Children's Home run by HAVEN CARE GROUP LIMITED in Staffordshire

Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 1251947 1 Registered provider: Haven Care Group 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 run by a private organisation. It is registered to provide care for up to four children who have had adverse childhood experiences.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in November 2023.

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Information about this children’s home

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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Information about this inspection

At these inspections, the inspectors evaluated:

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Information about this inspection

 the care of children  the safety of children  the effectiveness of leaders and managers. 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: 1251947 2

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Findings from the inspection

We did not identify any serious or widespread concerns in relation to the care or protection of children at this assurance inspection.

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Findings from the inspection

Four children were living in the home at the time of the inspection.

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Findings from the inspection

Leaders respond effectively when children make allegations against staff. The management team works with the local authority designated officer to share important information and seek advice and guidance. Internal investigations are completed in a timely manner, and leaders speak to children to ensure that their views and wishes are obtained. These actions reassure children that they are valued and listened to.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff understand children’s risks and take action to keep children safe. Staff work together effectively to safeguard children who are at risk of going missing from the home. When children have gone missing from the home since the last inspection, staff have followed the protocols in place and taken action to search for children. They work well with the relevant professionals and maintain good communication. These actions help to reassure children that staff care about their welfare.

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Findings from the inspection

Systems to manage children’s safety online are good. Children know and understand the systems that staff use to keep them safe. In addition, staff complete focused work with children to educate them. Children respond well to this approach and know what is expected of them.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff use physical intervention as a last resort to manage significant incidents when children become anxious. Managers review incidents, and debriefs are completed to provide staff and children with opportunities to discuss and learn from incidents. As a result, children feel reassured and learn from their experiences. However, incident records do not always provide clear information and are sometimes difficult to understand.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff are not always safely vetted prior to working in the home. For example, the registered manager does not always complete checks on staff’s full employment history. In addition, the registered manager does not consistently verify the reasons employment ended when staff have previously worked with children. This has the potential to leave children vulnerable to being cared for by adults who are not suitable to work with children.

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Findings from the inspection

Management oversight and review systems require improvement. They do not promote continuous improvements in the quality of care provided to children. For example, the systems in place have failed to identify shortfalls in staff recruitment, recording errors in children’s records, and notifications required to Ofsted. This lack of oversight and organisation hinders improvements being made to the quality of care for children. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 1251947 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

04/07/2023 Full Good 22/06/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good 23/03/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good 24/10/2019 Interim Declined in effectiveness Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 1251947 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 within 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; 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)(h))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, leaders should ensure that they have clear monitoring and review systems in place to identify shortfalls, improve practice and understand the impact that the home has on children’s progress and experiences. 13 February 2024

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety.

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Requirement Due date

employ an individual to work at the children’s home; or

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Requirement Due date

if an individual is employed by a person other than the registered person to work at the home in a position in which the individual may have regular contact with children, allow that individual to work at the home, if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3). 13 February 2024 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 1251947 5 The requirements are that—

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Requirement Due date

full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2. (Regulation 32 (1) (2)(a)(b) (3)(d))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, leaders should ensure that a full and accurate employment history has been provided and validated before any individual commences work in the home. In addition, leaders should ensure that they carry out checks where staff have previously worked with children.

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that staff understand the importance of careful, objective, and clear recording. This relates to addressing generic terms and timeframes used in physical intervention reports and children’s risk assessments, which do not clearly explain staff’s actions. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 62 paragraph 14.4) Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 1251947 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Haven Care Group Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Haven Care Group, Unit 6, Barberry Court, Parkway, Centrum One Hundred, Burton-on-Trent DE14 2UE

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Inspectors

Dean Wilton, Social Care Inspector Kev Brammer, Social Care Inspector Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 1251947 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

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Inspectors

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