Children's Home run by Active Ark Limited in Cumberland

Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2506856 1 Registered provider: Active Ark Limited

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

A private company owns and manages this home. It provides care for up to three children who may experience social and/or emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted on 22 January 2019.

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Information about this children’s home

Date of last inspection: 13 December 2022

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Information about this children’s home

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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Information about this children’s home

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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Information about this inspection

At these inspections, the inspector(s) evaluated:

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Information about this inspection

 the care of children  the safety of children  the effectiveness of leaders and managers. Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children, using the social care common inspection framework. This assurance inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000 to assess the effectiveness of the service, how it meets the core functions of the service as set out in legislation, and to consider how well it complies with the Children’s Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the ‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2506856 2

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Findings from the inspection

We did not identify any serious or widespread concerns in relation to the care or protection of children at this assurance inspection.

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The care of children

Children are cared for by staff who know them well and understand their vulnerabilities. There is a nurturing response by staff to the needs of the children, and this follows the guidance in the care plans. Key-work sessions are regular and linked to children’s plans and emerging needs. This gives children the opportunity to thrive in a family-like atmosphere.

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The care of children

Children attend school, and education is seen as important. Children are supported by staff to attend through transport and advocating on their behalf to ensure that their education placements meet their individual needs. Children are progressing, and attendance along with achievement has risen significantly.

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The care of children

The home is warm, welcoming and well maintained. There are door alarms available to use when needed, and permissions are in place for two of the children. However, permissions are needed for all children.

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The care of children

Behaviour is managed with an incentive scheme and a contract of behaviour. However, records show that a consequence is sometimes used to manage behaviour but is not recorded as such and therefore not monitored by the manager to inform future practice.

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The safety of children

There have been no incidents of children going missing from the home since the last inspection. However, staff are aware of the actions they should take if this does occur.

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The safety of children

There have been no incidents of the use of physical intervention to manage behaviour. However, incident reports do not always have follow-up actions recorded. This means that the manager cannot be assured that all necessary actions are taken to minimise risk.

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The safety of children

Risk assessments and care plans outline the individual needs of children and identify their areas of risk. These are updated regularly, and staff are aware of the contents of the documents and act on them to keep children increasingly safe.

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The safety of children

Children commented that they feel safe in the home and feel well looked after. A child reported that they felt a huge level of respect for staff for helping them progress. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2506856 3 Online safety is taken seriously and strategies to guide staff are clear within plans and risk assessments. Children are reminded of online dangers within key-work sessions, and actions are taken to check the safety of the children on a regular basis as agreed within their care plans.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

The registered manager is an integral part of the staff team. Professionals and staff said that his commitment to the children and his management of the home are positive. However, the manager has still not completed his level 5 qualification and therefore the requirement is repeated.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Supervision of staff is regular and reflective. Staff are inducted into the home well and are trained to meet the specific needs of the children placed.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

The register of children is not up to date with all relevant information. This does not affect the care of the children but is an essential document for the oversight of the home. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2506856 4

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

13/12/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good 30/06/2021 Full Good 18/12/2019 Interim Sustained effectiveness 22/05/2019 Full Good Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2506856 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, 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

A person may only manage a children’s home if—

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Requirement Due date

For the purposes of paragraph (1)(b)(i), a person has the appropriate experience and qualification if the person has—

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Requirement Due date

the Level 5 Diploma in Leadership and Management for Residential Childcare (England) ("the Level 5 Diploma"); or

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Requirement Due date

a qualification which the registered provider considers to be equivalent to the Level 5 Diploma.

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Requirement Due date

in the case of a person who starts managing a home after 1 April 2014, the date which falls three years after the date on which that person started managing a home; or

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Requirement Due date

in the case of a person who was managing a home on 1 April 2014, 1 April 2017. (Regulation 28 (1) (2)(c)(i)(ii) (3)(a)(b)) 31 May 2023

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must prepare and implement a policy ("the behaviour management policy") which sets out—

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Requirement Due date

how appropriate behaviour is to be promoted in the children’s home; and

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Requirement Due date

the measures of control, discipline and restraint which may be used in relation to children in the home.

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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— 31 March 2023 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2506856 6 the name of the child;

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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

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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 (1)(a)(b) (3)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(viii)(b)(i)(ii)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, this relates to the recording of consequences.

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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)) 31 March 2023 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2506856 7 Schedule 4 sets out the other information that the registered person must keep in relation to a children’s home.

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Requirement Due date

maintain in the home the records in Schedule 4;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the records are kept up to date. (Regulation 37 (1) (2)(a)(b)) 31 March 2023

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that they gain consent to any monitoring or surveillance by the placing authority in writing at the time of placement for all children. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 16, paragraph 3.16) Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2506856 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Unit E, Baron Way, Kingmoor Business Park, Carlisle CA6 4SJ

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Inspector

Susan Atkinson-Millmoor, Social Care Inspector Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2506856 9 inspects 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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