Children's Home run by Cannon Children Services Ltd in North Northamptonshire

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2691235 1 Cannon Children Services Limited

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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 owned by an independent provider. It is registered to provide care for up to two children who experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

There is currently no registered manager in post. However, the acting manager has applied to register with Ofsted.

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This monitoring visit

This home was judged inadequate at the full inspection on 19 and 20 July 2023. Following the inspection, several statutory requirements were made and a compliance notice was issued in relation to leadership and management. A notice restricting accommodation was also issued.

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This monitoring visit

This visit was carried out to assess whether the compliance action set following the inadequate judgement has been met. At the time of this visit, one child was living at the home and no further children had been admitted. Therefore, the home has complied with the notice restricting accommodation. Some good progress has been made and the notice restricting accommodation has therefore been lifted.

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This monitoring visit

The compliance notice in relation to leadership and management runs until 6 October 2023. This is because shortfalls in leadership and management remain.

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This monitoring visit

Other requirements made at the last inspection have not been fully assessed at this visit and will be reviewed at the next full inspection.

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This monitoring visit

The manager has worked hard to implement new auditing and monitoring systems at the home. This is enabling the manager to better monitor the quality of care being provided to children. Recording processes have been improved so that significant incidents for children and physical interventions can be recorded more Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2691235 2 clearly. These new processes are not yet embedded into practice so their effectiveness cannot yet be understood.

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This monitoring visit

The manager is prioritising the learning and development of staff. There is now a system in place to evidence and monitor staff attendance at training. Since the last inspection, some staff have received training in medication administration and physical intervention. The manager has identified further areas of ongoing development, such as how medication is recorded.

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This monitoring visit

Good progress has been made to prepare the child for his move to independence. He is now engaged in job-related training and there is a meaningful transition plan in place. The manager has recently supported the child to view where he will be moving to and has advocated well on his behalf.

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This monitoring visit

Appropriate systems have been put in place to manage complaints. The home is still in the process of developing a separate allegations process. Since the last inspection, there have been regular discussions with children. Through these discussions, the child has influenced the care that he receives at the home.

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This monitoring visit

Updates have been made to the statement of purpose; however, these have not yet been submitted to Ofsted. The manager has produced the required six-monthly report but similarly this has not been submitted to Ofsted. The manager understands the need for this to be sent in a timely way moving forward. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2691235 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

19/07/2023 Full Inadequate 01/02/2023 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2691235 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, 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 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

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 the staff work as a team where appropriate;

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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

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

feedback on the experiences of children, including complaints received; and

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Requirement Due date

use of 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)(c)(e)(f)(g)(ii)(h)) 6 October 2023 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2691235 5 This specifically relates to ensuring that robust quality assurance and monitoring systems are in place which are used regularly and recorded. Additionally, this relates to ensuring that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet each child’s needs. This requirement is restated and escalated to a compliance notice.

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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. (Regulation 40 (4)(a)(b)(c)(d)(i)(ii)(e))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that incidents are notified to Ofsted. This requirement is restated. 6 October 2023

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees—

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Requirement Due date

undertake appropriate continuing professional development;

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Requirement Due date

receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience; and

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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)(a)(b)(c))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that staff receive probation reviews and appropriate inductions to prepare 6 October 2023 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2691235 6 them to work with children. Staff must receive regular supervision to support their practice.

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Requirement Due date

keep the statement of purpose under review and, where appropriate, revise 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 revision. (Regulation 16 (3)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that any revised statement of purpose is submitted to HMCI within 28 days of that revision. 6 October 2023

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Requirement Due date

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; and 6 October 2023 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2691235 7 make a copy of the quality of care review report available on request to a placing authority, if the placing authority is not the parent of a child accommodated in the home.

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Requirement Due date

The system referred to in paragraph (2) must provide for ascertaining and considering the opinions of children, their parents, placing authorities and staff. (Regulation 45 (1) (2)(a)(b)(c) (3) (4)(a)(b) (5))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that there is a suitable monitoring system in place and that reports are produced at least every six months and sent to HMCI within 28 days.

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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; and

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Requirement Due date

have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that children’s transitions are planned. Additionally, children must be given the opportunity to share their feelings and influence the care they receive. 6 October 2023

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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

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)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that accidents, complaints and allegations are appropriately explored and recorded. This also relates to ensuring that physical intervention records are detailed and provide the required clarity. Children’s needs must be included in care plans and required services must be identified. 6 October 2023

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must prepare and implement a policy (“the behaviour management policy”) which sets out— 6 October 2023 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2691235 8 how appropriate behaviour is to be promoted in the children’s home;

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Requirement Due date

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

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;

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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;

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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 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2691235 9 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.

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Requirement Due date

Paragraph (3) does not apply in relation to restraint that is planned or provided for as a matter of routine in the child’s EHC plan or statement of special educational needs. (Regulation 35 (1)(a)(b) (2) (3)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(viii) (b)(i)(ii)(c) (4))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that records of incidents are clear, detailed and demonstrate management oversight, reflection and learning.

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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

medicines kept in the home are stored in a secure place so as to prevent any child from having unsupervised access to them;

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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; and

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Requirement Due date

a record is kept of the administration of medicine to each child. (Regulation 23 (1) (2)(a)(b)(c)) 6 October 2023

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Requirement Due date

The registered provider must appoint a person to manage the children’s home if—

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Requirement Due date

there is no registered manager in respect of the home; and

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Requirement Due date

is not, or does not intend to be, in day-to-day charge of the home. 6 October 2023 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2691235 10 If the registered provider appoints a person to manage the home, the registered provider must, without delay, give HMCI notice of—

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Requirement Due date

the name of the person so appointed; and

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Requirement Due date

the date on which the appointment takes effect. (Regulation 27 (1)(a)(b)(i)(ii)(iii) (2)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that a registered manager is in post.

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Requirement Due date

*These requirements are subject of a compliance notice.

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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: 2691235 11

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Cannon Children Services Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 2 Calais Hill, Tyler Hill, Canterbury CT2 9LT

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Inspector

Louise Copping, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2691235 12 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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