Children's Home run by New Horizons (Stockport) Limited in Tameside

Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2591888 1 Registered provider: New Horizons (Stockport) 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 private company. It is registered to provide care for up to four children who may have needs that relate to their disabilities and/or a sensory impairment.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has been in post since May 2022 and registered with Ofsted in October 2022.

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Information about this children’s home

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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Information about this children’s home

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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Information about this inspection

At this inspection, the inspector evaluated:

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Information about this inspection

 the care of children  the safety of children  the effectiveness of leaders and managers. Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children, using the social care common inspection framework. This assurance inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000 to assess the effectiveness of the service, how it meets the core functions of the service as set out in legislation, and to consider how well it complies with the Children’s Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the ‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2591888 2

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Findings from the inspection

We identified the following serious concerns in relation to the care or protection of children at this assurance inspection:

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Findings from the inspection

 Inappropriate use and oversight of physical intervention.

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The care of children

There have been serious safeguarding concerns identified regarding the use of physical intervention and the manager’s evaluation of these incidents. The use of physical intervention has not supported children to have a positive experience of living in this home. One child was held inappropriately on the day that they moved into the home. Staff are currently struggling to build relationships with the child.

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The care of children

The home is well maintained and resourced to meet the children’s additional needs. However, children’s en-suite bathrooms are kept locked and bedroom door alarms are used, without a clear risk assessment. This does not enable children to freely access areas of their home and ensure that their privacy is appropriately protected.

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The care of children

The manager has been flexible with the plans for children moving in and out of the home. This has helped children to settle quickly. The manager has escalated any concerns to local authorities if the proposed plans are not in the best interests of the child.

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The care of children

Children use different methods of communication and receive support from the organisation’s speech and language therapist. The manager has implemented a model to support children to identify their emotions and has made changes to ensure that children are provided with the resources to communicate with staff.

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The safety of children

Staff, including the manager, have used physical intervention techniques without having had the appropriate training. Physical intervention has been used inappropriately and records do not evidence what steps have been taken to avoid the use of interventions. This places children at risk of harm.

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The safety of children

The manager does not ensure that there is independent oversight of the records when children have been restrained. As a result, children have not been given the opportunity to speak to someone independent about the intervention. Children have not been offered medical attention and managers have failed to identify several shortfalls in the records.

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The safety of children

Mechanical restraints have been used by managers and staff. However, when this method has been used it has not been consistently recorded. Furthermore, it is not included in children’s education, health and care (EHC) plans. There is no multi- Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2591888 3 agency agreement for the use of mechanical restraints and there is no clear process in place to review how effective this form of intervention is.

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The safety of children

Children’s individual risks are understood and there are clear risk management plans in place.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

The manager has made good progress in meeting the requirements and recommendations set at the last inspection. However, there are shortfalls in his oversight of restraint practices and ensuring that incidents are evaluated by appropriate people. This leaves children at risk of harm.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

The manager ensures that the staff team has regular team meetings and access to training opportunities. However, not all staff are trained in the organisation’s behaviour support model. This means that children are being supported by staff who do not have the necessary skills and knowledge to do so effectively.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

The manager has implemented a new monitoring system to review children’s progress. However, he has not submitted a review of the quality of care or the updated statement of purpose to Ofsted. This does not meet regulation and reduces the oversight of the regulator.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

There have been several staff changes since the last inspection. The manager continues to recruit to vacancies. However, regular agency staff provide consistent care for the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

The manager has dealt appropriately with a complaint made by a child’s school. This was resolved swiftly. The team took the opportunity on this occasion to learn, reflect and put in place practical steps to prevent the issue reoccurring.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

25/05/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good 16/11/2021 Full Requires improvement to be good 24/08/2021 Full Inadequate Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2591888 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, the 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

*Restraint in relation to a child is only permitted for the purpose of preventing—

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Requirement Due date

injury to any person (including the child);

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Requirement Due date

serious damage to the property of any person (including the child).

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Requirement Due date

Restraint in relation to a child must be necessary and proportionate. (Regulation 20 (1)(a)(b) (2)) 12 February 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 that—

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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 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

demonstrate that practice in the home is informed and improved by taking into account and acting on—

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Requirement Due date

feedback on the experiences of children, including complaints received; and

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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)(b)(c)(g)(ii)(h)) 12 February 2023 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2591888 5 The registered person must prepare and implement a policy (“the behaviour management policy”) which sets out—

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Requirement Due date

how appropriate behaviour is to be promoted in the children’s home; and

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Requirement Due date

the measures of control, discipline and restraint which may be used in relation to children in the home.

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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; and within 5 days of the use of the measure, the registered person or the authorised person adds to the record 12 February 2023 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2591888 6 confirmation that they have spoken to the child about the measure.

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Requirement Due date

Paragraph (3) does not apply in relation to restraint that is planned or provided for as a matter of routine in the child’s EHC plan or statement of special educational needs. (Regulation 35 (1)(a)(b) (3)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(viii)(c) (4))

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Requirement Due date

This relates specifically to the registered person ensuring that staff are recording the use of a mechanical restraint when this is not included in the child’s EHC plan.

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Requirement Due date

the privacy of children is appropriately protected;

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Requirement Due date

children can access all appropriate areas of the children’s home’s premises; and

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Requirement Due date

any limitation placed on a child’s privacy or access to any area of the home’s premises—

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Requirement Due date

is intended to safeguard each child accommodated in the home;

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Requirement Due date

is kept under review and, if necessary, revised; and allows children as much freedom as is possible when balanced against the need to protect them and keep them safe. (Regulation 21 (a)(b)(c)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that en-suite bathrooms are not locked and bedroom door alarms are not routinely used. Their use must be risk assessed and regularly reviewed. 12 February 2023

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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 12 February 2023 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2591888 7 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))

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Requirement Due date

This relates specifically to the manager reviewing the statement of purpose and sending the revised document to Ofsted within the required time frame.

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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

After completing a quality of care review, the registered person must produce a written report about the quality of care review and the actions which the registered person intends to take as a result of the quality of care review (“the quality of care review report”).

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Requirement Due date

supply to HMCI a copy of the quality of care review report within 28 days of the date on which the quality of care review is completed;

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Requirement Due date

This relates specifically to the manager keeping the statement of purpose under review and submitting to Ofsted. (Regulation 45 (1) (3) (4)(a))

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Requirement Due date

This relates specifically to the manager completing and submitting to Ofsted a quality of care review, within required timescales. 12 February 2023

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Requirement Due date

*These requirements are subject to a compliance notice. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2591888 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: New Horizons (Stockport) Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 154-156 Buxton Road High Lane, Stockport, Cheshire SK6 8EA

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Inspector

Kerri Lynch-Mahoney, Social Care Inspector Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2591888 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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Inspector

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