Children's Home run by Grace Care Limited in Nottingham

Inspection report for children’s home: SC436818 1 SC436818 Registered provider: Grace Care Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is owned by a small private provider and is registered to deliver care and accommodation for up to three children with a learning disability.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager remains absent from the home, but the interim manager was present throughout this inspection. They were supported by the newly appointed responsible individual.

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Information about this children’s home

Children were present in the home during the inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

Inspectors were aware during this inspection that serious incidents were under investigation by the appropriate authorities. While Ofsted does not have the power to investigate incidents of this kind, actions taken by the setting in response to the incidents were considered, alongside other evidence available at the time of the inspection to inform inspectors’ judgements.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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inadequate

How well children and young people are helped and protected inadequate

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inadequate

The effectiveness of leaders and managers inadequate

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inadequate

There are serious and widespread failures that mean children and young people are not protected or their welfare is not promoted or safeguarded and the care and experiences of children and young people are poor and they are not making progress.

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inadequate

Date of last inspection: 12 April 2023 Inspection report for children’s home: SC436818 2 Overall judgement at last inspection: inadequate

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Enforcement action since last inspection:

At the last inspection, compliance notices were issued under regulation 6, the quality and purpose of care standard; regulation 12, the protection of children standard and regulation 13, the leadership and management standard. In addition, the home was served with a restriction of accommodation notice, meaning that no new children can be admitted to the home. Inspection report for children’s home: SC436818 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

12/04/2023 Full Inadequate 17/01/2023 Full Inadequate 05/01/2022 Full Good 03/04/2019 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: SC436818 4

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inadequate

The experiences and progress of children are impaired because of failures in leadership and management to make necessary improvements in providing safe and consistent care. The management team has not met the conditions of the compliance notices that were set at the last inspection. Ofsted is considering further compliance action in response to the provider’s failure to effect change and improvement.

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inadequate

Shortfalls in the way that the protection of children is managed mean that children have not always been safe. Multi-agency agreed strategies to keep children safe have not been followed. Consequently, the care of children is significantly impaired.

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inadequate

Children do not interact with each other in the home in a positive way. Staff actively keep children apart to prevent incidents from occurring. Staff have not worked with children to try and build their relationships or to look at ways that children may be able to safely spend time together. Communal space is limited, which means that some children are spending long periods of time in their bedrooms away from other children.

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inadequate

Some improvements are evident in children’s plans; they are now more concise and detailed. However, some information is inaccurate and has not been updated. Most notably, basic aspects of providing personal care to a child have not been considered. This means that the child’s privacy and dignity are compromised.

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inadequate

Not all staff have read the children’s plans, which means that staff do not work in a consistent way with the children. The type and quality of care will change depending on which staff are working on that day. None of the children have a current care plan from their local authority. This prevents staff from working in line with agreed plans. The current interim management arrangements are not effective in bringing about change.

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inadequate

The children living at this home either do not communicate verbally or have limited verbal communication skills. Care plans do not reflect all of the children’s communication needs. Additionally, not all staff have received the relevant training to support children’s communication. This impacts on the ability of children to communicate and express their needs, feelings and views.

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inadequate

Since the last inspection, children now have more access to their communication aids. Previously, communication aids were not accessible to the children. Staff are now using more picture boards to help children understand their routines, and staff carry picture cards to support children’s communication. Inspection report for children’s home: SC436818 5 Children are increasingly being consulted with about activities they might want to take part in and about their food choices. However, on one occasion, a child expressing concern was not responded to by staff.

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inadequate

The children’s guide does not consider the communication needs of the children. Consideration has not been given to providing a children’s guide in an accessible format.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: inadequate

All of the children living at the home are subject to child protection investigations. This is in response to a whistle-blower’s concerns and observations of poor staff practice. Although Ofsted is not investigating these matters directly, Ofsted has attended and contributed information to the meetings.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: inadequate

Internal investigations into staff practice and management responses have not been in line with the directions of the local authority designated officer. Consequently, this has compromised the external investigation of these matters. Staff returned to work without the agreement or oversight of social workers and external safeguarding leads. As a result, children are not being provided with safe and consistent care.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: inadequate

Inaccurate information was shared at the point of the initial internal investigation. This has prevented the investigator from having a clear understanding of the actions taken by the managers to fully investigate and respond to the concerns.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: inadequate

Risk assessments have not been put in place to mitigate risks. Supervision records do not reflect the severity of the concerns and the potential impact.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: inadequate

Not all staff have a current Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) certificate before starting to work in the home. Although the manager said that staff were being supervised, it has been observed that staffing levels and the supervision of children are not consistently adhered to. This means that potentially unsafe adults are working with children and have access to children’s personal and sensitive information.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: inadequate

Incidents involving children do not consistently have management oversight and evaluation. Incidents involving children are not routinely shared with social workers. This prevents external oversight of the management of incidents. On one occasion, a manager, who is currently absent from the home, had been detailed on the incident report as having overseen the incident. This inaccuracy had not been challenged by the current manager. This lack of oversight prevents learning from incidents and does not keep children safe.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: inadequate

Children’s risk assessments still do not consider all known risks. Some risk management strategies are weak and do not provide staff with clear guidance or strategies. Not all staff have read the risk assessments, which means they may not work consistently or in line with agreed plans. Inspection report for children’s home: SC436818 6 As a result of requirements made at the last inspection, the local fire service has been involved with the home, and improvements have been made in fire safety. There is now an accessible key to the front door, which makes the means of escape, if needed, easier. However, most of the staff had not read the new fire risk assessment, which means that the risk has not been mitigated. The manager took steps to address this during the inspection. However, this remains a serious concern.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: inadequate

The manager does not have clear oversight of health and safety in the home. There are no records of regular audits and checks being carried out. Health and safety risks are not quickly identified or responded to, meaning that children may not be provided with a safe environment.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Leadership and management of the home remain weak. The management team does not have good oversight of the home and has not implemented systems to monitor and quality assure the care being provided. Some systems have yet to be embedded. Leaders and managers have not been successful in bringing about or sustaining improvement.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The management team and staff do not work cohesively together. Staff are not working in line with the managers’ expectations. For example, staff are not reading children’s plans and risk assessments, they are not doing the required training and they are not following new systems of recording. This has prevented the home from making meaningful progress. Most of the staff are not suitably qualified or experienced.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Not all staff have received regular or meaningful supervision, and none of the staff have had an appraisal. One member of staff has returned to work following a period of suspension without having had a supervision. This means that they have not been given guidance or support on their return to work, nor have they discussed the improvements possibly required in the member of staff’s working practices.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Some supervision notes contained information that had been copied from other staff supervisions. None of the supervisions contain targets or an action plan, which means that staff are not being supported to work in line with management expectations. Staff are not having opportunities to reflect and learn from practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Confidential information has been taken out of the home and not carried or stored securely. This does not protect children or staff privacy and means unauthorised persons could potentially have access to highly personal information. This is not in line with data protection legislation. Inspection report for children’s home: SC436818 7

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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

In meeting the quality standards, the registered person must, and must ensure that staff —

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Requirement Due date

seek to develop and maintain effective professional relationships with such persons, bodies or organisations as the registered person considers appropriate having regard to the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the children’s home is to provide care and accommodation. (Regulation 5 (d))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, this relates to working with external agencies around the care and protection of children. 24 July 2023

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Requirement Due date

The quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who —

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Requirement Due date

understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children;

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Requirement Due date

use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them 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

understand and apply the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

understand and apply the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

protect and promote each child’s welfare;

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Requirement Due date

treat each child with dignity and respect;

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Requirement Due date

provide personalised care that meets each child’s needs, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans, taking account of the child’s background; 24 July 2023 Inspection report for children’s home: SC436818 8 help each child to develop resilience and skills that prepare the child to return home, to live in a new placement or to live independently as an adult;

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Requirement Due date

make decisions about the day-to-day arrangements for each child, in accordance with the child’s relevant plans, which give the child an appropriate degree of freedom and choice;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the premises used for the purpose of the home are designed and furnished so as to —

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Requirement Due date

enable each child to participate in the daily life of the home.

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Requirement Due date

that the care meets the child’s needs. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(vi)(ix)(c)(i)(ii) (3)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, this relates to children’s care plans not accurately reflecting their care needs, not being agreed with placing local authorities and not being shared with other professionals and the staff team.

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Requirement Due date

The children’s views, wishes and feelings standard is that children receive care from staff who —

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Requirement Due date

take their views, wishes and feelings into account in relation to matters affecting the children’s care and welfare and their lives.

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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

help each child to express views, wishes and feelings;

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Requirement Due date

keep the children’s guide and the home’s complaints procedure under review and seek children’s comments before revising either document. (Regulation 7 (1)(c) (2)(a)(ii)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, this relates to regularly consulting with children about their care and acting on any views. It also relates to 24 July 2023 Inspection report for children’s home: SC436818 9 updating the children’s guide to reflect the communication needs of the children.

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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

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

meet each child’s behavioural and emotional needs, as set out in the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

that each child is encouraged to build and maintain positive relationships with others. (Regulation 11 (1)(a)(c) (2)(a)(i)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, this relates to staff supporting children to interact positively with each other and children’s plans being kept updated. 24 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 —

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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

are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies;

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Requirement Due date

that the home’s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm; 24 July 2023 Inspection report for children’s home: SC436818 10 that the effectiveness of the home’s child protection policies is monitored regularly. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(iii)(vii)(b)(e))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, this relates to risk assessments not being reflective of the children’s needs, poor practice concerns raised not being addressed effectively and internal investigation not assuring professionals that safe and consistent care is being provided.

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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 work as a team where appropriate;

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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

ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to 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)(a)(b)(c)(e)(f)(h))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, this relates to leaders not implementing systems and processes to effectively monitor the home, not addressing staffing concerns and not ensuring all staff receive suitable training. 24 July 2023 Inspection report for children’s home: SC436818 11 The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety.

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Requirement Due date

employ an individual to work at the children’s home;

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Requirement Due date

if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3).

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Requirement Due date

full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2. (Regulation 32 (1) (2)(a) (3)(d))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, this relates to new staff having a DBS certificate before working at the home with children. 24 July 2023

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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; and

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Requirement Due date

have their performance and fitness to perform their roles appraised at least once every year. (Regulation 33 (4)(b)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, this relates to all staff having regular supervision and appraisal. 24 July 2023

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must prepare and implement a policy which —

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Requirement Due date

is intended to safeguard children accommodated in the children’s home from abuse or neglect; and

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Requirement Due date

sets out the procedure to be followed in the event of an allegation of abuse or neglect.

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Requirement Due date

The procedure to be followed in the event of an allegation of abuse or neglect must, in particular —

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Requirement Due date

provide for the liaison and co-operation with any local authority which are, or may be, making a child protection enquiry in relation to a child accommodated in the home;

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Requirement Due date

describe the measures which may be necessary to protect children following an allegation of abuse or neglect. 24 July 2023 Inspection report for children’s home: SC436818 12 (Regulation 34 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(e))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, this relates to providing external professionals with accurate information in relation to a child protection enquiry.

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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 signed and dated by the author of each entry.

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Requirement Due date

securely in the children’s home during the period when the child to whom the case records relate is accommodated there. (Regulation 36 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, this relates to keeping children’s files and plans up to date. It also relates to not removing children’s records from the home unless they are removed and stored securely while away from the home. 24 July 2023

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Requirement Due date

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; and

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Requirement Due date

retain the records for at least 15 years from the date of the last entry. (Regulation 37 (1) (2)(a)(b)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, this relates to keeping and maintaining a register of children. 24 July 2023 Inspection report for children’s home: SC436818 13

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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: SC436818 14

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 77 Boundary Road, West Bridgford, Nottingham NG2 7DB

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Inspectors

Sarah Orriss, Social Care Inspector Ellen Monk, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC436818 15 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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