Children's home run by The Forge Nuneaton Limited

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2673408 1 Registered provider: The Forge Nuneaton 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 owned by a private provider and is registered to provide care for up to six children who have experienced trauma. The home is one of four homes on the same site.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in June 2022.

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This monitoring visit

At the full inspection on 18 April 2023, this home was judged to be good.

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This monitoring visit

An assurance inspection was carried out on 6 September 2023 due to concerns Ofsted had received in relation to the care of children. No serious or widespread concerns were found at that inspection.

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This monitoring visit

This monitoring visit took place due to concerns Ofsted received in relation to bullying among children. A significant safeguarding incident had also taken place on 19 September 2023.

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This monitoring visit

There have been three incidents of bullying since the last inspection. Managers and staff have responded well to these incidents. Managers have reviewed and updated children’s risk management plans and these contain clear actions for staff to follow to prevent bullying in the home. Staff have engaged children in conversations and direct work about bullying to help them understand the different forms of bullying, the impact of this on other children and what they should do if they are being bullied.

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This monitoring visit

Despite this good work, relationships between children since the last inspection have been strained at times. During an incident on 19 September 2023, one child was targeted by two other children in the home. Managers and staff acted appropriately Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2673408 2 to manage the situation. One child was protected at the time by staff who moved them from this home to another home on the same site. As a result of this incident, two children’s placements were ended at short notice.

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This monitoring visit

Damage caused by children during this incident to one child’s bedroom and other parts of the home was repaired promptly. A personal item of the child’s which was also damaged was replaced before they moved back to the home. This sensitive approach by leaders and managers helped the child to feel valued. The child told the inspector, ‘I understand about bullying and staff have helped me to understand that bullying is not ok.’

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This monitoring visit

The manager has acknowledged the impact of incidents on children. The home’s bullying policy has been updated and a more child-friendly policy has been introduced. The manager has plans for children to further develop this.

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This monitoring visit

Leaders and the manager have plans in place to embed learning from these incidents. The process of assessing and admitting new children is to be carried out by the individual managers of each of the homes on the site. This move away from a centralised process aims to reduce conflict and improve the stability for children who move in.

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This monitoring visit

The requirements set at the previous inspection have not been reviewed at this monitoring visit. These are restated and will be explored at the next inspection.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

18/04/2023 Full Good 04/01/2023 Full Inadequate Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2673408 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

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

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(f)(h))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the manager ensuring learning from incidents is put into practice and reflected in children’s plans to inform staff how to respond to similar incidents in future. 10 November 2023

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Requirement Due date

Restraint in relation to a child is only permitted for the purpose of preventing—

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Requirement Due date

injury to any person (including the child);

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Requirement Due date

serious damage to the property of any person (including the child); or

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Requirement Due date

a child who is accommodated in a secure children’s home from absconding from the home. 10 November 2023 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2673408 4 Restraint in relation to a child must be necessary and proportionate. (Regulation 20 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to avoiding restraints on stairs, and only implementing a restraint for as long as necessary.

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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;

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Requirement Due date

may be safely self-administered by that child. (Regulation 23 (1) (2)(a)(b)(c))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring medication is appropriately recorded and includes relevant guidance and protocols to be followed. 10 November 2023

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Requirement Due date

If the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005(a) applies to the home—

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Requirement Due date

the registered person must ensure that the requirements of that Order and any regulations made under it, except for article 23 (duties of employees), are complied with in respect of the home. (Regulation 25 (2)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that any actions required as part of risk assessments are completed within the advised timescale. 10 November 2023

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Recommendations

 The registered person must challenge (under regulation 5(c)) any placing authority which asks them to accept a child in the absence of a complete and Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2673408 5 current relevant plan, as the expectation that a placement of a child without the necessary information would go ahead (in circumstances other than an emergency) is inadequate in relation to their role. It is essential that homes understand what will be required of them before they accept responsibility for a child’s placement, to avoid disruption and instability for the child in future and for other children in the home. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 56, paragraph 11.5)  In a restraint situation, staff should use their professional judgement, supported by their knowledge of each child’s risk assessment, an understanding of the needs of the child (as set out in their relevant plans) and an understanding of the

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Recommendations

risks the child faces. Professional judgements may need to be taken quickly, and staff training and supervision of practice should support this. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 48, paragraph 9.53)

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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: 2673408 6

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Rebecca Grimshaw

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Inspector

Nurul Kabir, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2673408 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 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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