Children's Home run by Milestones Care Homes Ltd in Wirral

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2483789 1

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Milestones Care Homes Limited

Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is owned by a private company. It is registered to provide care for up to three children who may have social and/or emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager post is currently vacant.

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This monitoring visit

On 28 March 2023, an assurance inspection was undertaken at the home during which serious and widespread shortfalls were identified. Compliance notices were served under regulation 12, the protection of children; regulation 13, leadership and management; and regulation 35, behaviour management.

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This monitoring visit

This monitoring visit was to consider the action taken by the provider to comply with the steps in the compliance notices.

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This monitoring visit

At the time of this monitoring visit, there were three children living in the home. The manager post remains vacant. Recruitment to this post is ongoing but has so far been unsuccessful. Other vacancies in the staff team have now been filled.

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This monitoring visit

Leaders and managers have not taken sufficient action to address all of the shortfalls identified at the last inspection. The current arrangements for the management of the home are ineffective. There is no manager leading this home and plans to improve management oversight have not been implemented.

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This monitoring visit

Children’s risk management plans have been improved to remove risks that are not relevant to individual children. However, these have not been adequately reviewed to ensure that staff are supported with strategies to keep children safe when incidents occur. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2483789 2 Staff are not following plans for keeping children safe online. When plans state to check children’s devices daily, some children’s devices are checked, others are not. Staff do complete some work with children about general online risks but are not completing targeted work based on children’s presenting needs. This reduces opportunities for children to understand the potential impact of their behaviours and make safer choices.

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This monitoring visit

All children have now been provided with keys to ensure that they can access their bedrooms. In addition, the home’s policy on managing children’s behaviour has been updated to reflect the relevant regulations. However, when measures of control have been put in place to manage children’s behaviour, there is no evidence that these have been discussed with other professionals. There are no records of when these measures were put into place, when they will be reviewed, or what work needs to be completed before measures are lifted. Some consequences that have been given to children restrict them from visiting or contacting people who are important to them. One child had their phone removed as a consequence four months ago and still does not have access to it. Another child has been prevented from seeing people who are important to them.

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This monitoring visit

Shortfalls in management oversight mean that staff are regularly signing off consequences as appropriate that they themselves have given to children. This does not enable management scrutiny or oversight of practice in the home.

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This monitoring visit

A training consultant has been identified to provide key training to staff. However, training dates have not yet been arranged. Consequently, staff have not received training to help them to meet the specific needs of the children living in the home. Induction training for new employees has improved.

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This monitoring visit

Shortfalls identified at the assurance inspection remain. Following this monitoring visit, a case review was held on 19 May 2023, where it was agreed that the compliance notices had not been met. Further notices have been issued under regulation 12, regulation 13, and regulation 35. A requirement has also been set under regulation 11. The requirements and recommendations made at the previous inspection were not considered at this visit. They have been included in this report and will be considered at a future inspection. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2483789 3

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 13/12/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good 23/06/2021 Full Good 17/07/2019 Full Good 25/02/2019 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2483789 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, 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 positive relationships standard is that children are helped to develop, and to benefit from, relationships based on—

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Requirement Due date

an understanding about acceptable behaviour; and

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Requirement Due date

positive responses to other children and adults.

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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

communicate to each child expectations about the child’s behaviour and ensure that the child understands those expectations in accordance with the child’s age and understanding;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand, in a way that is appropriate according to the child’s age and understanding, personal, sexual and social relationships, and how those relationships can be supportive or harmful. (Regulation 11 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(v)(vi))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that key-work sessions take place with children based on their individual presenting needs and feelings. In addition, ensure that any concerns about well-being and safety online are followed up with consistent and targeted direct work. 7 July 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— 7 July 2023 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2483789 5 that staff—

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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

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

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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. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(iii)(v)(vi)(vii)

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all strategies to minimise risks are recorded in children’s plans.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated.

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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

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; 7 July 2023 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2483789 6 use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(c)(h))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that the home has sufficient experienced and qualified staff to care for children, and that there are effective monitoring systems in place to ensure that oversight of all aspects of the day-to-day running of the home are undertaken.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated.

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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

is not, or does not intend to be, in day-to-day charge of the home. (Regulation 27 (1)(a)(b)(iii))

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Requirement Due date

The provider must ensure that they take swift action to recruit a registered manager. 7 July 2023

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Requirement Due date

ensure that each employee completes an appropriate induction;

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees—

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Requirement Due date

receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience. (Regulation 33 (1)(a) (4)(b))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that the home’s manager receives regular supervision, and that induction activities for new staff are effective.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated. 7 July 2023

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Requirement Due date

* The registered person must prepare and implement a policy ("the behaviour management policy") which sets out— 7 July 2023 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2483789 7 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

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;

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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 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2483789 8 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 ensure that measures are clearly recorded, and that there is oversight from the registered person to ensure that they are proportionate, monitored for effectiveness, and demonstrate consultation with children.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated.

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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

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 any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40 (4)(b)(e))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated. 7 July 2023

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Requirement Due date

In order to complete a quality of care review the registered person must establish and maintain a system for monitoring, reviewing and evaluating—

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Requirement Due date

the quality of care provided for children;

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Requirement Due date

The system referred to in paragraph (2) must provide for ascertaining and considering the opinions of children, their parents, placing authorities and staff. (Regulation 45 (2)(a) (5))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that reports include feedback from stakeholders.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated. 7 July 2023

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Requirement Due date

*These requirements are subject of a compliance notice. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2483789 9

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that any individual appointed to carry out visits to the home as an independent person must make a rigorous and impartial assessment of the home’s arrangements for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of the children in the home’s care. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 65, paragraph 15.5)  The registered person should ensure that each child has their own personal space, which will usually be their bedroom. The registered person should ensure that children have a key to their bedroom door. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 16, paragraph 3.18)

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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: 2483789 10

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Milestones Care Homes Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 32 Fieldway, Maghull, Liverpool, Lancashire L31 5NB

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Inspector

Aislinn Cooper, Social Care Regulatory Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2483789 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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