Children's Home run by Autonomy Plus Limited in Wiltshire

Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 1263124 1 Registered provider: Autonomy Plus 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 organisation. It provides care for up to five children with learning disabilities and additional needs. At the time of the inspection, five children were living at the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager has been in post since December 2022.

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This monitoring visit

This monitoring visit was carried out due to several complaints, allegations and cases of whistle-blowing made to Ofsted regarding staff practice. This visit took place to review the quality and outcome of investigations into these concerns.

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This monitoring visit

Four investigation reports were reviewed. One of these was of an appropriate quality, however, the other three were not. These lacked evidence of leaders and managers taking sufficient action to assure themselves of the validity of the issues raised. Each investigation should be reviewed and reinvestigated. Out of a team of 21, six of whom are bank staff, leaders and managers only interviewed five staff, of whom three were the subject of the allegations. The investigation reports do not have a chronology of actions taken, and records of meetings with the five members of staff are limited and do not consistently address all issues raised. When staff have been suspended, suspension letters do not clearly state the reasons for the suspension, which could have led to staff feeling anxious.

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This monitoring visit

Leaders and managers have not assured themselves that actions identified as part of these investigation and shared with staff at a team meeting on 31 October 2023 have been addressed in a timely manner. One example of this is that leaders and managers identified the need for staff to revisit the safeguarding, whistle-blowing and complaints policies and procedures. In addition, leaders and managers have not Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 1263124 2 carried out individual supervision sessions with each member of staff involved in the issues, or with the wider team, to assure themselves of staff practice or provide an opportunity for staff to raise any concerns.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

22/08/2023 Full Good 06/09/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good 30/05/2022 Full Inadequate 18/10/2021 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 1263124 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 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 premises used for the purposes of the home are located so that children are effectively safeguarded; 31 January 2024 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 1263124 4 that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed, furnished and maintained so as to protect each child from avoidable hazards to the child’s health; and

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Requirement Due date

that the effectiveness of the home’s child protection policies is monitored regularly. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)()(d)(e))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, leaders and managers should ensure that investigations into complaints, allegations or concerns about staff practice are thorough and of good quality. Also, they should ensure that all actions and lessons learned are implemented in a timely manner.

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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 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— 31 January 2024 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 1263124 5 research and developments in relation to the ways in which the needs of children are best met; and

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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 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

In addition, leaders and managers should ensure that staff subject to complaints or allegations, and the wider staff team, receive appropriate supervision.

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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: 1263124 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Autonomy Plus Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 67 Roundpond, Melksham, Wiltshire SN12 8EB

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Nicholas Faulkner-Elliott

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Inspector

Wendy Anderson, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 1263124 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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