Children's Home run by Wakefield Council in Wakefield

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC033808 1 SC033808 Wakefield Council

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home offers a short-breaks service and provides care for up to seven children with physical or learning disabilities and/or sensory impairment.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of this visit, the registered manager was not working in the home and interim management arrangements were in place.

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This monitoring visit

This home was judged inadequate at the full inspection on 19 and 20 December 2023. The inspectors found shortfalls and regulatory breaches. As a result, three compliance notices were issued under regulations 12, 13 and 14. The remaining requirements and recommendation have not been considered as part of this visit.

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This monitoring visit

No new requirements or recommendations were made following this visit.

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This monitoring visit

Children continue to enjoy their short breaks and take part in a wide range of enjoyable activities. During the visit, the inspector observed positive relationships between children and staff.

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This monitoring visit

One child was reported to have unexplained bruising. The interim managers worked in partnership with the local authority designated officer, medical professionals and the child’s social worker throughout the investigation. The child was not found to have suffered any harm. The manager has taken learning from this situation and shared this with the staff.

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This monitoring visit

There have been two additional serious incidents involving children. These relate to a medication error and a child who became seriously unwell when away from the home. Both incidents have been managed well, in line with the home’s procedures. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC033808 2 In addition, the interim managers have ensured that timely and detailed notifications were made to Ofsted.

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This monitoring visit

All staff have received training on whistle-blowing. A flow chart has been introduced to help to remind staff what to do should they be concerned about practice in the home. In addition, the responsible individual has arranged drop-in sessions so that staff can raise concerns with them in person.

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This monitoring visit

Safer recruitment checks made retrospectively on the agency staff provide assurances that they are safe to care for children. The child who was living at the home has now moved on. There have been no agency staff employed since then.

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This monitoring visit

A variety of training opportunities support staff to better understand children’s different forms of communication. Staff speak enthusiastically about learning sign language. This training is ongoing, and more time is needed for staff to embed their learning into practice. Additional resources, including lanyards with different symbols on, support staff’s communication with children. In addition, the communication board which children can use to describe their feelings is now accessible to all children.

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This monitoring visit

The interim managers have carried out a full review of the circumstances around the child who was living at the home at the time of the last inspection. A skills audit is helping the interim managers to better understand the skills and experience of the staff team and identify gaps in learning. No new children have been admitted to the home. Therefore, the impact of this learning has not yet been tested, although children continue to receive short breaks.

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This monitoring visit

Children’s progress and experiences can only be fully evaluated once permanent management arrangements are implemented and the improvements that have been made so far are fully embedded. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC033808 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

19/12/2023 Full Inadequate 20/02/2023 Full Good 19/01/2022 Full Good 27/01/2020 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC033808 4

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person 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 quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children;

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Requirement Due date

use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them 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

provide to children living in the home the physical necessities they need in order to live there comfortably;

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Requirement Due date

provide to children personal items that are appropriate for their age and understanding; and

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed and furnished so as to—

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Requirement Due date

enable each child to participate in the daily life of the home. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(vii)(viii)(c)(i)(ii))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that: the home looks and feels like a family home for children; children are supported to personalise their bedrooms; the feelings board is easily accessible for all the children living in the home or receiving short breaks; and areas of the home designated for the use of the children are used solely for this purpose. 31 March 2024 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC033808 5 If the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005(a) applies to the home—

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Requirement Due date

the registered person must ensure that the requirements of that Order and any regulations made under it, except for article 23 (duties of employees), are complied with in respect of the home. (Regulation 25 (2)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that all children and staff who are new to the home participate in a fire drill as soon as is reasonably possible. 31 March 2024

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that the home’s records on each child represent a significant contribution to their life history. Staff should understand their important role in encouraging the child to reflect on and understand their history, according to their age and understanding. In particular, life-story materials should have accompanying information that will help children to understand their time in the home. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.5)

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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: SC033808 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Wakefield Council, County Hall, Bond Street, Wakefield WF1 2QW

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Cheryl Whitehouse

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Inspector

Rachel Walker, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC033808 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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