Three Gables

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC065553 1 SC065553 Registered provider: Derbyshire County 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 operated by a local authority. The home provides care for up to four children who have emotional and social needs.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager is suitably qualified and experienced and has recently returned to work following a period of absence.

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This monitoring visit

At the full inspection on 12 and 13 January 2023, Ofsted judged the home inadequate and identified significant shortfalls in safeguarding practice and in relation to the management and oversight of children’s safety and welfare. As a result, Ofsted issued compliance notices under regulation 6, the quality and purpose of care standard, and regulation 13, the management and leadership standard.

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This monitoring visit

The purpose of this monitoring visit was to review the progress made by the provider to meet the steps set out in the compliance notices. Leaders and managers have taken the shortfalls identified very seriously. They have taken immediate and direct action which has resulted in significant changes and strengthened management oversight. At the time of this visit, the deputy manager was supporting another home. However, an experienced manager and deputy manager from another home in the organisation were supporting this home. The compliance notices were found to be met at this monitoring visit.

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This monitoring visit

Leaders and managers have implemented a detailed action plan focused on meeting the requirements in the compliance notices. This has led to improvements in the leadership and management of the home, the safeguarding of children and care practices. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC065553 2 Concerns were identified at the last inspection in relation to some environmental issues. Leaders and managers took immediate action to remedy these issues. There has been strong management oversight in implementing the action plan to rectify all areas of concern.

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This monitoring visit

There is evidence of strengthened management oversight of staff practice, including auditing of all systems and processes. There is a good response to each incident of concern, with clear lines of communication with the relevant safeguarding agencies. Managers are working on improved recording processes and staff are receiving training on safeguarding matters. Risk assessments have been reviewed by leaders and amended to improve the direction these documents provide to staff.

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This monitoring visit

The staff team has been supported by a team of experienced workers from another service in the organisation, including additional management support. This action has clearly strengthened the service. A staff member said, ‘They have been a breath of fresh air.’ The plan is that this team remains in place to support the home while further recruitment takes place.

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This monitoring visit

The staff team has been bolstered with staff deployed from another home and worked hard to try and provide stability for one child who was experiencing highly dysregulated behaviours. There was evidence of some success with this, as well as a positive transition plan being put in place for the child to move to a more appropriate placement. As a result of this, damage to property has reduced significantly and the environment is safe and homely.

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This monitoring visit

One child’s positive move out of the home and the presence of experienced managers and support from additional, experienced staff has led to a far more settled home environment. It is impressive how the external team has flexibly stepped in and supported the service in making timely improvements. This has enabled managers to undertake management tasks and implement the management systems they need.

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This monitoring visit

Most staff have received supervision since the last inspection. The leadership team has ensured that supervisions are being held with staff. The staff have confidence in the leadership of the home and are optimistic that the home can return to being a good home.

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This monitoring visit

A child said, ‘I give the home 8 out of 10.’ Children were seen to be relaxed, showing positive relationships with staff.

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This monitoring visit

There have been no new admissions since the last inspection. However, the experienced manager has processes and systems to make certain the next child admitted can be cared for by the staff and is well matched to live with the other children. He is adamant that the staff and children need a period of stability to ensure that the recovery plan can be fully embedded. There has been some reflection and learning from recent admissions and there is now a conviction to manage things differently going forward to try and prevent inadequacies. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC065553 3 The compliance notices issued following the last inspection have been found to be met at this monitoring visit. However, the statutory requirements and recommendations set at the full inspection remain. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC065553 4

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

12/01/2023 Full Inadequate 25/01/2022 Full Good 01/10/2019 Full Outstanding 13/09/2018 Full Outstanding Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC065553 5

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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 education standard is that children make measurable progress towards achieving their educational potential and are helped to do so.

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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

help a child who is excluded from school, or who is of compulsory school age but not attending school, to access educational and training support throughout the period of exclusion or non-attendance and to return to school as soon as possible. (Regulation 8 (1) (2)(a)(viii))

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Requirement Due date

This particularly refers to the home having plans regarding children’s education and structuring days for children not in schools so they continue to learn. 31 March 2023

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Requirement Due date

The positive relationships standard is that children are helped to develop, and to benefit from, relationships based on—

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Requirement Due date

an understanding about acceptable behaviour;

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Requirement Due date

positive responses to other children and adults.

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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

meet each child’s behavioural and emotional needs, as set out in the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to develop socially aware behaviour; 31 March 2023 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC065553 6 encourage each child to take responsibility for the child’s behaviour, in accordance with the child’s age and understanding;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to develop and practise skills to resolve conflicts positively and without harm to anyone;

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Requirement Due date

communicate to each child expectations about the child’s behaviour and ensure that the child understands those expectations in accordance with the child’s age and understanding;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand, in a way that is appropriate according to the child’s age and understanding, personal, sexual and social relationships, and how those relationships can be supportive or harmful;

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Requirement Due date

de-escalate confrontations with or between children, or potentially violent behaviour by children;

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Requirement Due date

that each child is encouraged to build and maintain positive relationships with others. (Regulation 11 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(xi)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically refers to staff ensuring they are familiar with the safe care plans in place to support positive relationships between peers and with staff.

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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. (Regulation 14 (1)(a))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically refers to ensuring that careful and considered decisions are made when admitting children into the home, in relation to matching with the children already living there. 31 March 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 31 March 2023 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC065553 7 the individual may have regular contact with children, allow that individual to work at the home, if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3).

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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)(d))

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Requirement Due date

receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience. (Regulation 33 (4)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This particularly refers to supervision of staff taking place in line with the home’s policy of at least bi-monthly. 31 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

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

there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious.

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Requirement Due date

A notification made under this regulation—

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Requirement Due date

the other persons, bodies or organisations (if any) who or which have been notified; and

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Requirement Due date

any actions taken by the registered person as a result of the matter;

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Requirement Due date

must be made or confirmed in writing. (Regulation 40 (4)(b)(c)(e) (5)(a)(b)) 31 March 2023 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC065553 8 This specifically relates to serious incidents that Ofsted have not been notified of.

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Requirement Due date

If the absence arises as a result of an emergency or is unforeseen, the registered person must give notice of the absence—

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Requirement Due date

within one week of the beginning of the absence;

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Requirement Due date

specifying the matters in paragraph (2)(b). (Regulation 48 (3))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the registered person not informing Ofsted of the registered manager’s absence. 31 March 2023

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that children are consulted regularly on their views about the home’s care, to inform and support continued improvement in the quality of care provided. Due consideration should be given to the child’s cognitive ability in the development and implementation of any consultation processes. Children should be able to see the results of their views being listened to and acted upon. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 22, paragraph 4.11)

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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: SC065553 9

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Derbyshire County Council

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Derbyshire County Council, County Offices, Matlock DE4 3AG

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Inspector

Bev Allison, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC065553 10 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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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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