Children's Home run by Beaufort Care Group Ltd in Dorset

Inspection report for children’s home: 2649926 1 Registered provider: Beaufort Care Group Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home provides care for one child who may experience social or emotional difficulties. The home is operated by a private provider which has several other homes in the area.

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Information about this children’s home

There has been no registered manager in post since 24 April 2023. The manager started in post in May 2023 and has not yet applied to register with Ofsted as required.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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inadequate

How well children and young people are helped and protected inadequate

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inadequate

The effectiveness of leaders and managers inadequate

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inadequate

There are serious widespread failures that mean children and young people are not protected or their welfare is not promoted or safeguarded.

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inadequate

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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inadequate

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2649926 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

03/05/2022 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2649926 3

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inadequate

Weak leadership and management and a lack of effective management oversight have led to poorly planned care. As a result, the child is not always being kept safe or helped to make good progress.

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inadequate

Staff have formed relationships with the child. However, the effectiveness of these relationships is undermined because several different staff work in the home despite leaders and managers knowing that the child finds this difficult. In addition, staff are not always clear about how they should care for the child and keep them safe. Care and support plans have contradictory information and do not include all the known information about the child’s needs. Typically, care plans are written using first- person narrative, despite the child not being involved in devising the plan.

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inadequate

The child’s educational needs are not being met as the child is not currently in school. Discussions are taking place about school plans for September 2023.

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inadequate

The child says that they like living at the home and get to do a range of enjoyable activities. The child says that she feels safe and cared for by the core staff members but not when she is being cared for by staff she does not know.

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inadequate

A parent says that they are happy with the care provided. They said they did raise a complaint about the inconsistent communication from the staff team, but this has now been resolved.

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inadequate

Since the previous inspection, three children have lived in and left the home. Only one of these moves was planned. The other two children were asked to move as staff felt they could not keep them safe. Leaders and managers have reviewed these two placements and have identified the need to carry out a more in-depth investigation at the referral stage.

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

Safeguarding practices are inadequate. Leaders, managers and staff are failing to consistently take swift and effective action to keep the child safe. For example, on one occasion, staff failed to check on the child for several hours despite the child telling staff they were thinking of self-harming. Several serious concerns relating to online abuse, threats and harassment of the child have been raised. One initial concern was reported to the police as required. However, additional threats of harm were not reported to the police, despite the risks continuing. Not enough action is taken to protect the child when she uses a mobile phone and the internet. Inspection report for children’s home: 2649926 4 The safety plan designed to direct staff in how to support the child is ineffective. It does not include information about all recent concerns or provide strategies for staff to mitigate the risks.

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

Despite concerns relating to exploitation, insufficient action is taken by staff to quickly understand where the child has been and who they have been with when they have been missing from home. For example, on one occasion, the child was brought back to the home at midnight after being missing. Staff did not confirm who dropped the child off until a few days later. The child has gone missing on 10 occasions. Insufficient action is taken by leaders and managers to ensure that independent return home interviews take place after each incident. In addition, the manager has failed to review all the missing-from-home incidents. Together, these serious shortfalls limit the opportunity to understand and mitigate the risks and to prevent reoccurrence.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Leaders and managers are not managing this home effectively. The home has been without a registered manager since April 2023. A new manager is in post but has not applied to register with Ofsted as required.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Management oversight of incidents and records is ineffective. Consequently, the manager does not have a clear and accurate understanding of how the home is performing and the help the child needs to stay safe. The responsible individual has implemented their own monitoring of the home, but this is not yet embedded into practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The home is insufficiently staffed to meet the child’s needs. The current staffing provision available does not consider staff who are on leave or absent while they undertake training. Since the previous inspection, 19 different members of staff have worked in the home, covering 235 shifts. Leaders and managers are aware that the child struggles with new people. Despite this, they have not taken enough action to provide the child with the necessary stability to form strong and trusting relationships.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Staff morale is low. Staff told the inspector that they lack confidence in leaders and managers and that communication from them is poor. Leaders and managers do not confidently understand the skills and training necessary for the staff team. For example, a member of staff was asked to act as an appropriate adult for the child. The manager did not know if the member of staff had the training necessary to carry out this important role.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Staff regularly work in the home by themselves. Risk assessments to support staff to carry out this work safely are not kept up to date. A compliance notice has been issued following this inspection, requiring the registered person to take action to improve the management of the home so as to keep the child safe. Ofsted will continue to monitor the home. Inspection report for children’s home: 2649926 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, 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

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; and

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Requirement Due date

seek to develop and maintain effective professional relationships with such persons, bodies or organisations as the registered person considers appropriate having regard to the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the children’s home is to provide care and accommodation. (Regulation 5 (c)(d))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person should ensure that all information regarding threats of harm and/or abuse is shared swiftly with the police.

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Requirement Due date

In addition, the registered person should work effectively with the local authority to ensure that all return home interviews take place. 17 September

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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— 17 September Inspection report for children’s home: 2649926 6 ensure that staff—

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Requirement Due date

protect and promote each child’s welfare;

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Requirement Due date

provide personalised care that meets each child’s needs, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans, taking account of the child’s background;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand and manage the impact of any experience of abuse or neglect;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to develop resilience and skills that prepare the child to return home, to live in a new placement or to live independently as an adult;

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Requirement Due date

make decisions about the day-to-day arrangements for each child, in accordance with the child’s relevant plans, which give the child an appropriate degree of freedom and choice. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(b)(ii)(iv)(v)(vi)(ix))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person should ensure that the child’s plans include all known relevant information, provide clear guidance for staff on how to care for the child and include effective strategies to meet the child’s needs. In addition, the registered person should review the continued use of first-person care plan recording if the child is not involved in determining the information.

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Requirement Due date

The education standard is that children make measurable progress towards achieving their educational potential and are helped to do so.

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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

help each child to achieve the child’s education and training targets, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

help a child who is excluded from school, or who is of compulsory school age but not attending school, to access educational and training support throughout the period of exclusion or non-attendance and to return to school as soon as possible. (Regulation 8 (1) (2)(a)(i)(viii))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person should ensure that the child is helped to return to full-time education. 30 September Inspection report for children’s home: 2649926 7 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

help each child to understand how to keep safe;

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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

manage relationships between children to prevent them from harming each other;

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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; and

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Requirement Due date

are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies;

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Requirement Due date

that the home’s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(viii)(b)) 17 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

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to— 17 September Inspection report for children’s home: 2649926 8 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

ensure that staff work as a team where appropriate;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child;

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Requirement Due date

understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home;

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

research and developments in relation to the ways in which the needs of children are best met; and

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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)(b)(d)(e)(f)(g)(i)(ii)(h))

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Requirement Due date

In addition, the registered person should take swift action to ensure that the home is managed and staffed effectively.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person should ensure that the manager and staff have the necessary skills and training to carry out their roles effectively.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person should take action to improve management oversight to understand the impact of the quality of care and take urgent action to ensure that the child is cared for safely.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees—

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Requirement Due date

have their performance and fitness to perform their roles appraised at least once every year. (Regulation 33 (4)(c)) 30 September Inspection report for children’s home: 2649926 9 In particular, the registered person should ensure that where staff have identified health needs, their needs are comprehensively assessed and they receive the appropriate support.

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Requirement Due date

*These requirements are subject to a compliance notice.

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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: 2649926 10

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Beaufort Care Group Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Unit 2, Hollygrove Business Park, Verwood Road, Ringwood, Dorset BH24 2DB

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Inspector

Wendy Anderson, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2649926 11 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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