Children's home run by Wrottesley Care Limited

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1280623 1

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Information about this children’s home

This is a privately owned children’s home run by a small company. The home is registered to provide care for up to three children with complex needs.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has been the registered manager of the home since 26 September 2022. She has the appropriate qualifications and experience for the post.

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Information about this children’s home

This children’s home was judged inadequate at the full inspection on 27 September 2022, due to shortfalls in all areas that impacted negatively on the quality of care that children receive and the progress they were making. This monitoring visit was to review the progress being made by leaders to meet the shortfalls raised and improve the quality of care that children receive.

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Information about this children’s home

Three children live in the home and no children have moved in to or from the home since the last inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

Two of the three children are in full-time education and are making good progress. One child has not attended education in this academic year. The manager is working with the local authority to meet the child’s education needs to address the issue with the child’s out-of-date education, health and care plan (EHC plan) and ensure that the child’s social worker is advocating on behalf of the child. Staff have supported the child to consider possible future education courses and make an application to attend college. The child is currently waiting to attend an interview for the course they have chosen. The child told the inspector that they were happy to do the new course and are waiting for it to be agreed. As a result, they feel included in the decision-making regarding their education and future goals.

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Information about this children’s home

Managers have reviewed the need to use bedroom door alarms and have made a decision that children can be effectively safeguarded without them. As a result, children are living in a more homely environment. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1280623 2 The manager and responsible individual have reviewed the previous complaints where children had not received a written response. The responsible individual has now written to children explaining the outcome of their complaint. As a result, children are better informed and know that their complaints have been taken seriously.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager and responsible individual are open to making changes and improvements. They are working as a team to ensure that the staff have the appropriate skills and guidance that they require. There is a plan for staff training that is to be implemented in the coming weeks.

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Information about this children’s home

During the monitoring visit, one child was having their bedroom redecorated. The managers spoke of this as being a significant step for the child and reflected on their journey. Consequently, managers are able to see the progress that children make where there is no specific measure for this. This demonstrates that they know children well and recognise their individual successes.

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Information about this children’s home

Further requirements raised at the full inspection will be reviewed at the next full inspection in line with the specified timeframes.

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Information about this children’s home

This has been a positive monitoring visit, and steps are being taken to make improvements to the quality of care that children receive and staff practice. Leaders and managers have a plan of action and are actively trying to embed changes.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 27/09/2022 Full Inadequate 16/03/2022 Interim Improved effectiveness 21/04/2021 Full Requires improvement to be good 02/12/2019 Interim Improved effectiveness Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1280623 3

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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. (Regulation 9 (1))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to staff planning to support all children to have a holiday. 1 December 2022

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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; have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(i)(iii)(v)(vi)(b)(d))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to staff ensuring that children are safeguarded effectively and that they are appropriately supported when missing from the home, including by collecting them at their request.

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Requirement Due date

Additionally, staff are to follow children’s missing-from-home protocols to avoid delays in children being reported missing from home.

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Requirement Due date

It also relates to ensuring that children’s plans identify the actions to be taken by staff when risks occur. 30 November 2022 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1280623 4 It also relates to ensuring that lockable doors can be opened by staff in the event of an emergency.

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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

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

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

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)(c)(f)(h))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the registered manager giving staff guidance that promotes the welfare and safety of children when they are missing from home.

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Requirement Due date

The registered manager should ensure that staff have the skills to manage children’s behaviours and not direct them to call the police without good reason.

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Requirement Due date

The registered manager should recognise and address poor practice when having oversight of the actions taken by staff when children are missing from home.

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Requirement Due date

Staff should receive training in relation to children’s known risks and vulnerabilities. 30 November 2022

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that— 30 November 2022 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1280623 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

the effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the measure. (Regulation 35 (3)(a)(vii))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must complete a review of the quality of care provided for children ("a quality of care review") at least once every 6 months.

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Requirement Due date

In order to complete a quality of care review the registered person must establish and maintain a system for monitoring, reviewing and evaluating—

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Requirement Due date

the feedback and opinions of children about the children’s home, its facilities and the quality of care they receive in it. (Regulation 45 (1) (2)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was raised at the previous inspection and is restated. 31 January 2023

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Recommendations

 14.4 Staff should be familiar with the home’s policies on record-keeping and understand the importance of careful, objective, and clear recording. Staff should record information on individual children in a non-stigmatising way that distinguishes between fact, opinion and third-party information. Information about the child must always be recorded in a way that will be helpful to the child. This specifically relates to records being child friendly and using terminology that in not institutional, recognising that the home is a home for children and not a ‘site’. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4)

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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: 1280623 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Wrottesley Care Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Office 28, 28 Cleveland Street, Wolverhampton WV1 3HT

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Inspector

Jodie Lewis, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1280623 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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