Children's Home run by New Horizons (Stockport) Limited in Stockport

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC008600 1 SC008600

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Registered provider: New Horizons (Stockport) Limited

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This is a privately run children’s home. The provider’s statement of purpose states that it provides care for up to six children with social and emotional difficulties. Three children were living in the home at the time of the inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in 2008.

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This monitoring visit

During a full inspection on 24 and 25 April 2023, inspectors identified significant shortfalls in both safeguarding practice and leadership and management. As a result, two compliance notices were issued under Section 22A of the Care Standards Act. These related to regulation 12, the protection of children standard and regulation 13, the leadership and management standard.

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This monitoring visit

The focus of this visit was to monitor the provider’s response to the compliance notices issued at the last full inspection.

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This monitoring visit

Children’s plans are reviewed, although these are not updated. Plans do not include all known risks to children, and not all staff are aware of these. This means that children are supported by staff who do not have a full understanding of their risks and do not have clear guidelines to follow.

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This monitoring visit

One child made an allegation against a staff member. However, this was not recognised as an allegation and was only referred to the local authority designated officer after the independent visitor spoke with the child’s parent. Additionally, staff do not have the appropriate training for children’s specific risks, including the use of ligatures.

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This monitoring visit

When children are missing from home, there are not clear strategies for the staff to follow. This means that there are gaps between children being missing from home Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC008600 2 and them being reported as missing. Additionally, return home interviews are not always taking place. This is a missed opportunity to reduce the risk of further missing-from-home episodes.

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This monitoring visit

One child who was spoken to was happy at the home and had good relationships with the staff. However, two children have moved out of the home recently with very little preparation, and so their experiences of moving were not as positive as they could have been.

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This monitoring visit

Children have not been consulted with about their care to inform the quality of care that they receive.

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This monitoring visit

There is not sufficient management oversight of records. Children’s plans lack detail and their voice. There are gaps in local authority care plans, which are needed to inform children’s care. The manager’s comments do not evaluate the effectiveness of measures put in place or identify shortfalls in staff practice.

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This monitoring visit

A case review was held on 6 July 2023. The compliance notices have not been met. As a result, further compliance notices have been issued. These relate to regulation 12, the protection of children standard and regulation 13, the leadership and management standard. The requirements made in the previous inspection will be reviewed at the next full inspection. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC008600 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

24/04/2023 Full Inadequate 27/07/2022 Full Good 17/08/2021 Full Good 26/11/2019 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC008600 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

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. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(iii)(v)(vi)) 13 August 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

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child; 13 August 2023 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC008600 5 ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child;

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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)(c)(e)(h))

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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

the effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the measure; and

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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)(vii)(b)(i)(ii)(c))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that when a child has been held, there is record kept showing that staff have been spoken to about the use of the measure and that children are supported to understand why a hold has been used.

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Requirement Due date

In addition to this, the use of the hold and of the imposed consequences must be evaluated for effectiveness. 30 June 2023

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety.

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Requirement Due date

The requirements are that— 30 June 2023 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC008600 6 full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2. (Regulation 32 (1) (3)(d))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that there is a full employment history for each staff member and an explanation for any gaps in employment.

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Requirement Due date

In addition to this, the registered person must evidence that any concerns raised in references have been explored.

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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

if the registered person considers, or staff consider, a placing authority’s or a relevant person’s performance or response to be inadequate in relation to their role, challenge the placing authority or the relevant person to seek to ensure that each child’s needs are met in accordance with the child’s relevant plans. (Regulation 5 (c))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must challenge the placing authority if children’s plans, such as placing authority care plans, health plans and education plans, are not received within an acceptable time frame following reviews. 30 June 2023

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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 any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious.

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Requirement Due date

A notification made under this regulation—

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Requirement Due date

the other persons, bodies or organisations (if any) who or which have been notified; and

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Requirement Due date

any actions taken by the registered person as a result of the matter;

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Requirement Due date

must be made or confirmed in writing. (Regulation 40 (4)(e) (5)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(b)) 30 June 2023 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC008600 7 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

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Requirement Due date

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. (Regulation 45 (1) (2)(a)(b)(c) (3) (4)(a)) 30 June 2023

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must compile in relation to the children’s home a statement (‘the statement of purpose’) which covers the matters listed in Schedule 1.

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Requirement Due date

keep the statement of purpose under review and, where appropriate, revisit it; and

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Requirement Due date

notify HMCI of any revisions and send HMCI a copy of the revised statement within 28 days of the revisions. (Regulation 16 (1) (3)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, this is in relation to ensuring that the statement of purpose includes the details of the staff, including details of their experience and qualifications. 30 June 2023 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC008600 8 *These requirements are subject of a compliance notice.

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that when a child returns to the home after being missing from care or away from the home without permission, the responsible local authority provides an opportunity for the child to have an independent return home interview. The registered person should take account of information provided by such interviews when assessing risks and putting arrangements in place to protect each child. A record of the return home interview should be recorded in the missing-from-home record. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 45, paragraph 9.30)

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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: SC008600 9

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: New Horizons (Stockport) Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 154-156 Buxton Road High Lane, Stockport, Cheshire SK6 8EA

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Inspectors

Kerri Lynch, Social Care Inspector Jennifer Quest, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC008600 10 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 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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