Children's Home run by Barnardo’s in Oxfordshire

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC013143 1 SC013143 Registered provider: Barnardo’s

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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 has been no registered manager in post since 2 April 2021.

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This monitoring visit

Widespread concerns in the care of children were found in the last assurance inspection carried out on 8 September 2022.

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This monitoring visit

At this monitoring visit, Ofsted has found that improvements have been made in the care of children. The four compliance notices issued have been met. Most of the requirements made at the last inspection have been met. However, regulation 13 (The leadership and management standard) and regulation 14 (The care planning standard) remain unmet and have been restated.

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This monitoring visit

Children are now living in a homely environment. Extensive refurbishment and redecoration have taken place. All areas of the home are now clean and well maintained. Children’s bedrooms now have toys, pictures and furnishings that have been chosen by the children. New curtains and privacy film have been fitted to children’s bedroom windows to secure the children’s privacy.

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This monitoring visit

Matching of children still requires further scrutiny. For example, some children still require constant separation in the home due to their different interests and the way they present their emotions and feelings.

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This monitoring visit

Shortages in the supply of well-balanced meals for the children have been recognised by the management and have been rectified by the recruitment of a Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC013143 2 cook. Daily menu planning is now capturing children’s preferences while recognising the importance of providing children with a healthy diet.

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This monitoring visit

Senior managers now have oversight of some of the children’s activity risk assessments. However, further improvement is needed to ensure that there is better management oversight of all risk assessments.

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This monitoring visit

A clear process of recording and reporting incidents to external agencies has been implemented. This is reinforced by a new manager’s audit system that helps managers quicky identify and evaluate incidents.

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This monitoring visit

Managers are ensuring that concerns are addressed, investigated and conclusions shared with all relevant individuals, including Ofsted.

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This monitoring visit

Surveillance systems are being used to monitor children with the consent of children’s placing local authorities.

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This monitoring visit

Managers are quickly addressing and evaluating all medication errors. All staff, including agency staff, have been booked on medication training.

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This monitoring visit

A new manager has been recruited alongside n ew staff who are currently undergoing all the required recruitment checks. However, this does not address the ongoing reliance on agency staff to maintain the required staffing levels.

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This monitoring visit

Staff, managers and regular agency staff now receive regular, practice-related supervision. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC013143 3

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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 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC013143 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 the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child; and

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home’s 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. 27 January 2023

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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

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. 27 January 2023 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC013143 5 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))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated. 27 January 2023

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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: SC013143 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Barnardo’s, 1 Lumley Court, Drum Industrial Estate, Chester Le Street, County Durham DH2 1AN

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Inspector

Alphie Khumalo, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC013143 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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