Children's home run by Courtyard Care Limited

Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2650054 1 Registered provider: Courtyard Care Limited

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is one of several owned by a private provider. It is registered to provide care for up to six children with learning difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

Since the last inspection, the manager has resigned. A senior manager has been appointed to oversee the day-to-day management of the home and they were present during this visit.

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This monitoring visit

This monitoring visit was undertaken to review progress against two compliance notices issued following the last inspection. Compliance notices were issued regarding regulation 12, the protection of children standard, and regulation 13, the leadership and management standard. This visit found that some progress is being made but improvements are at an early stage of implementation and are yet to have a meaningful impact.

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This monitoring visit

Leaders and managers have undertaken a review of all incidents, restraints and related documents. A further safeguarding concern has been identified, relating to an allegation about a staff member’s practice. This is being looked at retrospectively by the new manager and the investigation has yet to reach a conclusion. However, this concern has not been shared with the child’s social worker or Ofsted, as the regulator. This prevents external agencies from having clear oversight of safeguarding concerns in the home.

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This monitoring visit

Staff are being given opportunities to meet with the manager to discuss any concerns they may have and to reflect on positive and negative working practices. The night staff have been included in these discussions, whereas previously they had not been consulted with. This has helped staff to give their opinions on the care Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2650054 2 children receive and on how well they feel they have been supported to carry out their roles.

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This monitoring visit

Staff have received refresher training in safeguarding and the whistle-blowing policy. Further training and development are planned to increase staff knowledge and awareness, particularly in their responsibilities towards safeguarding children and recording and sharing information.

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This monitoring visit

Systems and processes for management oversight and quality assurance have been reviewed but are yet to be fully implemented and embedded in practice. The manager has met with the external independent visitor to look at expectations and the frequency of their visits.

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This monitoring visit

Requirements set at the previous inspection were not reviewed during this visit and remain in place.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

16/11/2022 Full Inadequate 16/11/2021 Full Good Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2650054 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 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’ overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children;

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Requirement Due date

use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential.

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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

protect and promote each child’s welfare;

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Requirement Due date

treat each child with dignity and respect. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(b)(ii)(iii))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, this relates to ensuring that a child is provided with sufficient resources to meet their care needs and that care is arranged to ensure these needs are met. 1 January 2023

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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

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; 1 January 2023 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2650054 4 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;

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Requirement Due date

that the effectiveness of the home’s child protection policies is monitored regularly. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(iii)(v)(vi)(vii)(b)(e))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, this relates to the management of safeguarding concerns, concerns around staff practice and sharing information with external agencies.

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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

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)(f)(h))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, this relates to improving management monitoring and oversight of the home. It also relates to staff working together in addressing concerns around practice. 1 January 2023 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2650054 5 The registered person must operate a disciplinary procedure which, in particular—

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Requirement Due date

provides that the failure on the part of an employee to report an incident of abuse, or suspected abuse, whether past or present, in relation to a child to the appropriate person is a ground on which disciplinary proceedings may be instituted.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees—

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Requirement Due date

receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience; and

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Requirement Due date

have their performance and fitness to perform their roles appraised at least once every year. (Regulation 33 (2)(b) (4)(b)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, this relates to staff following whistle-blowing procedures. It also relates to staff having regular and meaningful supervisions and appraisals. 1 January 2023

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if—

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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

there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40 (4)(c)(e)) 1 January 2023

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that an independent person visits the children’s home at least once each month.

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Requirement Due date

When the independent person is carrying out a visit, the registered person must help the independent person—

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Requirement Due date

to inspect the premises of the home and such of the home’s records (except for a child’s case records, unless the child and the child’s placing authority consent) as the independent person requires. (Regulation 44 (1) (2)(b)) 1 January 2023

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Requirement Due date

*These requirements are subject to a compliance notice. Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2650054 6

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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: 2650054 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Courtyard Care Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 3 Siskin Drive, Middlemarch Business Park, Coventry, West Midlands CV3 4FJ

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Inspector

Sarah Orriss, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2650054 8 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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