Children's home run by Halliwell Homes Limited in Staffordshire Moorlands

Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC008488 1 SC008488

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Registered provider: Halliwell Homes Limited

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Inspected under the social care common framework

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Information about this children’s home

This is a private children’s home. It is registered to care for up to eight children, who may have a range of social and emotional difficulties. At the time of this monitoring visit, there were six children living in the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in November 2022.

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This monitoring visit

On 25 and 26 July 2023, Ofsted undertook a full inspection of the home and judged the home inadequate. There were serious and widespread failures that meant children were not protected and their welfare was not promoted or safeguarded. As a result, Ofsted issued a restriction of accommodation notice and compliance notices in relation to regulations 11, 12 and 13.

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This monitoring visit

The purpose of this visit was to review the progress to satisfy the requirements of the compliance notices. This visit identified that leaders and managers have failed to take sufficient action to protect children from harm. As a result, Ofsted has reissued compliance notices in relation to regulation 12, the protection of children standard, and regulation 13, the leadership and management standard. The notice to restrict accommodation remains in place.

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This monitoring visit

Leaders have put in place some new safeguarding systems to support managers and staff to respond to safeguarding concerns. However, the response to a recent safeguarding incident was not effective. This showed that staff do not follow procedures, which may place children at risk of harm. Some challenges remain around maintaining the correct staffing ratios set out in risk assessments. Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC008488 2 The manager has put in place a new supervision format which explores staff’s understanding of risk to children. However, this format fails to fully explore behaviour management or safeguarding practice.

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This monitoring visit

Staff have completed training specific to children’s needs. They undertake a quiz to reinforce learning. However, leaders and managers do not evaluate training. This does not address gaps in learning or staff’s misunderstanding of training. This continues to leave children vulnerable from staff who do not fully understand how to manage risk.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

25/07/2023 Full Inadequate 24/05/2022 Full Good 06/12/2021 Interim Improved effectiveness 14/07/2021 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC008488 3

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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 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

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Requirement Due date

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 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 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 8 October 2023 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC008488 4 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)(c)(d)(e)(f)(g)(i)(ii)(h))

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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

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;

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Requirement Due date

that the effectiveness of the home’s child protection policies is monitored regularly. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(b)(e)) 8 October 2023 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC008488 5 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—

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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

understand how children’s previous experiences and present emotions can be communicated through behaviour and have the competence and skills to interpret these and develop positive relationships with children;

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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. (Regulation 11 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(i)(ix)(x)) 8 October 2023

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Requirement Due date

*These requirements are subject to a compliance notice.

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that the home is welcoming and nurturing and that it conveys a homely and domestic, rather than institutional, impression. (‘Guide to the Children’s Home’s Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9)

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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: SC008488 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Halliwell Homes Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Pearce House, 80 Cawdor Street, Eccles M30 0QF

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Inspectors

Sally Mitchell, Social Care Inspector Kelly McCurdy, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC008488 7 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

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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