Children's Home run by Beaufort Care Group Ltd in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole

Assurance inspection report for children's home: 2607291 1 Registered provider: Beaufort 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 by a private organisation. The home provides care for one child.

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Information about this children’s home

A new manager started in July 2023 and has applied to register with Ofsted.

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Inspection date: 29 January 2024

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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Inspection date: 29 January 2024

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. The inspector has 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: 2607291 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

The child remains settled in the home. They continue to enjoy ice skating and spending time with friends. In recent weeks, the child has been spending less time out of the home. They said they are content in their room and are good at occupying their time. Staff work with the child to develop skills for the future, such as meal planning and budgeting. They support the child to do their own food shopping and to run errands locally.

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Findings from the inspection

Progress in the child’s education is extremely limited. The child currently receives only five hours a week of structured mentoring. This means they struggle to maintain a daily routine. Despite the coordinated efforts of staff and other professionals, the child was unable to start a college course this academic year. The manager continues to work with the child and their parent to explore suitable arrangements, but recognises that the child is not achieving their potential. The manager and senior leaders are currently reviewing the appropriate next steps to support this.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff identify safeguarding concerns and hold sensitive conversations about worries. The child has made positive progress in identifying how they can be safe and understanding where there might be risks. The child enjoys stable relationships with the core staff team. As a result of this support, the child is better able to express themselves. Staff work closely with the child to support them to develop positive friendships and relationships. Staff create opportunities for the child to spend quality time with those people who are important to them. As a result, the child has not gone missing from home.

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Findings from the inspection

There are new processes in place for staff to record concerns. These ensure there are clear links between issues that arise, such as overlaps between safeguarding concerns and alcohol misuse. However, while the initial incidents are recorded clearly, the updates are not always added. Therefore, the records do not capture the support the child has received.

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Findings from the inspection

There have been four concerns reported about staff practice. These have been shared with the relevant safeguarding authorities as necessary. Three concerns occurred at the time of management changes in the home. Thorough investigations have taken place, identifying clear next steps. Where appropriate, staff receive additional training and support to address shortfalls in practice.

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Findings from the inspection

There is a new manager in post, who has applied to register with Ofsted. The home has been through a period of significant instability and change since October 2022, but is now starting to benefit from having a consistent leader. This is reflected in the reduction of concerns about staff practice. The manager supports staff with regular Assurance inspection report for children's home: 2607291 3 supervision. This helps staff to critically reflect on their practice and how they support the child.

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Findings from the inspection

As a result of staff vacancies, the manager has worked on shift to support consistency in the home. This means that management tasks such as auditing and oversight are not carried out as thoroughly as the manager would like them to be. There is oversight of individual records, but this is not yet consistent across all records. There are plans in place to address this.

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Findings from the inspection

Two recommendations from the previous inspection have been met and one was not considered. Both previous requirements have been restated as more work is required.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

14/06/2023 Full Requires improvement to be good 13/09/2022 Full Good 05/01/2022 Full Good Assurance inspection report for children's home: 2607291 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 education standard is that children make measurable progress towards achieving their educational potential and are helped to do so.

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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 achieve the child’s education and training targets, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

support each child’s learning and development, including helping the child to develop independent study skills and, where appropriate, helping the child to complete independent study;

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Requirement Due date

understand the barriers to learning that each child may face and take appropriate action to help the child to overcome any such barriers;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand the importance and value of education, learning, training and employment;

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Requirement Due date

help a child who is excluded from school, or who is of compulsory school age but not attending school, to access educational and training support throughout the period of exclusion or non-attendance and to return to school as soon as possible;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to attend education or training in accordance with the expectations in the child’s relevant plans. (Regulation 8 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(viii)(x))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure there is a clear plan for how staff will support the child to explore suitable post-16 options. 14 July 2023 Assurance inspection report for children's home: 2607291 5 This requirement was raised at the last inspection and restated.

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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

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—

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Requirement Due date

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)(f)(g)(i)(ii)(h))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that incidents and care in the home are reviewed for learning.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was raised at the last inspection and some of it has been restated. 14 July 2023

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure there is a clear plan for staff to follow to address the child’s smoking and vaping. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 35, paragraph 7.18) Assurance inspection report for children's home: 2607291 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Beaufort Care Group Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Unit 2 Hollygrove Business Park, Verwood Road, Ringwood, Dorset BH24 2DB

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Amanda Goodenough

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Inspector

Clare Nixson, Social Care Inspector Assurance inspection report for children's home: 2607291 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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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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