Children's Home run by ARGF Limited in North Northamptonshire

Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2639538 1 Registered provider: ARGF 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 privately owned. It provides care for up to three children with emotional and social difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager position has been vacant since June 2022.

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This monitoring visit

At an assurance inspection carried out on 23 November 2022, serious and widespread concerns were found at this children’s home. At a subsequent monitoring visit on 13 December 2022, sufficient progress had been made to meet the compliance notices. A restriction notice to prevent further admission of children to the home remains in place.

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This monitoring visit

The quality of children’s experiences has been negatively impacted by poor safeguarding practice and by the lack of a consistent staff team. At the time of this visit, there was one child living in the home. Managers have a small team of staff, consisting of permanent staff and one temporary worker who is familiar with the home and the child. Managers continue to make efforts to recruit permanent staff.

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This monitoring visit

The child has developed positive relationships with staff and is experiencing improvements in their daily routines. Staff are implementing more consistent behavioural boundaries, which helps the child improve their behaviour. Managers have liaised effectively with the relevant local authority in relation to the educational arrangements for the child. Consequently, arrangements have improved and the child is now participating in education and making progress.

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This monitoring visit

Staff have received training that has enhanced their understanding of child protection practice and safeguarding procedures. At the time of this visit, staff were Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2639538 2 receiving recording and reporting skills training. Managers recognise further training is required for staff to continue to address the concerns identified at the assurance inspection.

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This monitoring visit

Managers have improved recording tools and internal guidance for staff. Additionally, quality assurance systems have been further developed and enhanced. Managers have a better understanding of the quality of care that is being provided in the home. This enables them to act when they identify areas of concern.

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This monitoring visit

Since the assurance inspection, staff and managers have responded appropriately to two safeguarding concerns. The relevant authorities were informed and joint decisions made to mitigate and manage emerging risks and concerns. There is also improved oversight by managers of the quality of care provided by staff. This means that the risks and vulnerabilities of the child will be responded to in an appropriate manner and with the required consultation and liaison with external professional agencies.

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This monitoring visit

Managers have ensured that the home environment is safer. They have addressed health and safety concerns identified at the assurance inspection. The home is providing a more comfortable and nurturing environment for the child to enjoy. Further improvements are planned.

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This monitoring visit

Improvements have been made in the limited time since the assurance visit. Managers recognise there is a need for more training and development to improve staff skills and knowledge, to meet the range and complexity of needs of children who may live at this home.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

25/10/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2639538 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 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;

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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)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(d)) 3 February 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

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)(b)) 3 February 2023 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2639538 4 This specifically refers to ensuring that records of incidents are clear, detailed and demonstrate management oversight, reflection and learning.

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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 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 has sufficient staff to provide care for 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)(c)(d)(f)(h)) 3 February 2023

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Requirement Due date

The positive relationships standard is that children are helped to develop, and to benefit from, relationships based on—

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Requirement Due date

an understanding about acceptable behaviour; and

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Requirement Due date

positive responses to other children and adults.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure that staff— 3 February 2023 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2639538 5 meet each child’s behavioural and emotional needs, as set out in the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

encourage each child to take responsibility for the child’s behaviour, in accordance with the child’s age and understanding;

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Requirement Due date

communicate to each child expectations about the child’s behaviour and ensure that the child understands those expectations in accordance with the child’s age and understanding; and

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Requirement Due date

understand how children’s previous experiences and present emotions can be communicated through behaviour and have the competence and skills to interpret these and develop positive relationships with children. (Regulation 11 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(i)(iii)(v)(ix))

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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 (3)(a)(b)) 3 February 2023

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees—

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Requirement Due date

undertake appropriate continuing professional development;

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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 (4)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically refers to supervision of staff taking place in line with the home’s policy of once a month. 3 February 2023

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that when children placed in a home are not participating in education because they have been excluded or are not on a school roll for some other reason, the registered person and staff must work closely with the placing authority so that the child is supported and enabled to resume full-time education as soon as possible. In the interim, the child should be supported to sustain or regain their confidence in education and be engaged in Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2639538 6 suitable structured activities. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 28, paragraph 5.15)  The registered person should ensure that staff are familiar with the home’s policies on record-keeping and understand the importance of careful, objective and clear recording. Staff should record information on individual children in a

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Recommendations

non-stigmatising way that distinguishes between fact, opinion and third-party information. Information about the child must always be recorded in a way that will be helpful to the child. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards,’ page 62, paragraph 14.4)

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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: 2639538 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: ARGF Limited, Grosvenor House, Office 1, 5th Floor, George Street, Corby, Northamptonshire NN17 1QB

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Inspector

Cathey Moriarty, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2639538 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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