Children's home run by Halliwell Homes Limited in Staffordshire Moorlands

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC470224 1 SC470224

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Halliwell Homes Limited

Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is privately owned and provides care for up to 10 children. The home’s statement of purpose states that children living in this home may experience a range of social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The home is currently operating without a registered manager. A new manager started her role in August 2022. She was recruited through an internal appointment and is familiar with the children and the staff team. The manager is suitably qualified and experienced. She is in the process of applying to Ofsted for registration.

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This monitoring visit

This visit was to monitor a second notice restricting accommodation that was served on 14 September 2022 with immediate effect until 6 December 2022. At the home’s full inspection on 3 November 2022, the notice restricting accommodation was monitored and remained in place to give the manager further time to embed the improvements she had implemented.

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This monitoring visit

There are currently four children living in the home. The provider has complied with the notice restricting accommodation as no children have been admitted to the home since the last inspection. At this visit, the inspector found that there has been sufficient progress made in relation to the operation of the home for the notice restricting accommodation to be lifted.

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This monitoring visit

The manager has worked effectively with the staff team to further embed the progress made at the last full inspection in relation to the safeguarding of children, improving the quality of care and developing staff practice. The responsible individual has continued to support the manager in her role and maintained ongoing oversight and supervision of the management of the home. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC470224 2 The children are relaxed, happy and settled in their home. They speak fondly of the staff team and the support they provide them. The home environment continues to improve, and it is maintained by the staff team to a good standard.

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This monitoring visit

The staff are more settled in their roles and team morale is positive. The manager has focused on staff’s understanding of their roles and responsibilities. She ensures that all staff receive practice-related supervision on a regular basis. This provides staff with a forum to discuss their practice and any safeguarding concerns. The manager has also introduced weekly drop-in development sessions for staff, to support them in areas of their roles that they require progression.

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This monitoring visit

There continues to be safe and appropriate numbers of staff on shift to meet the children’s needs. Staff from other homes and agencies are no longer used on a regular basis. This has offered continuity of care to the children. New staff have been recruited to fill the vacancies in the staff team, including internal appointments of two new deputy managers. The manager is working hard to develop staff who are new to their positions to ensure that they are working to her expectations.

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This monitoring visit

The use of restraint has reduced significantly. Restraints are safely managed, used as a last resort and proportionate. The manager oversees all restraint records to check that they are recorded appropriately and to ensure that debriefs with staff or children are undertaken by someone impartial to the incident. She identifies patterns or trends in children’s behaviour and makes recommendations when she feels that there could be changes made to support children to manage their behaviour more effectively.

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This monitoring visit

Children who are at risk of child sexual exploitation or self-injurious behaviours have clear and up-to-date risk assessments. Referrals have been made to the appropriate external professionals to provide children with additional support to help them to reduce their exposure to risk situations. The manager has arranged child sexual exploitation training for the staff team; however, this has not yet been carried out. This was a requirement at the last inspection and so it has been restated.

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This monitoring visit

Following a serious incident, staff acted promptly to have the child assessed by medical professionals. Additional room searches and increased welfare checks were agreed in order to keep the child safe. Room search records have improved in quality. They evidence that children are supported to understand why the room search is required and the action that staff have taken to keep children safe.

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This monitoring visit

Consequences are rarely used. The manager oversees all consequences to ensure that they are appropriate and effective. The manager has introduced a restorative approach to support children to make positive choices about their behaviour. This has been followed up with the staff in a team meeting, to provide clear guidance about the appropriate use of consequences and how they should be recorded. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC470224 3 The remaining areas of concern raised at the full inspection were not looked at during this visit. Therefore, they remain requirements and recommendations until the home’s next inspection.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

03/10/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good 21/06/2022 Full Inadequate 28/07/2021 Full Good 18/12/2019 Interim Declined in effectiveness Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC470224 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 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 staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person should ensure that all staff have been provided with child sexual exploitation training. 16 December 2022

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain records (“case records”) for each child which—

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Requirement Due date

include the information and documents listed in Schedule 3 in relation to each child;

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Requirement Due date

are kept up to date. (Regulation 36 (1)(a)(b)) 16 November 2022

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that staff have the skills and confidence to communicate easily and understand the importance of listening to, involving, and responding to the children in their care. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 22, paragraph 4.10) Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC470224 5

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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: SC470224 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Halliwell Homes Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Pearce House, 80 Cawdor Street, Eccles M30 0QF

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Inspector

Cheryl Field, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC470224 7 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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