Children's home run by Halliwell Homes Limited in Staffordshire Moorlands

Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC043697 1 SC043697

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Halliwell Homes Limited

Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is privately owned and provides care for up to seven children. The home’s statement of purpose states that children living in this home may experience a range of social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The home is currently operating without a registered manager. A new manager started in the role in August 2022. He is suitably qualified and experienced. He has applied to Ofsted for registration.

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This monitoring visit

Ofsted carried out a visit to the home to monitor a second restriction of accommodation notice that was served on 8 November 2022. The notice related to insufficient numbers of staff to care for the number of children the home is registered for, and some safeguarding processes had not been followed. There are currently three children living at the home.

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This monitoring visit

There are enough staff available in the team to meet the needs of the current children living at the home. There is no reliance on the use of agency staff or staff from other homes on a regular basis. However, there continues to be insufficient numbers of staff to care for any additional children moving into the home.

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This monitoring visit

The manager confirmed that the recruitment of new staff is underway. However, once the new staff are in post, the manager requires time to train them and embed therapeutic practice across the team.

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This monitoring visit

On one occasion, staff failed to follow appropriate safeguarding procedures following an allegation made by a child. The placing authority’s out-of-hours emergency duty team was not notified of the child’s allegation. Furthermore, the manager did not identify this shortfall in his evaluation of the incident. There was also a delay in the manager notifying the local authority designated officer and Ofsted about the Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC043697 2 allegation. The manager and staff failed to understand and follow the company’s own safeguarding procedures.

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This monitoring visit

Children’s behaviour support plans and the flow charts for the management of allegations do not include guidance regarding how to notify placing authorities of any serious concern out of working hours.

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This monitoring visit

Managers take appropriate action should there be significant safeguarding concerns raised in relation to staff. However, managers do not discuss with staff the expectations of safe practice following the conclusion of any investigations. Additionally, there have been no discussions or mediation with children to help them understand the investigation process and to support them on staff’s return to the home.

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This monitoring visit

The general cleanliness of the home has deteriorated since the last inspection. The children have become more unsettled, and this is reflected in the standard of the home environment. At the last inspection, the inspector noticed dead flies around a light fitting in one of the smaller bathrooms. There has been no action taken to address this health and safety issue.

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This monitoring visit

There has been a slight increase in the use of restraint in recent months. The manager monitors the incidents regularly and reflects on how children can be supported to manage their behaviour more effectively. The records evidence that staff use de-escalation strategies and that restraint is used as a last resort. Debriefs with children and staff continue to be carried out and are used to make changes to practice when required.

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This monitoring visit

The remaining areas of concern raised at the full inspection were not looked at during this visit. Therefore, they remain requirements and recommendations until the home’s next inspection. Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC043697 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

07/12/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good 15/08/2022 Full Inadequate 14/07/2021 Full Good 07/01/2020 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC043697 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

In meeting the quality standards, the registered person must, and must ensure that staff—

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Requirement Due date

if the registered person considers, or staff consider, a placing authority’s or a relevant person’s performance or response to be inadequate in relation to their role, challenge the placing authority or the relevant person to seek to ensure that each child’s needs are met in accordance with the child’s relevant plans. (Regulation 5 (c)) 20 January 2023

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Requirement Due date

The health and well-being standard is that—

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Requirement Due date

the health and well-being needs of children are met;

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Requirement Due date

children receive advice, services and support in relation to their health and well-being; and

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Requirement Due date

children are helped to lead healthy lifestyles.

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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

achieve the health and well-being outcomes that are recorded in the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

take part in activities, and attend any appointments, for the purpose of meeting the child’s health and well-being needs. (Regulation 10 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(i)(iii)) 20 January 2023

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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— 9 March 2023 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC043697 5 that staff—

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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 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;

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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)(v)(vi)(vii)(b)(d))

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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—

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(d)) 9 March 2023

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain records ("case records") for each child which—

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Requirement Due date

include the information and documents listed in Schedule 3 in relation to each child;

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Requirement Due date

are kept up to date. (Regulation 36 (1)(a)(b)) 20 January 2023

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if— 9 March 2023 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC043697 6 there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there. (Regulation 40 (4)(c))

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Requirement Due date

When the independent person is carrying out a visit, the registered person must help the independent person—

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Requirement Due date

if they consent, to interview in private such of the children, their parents, relatives and persons working at the home as the independent person requires. (Regulation 44 (2)(a)) 20 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 feedback and opinions of children about the children’s home, its facilities and the quality of care they receive in it.

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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

The system referred to in paragraph (2) must provide for ascertaining and considering the opinions of children, their parents, placing authorities and staff. (Regulation 45 (2)(b) (4)(a) (5)) 20 January 2023

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that staff understand the system for rewarding and celebrating positive behaviour and recognising when children have managed situations well. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 47, paragraph 9.39)  The registered person should ensure that staff can access appropriate resources to support their training needs and should understand the key role they play in the training and development of staff in the home. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 53, paragraph 10.11)  The registered person should ensure that staff are familiar with the home’s policies on record-keeping and understand the importance of careful, objective and clear recording. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4) Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC043697 7

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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: SC043697 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Halliwell Homes Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Pearce House, 80 Cawdor Street, Eccles M30 0QF

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Inspector

Cheryl Field, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC043697 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 who are 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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