 November 2022 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC483070 5 within 24 hours of the use of a measure of control, discipline or restraint in relation to a child in the home, a record is made which includes—

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Requirement Due date

details of any methods used or steps taken to avoid the need to use the measure;

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Requirement Due date

the name of the person who used the measure ("the user"), and of any other person present when the measure was used;

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Requirement Due date

the effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the measure; and

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Requirement Due date

a description of any injury to the child or any other person, and any medical treatment administered, as a result of the measure;

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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

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 (1)(a)(b) (3)(a)(ii)(vi)(vii)(viii)(b)(i)(c))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was first raised on 15 March 22.

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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. (Regulation 40 (4)(c)) 9 October 2022 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC483070 6

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that when a child returns to the home after being missing from care or away from the home without permission, the responsible local authority provides an opportunity for the child to have an independent return-home interview. Homes should take account of information provided by such interviews when assessing risks and putting arrangements in place to protect each child. (‘Guide to Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 45, paragraph 9.30) Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC483070 7

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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.

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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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Inspector

Amie Anders, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC483070 8 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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