Children's Home run by Casterton Care Group Limited in Lancashire

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2722566 1 Registered provider: Casterton 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 owned and operated by a private company. The home provides care for up to four children who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The home registered with Ofsted in May 2023. The responsible individual left their position on 31 August 2023, and the registered manager post became vacant on 4 November 2023.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of this visit, there was one child living in the home.

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This monitoring visit

During a full inspection on 8 and 9 November 2023, inspectors identified significant shortfalls in safeguarding practice, care planning and leadership and management. As a result, two compliance notices were issued under Section 22A of the Care Standards Act. These related to regulation 12, the protection of children standard, and regulation 13, the leadership and management standard. The focus of this monitoring visit was to monitor the provider’s progress in meeting the compliance notices. The compliance notices have been met.

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This monitoring visit

Since the last inspection, improvements have been made to ensure that the home environment is safe. New windows with safe opening levels have been fitted in all bedrooms. The fire risk assessment has been updated and all the recommended actions have been completed.

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This monitoring visit

Appropriate staffing levels are in place, in line with the child’s risk assessment. Risk assessments for the child take account of all known risks and vulnerabilities and outline the strategies staff should use to manage these. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2722566 2 Staff have accessed training specific to meeting the needs of the child in their care and keeping the child safe. Additionally, direct-work sessions have been carried out with the child, which has increased their understanding of how to keep themselves safe.

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This monitoring visit

The roles and responsibilities of managers are now clearly set out. The monitoring and review systems have been strengthened to ensure that managers have effective oversight of practice and can identify and address themes and patterns and shortfalls in practice.

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This monitoring visit

The other requirements raised at the last inspection were not considered at this visit and are restated.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

08/11/2023 Full Inadequate Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2722566 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 within the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

within 24 hours of the use of a measure of control, discipline, or restraint in relation to a child in the home, a record is made which includes—

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Requirement Due date

details of the child’s behaviour leading to the use of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

the date, time and location of the use of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

a description of the measure and its duration; details of any methods used, or steps taken to avoid the need to use the measure;

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Requirement Due date

the name of the person who used the measure ("the user"), and of any other person present when the measure was used; the effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

and a description of any injury to the child or any other person, and any medical treatment administered, as a result of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

within 48 hours of the use of the measure, the registered person, or a person who is authorised by the registered person to do so ("the authorised person")—

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Requirement Due date

has spoken to the user about the measure;

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Requirement Due date

and has signed the record to confirm it is accurate;

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Requirement Due date

and within 5 days of the use of the measure, the registered person or the authorised person adds to the record confirmation that they have spoken to the child about the measure. 19 February 2024 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2722566 4 (Regulation 35 (1) (3)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(viii)(b)(i)(ii)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that those involved in a restraint, including children, are spoken to following the restraint and that incidents of restraint are reviewed and evaluated by someone who was not involved in the intervention.

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Requirement Due date

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;

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Requirement Due date

and 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

help each child to develop socially aware behaviour;

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Requirement Due date

encourage each child to take responsibility for the child’s behaviour, in accordance with the child’s age and understanding; help each child to develop and practise skills to resolve conflicts positively and without harm to anyone;

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Requirement Due date

and communicate to each child expectations about the child’s behaviour and ensure that the child understands those expectations in accordance with the child’s age and understanding;

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Requirement Due date

and that each child is encouraged to build and maintain positive relationships with others. (Regulation 11 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that children receive advice and guidance that supports them to understand the impact of their behaviour on others. 19 February 2024

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Requirement Due date

ensure that each employee completes an appropriate induction. 19 February 2024 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2722566 5 The registered person must ensure that all employees—

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Requirement Due date

undertake appropriate continuing professional development; and receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience. (Regulation 33 (1)(a) (4)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that all staff, including those on probation, receive supervision in line with the statement of purpose.

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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

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

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that all staff employed in the home have an up-to-date enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service check and references. 19 February 2024

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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;

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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

demonstrate that practice in the home is informed and improved by taking into account and acting on— research and developments in relation to the ways in which the needs of children are best met; and feedback on the experiences of children, including complaints received; and use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(h))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that practice is informed by research and that team meetings are an opportunity for staff learning and development. 19 February 2024 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2722566 6 Ensure recommendations made by independent monitoring services are actioned in a timely manner.

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that children have access to resources for learning at all times. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 29, paragraph 5.18)  The registered person should ensure that children live in a warm and welcoming environment with a homely feel. In particular, they should consider the use of colour, photos and ornaments to ensure that the home does not have an institutional feel. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes 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: 2722566 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Casterton Care Group Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 13 Montpelier Avenue, Bexley, Kent DA5 3AP

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Inspector

Sarah Jackson, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2722566 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 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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