Children's home run by Physis Quantum Limited in Shropshire

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC487794 1 SC487794 Physis Quantum 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 operated by a privately owned company. It provides care for up to three children. The home specialises in caring for children who have been, or are, at high risk of child sexual exploitation.

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Information about this children’s home

There has not been a registered manager in post since 2 January 2020. A new manager, who has applied to register and is awaiting a suitable person interview, was appointed to the home in August 2022.

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Information about this children’s home

Ofsted imposed a three-month condition in September 2021. This is because there was no manager in post, an insufficient number of staff in post, and there was no intention to accommodate children. This means that Ofsted must be informed three months prior of the provider’s intention to accommodate children.

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This monitoring visit

On 27 October 2022, Ofsted carried out a monitoring visit. This visit found serious and widespread concerns relating to the safeguarding arrangements for children and the leadership and management of the home. In addition, the home was in breach of a condition of registration because it had been accommodating children since 6 September 2022. As a result, Ofsted issued a notice to suspend the home’s registration on 28 October 2022 and raised 10 requirements.

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This monitoring visit

The purpose of this visit was to review the notice to suspend the home’s registration and the progress made against the requirements. The suspension notice has been adhered to and no children are living in the home. Three requirements have been met. As a result, the notice to suspend the home’s registration has been lifted and the three-month condition remains in place. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC487794 2 Staff currently employed by the organisation have completed a range of training courses to provide them with the required skills. However, two team leaders will commence employment on 15 December 2022 and a further four childcare support workers will commence their employment in mid-January 2023, all of whom are yet to complete the organisation’s internal training and induction programme. The manager is yet to complete the organisation’s model of therapeutic care training.

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This monitoring visit

This means that the home cannot currently safely admit one child to the home.

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This monitoring visit

Managers are in the process of developing and implementing a new auditing and monitoring tool. As a result, there is currently no monitoring system in place for the manager and responsible individual to use to address shortfalls and make improvements.

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This monitoring visit

The manager and responsible individual have reviewed all recording and reporting systems, including how to protect children from risk. Records reviewed do not demonstrate that managers have made all necessary improvements in their recording systems regarding risk management.

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This monitoring visit

Since the last monitoring visit, the manager has not evaluated the effectiveness of the quality of care and considered how to make improvements to the care provided to children. This is a missed opportunity for the manager to demonstrate their oversight of the effectiveness of the quality of care that is provided to children.

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This monitoring visit

The manager has failed to capture the information shared by the missing-from-care coordinator and child exploitation police officer in their review of the premises. In addition, staff’s knowledge of the local area and potential risks has not been included.

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This monitoring visit

Records are not easily accessible by professionals with a legitimate need to view them. The electronic system and intermittent internet access made obtaining records difficult during this visit. This issue does not help the manager to have good oversight of records.

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This monitoring visit

The statement of purpose accurately reflects the admission process for children and the home, which is compliant with regulation.

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This monitoring visit

The manager has submitted a notification to Ofsted since the last monitoring visit and has reviewed their own internal reporting system to ensure that notifications are submitted to Ofsted in a timely manner. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC487794 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

11/02/2020 Full Good 09/01/2019 Full Outstanding 15/03/2018 Interim Sustained effectiveness 30/10/2017 Full Outstanding Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC487794 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 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

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)(iii)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the provider ensuring that all staff understand the children’s risk assessments. This includes the provider ensuring that children have person-centred and individualised risk assessment plans.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the previous inspection and is restated. 15 January 2023

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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— 15 January 2023 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC487794 5 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

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)(h))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the provider ensuring that there are enough staff who have the required skills and training to care for children. This includes the provider ensuring that there is oversight of all incidents, including the day-to-day care arrangements and management of the home.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the previous inspection and is restated.

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Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children—

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Requirement Due date

receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home; and

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Requirement Due date

have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the provider ensuring that an impact risk assessment is carried out prior to admitting children to the home. This includes the provider ensuring that children’s plans are person centred and individualised to the child.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the previous two inspections and is restated. 15 January 2023

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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)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the provider ensuring that the responsible individual has oversight of the manager and the quality of care provided to children. 15 January 2023 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC487794 6 A person may only manage a children’s home if—

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Requirement Due date

having regard to the size of the home, its statement of purpose, and the number and needs (including any needs arising from any disability) of the children—

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Requirement Due date

the person has the appropriate experience, qualification and skills to manage the home effectively and lead the care of children. (Regulation 28 (1)(b)(i))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the provider ensuring that they have appointed a manager who has the required skills and training to manage the home.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the previous inspection and is restated. 15 January 2023

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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;

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Requirement Due date

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 (2)(a)(b)(c))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the provider ensuring that the manager provides a clear review of the quality of care that addresses the shortfalls identified as part of the manager’s monitoring.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the previous inspection and is restated. 15 January 2023

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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). 15 January 2023 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC487794 7 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

The provider must ensure that they have carried out a review of all known local risks and risks associated to children. This includes consultation with professionals to consider the suitability of children being placed at the home.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the previous inspection and is restated.

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that all children’s records that are kept electronically can be easily accessed anyone with a legitimate need to view them and, if required, be reproduced in a legible form. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 14.2)

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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: SC487794 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Physis Quantum Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: DPC, 55 Stone House Road Business Park, Stone Road, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire ST4 6SR

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Inspector

Sam Dulay-Kainth, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC487794 9 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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