Children's Home run by Portsmouth City Council in Portsmouth

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC037588 1 SC037588 Portsmouth City Council

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home’s statement of purpose states that this home provides a short-breaks service for up to six children with learning and/or physical disabilities. The home is owned and managed by the city council. The short-breaks service operates from Tuesday to Sunday.

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Information about this children’s home

This home does not have a registered manager. The post has been vacant since 23 June 2022.

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This monitoring visit

A full inspection on 16 and 17 November 2022 judged the home to be inadequate. Serious and widespread failures were identified. The home’s registration was suspended from 17 November 2022 until 8 February 2023.

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This monitoring visit

The provider has adhered to the suspension notice and is taking action to address the shortfalls identified.

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This monitoring visit

An initial internal investigation took place which highlighted significant concerns. Senior managers have devised an improvement plan to address the issues from the last inspection and the findings from the internal investigation. A further internal investigation is being carried out in relation to the conduct of some members of staff. This work is ongoing.

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This monitoring visit

Most staff have received refresher training in the home’s behaviour support method. The staff who were unable to attend the training have been offered another date to complete the training. This includes night and casual staff. Further training in recording of incidents and managing challenging behaviour has been identified. However, this has not yet been delivered. In addition, staff training in the importance Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC037588 2 of children being able to access their communication methods has not been arranged.

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This monitoring visit

While staff have completed online safeguarding courses, face-to-face training to address the issues identified during the inspection has not taken place. This is booked for 24 January 2023. The training will include the importance of creating an environment where staff can whistle-blow and will reiterate the staff’s responsibilities to safeguard children.

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This monitoring visit

Supervision sessions are now taking place in line with the organisation’s policies and procedures. However, the training planned for all supervisors is not scheduled until 2 and 3 February 2023.

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This monitoring visit

Managers are in the process of identifying staff’s strengths and any gaps in their learning. However, a workforce development plan is not in place to record this information and ensure regular review.

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This monitoring visit

An interim manager is being recruited following the manager’s absence. Senior managers are working with the deputy manager and staff to address the areas identified in the improvement plan. This work is ongoing.

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This monitoring visit

The responsible individual is coordinating the role and responsibilities of the management team and is carrying out work on various parts of the improvement plans and the quality assurance process. A new safeguarding and quality assurance post has been identified in the authority to oversee the children’s homes. This is not in place presently but is filled by a secondment position.

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This monitoring visit

There have been some improvements to the environment. However, there are some outstanding actions. In addition, a unit holding cleaning fluids was unlocked and held together by a strap. This could potentially allow children easy access to the contents.

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This monitoring visit

The requirements made at the full inspection have not been fully reviewed and have been restated.

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This monitoring visit

The provider has not addressed all the concerns highlighted in the suspension notice . The suspension notice remains in place. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC037588 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

16/11/2022 Full Inadequate 26/01/2022 Full Good 11/03/2020 Full Outstanding 14/02/2019 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC037588 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

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; and

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Requirement Due date

are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies;

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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)(iii)(v)(vi)(vii)(d)) 31 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

promotes their welfare. 31 January 2023 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC037588 5 In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

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Requirement Due date

lead and manage the home in a way that is consistent with the approach and ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set out in the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff work as a team where appropriate;

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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)(a)(b)(f)(h))

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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.

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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 each child’s relevant plans are followed. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered manager must ensure that the children’s care plans and risk assessments are fully understood and followed and that they are up to date and reflect the plans agreed by the child’s placing authority, families/carers, health providers and education providers. 31 January 2023

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Requirement Due date

No measure of control or discipline which is excessive, unreasonable or contrary to paragraph (2) may be used in relation to any child.

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Requirement Due date

The following measures may not be used to discipline any child—

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Requirement Due date

any punishment involving the consumption or deprivation of food or drink; 31 January 2023 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC037588 6 withholding any aids or equipment needed by a disabled child. (Regulation 19 (1) (2)(b)(h))

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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); or

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Requirement Due date

a child who is accommodated in a secure children’s home from absconding from the home.

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Requirement Due date

Restraint in relation to a child must be necessary and proportionate. (Regulation 20 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)) 31 January 2023

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Requirement Due date

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)) 31 January 2023

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety.

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Requirement Due date

employ an individual to work at the children’s home; or

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Requirement Due date

if an individual is employed by a person other than the registered person to work at the home in a position in which the individual may have regular contact with children, allow that individual to work at the home,

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Requirement Due date

if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3).

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Requirement Due date

the individual is of integrity and good character;

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Requirement Due date

the individual has the appropriate experience, qualification and skills for the work that the individual is to perform; 31 January 2023 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC037588 7 the individual is mentally and physically fit for the purposes of the work that the individual is to perform; and

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Requirement Due date

full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2. (Regulation 32 (1) (2)(a)(b) (3)(a)(b)(c)(d))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must have oversight of and full access to all recruitment checks for staff, and all people working at the home must be recruited in line with Schedule 2. All records relating to recruitment must be available in one place. 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)(a)(b)(c)) 31 January 2023

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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 31 January 2023 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC037588 8 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

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Requirement Due date

within 5 days of the use of the measure, the registered person or the authorised person adds to the record confirmation that they have spoken to the child about the measure. (Regulation 35 (3)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(viii)(b)(i)(ii)(c))

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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

an incident requiring police involvement occurs in relation to a child which the registered person considers to be serious;

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Requirement Due date

there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there;

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Requirement Due date

a child protection enquiry involving a child—

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Requirement Due date

concludes (in which case, the notification must include the outcome of the child protection enquiry); or

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Requirement Due date

there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40 (4)(b)(c)(d)(i)(ii)) 31 January 2023

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Recommendation

 The registered person should have a workforce plan which can fulfil the workforce-related requirements of regulation 16, schedule 1 (paragraphs 19 and 20). The plan should: - detail the necessary management and staffing structure (including any staff Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC037588 9 commissioned to provide health and education), the experience and qualifications of staff currently working within the staffing structure and any further training required for those staff, to enable the delivery of the home’s statement of purpose; - detail the processes and agreed timescales for staff to achieve induction, probation and any core training (such as safeguarding, health and safety and mandatory qualifications); - detail the process for managing and improving poor performance; - detail the process and timescales for supervision of practice (see regulation 33 (4)(b)) and keep appropriate records for staff in the home.

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Recommendation

(‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 53, paragraph 10.8)

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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.

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Portsmouth City Council Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC037588 10 Registered provider address: Portsmouth City Council, Civic Offices, Guildhall Square, Portsmouth PO1 2EA

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Inspector

Suzy Lemmy, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC037588 11 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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