Children's Home run by Embrace Care Limited in Lancashire

Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2672566 1 Registered provider: Embrace Care 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 and provides care for up to three children.

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Information about this children’s home

The home provides care to children with social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

There was one child living in the home at the time of the inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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Information about this children’s home

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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Information about this inspection

At this inspection, the inspector evaluated:

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Information about this inspection

 the care of children  the safety of children  the effectiveness of leaders and managers. Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children, using the social care common inspection framework. This assurance 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’. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2672566 2

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Findings from the inspection

We did not identify any serious or widespread concerns in relation to the care or protection of children at this assurance inspection.

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The care of children

Staff ensure that the child’s voice is heard. They support the child to express their views and have an input into their care. This positive response ensures the child that their views are valued.

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The care of children

The child does not currently attend school. Since the last inspection, a home tutor visits the home twice a week. There is an ongoing search to identify a suitable school placement. In addition, staff support the child to engage in educational activities.

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The care of children

Staff make sure that the child takes part in activities and hobbies they enjoy. On the day of the inspection, they were pleased to be going on a trip to Blackpool.

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The care of children

Staff follow individual risk assessment plans in order to identify risks and strategies to manage risk. These are updated regularly. However, some plans include outdated information.

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The safety of children

The child has a deprivation of liberty order. This restricts the child’s movements. Plans to manage the child’s movements are ineffective. They fail to provide clear strategies to prevent the child from going missing from care.

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The safety of children

Physical interventions have been reasonable, proportionate and necessary. They have been effective in keeping the child and others safe. However, there is no clear management oversight of these incidents. This is a missed opportunity to reflect on the measures used and any lessons learned. Agency staff have undertaken physical interventions. When this has happened, they are not given the opportunity for a debrief after the event.

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The safety of children

Leaders and managers have reported to the relevant professionals allegations made by the child about members of staff. They work together to ensure that they are appropriately investigated and responded to.

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The safety of children

Staff ensure that the child has access to health and medical support following incidents of self-harm. Staff seek extra support from the child and adolescent mental health services. Staff support the child to attend the hospital when significant injuries are sustained. This ensures that the child receives the appropriate level of medical care. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2672566 3

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

There is no registered manager in post. Leaders have plans in place for the recruitment of a permanent manager. There is an interim manager in post and there is a clear plan for the day-to-day management of the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

The responsible individual and the operations manager provide support to the interim manager. Following the last inspection, they have completed an improvement plan and they hold weekly improvement meetings. These meetings identify any weaknesses and provide a clear plan to take action to address shortfalls.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Since the last inspection, an external consultant supports the staff team. The consultant enables staff to reflect on and improve their practice. Staff benefit from these sessions. However, as this is a new process, it is not embedded into the day- to-day care provided by staff.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Following the last inspection, there have been some improvements in the level of staff training. The whole team has recently attended positive behaviour response training. However, there are still some shortfalls in staff training to meet the child’s individual needs. These include training on self-harm, e-safety, substance misuse and exploitation.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

When safeguarding notifications are submitted to Ofsted, they do not always include the correct information. This means that Ofsted have not received this information on time. This affects external monitoring of children’s safety and welfare.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

This inspection did not consider all the requirements and recommendations from the last inspection. These will be reviewed at a further inspection. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2672566 4

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

06/06/2023 Full Requires improvement to be good 20/02/2023 Full Requires improvement to be good Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2672566 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 within 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. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that children’s plans and risk assessments include current information.

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Requirement Due date

In addition to this, missing from home plans must give clear strategies to staff to prevent the child from leaving the home in line with their DOL order. 11 September

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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 promotes their welfare.

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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.

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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)(h)) 11 September Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2672566 6 The registered person must ensure that staff have completed training to meet the children’s individual needs. Specifically training for self-harm, e-safety exploitation and substance misuse.

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Requirement Due date

In addition to this, the registered person must ensure that they have evaluated and commented on reports of significant events.

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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

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Requirement Due date

the measures of control, discipline or restraint which may be used in relation to children in the home.

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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

the date, time and location of 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 name of the person who used the measure ("the user"), and of any other person present when the measure was used;

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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; 11 September Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2672566 7 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 (1)(a)(b)(2) (3)(a)(b)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(b)(i)(ii)(c))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that following a restraint, staff, including agency staff, have the opportunity for a debrief to discuss the restraint used.

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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

a child is involved in or subject to, or is suspected of being involved in or subject to, sexual exploitation;

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Requirement Due date

an incident requiring police involvement occurs in relation to a child which the registered person considers to be serious;

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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

a child protection enquiry involving a child —

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Requirement Due date

concludes (in which case, the notification must include the outcome of the child protection enquiry); or

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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 matter; 11 September Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2672566 8 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)(a)(b)(c)(d)(i)(ii)(e) (5)(a)(I)(ii)(iii)(b))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that the notification includes the home’s correct unique reference number.

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Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children—

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Requirement Due date

receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home;

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Requirement Due date

that each child’s relevant plans are followed. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(c))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that current placing authority care plans and education, health and care plans are available for staff. 11 September

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that the home is a nurturing and supportive environment that meets the needs of their children while being a homely, domestic environment. Children’s homes must comply with relevant health and safety legislations. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9) Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2672566 9

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Embrace Care Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 116 Duke Street, Liverpool, Lancashire L1 5JW

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Inspector

Katie Tomlinson, Social Care Inspector Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2672566 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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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