Children's home run by Partners in Care Limited in Leeds

Inspection report for children’s home: SC053145 1 SC053145 Registered provider: Partners in 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 privately owned and provides care for up to three children who may experience social and/or emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The home is currently operating without a registered manager.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

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good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

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good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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good

Date of last inspection: 5 December 2022

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC053145 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

05/12/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good 13/09/2022 Full Inadequate 08/07/2021 Full Good 16/01/2020 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: SC053145 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home has gone through a period of significant change since the last inspection. Two children who were previously living at the home have moved out, there has been a change of manager and a change of staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

One child is currently living in the home. The child has built up trusting relationships with the staff. The staff have a good understanding of the needs of the child and are passionate in the work they carry out.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff celebrate the child’s achievements and capture these in a video library which is easily accessed by the child, her family and significant others. Positive memories are being made, which helps the child to develop a sense of belonging.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The team has a good understanding of the child’s health needs. The child is registered with a doctor, dentist and optician and has access to these services when needed. The staff are supported by an in-house therapeutic team that provides guidance on the management of day-to-day health needs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child continues to have planned family time. The staff ensure that they work with other professionals to ensure that the child can maintain their relationships with the people who are important to them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child has access to an appropriate advocate. Staff carry out direct work with the child to explore their views, wishes and feelings around their care plan. However, there are shortfalls in evidence that the child’s views are sought about their day-to- day care. Feedback from the child would help to highlight areas the home could improve.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child is not currently attending school but does access a tutor three times a week. In addition, staff promote the child’s learning by creating a timetable to help the child develop age-appropriate life skills. Leaders have worked with other professionals and there is a plan to integrate the child into a mainstream setting in the local area.

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

The child feels safe at the home. The manager and staff team have a good understanding of the child’s risks. When the child displays behaviours of concern, these are well managed. The level of support provided to the child has resulted in a reduction of incidents.

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

Staff have built a positive and trusting relationship with the child. Because of this, staff can de-escalate behaviours at an early stage. This is reflected in the small number of behavioural consequences. In addition, the child rarely goes missing from Inspection report for children’s home: SC053145 4 the home. There has only been one missing-from-home incident and this was responded to appropriately by staff.

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

Staff ensure that the home environment is safe, clean and tidy. All appropriate health and safety checks are carried out. Any shortfalls are rectified quickly. Staff ensure that all risk assessments and checks are regularly reviewed and up to date.

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

Staff carry out room searches when there is a recognised immediate risk. Staff ensure that these are handled sensitively, and the child is informed. Records of room searches are maintained with clear management oversight.

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

The manager follows safer recruitment processes and carries out all relevant checks. This ensures that children are cared for by adults who are suitable to care for the child.

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good

The home has been without a registered manager since December 2022. A new manager has been appointed to the home. The manager has applied to register with Ofsted. She has high aspirations for the child living in the home and has ensured that the child has a stable staff team in place for them to feel safe and secure.

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good

The manager has high expectations and is committed to continually improving the level of care provided to the children. There have been several changes to the staff who work in the home. The current team of staff are enthusiastic and dedicated to their role. The staff feel supported by the management team.

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good

Leaders ensure that staff receive an appropriate induction and training programme. Staff receive appropriate monthly supervision sessions, including an opportunity to reflect on their practice and identify learning needs. However, appraisals for staff are not taking place within the appropriate timescales.

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good

The manager has a clear oversight of the day-to-day running of the home. The manager has recently carried out a detailed quality of care review. However, this does not include feedback from children or other professionals. This feedback is essential in assessing the service being provided to children. In addition, the review has not been completed within the required time frame.

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good

The independent person visits the home each month and produces a report. These reports are used to inform the manager’s oversight of the home. On one occasion, there was an error, which meant that the manager was unaware that the report had been shared with them. As a result, the report was not reviewed by the manager or shared with Ofsted.

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good

Leaders have ensured that appropriate plans for the child are in place, and these are kept under review. The plans identify the needs of the child and are known by the Inspection report for children’s home: SC053145 5 staff. The manager works proactively with other professionals, building positive working relationships.

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good

Managers follow up and escalate concerns if responses from agencies are not satisfactory. This helps to ensure that the child receives the right support to meet their needs. Inspection report for children’s home: SC053145 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 ensure that an independent person visits the children’s home at least once each month.

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Requirement Due date

The independent person must provide a copy of the independent person’s report to—

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Requirement Due date

upon request, the local authority for the area in which the home is located;

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Requirement Due date

the registered provider and, if applicable, the registered manager; and

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Requirement Due date

the responsible individual (if one is nominated). (Regulation 44 (1) (7)(a)(b)(c)(d)(e))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must supply a copy of the independent person’s report to HMCI and the placing authority of the child. 4 August 2023

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must complete a review of the quality of care provided for children (“a quality of care review”) at least once every 6 months.

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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 feedback and opinions of children about the children’s home, its facilities and the quality of care they receive in it; and 4 August 2023 Inspection report for children’s home: SC053145 7 any actions that the registered person considers necessary in order to improve or maintain the quality of care provided for children.

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Requirement Due date

After completing a quality of care review, the registered person must produce a written report about the quality of care review and the actions which the registered person intends to take as a result of the quality of care review (“the quality of care review report”).

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Requirement Due date

supply to HMCI a copy of the quality of care review report within 28 days of the date on which the quality of care review is completed; and

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Requirement Due date

make a copy of the quality of care review report available on request to a placing authority, if the placing authority is not the parent of a child accommodated in the home.

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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 (1) (2)(a)(b)(c) (3) (4)(a)(b) (5))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that the report is completed at least every six months and that there is clear feedback from children and other professionals.

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that children are consulted regularly on their views about the home’s care, to inform and support continued improvement in the quality of care provided. Due consideration should be given to the child’s cognitive ability in the development and implementation of any consultation processes. Children should be able to see the results of their views being listened to and acted on. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 22, paragraph 4.11)  The registered person should ensure that all staff have their performance and fitness to carry out their role formally appraised at least once annually. This appraisal should consider, where reasonable and practical, the views of other professionals who have worked with the staff member over the year and children in the home’s care. As part of the performance management process, poor performance should be addressed by a timely plan to bring about improvement.

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Recommendations

(‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.5) Inspection report for children’s home: SC053145 8

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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: SC053145 9

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Partners in Care Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 2 The Calls, Leeds LS2 7JU

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Inspectors

Simon Jones, Social Care Inspector Maria McGranaghan, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC053145 10 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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