Children's Home run by A and R Guardian Services Limited in Leicestershire

Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2645675 1 Registered provider: A&R Guardian 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 home was registered with Ofsted in August 2021. It provides care for two children who may have social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The home has been without a manager since August 2022.

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This monitoring visit

The home was judged to be inadequate at the full inspection on 12 and 13 September 2022. Serious and widespread failures were identified in the leadership and management of the home and the safeguarding and care provided to children. As a result, the experiences of children were poor and children were not making progress. Compliance notices were issued in relation to the protection of children and the leadership and management standards.

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This monitoring visit

A monitoring visit took place on 1 November 2022 to review the progress that leaders and managers had made in meeting the compliance notices. No progress had been made. Due to significant concerns regarding the leadership and management of the home and the safeguarding of children, Ofsted suspended the registration of the home with immediate effect from 2 November 2022.

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This monitoring visit

The focus of this monitoring visit was to review compliance with the suspension of registration and consider any progress made in meeting the statutory requirements raised at the full inspection in September 2022. At this monitoring visit, there were no children living at the home, therefore leaders and managers have complied with the suspension notice.

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This monitoring visit

Since the last monitoring visit in November 2022, there has been no progress. The previous responsible individual has been dismissed for failing to have sufficient Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2645675 2 oversight of the home. A new responsible individual started in post on 12 December 2022. All but two members of the staff team have had their contracts terminated. The team leader has been demoted to senior support worker and there is still no manager in post.

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This monitoring visit

The remaining two members of staff have not received supervision or had team meetings. No additional training has taken place. Staff have not been supported to understand the shortfalls from the full inspection and subsequent monitoring visit to improve the quality of care provided to children.

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This monitoring visit

All 13 requirements raised at the September 2022 inspection remain unmet and are restated. Following this inspection, one additional requirement has been made. Consequently, rapid and significant improvement is still required in this home. Therefore, the suspension notice remains in place. Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2645675 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

12/09/2022 Full Inadequate 09/02/2022 Full Good Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2645675 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

In meeting the quality standards, the registered person must, and must ensure that staff—

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Requirement Due date

seek to involve each child’s placing authority effectively in the child’s care, in accordance with the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

seek to secure the input and services required to meet each child’s needs. (Regulation 5 (a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that when the needs of children are not met by others, they escalate their concerns effectively. 16 January 2023

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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

children receive advice, services and support in relation to their health and well-being; and

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Requirement Due date

children are helped to lead healthy lifestyles.

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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

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

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Requirement Due date

This is specifically in relation to the efforts to help children reduce or stop smoking. 16 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— 16 January 2023 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2645675 5 that staff—

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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

help each child to understand how to keep safe;

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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

manage relationships between children to prevent them from harming each other;

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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. (Regulation 12 (1)(2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that all children have detailed up-to-date risk assessments in place for staff to follow. The registered person must ensure effective action is taken when there are concerns about the safety or welfare of children.

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Requirement Due date

This also relates to ensuring that the day-to-day care is managed in a way that does not present additional risks to children.

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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

promotes their welfare. 16 January 2023 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2645675 6 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

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)(h))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that all children receive care as outlined in the home’s statement of purpose.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that monitoring systems in place are effective and that shortfalls are recognised and responded to effectively.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must compile in relation to the children’s home a statement ("the statement of purpose") which covers the matters listed in Schedule 1.

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Requirement Due date

keep the statement of purpose under review and, where appropriate, revise it; and

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Requirement Due date

notify HMCI of any revisions and send HMCI a copy of the revised statement within 28 days of the revision. (Regulation 16 (1) (3)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that the home’s statement of purpose is up to date and that this is shared with Ofsted within the required time frames. 16 January 2023

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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)) 16 January 2023 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2645675 7 In particular, the registered person must ensure that there are accurate records of medication. Any medication errors must be investigated.

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Requirement Due date

satisfy the requirements in paragraph (5)(a) to (c); and

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Requirement Due date

have the capacity, experience and skills to supervise the management of the home, or the homes, in respect of which the responsible individual is nominated. (Regulation 26 (7)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the register provider must ensure themselves that the responsible individual has been safely recruited. This also relates to ensuring the individual is of integrity and good character and able to perform the role effectively. 16 January 2023

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety.

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Requirement Due date

employ an individual to work at the children’s home;

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Requirement Due date

if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3).

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Requirement Due date

full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2. (Regulation 32 (1) (2)(a) (3)(d))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all staff are safely recruited and full checks are made in accordance with Schedule 2. 16 January 2023

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Requirement Due date

ensure that each employee completes an appropriate induction;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that each permanent appointment of an employee is subject to the satisfactory completion of a period of probation; and

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Requirement Due date

provide each employee with a job description outlining the employee’s responsibilities. 16 January 2023 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2645675 8 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. (Regulation 33 (1)(a)(b)(c) (4)(b))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all staff have a thorough induction and that there is a probation process in place. Staff must have a job description and must receive regular supervision.

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Requirement Due date

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

details of the child’s behaviour leading to the use of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

the date, time and location of the use of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

a description of the measure and its duration;

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Requirement Due date

details of any methods used or steps taken to avoid the need to use the measure;

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Requirement Due date

the name of the person who used the measure ("the user"), and of any other person present when the measure was used;

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Requirement Due date

the effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the measure; and

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Requirement Due date

a description of any injury to the child or any other person, and any medical treatment administered, as a result of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

within 48 hours of the use of the measure, the registered person, or a person who is authorised by the registered person to do so ("the authorised person")—

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Requirement Due date

has spoken to the user about the measure; and

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Requirement Due date

has signed the record to confirm it is accurate. (Regulation 35 (3)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(viii)(b)(i)(ii)) 16 January 2023 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2645675 9 In particular, the registered person must ensure that all physical interventions are recorded and subject to the required checks.

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Requirement Due date

Staff must record all consequences issued to children and review their effectiveness. Staff should use consequences as a way of promoting positive behaviour.

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Requirement Due date

Schedule 4 sets out the other information that the registered person must keep in relation to a children’s home.

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Requirement Due date

maintain in the home the records in Schedule 4;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the records are kept up to date. (Regulation 37 (1) (2)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must have a children’s register in place. The registered person must maintain an accurate and up-to-date visitor book.

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Requirement Due date

This also relates to ensuring that there is an accurate staff roster, showing planned and actual hours worked by staff. 16 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

an incident requiring police involvement occurs in relation to a child which the registered

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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)(b)(c)(e))

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Requirement Due date

The registered provider must notify Ofsted without delay of any incident as required. The registered provider must ensure that all relevant information is shared in this notification. 16 January 2023 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2645675 10 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

if they consent, to interview in private such of the children, their parents, relatives and persons working at the home as the independent person requires; and

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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.

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Requirement Due date

A visit by the independent person to the home may be unannounced.

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Requirement Due date

The independent person must produce a report about a visit ("the independent person’s report") which sets out, in particular, the independent person’s opinion as to whether—

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Requirement Due date

children are effectively safeguarded; and

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Requirement Due date

the conduct of the home promotes children’s well-being.

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Requirement Due date

The independent person’s report may recommend actions that the registered person may take in relation to the home and timescales within which the registered person must consider whether or not to take those actions. (Regulation 44 (1) (2)(a)(b) (3) (4)(a)(b) (5))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that a monthly independent visit of the home takes place and that a report is produced and shared with Ofsted. 16 January 2023

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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 quality of care provided for children; 16 January 2023 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2645675 11 the feedback and opinions of children about the children’s home, its facilities and the quality of care they receive in it; and

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Requirement Due date

any actions that the registered person considers necessary in order to improve or maintain the quality of care provided for children. (Regulation 45 (1) (2)(a)(b)(c))

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Requirement Due date

The registered provider must ensure that when completing the review of the quality of care they consult with all relevant individuals and identify an action plan in order to improve the quality of care.

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that when a child returns home from a period of being missing that an independent return home interview takes place within the required time frame. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 45, paragraph 9.30)  The registered person should ensure that children of compulsory school age are in full-time education. When a child is not in full-time education, staff should support children with home learning. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 28, paragraph 5.18)  The registered person should support and encourage children to view and contribute to their records in a way that reflects their views. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 58, paragraph 11.9)

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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: 2645675 12

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: A&R Guardian Services Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Eastgate House Office 3 First Floor, 19-23 Humberstone Road, Leicester, Leicestershire LE5 3GJ

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Inspector

Debbie Holder, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2645675 13 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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