Children's Home run by Ivory Cottage Limited in Worcestershire

Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2633744 1 Registered provider: Ivory Cottage Limited Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is operated by a private company. It provides care for up to three children who may have experienced childhood instability resulting in trauma and associated complex behaviours.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager post is currently vacant.

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This monitoring visit

This children’s home was found to have widespread and serious concerns in relation to the care or protection of children at the assurance inspection that took place on 20 March 2023. Due to the concerns identified during the inspection, Ofsted issued a notice of restriction of accommodation, which meant no children could move into the home. Ofsted also issued a compliance notice under regulation 13 of the Children’s Homes Regulations 2015.

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This monitoring visit

The purpose of this visit was to review the notice of restriction of accommodation. The notice of restriction of accommodation has been adhered to and no children have moved into the home.

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This monitoring visit

The date for completing the actions set out in the compliance notice raised under regulation 13 has yet to expire. Progress made so far in meeting these actions was considered as part of this visit.

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This monitoring visit

Since the last inspection, a new manager has been appointed. The manager was previously the deputy manager of the home and has worked in the home for just over two months. The manager does not yet have a good understanding of the home; however, he is keen to develop and improve practices in the home. Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2633744 2 Leaders have started to carry out a review of the staff’s skills and knowledge. This means that the staff’s training and development needs are not yet fully understood. Specifically, it is not yet clear that staff and managers have the skills and knowledge to meet the needs of children who will be living at the home. This has the potential to compromise the safety of children.

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This monitoring visit

Senior managers and the acting manager have reviewed and reflected on the shortfalls identified at the last inspection. In response to this, they have devised an action plan to improve the quality of care provided by staff. The action plan is in its infancy and new management monitoring systems are not yet embedded.

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This monitoring visit

The other requirements raised at the last inspection were not reviewed and have been restated.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

22/11/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good 15/02/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good 24/11/2021 Full Inadequate Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2633744 3

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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 with 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

assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child’s relevant plans, and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand how to keep safe;

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Requirement Due date

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm;

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Requirement Due date

manage relationships between children to prevent them from harming each other;

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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;

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Requirement Due date

are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to staff understanding and implementing children’s risk assessments, the monitoring and supervision of children, and their role in keeping children safe. 28 May 2023 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2633744 4 *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;

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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

lead and manage the home in a way that is consistent with the approach and ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set out in the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child;

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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

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Requirement Due date

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c)(f)(h))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the manager ensuring that they have monitoring and reviewing systems in place that identify shortfalls effectively. 28 May 2023

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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.

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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

manage and review the placement of each child in the home; and

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Requirement Due date

that each child’s relevant plans are followed. (Regulation 14 (1)(a) (2)(b)(ii)(d)) 28 May 2023 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2633744 5 This specifically relates to children having up-to-date plans that are reflective of their needs.

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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;

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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

The registered person must keep the behaviour management policy under review and, where appropriate, revise it.

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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;

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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; 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")— 28 May 2023 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2633744 6 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) (2) (3)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv) (v)(vi)(vii)(viii)(b)(i)(ii)(c))

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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)) 28 May 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

a child protection enquiry involving a child—

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Requirement Due date

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)(i)(ii)(e)) 28 May 2023

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Requirement Due date

*These requirements are subject to a compliance notice.

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Recommendation

Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2633744 7  The registered person should have systems in place so that all staff, including the manager, receive supervision of their practice from an appropriately qualified and experienced professional, which allows them to reflect on their practice and the needs of the children assigned to their care. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.2)

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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.

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Children’s home details

Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2633744 8 Unique reference number: 2633744

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Ivory Cottage Ltd, Skytax, 37th Floor, One Canada Square, Canary Wharf, London E14 5AA

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Inspector

Lydia Isaac, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2633744 9 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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