Children's Home run by Fairfield Residential Limited in Cheshire West and Chester

Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC397987 1 SC397987

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Registered provider: Fairfield Residential 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 provides care for up to two children with learning disabilities. It was registered by Ofsted in October 2009.

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Information about this children’s home

There has not been a registered manager since December 2021.

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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 this inspection, the inspector 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: SC397987 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

There are currently no children living at the home. One child moved out in February. The child had good relationships with the staff team. One parent said, ‘Staff understood [name of child] better than I did. They knew their triggers and brought out the best in them. Because of this, we have happy memories.’

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The care of children

The staff worked well with the child’s family and supported them to rebuild their relationship. The staff tried different ways to ensure that the child’s time with their family was positive.

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The care of children

The staff supported the child well with their mental health. They were supported to attend their reviews, and the staff team worked closely with professionals to implement and review guidelines for staff to follow. However, necessary reports and plans have not been requested following meetings.

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The care of children

The manager worked with education when the child was struggling with his health and looked at ways that they could support this. However, there were not clear plans in place for the staff or child to follow. Education was not encouraged by the staff so that the child could meet his full potential.

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The care of children

The manager made some improvements to the garden. However, the staff have been using a vacant room as sleeping quarters. This is not in line with the conditions of registration for the home.

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The safety of children

Children’s risks were understood by the staff, and they worked hard to keep the child safe in line with agreed plans.

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The safety of children

The child had clear behaviour support plans for staff to follow. Although the police had been called for support in line with plans, this was rare. This shows that staff were able to successfully de-escalate incidents and reassure the child during times of crisis.

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The safety of children

Medication was administered as and when required, according to a strict protocol, to support the child to regulate. However, full incident records have not been completed when there have been incidents, and children have not received debriefs. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC397987 3

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

The registered manager post has been vacant since December 2021. The deputy manager has been overseeing the home with support from the service manager.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

The staff team has remained consistent, and it has received appropriate training and guidance to support the child. Regular supervision sessions and team meetings have taken place that are child focused.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

There have been some improvements with regards to the monitoring of the quality of care. However, this is not always evaluated, and actions are not always agreed to develop and improve outcomes for children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

An independent person visits each month. However, reports lack detail and evaluation. Stakeholders’ views are not regularly sought, which impacts on the ability of the manager to make improvements.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Not all requirements have been met from the last inspection. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC397987 4

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

21/06/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good 22/02/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good 10/10/2019 Full Good 06/02/2019 Interim Sustained effectiveness Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC397987 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

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 each child to achieve the child’s education and training targets, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

understand the barriers to learning that each child may face and take appropriate action to help the child to overcome any such barriers;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand the importance and value of education, learning, training and employment;

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Requirement Due date

promote opportunities for each child to learn informally;

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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;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to attend education or training in accordance with the expectations in the child’s relevant plans. (Regulation 8 (1) (2)(a)(i)(iii)(iv)(v)(viii)(x))

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Requirement Due date

This relates specifically to ensuring that children are accessing education as agreed in their plans and that staff are clear on the plans for supporting the children’s education when they are not attending school. 17 May 2023 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC397987 6 This also relates to supporting the child to understand the importance of education and ensuring that they are encouraged to reach their potential.

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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 relates specifically to the manager ensuring that records of meetings are requested and that these inform the home’s plans. This also relates to the manager ensuring there is an up-to-date care plan for the child and that the child’s plans are kept up to date and reviewed. 17 May 2023

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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

understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(f))

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Requirement Due date

This relates specifically to ensuring that the home’s records show the child’s starting point, journey and progress. 17 May 2023

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Requirement Due date

children can access all appropriate areas of the children’s home’s premises. (Regulation 21 (b))

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Requirement Due date

This relates specifically to vacant children’s bedrooms not being used as staff sleeping quarters. 17 May 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— 17 May 2023 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC397987 7 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 (3)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(viii)(b)(i)(ii)(c))

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Requirement Due date

This relates specifically to records being kept in line with paragraph 3. This also relates to children receiving debriefs following incidents of restraint.

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Requirement Due date

The registered provider must appoint a person to manage the children’s home if—

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Requirement Due date

there is no registered manager in respect of the home; and

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Requirement Due date

the registered provider— 17 May 2023 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC397987 8 is an organisation or a partnership;

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Requirement Due date

is not, or does not intend to be, in day-to-day charge of the home.

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Requirement Due date

If the registered provider appoints a person to manage the home, the registered provider must, without delay, give HMCI notice of—

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Requirement Due date

the name of the person so appointed; and

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Requirement Due date

the date on which the appointment takes effect. (Regulation 27 (1)(a)(b)(i)(ii)(iii) (2)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person should ensure that the regulator is kept up to date with the steps taken to appoint a registered manager.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that an independent person visits the children’s home at least once each month.

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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; and

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Requirement Due date

to inspect the premises of the home and such of the home’s records (except for a child’s case records, unless the child and the child’s placing authority consent) as the independent person requires.

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Requirement Due date

A visit by the independent person to the home may be unannounced.

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Requirement Due date

The independent person must produce a report about a visit (“the independent person’s report”) which sets out, in particular, the independent person’s opinion as to whether—

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Requirement Due date

children are effectively safeguarded; and

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Requirement Due date

the conduct of the home promotes children’s well-being. 17 May 2023 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC397987 9 The independent person’s report may recommend actions that the registered person may take in relation to the home and timescales within which the registered person must consider whether or not to take those actions. (Regulation 44 (1) (2)(a)(b) (3) (4)(a)(b) (5))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, ensure that the independent person’s report is evaluative, analytical and includes consultation with children, parents and stakeholders. Also, ensure that the report is sent to the regulator in a timely manner. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC397987 10

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Fairfield Residential Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 108 Whitworth Road, Rochdale OL12 0JJ

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Inspector

Kerri Lynch-Mahoney, Social Care Inspector Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC397987 11 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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