Children's home run by West Cumbria Care and Support

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1247670 1 SC1247670

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West Cumbria Care and Support

Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is registered by a charitable organisation to provide care under short- break arrangements for up to five children. The home is registered to care for children with learning disabilities.

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Information about this children’s home

There is a registered manager in post. The manager registered with Ofsted in December 2016.

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This monitoring visit

This visit took place to monitor the actions taken by the provider in relation to compliance notices served on 21 October 2022. The notices were issued under regulation 12, the protection of children standard, regulation 13, the leadership and management standard, regulation 14, the care planning standard and regulation 35, the behaviour management standard.

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This monitoring visit

The registered manager has not made adequate progress in improving the quality of risk management plans for some children who have short breaks at this home. Children’s plans are not up to date to ensure that they reflect children’s current risks and needs, and that staff have the necessary information to care for children safely. The manager had identified an escalation in one child’s behaviour. However, despite this, there was no evidence of the child’s safety plans and risk assessments being reviewed. This impacts on the safeguarding of children and their progress and experience when they spend time at the home.

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This monitoring visit

Not all children accessing this service have the relevant, up-to-date local authority plans in place. These plans are necessary to help staff know children’s individual needs. The registered manager has not escalated this sufficiently to the relevant authorities. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1247670 2 There has been an improvement in the recording of incidents within the home. The manager has taken steps to ensure that staff are aware of their responsibilities in respect of safeguarding, and safeguarding concerns are shared with the relevant professionals and family as appropriate.

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This monitoring visit

Staff working in the home are not receiving regular supervision. Since the last inspection, the registered manager has implemented a supervision tracker to record when staff supervision is scheduled. However, the tracker showed that planned supervision sessions had not taken place, and this was not identified by the registered manager prior to the visit.

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This monitoring visit

An independent fire risk assessment identified actions to improve the safety of the home. The registered manager has taken action to address a number of these shortfalls. However, not all actions had been addressed at the time of the visit.

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This monitoring visit

Since the last inspection, training in cerebral palsy has been identified as necessary for staff. However, not all staff have completed this. Furthermore, staff still require training in communication, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. This is necessary to ensure that staff have the relevant training to meet children’s individual needs.

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This monitoring visit

Some required routine maintenance has now been completed in the home. However, further improvement is needed to ensure that it is a homely environment for children. The registered manager acknowledges this shortfall.

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This monitoring visit

Some of the home’s internal doors have locks on them, including children’s bedrooms. This means that children do not have access to all areas of the home. Although the manager advised that these were not used when children are accessing the service, they detract from the otherwise domestic feel of the property.

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This monitoring visit

The provider has taken sufficient action to meet the compliance notices under regulation 12, the protection of children standard, regulation 14, the care planning standard and regulation 35, the behaviour management standard. The provider has not taken sufficient action to address the compliance notice under regulation 13, the leadership and management standard. As a result of this, a compliance notice under regulation 13 has been issued.

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This monitoring visit

Other requirements were not reviewed as part of this monitoring visit and will be reviewed at the next inspection. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1247670 3

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 10/10/2022 Full Inadequate 08/03/2022 Full Good 29/01/2020 Full Outstanding 27/11/2018 Full Outstanding Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1247670 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

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 work as a team where appropriate;

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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

ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to 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)(b)(c)(e)(f)(h))

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Requirement Due date

This relates specifically to the manager ensuring that all staff receive regular supervision and complete relevant training to meet children’s needs. 21 January 2023 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1247670 5 The manager must ensure that up-to-date local authority plans are in place to inform children’s care, and must regularly review all records/plans to ensure that children are safeguarded and receive a consistent approach from the staff team in respect of behaviour management and support.

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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: 1247670 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: West Cumbria Care and Support

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: West Cumbria Care And Support, 26 Stanley Street, Workington CA14 2JD

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Catherine Parker

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Inspectors

Kelly McCurdy, Social Care Inspector Mrs Genevieve O’Reilly, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1247670 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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