Children's Home run by Friends Therapeutic Community Trust in Cambridgeshire

Assurance inspection report for children's home: SC025733 1 SC025733

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Registered provider: Friends Therapeutic Community Trust

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is run by a charitable community trust and provides a therapeutic programme of care for up to 17 children. The home caters for a specific range of needs, as detailed in the statement of purpose. The facilities include a registered on- site school and vocational workshops to support accredited work-based learning courses. The community trust is jointly registered with the Care Quality Commission.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager post has been vacant since 12 May 2023. A new manager has been in post since June 2023 and is not yet registered with Ofsted.

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Information about this children’s home

Inspectors were aware during this inspection that a serious incident that occurred at the home since the last inspection is under investigation by the appropriate authorities. While Ofsted does not have the power to investigate incidents of this kind, actions taken by the provider in response to the incident were considered alongside other evidence available at the time of the inspection to inform inspectors’ judgements.

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Information about this children’s home

This assurance inspection was brought forward due to an incident that was notified to Ofsted.

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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 inspectors evaluated:

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Information about this inspection

 the care of children  the safety of children Assurance inspection report for children's home: SC025733 2  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: SC025733 3

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Findings from the inspection

We identified the following serious concerns in relation to the care or protection of children at this assurance inspection:

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Findings from the inspection

 Leaders and managers have not ensured that the day-to-day care keeps each child safe. This includes failing to provide staff with sufficient guidance on managing the risks of self-injurious behaviour and the children’s presenting risks when they are out in the community.  Leaders and managers have not ensured that all staff have a good understanding of their role in safeguarding and supervising children.  Staff have failed to maintain accurate records of a disclosure that is currently under police investigation.  Staff lack curiosity in respect of children’s whereabouts when children are at the home, despite a recent serious incident between children. This is a serious concern due to the children’s level of risk and presenting behaviours. Leaders’ and managers’ oversight of staff practice is inconsistent.  Managers have failed to take effective action to meet six of the seven requirements raised at the last inspection.

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The care of children

Seven children were living at the home at the time of this inspection. Four children have left since the last inspection. Not all children have moved on in ways that were consistent with their care plans. One child had to leave the home immediately following a serious incident that is being investigated by the police.

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The care of children

Six out of the seven requirements and the two recommendations that were raised at the full inspection in June 2023 have not been addressed. These are restated and require attention to improve the quality of care and safety at the home.

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The care of children

Children spoken with said that they enjoy living at the home. They feel suitably supported and occupied by staff. Children have enjoyed a holiday away from the home and have lots of activities to engage in during the summer holidays.

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The care of children

Children said that bullying did occur on occasion but feel that staff intervene appropriately when required.

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The care of children

The inspectors observed warm relationships between staff and children.

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The safety of children

Leaders and managers have not ensured that the day-to-day care keeps each child safe. Staff do not all understand the frequency of checks that need to be made on Assurance inspection report for children's home: SC025733 4 individual children, despite some children presenting extremely high-risk behaviour towards others and themselves.

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The safety of children

One child has attempted to jump out of a first-floor window and from an external stairwell. However, this is not reflected in their risk assessment. Despite a recent serious incident between children, there has been a lack of response to improve practice. One female staff member planned to take two children to the cinema. However, there was no assessment of risk, for example of children using the toilet. Managers and staff have failed to identify and mitigate risks.

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The safety of children

Inconsistency between records, regarding the timescales for reporting children as missing from the home to the police, means that staff do not have sufficient guidance to act swiftly and safely when a child goes missing.

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The safety of children

Leaders and managers have not ensured that all staff have a good understanding of their role in safeguarding and supervising children. Staff have failed to maintain accurate records of a disclosure that is currently under police investigation.

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The safety of children

Staff lack curiosity about and vigilance in respect of children’s whereabouts when at the home. This is a serious concern due to the level of risk and the children’s presenting behaviours, particularly when a recent serious incident between children has occurred.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Leaders’ and managers’ oversight of staff practice is inconsistent. Managers have failed to take effective action to meet all the requirements from the last inspection. Consequently, children are not being cared for safely.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

A new responsible individual has been recently appointed. The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and the new manager understand the shortfalls at the home. However, recent incidents and staffing pressures have reduced management capacity as managers have been redeployed to work directly with children when needed. As a result, there has been insufficient work towards the required improvements.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

The CEO has made a commitment to reducing the number of children living at the home while the identified shortfalls are addressed.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

The CEO has increased the number of waking night staff on duty and provided additional office space on the first floor of the home to increase safeguards for children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Staff speak positively about the new manager and the CEO. Staff have welcomed the changes that have been made to the culture and ethos of the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

External monitoring continues to be a strength. However, the actions raised in the external monitoring reports are not consistently acted on to improve practice. Assurance inspection report for children's home: SC025733 5 Senior leaders actively invite external scrutiny and are currently working with external professionals to undertake audits and assessments of practice. The intention is that the outcomes will support improvements in practice. However, this is still in its infancy. Assurance inspection report for children's home: SC025733 6

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

27/06/2023 Full Requires improvement to be good 05/07/2022 Full Good 22/03/2022 Interim Improved effectiveness 26/04/2021 Full Requires improvement to be good Assurance inspection report for children's home: SC025733 7

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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 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

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

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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)(vii)(b)) 29 September

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must make arrangements for the handling, recording, safekeeping, safe administration and disposal of medicines received into the children’s home.

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Requirement Due date

In particular the registered person must ensure that—

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Requirement Due date

medicine which is prescribed for a child is administered as prescribed to the child for whom it is prescribed and to no other child. (Regulation 23 (1) (2)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated. 10 October 2023

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that a record is made of any complaint, the action taken in response, and the outcome of any investigation. (Regulation 39 (3)) 10 October 2023 Assurance inspection report for children's home: SC025733 8 This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated.

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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; 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)(c)(h))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated. 10 October 2023

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Requirement Due date

When conducting the review, the registered person must consult, and take into account the views of, each relevant person. (Regulation 46 (2))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated. 10 October 2023

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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))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated. 10 October 2023

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Requirement Due date

*This requirement is subject to a compliance notice.

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that they have made and recorded their judgement on whether the content of any qualifications held by individuals closely corresponds with the qualifications set out in regulation 28 (2)(c) (for managers) Assurance inspection report for children's home: SC025733 9 or regulation 32 (4) (for those in a care role). (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 53, paragraph 10.13)  The registered person should ensure that risks arising from staff who are in relationships and working together are identified through supervision of staff practice and mitigated.’ (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 43, paragraph 9.14) Assurance inspection report for children's home: SC025733 10

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Friends Therapeutic Community Trust

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Inspectors

Lianne Bradford, Social Care Inspector Paula Edwards, Social Care Inspector Assurance inspection report for children's home: SC025733 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 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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Inspectors

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