Children's Home run by Care Acre Limited in Oxfordshire

Inspection report for children’s home: 2663781 1 Registered provider: Care Acre Ltd Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This privately owned children’s home is registered to provide care for up to three children. The statement of purpose says that the function of the home is to provide 24-hour individualised care and support for children aged between 10 and 17 years old, who have social emotional difficulties because of early life trauma, complex or challenging behaviour, neglect and/or family breakdown or disruption.

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Information about this children’s home

There has been no registered manager in the home since 30 January 2022.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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requires improvement to be good

How well children and young people are helped and protected requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The children’s home is not yet delivering good help and care for children and young people. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

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requires improvement to be good

Date of last inspection: 7 September 2022

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2663781 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

07/09/2022 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2663781 3

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improvement to be good

Since the last full inspection, two children have moved in, and three children have moved out. There are currently two children living in the home.

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improvement to be good

Before children move in, the manager completes detailed impact risk assessments. This includes a review of the children’s dynamics, education support needs and staff skills and training to meet the children’s needs. Highlighted risks during this process filter into individualised risk assessments that are kept under regular review by key workers. This means that staff are aware of known and current risks and have clear strategies to reduce risks for children.

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improvement to be good

Arrangements for children leaving the home have not always gone well. One child promptly left the home following a safeguarding concern, while another child moved into the home on the same day another child moved out. These were not the manager’s or allocated social workers’ intended endings for the children. In all instances, staff sensitively packed children’s belongings, providing them with small gifts and mementos of their time spent living in the home.

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improvement to be good

Staff encourage children to decorate their bedrooms in their preferred styles. They support children to buy their own bedding, curtains and lighting to help them feel comfortable and relaxed in their personal space. Staff help children to explore their identity through fashion and new clothes, pamper days and haircuts. This is helping the children to build their confidence and self-esteem.

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improvement to be good

The manager and staff have clear expectations for children to attend their education provisions. When children move into the home without an education provision in place, the manager works well with educational professionals to find interim solutions until a suitable school or college can be found. Some children have tutoring, while another child attends school full time. Staff have recently supported one child to visit a local college, where they plan to sit their GCSEs. The emphasis on the value of learning means children are achieving better education outcomes from their starting points.

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improvement to be good

Routine health appointments are well managed and supported by staff. One child has recently had their orthodontic braces removed, while another child was supported by staff to attend a health assessment. Actions from medical health assessments are met in a timely manner, and staff keep good records of this and share health outcomes with relevant professionals.

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improvement to be good

Staff are supporting one child to care for their new pet hamster. The child spoke fondly of their caring responsibilities and how they are enjoying looking after their pet. This means the child is gaining a deeper sense of responsibility and demonstrating their maturity and abilities in caring for a pet. Inspection report for children’s home: 2663781 4

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improvement to be good

The manager has developed good missing-from-care protocols that include clear strategies for staff to follow and respond to. Staff follow these procedures and actively encourage children to return to the home. When risks arise, the manager takes appropriate action to refer to the relevant agencies and attend appropriate safeguarding meetings. This means children’s emerging risks are effectively responded to with a multi-agency approach.

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improvement to be good

Staff support children to have a voice and an understanding of their care arrangements and plans. Children’s views filter into their behaviour support plans, guiding staff on how they prefer to be helped. For one child, this has been helpful with how staff support them to keep their bedroom clean and tidy.

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improvement to be good

The manager understands their responsibilities in good safer recruitment practices for new staff. This means the children are more likely to be cared for by safe and appropriate adults.

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improvement to be good

The manager has devised good risk assessments that include strategies for staff to follow in keeping children safe. These are regularly reviewed and updated with new approaches for staff to follow. This demonstrates how children’s risk assessments are addressing known and rising vulnerabilities effectively after incidents occur. However, staff guidance to mitigate online grooming and internet safety risks for one child is poor. For example, there is no monitoring of their internet enabled devices, age-restricted video games or browser history. Furthermore, staff lack knowledge on current online trends. This has the potential to expose children to inappropriate content and unsafe adults on the internet.

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improvement to be good

The deputy manager took immediate action to safeguard children after they made an allegation about a member of staff. The deputy manager started an investigation and spoke with staff and children to conclude her findings. Well-recorded reparation work between the children and the member of staff meant that children were satisfied with the outcomes of their raised concerns. However, safeguarding professionals were not notified of this incident until four days later and after the deputy manager’s investigation. This shortfall demonstrates a lack of understanding in allegation management and child protection procedures.

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good

Since the last inspection, a new manager has been employed. She has submitted her application to register with Ofsted and awaits her interview. Leaders are in the process of recruiting an acting deputy manager to strengthen managerial oversight and leadership arrangements. Inspection report for children’s home: 2663781 5 In February 2023, an external quality assurance visit was carried out by a children’s placing authority. The compliance officer recognised the progress the new manager has made in the quality and deliverance of staff training and the reduction of agency staff working in the home.

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good

The manager has clear oversight of the quality and frequency of staff supervisions. Staff feel well supported through supervision, and their well-being is promoted. When needed, staff receive focused supervision to help review their practice and encourage individual development and learning. This means staff are sensitively and professionally guided to improve and strengthen their relationships with children.

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good

In December 2022, there was a significant medication error in the home. Managers took immediate action to reduce further occurrences, and staff have since received additional pharmacy training. However, there was a delay in the allocated social worker, parents, Ofsted and safeguarding professionals being notified. Furthermore, the internal investigation that was carried out by the responsible individual did not fully consider all issues of concern. This is a missed opportunity to demonstrate good leadership and oversight to ensure that all relevant steps are taken when needed to improve staff practice.

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good

Managers work in partnership with children’s placing authorities. They share children’s successes and achievements and notify allocated social workers about safeguarding concerns and emerging risks. However, allegations and complaints from one parent have not been managed in line with the home’s internal policies and procedures. Although social workers were notified, these concerns, at the time, were not escalated to the placing authorities or the local authority designated officer. This has the potential to hinder safe working practices. Senior leaders have since commissioned an independent review of all concerns raised and plan to update the regulator accordingly. Inspection report for children’s home: 2663781 6

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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 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;

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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))

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Requirement Due date

This is a repeated requirement. 1 August 2023

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must make arrangements for the handling, recording, safekeeping, safe administration and disposal of medicines received into the children’s home.

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Requirement Due date

In particular the registered person must ensure that—

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Requirement Due date

medicine which is prescribed for a child is administered as prescribed to the child for whom it is prescribed and to no other child; and

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Requirement Due date

a record is kept of the administration of medicine to each child. (Regulation 23 (1) (2)(b)(c)) 1 August 2023

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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; 1 August 2023 Inspection report for children’s home: 2663781 7 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

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

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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

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

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person should ensure that investigations are undertaken to address all issues of concern. 1 August 2023

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people, using the social care common inspection framework. This 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’. Inspection report for children’s home: 2663781 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 36 Magdalen Road, Oxford OX4 1RB

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Inspector

Kelly Monniot, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2663781 9 regulates and 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 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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