Children's Home run by Progress Children’s Services Ltd in Dudley

Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2746884 1 Registered provider: Progress Children’s Services Ltd

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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 operated by a private organisation. It is registered to provide care for up to seven children with learning disabilities.

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Information about this children’s home

The home registered with Ofsted on 2 October 2023. The registered manager resigned shortly after registration. A new manager is in post but has not yet submitted an application to register. There is currently one child living in the home.

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Inspection date: 16 November 2023

Date of last inspection: not previously inspected

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Inspection date: 16 November 2023

Judgement at last inspection: not previously inspected

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Inspection date: 16 November 2023

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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Information about this inspection

At this inspection, the inspector evaluated:

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Information about this inspection

 the care of children  the safety of children  the effectiveness of leaders and managers.

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Information about this inspection

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: 2746884 2

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Outcome from the inspection

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

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Outcome from the inspection

 Poor assessment of risk and inadequate safeguarding action taken.  Shortfalls in the leadership and management of the home.  Significant shortfall in staffing sufficiency.  Poor care planning arrangements.

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Findings from the inspection

This inspection found serious and widespread concerns about the leadership and management of the home. As a result, a restriction of accommodation notice has been issued. This means that the manager will not be able to admit any further children to the home until the restriction has been lifted.

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Findings from the inspection

There are insufficient staff working at the home. Managers have allowed some staff who were initially appointed to this home to move to the provider’s other homes. There are currently only three full-time and one part-time care staff working at the home. There is only one suitably qualified member of care staff.

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Findings from the inspection

A child was admitted to the home despite the registered manager leaving and the staffing shortfalls. During the two-week period when the child has lived at the home there have been six occasions when agency staff have been required. This has been covered by six different agency workers. This has not provided consistency of care for the child.

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Findings from the inspection

The manager informed the inspector that he has assessed two further children with a view to them being admitted to the home. The home does not have sufficient staff to provide a positive transition into the home or to provide safe care for additional children.

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Findings from the inspection

The staff’s assessment of risk has been weak. They have not recognised or acted on safeguarding concerns. For example, the manager was not aware that the child was playing video games rated as 18+. Therefore, there was no assessment or plan put in place to address this. This has left the child exposed to playing games with adult themes and inappropriate language.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff did not take action to remove a portable heater from the child’s bedroom. This is in contravention of the fire risk assessment and exposes the child to unnecessary risk.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff have not been effective in embedding routines and boundaries for the child. As a result, the child often plays video games until the early hours of the Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2746884 3 morning and eats meals in his bedroom. The child’s care planning does not give staff clear guidance on how to provide a consistent approach to his care. This reduces the prospect of him making progress at this home. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2746884 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, 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 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

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)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to staff being competent in assessing risk and taking effective action to safeguard children. 12 December Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2746884 5 Also, to staff embedding routines at the home to ensure children’s overall well-being.

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Requirement Due date

Also, to children being safeguarded online and when using computer games.

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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 promotes their welfare.

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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 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. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(c)(d)(e)(f))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the home being sufficiently staffed and well managed to provide safe and consistent care to children. 12 December

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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 12 December Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2746884 6 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 managers ensuring that children’s care is well planned and staff understand what care is needed from the outset, including what actions they must take to help the child make progress. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2746884 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Progress Children’s Services Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Progress House, 127 Millfields Road, Wolverhampton WV4 6JG

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Inspector

Alison Snell, Social Care Inspector Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2746884 8 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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Inspector

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Inspector

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