Children's Home run by Inspire Children’s Services Limited in Lancashire

Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC485318 1 SC485318 Registered provider: Inspire Children’s Services Limited

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This is a privately owned home which provides care for up to three children who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager has been in post since December 2019.

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This monitoring visit

During a full inspection on the 20 and 21 September 2022, inspectors identified shortfalls in safeguarding practice and leadership and management. As a result, the home was judged inadequate, and three compliance notices were issued under section 22A of the Care Standards Act. These relate to regulation 12, the protection of children standard; regulation 13, the leadership and management standard; and regulation 14, the care planning standard.

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This monitoring visit

The focus of this visit was to monitor and review the actions taken by the provider to meet the compliance notices issued under regulations 12, 13 and 14.

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This monitoring visit

Inspectors found that the provider has taken sufficient action to meet two of the compliance notices under regulation 13, the leadership and management standard and regulation 14, the care planning standard. The provider has not taken sufficient action to meet the steps under compliance notice 12, the protection of children standard. Therefore, further to this visit, a compliance notice was issued under regulation 12, the protection of children standard.

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This monitoring visit

Since the last inspection, leaders and managers have reviewed their care planning arrangements to ensure that they include relevant information in respect of the child. Leaders and managers have implemented a new document that supports effective decision-making in relation to accepting new placements. However, the effectiveness of this has not been tested, as no new children have moved into the home. Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC485318 2 Risk assessments are unclear and do not identify current risks and actions for staff to follow to reduce risk. Following a recent safeguarding incident, leaders and managers did not include relevant information in the child’s risk assessment. An evaluation of this risk assessment contains conflicting information. Therefore, staff do not have accurate information in relation to this incident.

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This monitoring visit

Leaders and managers do not have effective systems in place so that staff know about any updated information in children’s plans.

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This monitoring visit

Leaders and managers were able to demonstrate that staff have received further training to help them in their roles. Staff attended a development day and received training in safeguarding and behaviour management. This training has been provided to all staff, and learning from this training was discussed in team meetings.

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This monitoring visit

It is Ofsted’s view that the provider has taken sufficient action to meet the compliance notices under regulation 13, the leadership and management standard and regulation 14, the care planning standard. However, the provider has not taken sufficient action to meet the compliance notice under regulation 12, the protection of children standard.

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This monitoring visit

The other requirements were not considered at this visit and will be reviewed at the next inspection. Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC485318 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

20/09/2022 Full Inadequate 15/02/2022 Full Good 11/02/2020 Full Good 28/11/2018 Full Good Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC485318 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 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

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

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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

that the care is delivered by a person who—

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Requirement Due date

has the experience, knowledge and skills to deliver that care; and

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Requirement Due date

is under the supervision of a person who is appropriately skilled and qualified to supervise that care. (Regulation 6 (1)(a) (2)(c)(i) (3)(c)(i)(ii))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that the home is appropriately maintained. Children’s bedrooms should be clean and homely. The bedrooms need painting and decorating to be more welcoming.

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Requirement Due date

In addition, leaders and managers must ensure that staff have the relevant skills, knowledge and qualifications to safely respond to the needs of the children they care for. 1 December 2022

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Requirement Due date

The education standard is that children make measurable progress towards achieving their educational potential and are helped to do so. 1 December 2022 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC485318 5 In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

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Requirement Due date

help each child to achieve the child’s education and training targets, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

understand the barriers to learning that each child may face and take appropriate action to help the child to overcome any such barriers;

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Requirement Due date

promote opportunities for each child to learn informally;

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Requirement Due date

maintain regular contact with each child’s education and training provider, including engaging with the provider and the placing authority to support the child’s education and training and to maximise the child’s achievement;

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Requirement Due date

raise any need for further assessment or specialist provision in relation to a child with the child’s education or training provider and the child’s placing authority;

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Requirement Due date

help a child who is excluded from school, or who is of compulsory school age but not attending school, to access educational and training support throughout the period of exclusion or non-attendance and to return to school as soon as possible; and

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Requirement Due date

help each child to attend education or training in accordance with the expectations in the child’s relevant plans. (Regulation 8 (1) (2)(a)(i)(iii)(v)(vi)(vii)(viii)(x))

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Requirement Due date

This is in relation to some children not having any relevant plans in place. The registered person should access additional support services and request essential information, where required, to support children’s education.

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Requirement Due date

The health and well-being standard is that—

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Requirement Due date

the health and well-being needs of children are met.

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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 staff help each child to— 1 December 2022 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC485318 6 achieve the health and well-being outcomes that are recorded in the child’s relevant plans; and

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Requirement Due date

understand and develop skills to promote the child’s well- being. (Regulation 10 (1)(a) (2)(a)(i)(iv))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that all children have relevant plans and that health and well-being outcomes are recorded. Arrangements for managing a child’s health must be clear. Staff need to understand how to respond if children refuse to take their medication.

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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;

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Requirement Due date

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm;

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Requirement Due date

understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person;

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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

are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies;

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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; and

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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)(i)(iii)(v)(vi)(vii)(b)(d)) 1 December 2022 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC485318 7 This is specifically in relation to risk management and risk assessments; these need to be robust and followed. Staff need to understand when and how to take action to reduce the risk of harm to the child.

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Requirement Due date

There needs to be a consistent staff team that is appropriately qualified and skilled to meet the needs of the children.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must make arrangements for the handling, recording, safekeeping, safe administration and disposal of medicines received into the children’s home. (Regulation 23 (1))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that records are accurate and appropriately dated. In addition, where children refuse medication, the registered manager should ensure that staff understand the required procedure and that they approach appropriate medical professionals for guidance. 1 December 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

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)(c)) 1 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

are signed and dated by the author of each entry. (Regulation 36 (1)(b)(c)) 1 December 2022

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if— 1 December 2022 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC485318 8 a child is involved in or subject to, or is suspected of being involved in or subject to, sexual exploitation;

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Requirement Due date

an incident requiring police involvement occurs in relation to a child which the registered person considers to be serious;

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Requirement Due date

there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there;

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Requirement Due date

a child protection enquiry involving a child—

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Requirement Due date

concludes (in which case, the notification must include the outcome of the child protection enquiry); or

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Requirement Due date

there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40 (4)(a)(b)(c)(d)(i)(ii)(e))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must review the appropriateness and suitability of the location of the premises used for the purposes of the children’s home at least once in each calendar year taking into account the requirement in regulation 12 (2)(c) (the protection of children standard).

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Requirement Due date

When conducting the review, the registered person must consult, and take into account the views of, each relevant person. (Regulation 46 (1) (2))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to identifying the potential risks of children being able to access trains at the local station, as it is unmanned. In addition, the registered person should include evidence of consultation with relevant others and ensure that the evaluations of identified risks are accurate. 1 December 2022

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Requirement Due date

*These requirements are subject to a compliance notice.

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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: SC485318 9

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Inspire Children’s Services Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Unit 3 Craig Court, Standish Street, St Helens, Merseyside WA10 1GJ

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Inspectors

Nichola Croft, Social Care Inspector Catherine Fargin, Social Care Inspection Manager Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC485318 10 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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