Children's Home run by The Partnership of Care Today in Blackburn with Darwen

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC467268 1 SC467268

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This privately operated home provides care for up to five children. The home’s statement of purpose states that children primarily placed in the home have social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager was registered in August 2018. An additional manager was registered in August 2022.

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Information about this children’s home

The inspector only inspected the social care provision at this site.

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This monitoring visit

The home was judged good at the last full inspection in July 2022. Since then, information has been received which has prompted this monitoring visit.

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This monitoring visit

The home has two registered managers in place who are job sharing.

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This monitoring visit

The home has locks on internal doors which could, if they were used, prevent children from using all communal spaces. Staff say that they don’t use the locks and that children have access to all communal spaces all the time.

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This monitoring visit

Children’s bedroom doors have alarms which would sound if a child left their room. The manager says that these alarms are not used. The home’s statement of purpose does not mention the alarms, and placing authorities have not given specific permission for them to be used.

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This monitoring visit

Behaviour management plans are detailed and demonstrate an in-depth knowledge of children. Incentives are used to support good behaviour from children. The incentives are not contained in the behaviour management plans or the children’s guide, therefore placing authorities have not agreed them. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC467268 2 The home has clear rules which include televisions being turned off at a certain time. This is age appropriate for the cohort of children in the home and encourages good sleep hygiene.

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This monitoring visit

The home has very clear rules and children are supervised closely. The supervision is appropriate to children’s risks. Children say that they feel safe. One child said that the rules make him feel safe.

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This monitoring visit

Children say that they can choose what meals they want and their individual activities.

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This monitoring visit

Children attend the on-site school. One child said that he felt proud of himself as his school attendance was nearly 100% since moving to the home. This is a big improvement and has increased his confidence and self-esteem. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC467268 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

12/07/2022 Full Good 25/01/2022 Full Good 10/02/2020 Full Good 15/11/2018 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC467268 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 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 home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children;

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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

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

meet the needs of each child. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c)(i))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, this includes removing or disabling locks on internal doors that could restrict children from accessing all areas of their home. 12 December 2022

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that the home’s statement of purpose contains up-to-date and relevant details of how staff care for children. This relates to ensuring that the local authority is aware of, and in agreement with, measures to support children’s behaviours, such as the use of door alarms. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.6)  The registered person should ensure that behaviour management plans are kept under review and that children, staff and social workers are kept informed of all methods employed to support behaviour, including incentives for good behaviour. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 46, paragraph 9.36) Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC467268 5

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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: SC467268 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: The Partnership of Care Today

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Children’s home details

Registered providers address: Lansdown House, 85 Buxton Road, Stockport, Cheshire SK2 6LR

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Children’s home details

Registered managers: Patrick Garmory and Carl Atkinson

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Inspector

Cathy Wilkins, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC467268 7 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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