Children's Home run by Family Care Associates Limited in Sefton

Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2496251 1 Registered provider: Family Care Associates Limited

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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 run by a private provider. It provides care for up to four children who may have learning disabilities or physical disabilities.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in November 2018.

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This monitoring visit

This monitoring took place following a complaint made to Ofsted and issues raised by a local authority designated officer.

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This monitoring visit

Leaders and managers have failed to report two allegations to the local authority designated officer. Ofsted was not notified of these safeguarding concerns.

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This monitoring visit

A child was held by a member of staff to prevent harm to the child and adult. This incident was not recorded appropriately. The child made an allegation that the member of staff had hurt them during the incident. The child and staff member involved were spoken to afterwards, but the matter was not referred to the local authority designated officer for objective oversight. Both the responsible individual and the independent person failed to identify the shortfall in recording or that this incident should have been referred.

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This monitoring visit

Staff have a good understanding of children’s needs and behaviours and are trained in the provider’s behaviour management approach. It is rare for children to be held by staff to protect them or others from harm. No further incidents were identified when such measures were used to manage the children’s behaviour.

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This monitoring visit

A member of staff had been subject to disciplinary action following concerns raised about their conduct while on shift. This was not referred to the local authority designated officer until after the staff member was dismissed. This again fails to ensure appropriate independent oversight. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2496251 2 The manager has since refreshed his training as a designated safeguarding lead in response to the shortfalls identified.

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This monitoring visit

Children regularly enjoy a range of group and individual activities. On occasion, when it is assessed that a child’s behaviour may put themselves or others at risk of harm, the child’s activity may be postponed. Staff help the child to understand how to behave more safely and use achievable incentives so that the child does enjoy the activity at a later date.

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This monitoring visit

There are locks on doors to bathrooms, the kitchen and reception rooms. Doors to the kitchen and living areas are routinely locked at night, due to a child’s vulnerabilities. While there is a risk assessment in place to explain why this measure is considered necessary to protect the child, it means that other children cannot access all areas of their home. Other approaches to safeguarding the child that would allow access to other children have not been considered. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2496251 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

16/08/2022 Full Outstanding 23/11/2021 Full Good 23/01/2020 Interim Improved effectiveness 26/09/2019 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2496251 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, the 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

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; and

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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. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(v)(vi)(iii)(b))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that allegations made against members of staff are reported to the local authority designated officer. 28 April 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; 28 April 2023 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2496251 5 the date, time and location of the use of the measure; 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

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Requirement Due date

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 should ensure that any incident in which a child is held to ensure the safety of the child or others is recorded appropriately and in accordance with the regulation.

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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

there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there; 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)(c)(e)) 28 April 2023 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2496251 6 The registered person must ensure that—

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Requirement Due date

the privacy of children is appropriately protected;

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Requirement Due date

children can access all appropriate areas of the children’s home’s premises; and

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Requirement Due date

any limitation placed on a child’s privacy or access to any area of the home’s premises—

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Requirement Due date

is intended to safeguard each child accommodated in the home;

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Requirement Due date

is kept under review and, if necessary, revised; and

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Requirement Due date

allows children as much freedom as is possible when balanced against the need to protect them and keep them safe. (Regulation 21 (a)(b)(c)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that doors to shared living areas in the home should not be locked at night. Any assessed need to restrict a child’s access to such areas needs to consider other children living in the home to prevent their rights to access their home from being contravened. 28 April 2023

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that the independent person provides a robust evaluation of the care provided to safeguard and promote the well- being of children and identify and make recommendations in response to any shortfalls in practice. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards, page 65, paragraph 15.5)

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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: 2496251 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Family Care Associates Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Family Care Associates Ltd, Business Centre, 60 School Lane, Bamber Bridge, Preston Lancashire PR5 6QE

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Inspector

Karen Willson, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2496251 8 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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