Children's home run by Manchester City Council in Manchester

Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC063683 1 SC063683 Registered provider: Manchester City Council

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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 run by a local authority and is registered to care for up to six children who may experience social or emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has been registered with Ofsted since March 2018.

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This monitoring visit

This visit took place in response to complaints received by Ofsted about the safety and well-being of children living at the home. The home received an assurance inspection on 22 November 2022.

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This monitoring visit

Managers and staff are vigilant in monitoring challenging dynamics in relationships between children. Staff, the children’s social workers and senior managers in the local authority continue to address concerns about safety in relation to living in the home. Senior managers have conducted several investigations to ensure that the staff are following the safeguarding procedures in place.

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This monitoring visit

Records show that there have been no instances of physical bullying for several months. Staff proactively follow procedures to increase supervision and support when children are at home. Any negative verbal interactions are addressed with children through direct work and the use of incentives.

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This monitoring visit

Waking staff are present throughout the night to ensure that children are not disturbing one another, for example by playing loud music or attempting to access each other’s bedrooms. Staff remain in the vicinity of children’s bedrooms to monitor when children settle in their rooms or get up during the night. Other children living at the home do not report that children play music loudly on a regular basis. This reflects the records kept by the staff, which also document children’s movements. Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC063683 2 There are no signs of damage or marks on a child’s door to indicate any attempt to access the bedroom by force.

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This monitoring visit

Records show that a child’s medication is not being administered in accordance with the frequency prescribed. On some days, there is no indication that the medication is offered. This does not promote improvement to the child’s health condition.

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This monitoring visit

An investigation has taken place in response to an allegation made by a child against a member of staff. However, the allegation was not notified to Ofsted by the responsible individual to allow regulatory oversight of the action taken.

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This monitoring visit

The kitchen is no longer locked. However, some doors to other shared living areas are locked, particularly at night. There are no specific safeguarding reasons for this practice, which prevents children from freely accessing areas of their home. The recommendation from the last assurance inspection is now made as a requirement.

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This monitoring visit

The home’s central heating system has not been working effectively. Issues have already been addressed on the upper floors, but the ground-floor heating was not working properly during the visit. A further appointment has been made with heating engineers to return to remedy the problem.

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This monitoring visit

Staff say that they feel supported by the deputy manager, who is leading the team in the manager’s absence. They have needed to be adaptable in supporting new staff joining the team. Consistent agency staff continue to work in the home.

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This monitoring visit

The requirement and other recommendations made at the assurance inspection were not considered during the monitoring visit. These are therefore carried over to the next inspection. Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC063683 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

01/08/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good 15/06/2021 Full Good 25/09/2019 Full Good 14/08/2018 Full Good Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC063683 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

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 homes overall aims and outcomes it seeks to achieve for children; and

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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

understand and apply the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

treat each child with dignity and respect;

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Requirement Due date

provide to children living in the home the physical necessities they need on order to live their comfortably;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed and furnished so as to—

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Requirement Due date

enable each child to participate in the daily life of the home. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(iii)(vii)(c)(i)(ii))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the registered person:

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Requirement Due date

ensuring that all floor and window coverings are well maintained and free from hazards; ensuring that the home is decorated and furnished to a high standard throughout; 21 March 2023 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC063683 5 reviewing the use of external window restrictors; and personalising any rules or routines implemented around Wi-Fi access and visitors to the home to meet the individual needs of each child/person.

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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.

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Requirement Due date

In particular the registered person must ensure that—

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Requirement Due date

medicine which is prescribed for a child is administered as prescribed to the child for whom it is prescribed and to no other child; and

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Requirement Due date

a record is kept of the administration of medicine to each child. (Regulation 23 (1) (2)(b)(c))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, ensure that medication is administered in accordance with the prescribed frequency. 21 March 2023

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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; and

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Requirement Due date

is necessary and proportionate. (Regulation 21 (b)(c)(i)(ii))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, doors to shared living areas should not be locked. 21 March 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. (Regulation 40 (4)(c)) 21 March 2023 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC063683 6

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that any registered manager employed in the home has sufficient capacity to ensure that the quality standards are met for each child. This recommendation was made at the last inspection and is restated. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 52, paragraph 10.7)  The registered person should ensure that when incidents of bullying occur between children, they are supported to understand the impact of their behaviours and the actions being taken to address any concerns. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 16, paragraph 3.12)

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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: SC063683 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Manchester City Council

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Town Hall Extension, Albert Square, Manchester M60 2LA

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Inspector

Karen Willson, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC063683 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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