Children's Home run by Brooks & Brooks Recruitment Ltd in Rochdale

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2713287 1 Registered provider: Brooks & Brooks Recruitment

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This private home provides care for one child. The home’s statement of purpose states that children living in this home may experience a range of social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager left their role in January 2024. An acting manager has been appointed. The manager has submitted an application to register with Ofsted.

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Information about this children’s home

The inspector spoke with the child who was living in the home at the time of this inspection.

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This monitoring visit

On 20 February 2024, an assurance inspection was carried out in response to an increase in serious safeguarding notifications sent to Ofsted by the provider and a complaint from the child’s placing authority. The inspector identified serious and widespread concerns in relation to the care and protection of children at the inspection. Following a case review held on 21 February 2024, one compliance notice was served under regulation 13, the leadership and management standard.

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This monitoring visit

During this monitoring visit, the inspector found that the provider has acted to meet the steps in the compliance notice served under regulation 13.

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This monitoring visit

There have been improvements to the child’s safety, welfare, and the quality of their care because leaders and managers have implemented consistent staffing arrangements to care for the child. The child has had continuity of care from a team of staff who they know and who understand their needs. Consequently, there have been no serious incidents, incidents of going missing from the home, or hospital admissions for the child since the last inspection. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2713287 2 Staff spoken to during the inspection demonstrated a good knowledge of the child’s needs and their risk assessment. Risk assessments are now clear and comprehensive in relation to strategies that should be implemented to keep the child safe from harm. They include up-to-date chronologies and identify triggers to the child’s behaviour.

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This monitoring visit

The child has been supported by the staff team to prepare for their planned move to a new home. This has included supported visits to the new home, overnight stays with staff, and the opportunity for the child to spend time with the new staff team independently. The child said that things have gone well and they are excited for their move.

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This monitoring visit

There continue to be some vacancies within the staff team. Leaders and managers have plans to recruit new staff. There have been company-wide lessons learned in relation to the combination of staff working together to ensure that children are provided with safe and consistent care, specifically when planning a rota with staff shortages or responding to staff sickness.

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This monitoring visit

The remaining areas of concern raised at the assurance inspection were not looked at during this visit. Therefore, they remain requirements until the home’s next inspection. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2713287 3

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 21/06/2023 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2713287 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, 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 protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

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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

assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child’s relevant plans and if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child;

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Requirement Due date

understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person;

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Requirement Due date

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(v)(vi))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, ensure that the staff take the appropriate action to safeguard children in line with children’s individual risk assessments and safety plans, and that the actions they take do not place children at further risk. 3 April 2024

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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.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— 3 April 2024 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2713287 5 that each child has access to such dental, medical, nursing, psychiatric and psychological advice, treatment and other services as the child may require. (Regulation 10 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, ensure that children have access to in-house therapeutic services to meet their individual needs. This should be in line with the home’s statement of purpose.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees—

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Requirement Due date

undertake appropriate continuing professional development;

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Requirement Due date

receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience. (Regulation 33 (4)(b)) 3 April 2024

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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

an incident requiring police involvement occurs in relation to a child which the registered person considers to be serious;

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Requirement Due date

there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40 (4)(b)(e)) 3 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: 2713287 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Brooks & Brooks Recruitment

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Hilton Jones Limited, Hollinwood Business Centre, Albert Street, Oldham OL8 3QL

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Junior Brandford

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Inspector

Cheryl Field, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2713287 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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