Children's home run by Prior’s Court Foundation

Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC069336 1 SC069336 Registered provider: Prior’s Court Foundation

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is owned and run by a charitable organisation. It provides care for up to 67 children with autism spectrum disorder in 12 houses. 55 children were living in the home at the time of this visit.

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Information about this children’s home

There is an Ofsted-registered school within the extensive grounds. The organisation is also registered with the Care Quality Commission to provide residential homes for adults on the same site.

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Information about this children’s home

The inspectors only inspected the social care provision at this school.

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This monitoring visit

This visit took place following Ofsted’s receipt of a complaint about the residential provision. Inspectors also took the opportunity to review recent safeguarding notifications and review information received from the school’s independent visitors.

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This monitoring visit

Inspectors completed a detailed review of the received complaint as well as recent safeguarding incidents, allegations and notifications. Staff practice indicates a clear and effective approach to safeguarding. Managers with lead safeguarding responsibility ensure that investigations are thorough and any actions taken are prompt. Staff ensure that communication with placing social workers, Ofsted and parents is well documented and effective.

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This monitoring visit

Inspectors reviewed the accident and injury records for the school. Staff maintain an online database that provides a sophisticated monitoring and oversight management system for managers. The health and safety team also retains oversight, specifically around any emerging themes or patterns.

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This monitoring visit

Following any incidents with children that could result in personal injury, staff use a pre-emptive recording system to ensure that staff monitor children for any emerging marks, bruises or scratches. However, this inflates the statistics of the actual injuries Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC069336 2 that are occurring, as many of these incidents do not result in any injuries to the child.

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This monitoring visit

Leaders sometimes place a reliance on feedback from external safeguarding professionals when assessing whether allegations meet the thresholds for Ofsted notification. In some cases, this can result in safeguarding notifications to Ofsted being delayed. In one case, a threshold for notification had been met, but no notification had been submitted to Ofsted by managers.

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This monitoring visit

Leaders face challenges with staffing sufficiency. Staff report less anxiety about the impact this has on children’s safety and well-being. However, staff experience frustration around limitations on their ability to be able to do more extra-curricular activity with children, thereby enhancing their overall quality of life and school experience.

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This monitoring visit

Overall, the school is still facing challenges with staffing sufficiency. Leaders continue to work hard to improve the situation with staffing and improve the school’s retention of existing staff.

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This monitoring visit

Staff continue to demonstrate dedication and a strong commitment to ensuring the well-being of children. Where incidents have prompted investigatory activity, the culture is open and non-defensive. Leaders and staff show a willingness to learn and develop their practice in response to any actions or recommendations made following investigations.

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This monitoring visit

Following this visit, one new requirement and one new recommendation were raised. Requirements and recommendations from the previous inspection were not reviewed and will remain in this report for review at the next full inspection.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC069336 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

03/05/2022 Full Good 13/07/2021 Full Good 25/06/2019 Full Good 09/10/2018 Full Good Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC069336 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 registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if—

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Requirement Due date

a child is involved in or subject to, or is suspected of being involved in or subject to, sexual exploitation;

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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 is instigated; or 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)(a)(b)(c)(d)(e)) 31 Jan 2023

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees—

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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)(b)(c)) 31 Aug 2023 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC069336 5

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that the quality of delivery and recording of staff debriefs following incidents is consistent. This ensures that staff have an opportunity to reflect on and learn from incidents and adapt practice where necessary. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 49, paragraph 9.59)  The registered person should ensure that those with a leadership and/or management role are visible and accessible to staff and able to deliver their leadership and/or management responsibilities. In particular, the registered manager should ensure that management plans are consistently shared and embedded across the service. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 52, paragraph 10.7)  The registered person should ensure that recruitment, supervision and performance management of staff safeguard children and minimise potential risks

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Recommendations

to them. In particular, the registered person should ensure that the reasons that agency staff have left prior jobs are explored and recorded. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.1)  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. In particular, the registered person should ensure that where there are clear internal guidelines for maintenance and completion of records, these are adhered to. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4)

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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: SC069336 6

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Children’s home details

Provision sub-type: Residential special school

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Prior’s Court Foundation

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Michael Robinson

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Children’s home details

Managers (awaiting registration): Matthew Phelps & Lisa Pothecary

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Inspectors

Peter Jackson, Social Care Inspector Ms Anne-Marie Davies, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC069336 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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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