Children's Home run by Oaktree Childcare Limited in Lancashire

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2740375 1 SC2740375

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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 operated by a private provider. It provides care for up to three children who may have emotional and/or social difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The home and manager were registered with Ofsted in August 2023.

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Information about this children’s home

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

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This monitoring visit

This home was judged inadequate at its first full inspection, on 3 and 4 January 2024. At this inspection, the inspector found significant shortfalls in safeguarding practice and the leadership and management of the home.

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This monitoring visit

Following the full inspection, Ofsted took action to action to restrict the accommodation at the children’s home, under section 22B of the Care Standards Act 2000. Two compliance notices were also issued, under section 22A of the Care Standards Act 2000. These related to regulation 12, the protection of children standard, and regulation 13, the leadership and management standard.

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This monitoring visit

This monitoring visit took place to monitor the actions taken by the provider in relation to the compliance notices.

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This monitoring visit

Since the last inspection, leaders and managers have taken steps to ensure that staff understand children’s risks and vulnerabilities. One child has moved out of the home in a planned way, as it was agreed by professionals that the child’s needs could not be safely met alongside those of the other child living in the home. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2740375 2 There has been an improvement in how staff manage incidents of challenging behaviour. Staff now have access to detailed risk and behaviour management support plans that reflect the child’s current and emerging risks and include clear strategies for staff to follow to keep the child safe.

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This monitoring visit

The manager has taken action to ensure that the child has been involved in personalising their care and support plans. The child has been encouraged to share their views and wishes on all aspects of their care and living in the home. This has supported the child and they are now speaking to staff about their long-term plans of living in the home and the likelihood of not returning to family as they had initially hoped.

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This monitoring visit

Leaders and managers have challenged professionals about the reduction in the child’s educational timetable and their responsibilities to the child. Evidence around educational activities and tasks being carried out with the child outside school is now clear, with detailed and structured plans to ensure the child continues to be supported with their learning.

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This monitoring visit

The home is now decorated and furnished to a high standard throughout. Parts of the home have been redecorated and holes in walls have been repaired. One child has been supported to move bedrooms, at their request, and is being helped to personalise their room.

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This monitoring visit

Leaders and managers are committed to developing staff practice. All staff have completed training relevant to their roles and supervision practice has improved. The manager is now evidencing the support and challenge he provides to staff to enable them to reflect and develop in their roles. Following training, all staff and managers reflect on their learning, individually and as a group. Consequently, staff are more confident and understand the expectations of their roles.

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This monitoring visit

Leaders and managers have implemented a number of changes to improve management oversight of practice in the home. These include strengthening communication, improving recording and monitoring systems and completing regular audits. Leaders and managers now understand the home’s strengths and areas for development and are committed to continually improving the quality of care provided to children.

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This monitoring visit

Managers have increased oversight of incidents and ensure that any learning is used to improve practice in the home. However, on one occasion, staff did not seek medical advice when a child failed to swallow all their medication. The rationale for this decision was not clear. This is something that the manager is now taking action to address to ensure that staff know how to respond should the situation occur again.

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This monitoring visit

Following this visit, a case review took place where it was agreed that the provider had taken sufficient action to meet the compliance notices issued under regulation 12, the protection of children standard, and regulation 13, the leadership and Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2740375 3 management standard. It was also determined that the notice restricting accommodation in the home could be lifted.

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This monitoring visit

Requirements raised at the last inspection were not explored as part of this monitoring visit and will be reviewed at the next inspection.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

03/01/2024 Full Inadequate Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2740375 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

In meeting the quality standards, the registered person must, and must ensure that staff—

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Requirement Due date

seek to involve each child’s placing authority effectively in the child’s care, in accordance with the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

seek to secure the input and services required to meet each child’s needs;

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Requirement Due date

if the registered person considers, or staff consider, a placing authority’s or a relevant person’s performance or response to be inadequate in relation to their role, challenge the placing authority or the relevant person to seek to ensure that each child’s needs are met in accordance with the child’s relevant plans. (Regulation 5 (a)(b)(c))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that they provide sufficient professional challenge to ensure that a child’s education is meeting their needs. 1 March 2024

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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

ensure that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed and furnished so as to— 1 March 2024 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2740375 5 meet the needs of each child. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(vii)(c)(i))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that any damage to the building or furniture is repaired or items are replaced in a timely manner. The children’s views, wishes and feelings standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

take their views, wishes and feelings into account in relation to matters affecting the children’s care and welfare and their lives.

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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

ascertain and consider each child’s views, wishes and feelings, and balance these against what they judge to be in the child’s best interests when making decisions about the child’s care and welfare;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to express views, wishes and feelings;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand how the child’s views, wishes and feelings have been taken into account and give the child reasons for decisions in relation to the child. (Regulation 7 (1)(c) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that children are involved in their plans and that their views and wishes are clearly detailed. 1 March 2024

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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; and

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Requirement Due date

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

that staff— 1 March 2024 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2740375 6 meet each child’s behavioural and emotional needs, as set out in the child’s relevant plans;

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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;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to develop and practise skills to resolve conflicts positively and without harm to anyone;

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Requirement Due date

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

are provided with supervision and support to enable them to understand and manage their own feelings and responses to the behaviour and emotions of children, and to help children to do the same. (Regulation 11 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(x))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that staff are able to de-escalate children’s behaviour effectively and that children are supported to manage their feelings and emotions. In addition, that children receive clear messages about acceptable behaviours.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if—

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Requirement Due date

there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there. (Regulation 40 (4)(c)) 1 March 2024

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain records ("case records") for each child which—

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Requirement Due date

include the information and documents listed in Schedule 3 in relation to each child;

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Requirement Due date

are kept up to date. (Regulation 36 (1)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that each child’s records accurately reflect what is going on for that 1 March 2024 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2740375 7 child and are completed and maintained and that any shortfalls are swiftly resolved.

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Requirement Due date

The health and well-being standard is that—

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Requirement Due date

the health and well-being needs of children are met;

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Requirement Due date

children receive advice, services and support in relation to their health and well-being. (Regulation 10 (1)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that staff know how to respond when children do not take their correct dosage of prescribed medication. 15 April 2024

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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: 2740375 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Rubik Care, Olympic Court, Whitehills Business Park, Blackpool FY4 5GU

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Inspector

Kelly McCurdy, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2740375 9 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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