Children's Home run by Trafford Borough Council in Trafford

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC032475 1 SC032475 Trafford Borough Council

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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 managed by a local authority. The home provides care for up to three children who may have social and emotional difficulties or a learning disability.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in May 2023.

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This monitoring visit

This children’s home was judged to have serious and widespread concerns in relation to the care and protection of children at the assurance inspection on 30 January 2024. A notice to urgently vary the conditions of registration from five children to three children was issued. A compliance notice was issued under regulation 12 (the protection of children standard).

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This monitoring visit

The purpose of this monitoring visit was to review the progress and actions taken by the provider to meet the compliance notice.

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This monitoring visit

Two children have recently moved on from the home, following the notice to vary the conditions. One child who continues to live in the home told the inspector that the home is ‘ten times better’. Another child spoke about their positive relationship with one staff member, expressing that they were ‘a mother figure’ to them.

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This monitoring visit

Leaders and managers have updated children’s plans to reflect all known risks and to include strategies for staff to follow. For one child, this has included a referral to wider agencies for additional support. All staff have read children’s plans and team meetings have ensured that these have been discussed in detail. This means that staff are clear on their responsibilities to keep children safe.

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This monitoring visit

There have been four incidents of children going missing from the home since the last inspection. Staff have followed children’s safety plans to ensure that children Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC032475 2 have been kept safe. Additional guidance has been added to staff handover sheets, which has supported staff to understand actions needed when a child has been missing from the home.

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This monitoring visit

The home’s policy on bullying has been discussed with all staff members to ensure that they understand what action should be taken when managing incidents of bullying. The registered manager has met with children’s social workers to look at what additional support children who have experienced bullying in the home may require.

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This monitoring visit

All children have taken part in a fire drill since the last inspection and completed a key-work session on fire safety. This ensures that children understand the risk of fire in the home and the importance of taking part in fire drills. Eight members of staff have completed fire safety awareness training since the last inspection. This means that all staff members have completed training in the last six months. Leaders and managers have arranged further face-to-face fire safety training in March 2024.

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This monitoring visit

All staff have now completed training in the administration of medication. This means that staff have the relevant skills to support children to take their medication. Further training to develop the staff’s skills and knowledge is being sought by senior leaders but not yet identified. The manager has arranged additional training with wider specialist agencies around the specific health needs of children.

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This monitoring visit

Leaders and managers have arranged fortnightly visits from children’s mental health specialists. This will ensure that children’s plans have further professional oversight to ensure that they consider children’s emotional well-being needs.

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This monitoring visit

Changes have been made to room-search records to ensure that children’s views are captured. Records are kept under review by the manager.

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This monitoring visit

Children have access to all areas of the home. Conditions in the home have improved and are now safe for children. Redecoration of children’s rooms means that children have a homely environment to sleep in. One child was excited to show the inspector their new wallpaper and lights. Leaders and managers have an ongoing refurbishment plan to replace damaged radiators and windows.

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This monitoring visit

Following this monitoring visit, it was decided that the compliance notice has been met. The requirements previously issued under regulations 13 and 36 were not reviewed during this visit. For this reason, they are restated. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC032475 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

31/10/2023 Full Good 06/12/2022 Full Good 12/10/2021 Full Good 21/01/2020 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC032475 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 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— helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and promotes their welfare. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to— 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; 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; 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

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Requirement Due date

received; 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)) 11 March 2024

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain records ("case records") for each child which— include the information and documents listed in Schedule 3 in relation to each child; are kept up to date. (Regulation 36 (1)(a)(b)) 11 March 2024 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC032475 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: SC032475 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Trafford Borough Council

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Town Hall, Talbot Road, Stretford, Manchester M32 0 TH

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Inspector

Alexandra Pearson, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC032475 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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