Children's Home run by Momentum Residential Care Home Ltd in Essex

Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2621215 1 Registered provider: Momentum Residential Care Home Ltd

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is run by a private provider. It can provide care for up to four children who experience emotional and behavioural difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The home has not had a registered manager since March 2023.

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This monitoring visit

One child was living at the home at the time of the visit.

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This monitoring visit

The purpose of the visit was to monitor the provider’s adherence to a restriction of accommodation notice, and to establish the provider’s progress in meeting the steps set out in the compliance notices served by Ofsted on 22 May 2023. The compliance notices are in relation to the leadership and management of the home and safeguarding of children living at the home.

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This monitoring visit

The inspectors found that the provider has not taken sufficient action to meet the steps in the compliance notices. The provider has adhered to the restriction of accommodation notice.

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This monitoring visit

The home has not had a registered manager since March 2023. Since then, an interim manager, a deputy manager and the responsible individual have provided management oversight.

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This monitoring visit

The home’s managers and staff have failed to identify and take appropriate action in response to an allegation made by a child against adults working in the home. Records indicate that a child alleged that staff had abused him when he was trying to leave the home. This allegation was not identified by managers. Consequently, leaders and managers had not referred this allegation to the local authority designated officer and the child’s social worker was not informed. This meant that Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2621215 2 the allegation was not subject to external scrutiny or review. The failure to respond to allegations appropriately leaves children at risk of harm.

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This monitoring visit

The home’s managers have failed to ensure the consistent delivery of safe and effective care for children. On two occasions, staff have not followed a child’s missing-from-home protocol. The management team had not identified this. As a result, they have taken no action to explore the reason why. In addition, the child’s risk assessment is not consistent with their missing-from-home protocol. This means that staff do not have all the information that they need to provide well-planned and consistent care.

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This monitoring visit

Leaders’ and managers’ oversight of the quality of care is inadequate. As a result, recording is poor and does not give an accurate account of incidents involving the child. For example, records of two missing-from-care incidents do not show how long the child was missing for. Another incident is recorded in such a way that it is not clear if a physical intervention has been used with the child or not. This has contributed to managers failing to follow this up appropriately and take action to support the child.

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This monitoring visit

Managers and staff do not always demonstrate an understanding of the child’s emotional needs, or consistently consider the impact of their actions on the child. As a result, the child does not always receive sensitive and nurturing care. For example, following an incident when the child was finding it difficult to manage their emotions, they were informed late at night, by phone, that a consequence would be imposed on them.

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This monitoring visit

When consequences are used, these are poorly recorded and do not routinely have management oversight. The views of the child are not consistently captured. This means that the opportunity to consider the appropriateness of consequences and the manner of their imposition are missed.

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This monitoring visit

The staff provide the child with good educational support. Before moving to the home, the child was not in education. Since the child moved to the home, staff have supported them to attend the local library for tutoring. This has led to the child having a good routine in place. Consequently, the child is now due to start school in the new academic year.

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This monitoring visit

Since the last inspection, managers have provided staff with additional training, including in safeguarding. Staff spoken to by inspectors understand the home’s safeguarding policy and the steps they should take to escalate concerns. Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2621215 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

16/05/2023 Full Inadequate 12/07/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good 20/04/2022 Full Inadequate 20/01/2022 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2621215 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, 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 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

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)(vi)(vii)) 28 July 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

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

demonstrate that practice is informed and improved by taking into account and acting on—

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Requirement Due date

feedback on the experiences of children, including complaints received; and

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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)(g)(ii)(h)) 28 July 2023 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2621215 5 The registered person must ensure that—

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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 any methods used or steps taken to avoid the need to use 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)(v)(b)(i)(ii)(c)) 28 July 2023

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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

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

strive to gain each child’s respect and trust;

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Requirement Due date

understand how children’s previous experiences and present emotions can be communicated through behaviour and have the competence and skills to interpret these and develop positive relationships with children. (Regulation 11 (1)(a) (2)(a)(i)(viii)(xi)) 28 July 2023

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Requirement Due date

*These requirements are subject to a compliance notice. Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2621215 6

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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: 2621215 7

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Inspectors

Tom McGhee, Social Care Inspector Ashley Hinson, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2621215 8 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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