Children's Home run by Trax MX Limited in Lancashire

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2635351 1 Trax MX Limited

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework.

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Information about this children’s home

This home is operated by a private provider. It is registered to provide care for up to six children who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

Each child has their own staffed lodge on a large site. The provision includes a school and supported accommodation operated by the same provider. The inspectors only inspected the social care provision at this site.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of the visit, four children were living in the lodges.

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Information about this children’s home

The post for a registered manager is vacant.

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This monitoring visit

At the full inspection on 28 and 29 June 2023, the home was judged inadequate. Following the inspection, Ofsted issued a notice restricting accommodation at the home. This notice was issued with immediate effect from 29 June 2023 until 20 September 2023.

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This monitoring visit

Ofsted also issued three compliance notices under section 22A of the Care Standards Act 2000. These notices were in relation to regulation 12 (the protection of children standard), regulation 13 (the leadership and management standard) and regulation 14 (the care planning standard).

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This monitoring visit

On 10 July 2023, a monitoring visit was carried out to monitor the notice restricting accommodation at the home. Following the visit, it was determined that the provider had complied with the conditions of the notice. However, a child had moved from the supported accommodation area of the site and was receiving high levels of both care Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2635351 2 and support from staff who work in the children’s home. It was therefore considered that the child had been moved to an unregistered placement.

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This monitoring visit

A further monitoring visit was carried out on 19 July 2023. The visit was carried out following a notification by the provider of a significant safeguarding incident that took place on 13 July 2023.

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This monitoring visit

This monitoring visit was carried out to monitor the restriction notice and the compliance notices that were set at the full inspection on 28 and 29 June 2023.

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This monitoring visit

Inspectors identified continued shortfalls relating to safeguarding practice and the leadership and management of the home. A significant incident had taken place between two children. Records of this incident did not indicate that staff had acted in line with children’s plans in providing the appropriate supervision for children. Children had suffered harm as a result of inadequate safeguarding practice.

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This monitoring visit

Staff are still not provided with sufficiently clear information to support a reduction in risks for children. As a result, risks for children have increased. For example, an incident of fire setting was not responded to effectively. Not all staff have been made aware of this new behaviour and have not been provided with clear proactive strategies to prevent incidents from reoccurring. Children are therefore at risk of harm.

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This monitoring visit

Children are not receiving appropriate levels of support and supervision from staff to keep them safe. Incidents have occurred where children have suffered harm. These incidents are not reviewed effectively by leaders and managers. Poor safeguarding practice, together with ineffective oversight of significant events, do not safeguard children.

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This monitoring visit

Allegations and disclosures made by children do not receive an adequate response. For example, one child made a significant disclosure to another child and to staff. Staff did not alert managers until the following day. This prevented immediate action being taken to safeguard children, which left them at risk of harm.

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This monitoring visit

Training has been made available for staff to complete. However, staff have not completed this training to support their understanding of and ability to respond to children’s complex needs. Managerial oversight is poor, which has led to staff not being directed to complete training.

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This monitoring visit

Poor oversight of training records by leaders and managers has resulted in children being cared for by staff who do not have the skills and knowledge to provide safe and effective care. For example, several staff members have not revised their training in restraint practices. One of these staff members has continued to be involved in restraints with children. Leaders and managers have not addressed this in their oversight of restraint records or staff training records. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2635351 3 Not all staff have received supervision. Furthermore, opportunities for staff to develop their practice through effective de-briefs following incidents have been missed. Ineffective and unsafe staff practice has not been addressed. Therefore, the quality of care provided to children is not improving.

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This monitoring visit

Leaders and managers have reviewed the plans for children’s care. These plans have been implemented recently; therefore, leaders and managers could not evidence the impact of these changes on the quality of care being provided to children.

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This monitoring visit

Leadership and management arrangements remain ineffective. The responsible individual and manager have been supported by external consultants. The proposed plans for improved management monitoring have not yet been implemented. There are continued shortfalls in the leadership and management of the home. These weaknesses have had a significant and adverse effect on children’s safety and well- being.

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This monitoring visit

Inspectors did not consider the requirements set at the full inspection as part of this visit. These are restated below.

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This monitoring visit

A case review was held following this visit. It was determined that the provider had not met the steps within the compliance notices.

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This monitoring visit

Due to the serious safeguarding concerns and the increased risks to children, Ofsted took immediate action and suspended the registration of the home. Ofsted will carry out further visits to monitor the suspension notice. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2635351 4

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 28/06/2023 Full Inadequate 09/05/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good 02/02/2022 Full Inadequate Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2635351 5

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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 health and well-being standard is that—

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Requirement Due date

the health and well-being needs of children are met;

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Requirement Due date

children receive advice, services and support in relation to their health and well-being; and

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Requirement Due date

children are helped to lead healthy lifestyles.

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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

achieve the health and well-being outcomes that are recorded in the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

that each child is registered as a patient with a general medical practitioner and a registered dental practitioner. (Regulation 10 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(i)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This relates to ensuring that children’s health needs and diagnosis are understood and that children have access to primary health care services as soon as this is required. 23 August 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

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— 23 August 2023 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2635351 6 that staff—

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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

help each child to develop socially aware behaviour;

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Requirement Due date

encourage each child to take responsibility for the child’s behaviour, in accordance with the child’s age and understanding;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to develop and practise skills to resolve conflicts positively and without harm to anyone;

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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;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to develop the understanding and skills to recognise or withdraw from a damaging, exploitative or harmful relationship;

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Requirement Due date

are provided with supervision and support to enable them to understand and manage their own feelings and responses to the behaviour and emotions of children, and to help children to do the same;

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Requirement Due date

de-escalate confrontations with or between children, or potentially violent behaviour by children;

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Requirement Due date

understand and communicate to children that bullying is unacceptable; and

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Requirement Due date

have the skills to recognise incidents or indications of bullying and how to deal with them. (Regulation 11 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(vi)(vii)(x)(xi)(xii)(xiii))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must prepare and implement a policy ("the behaviour management policy") which sets out—

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Requirement Due date

how appropriate behaviour is to be promoted in the children’s home; and 23 August 2023 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2635351 7 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

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 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. (Regulation 35 (1)(a)(b) (2) (3)(a)(ii)(iv)(v)(vii)(viii))

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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 an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there;

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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)(c)(e)) 23 August 2023

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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 involve each child’s placing authority effectively in the child’s care, in accordance with the child’s relevant plans;

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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 23 August 2023 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2635351 8 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 (a)(c))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that where there are delays in local authorities responding to safeguarding concerns, the registered person escalates this swiftly and effective to ensure that children are safeguarded.

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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

provide to children living in the home the physical necessities they need in order to live there comfortably;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the premises used for the purposes 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. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(b)(vii)(c)(i)(ii))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that repairs to children’s lodges are carried out without delay, including ensuring that children have access to a TV in communal areas and that they have a door on their bathroom to afford them privacy.

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Requirement Due date

Further to this, the registered person must ensure that children’s lodges are maintained to an acceptable standard of cleanliness. 23 August 2023

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if— 23 August 2023 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2635351 9 there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there;

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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)(c)(e))

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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: 2635351 10

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Inspectors

Emma Thornton, Social Care Inspector Caroline Bertram, Regulatory Inspection Manager Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2635351 11 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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