Children's home run by Care Management Solutions Limited in Kirklees

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC423442 1 SC423442

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Information about this children’s home

This home is operated by a private provider. It provides care for up to five children.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in December 2023.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection there were four children living in this home. Three children were observed and spoken to during this visit.

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This monitoring visit

An assurance inspection was carried out on 27 November 2023. Ofsted identified serious and widespread concerns in respect of the leadership and management arrangements meaning that the care and protection of children was compromised. Requirements were made under Regulation 5, 12 and 13.

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This monitoring visit

Since the last inspection, Ofsted has received a whistle-blowing complaint. This visit was undertaken to address specific concerns raised in this.

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This monitoring visit

The provider has taken sufficient action to ensure improvements and positive developments have been made since the last visit. The children are helped to be kept as safe as possible, and they are making progress from their own starting points.

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This monitoring visit

Children’s education attendance has increased. Two children now attend education full time. One child who has missed significant periods of education now attends college. Another child who has yet to have an education provision identified, does receive home tuition daily, and they also attend art classes. The routine and structure that these opportunities provide, help children to improve their social, emotional and educational outcomes. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC423442 2 The home continues to be well maintained, clean and tidy. There is a calm feel to this home. The children’s bedrooms are personalised to their tastes. Children and staff share all areas of the home, with no differentiation between rooms that are used by both the staff and children.

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This monitoring visit

The requirement made under Regulation 12 has been met. Leaders and managers have developed the admission process and paperwork. These now consider all of the children’s risks and support needs before a child moves in. The manager also speaks with the children’s parents, carers, relevant professionals and the children to ensure that their needs can be met. This has enabled a successful move in to the home for the child who has moved in since the last inspection.

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This monitoring visit

Children are supported to build trusting relationships with staff and are confident at sharing their worries and concerns with them. Since the last inspection, there has been one allegation made against a member of staff. The responsible individual took appropriate action and informed all the safeguarding agencies and Ofsted. The responsible individual completed the investigation and shared the outcome with the child, who was happy with the actions taken and the outcome. The child and member of staff involved were supported to work through this restoratively, and additional staff training has been sourced to develop the resilience of the staff team.

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This monitoring visit

Restrictions on children’s liberty have been relaxed. This is due to the progress that children make. They have a better understanding of the risks associated with their past behaviour This has led to one child requiring less support and supervision and more free time outside of the home. This helps children to not only socialise with their peers, but also helps them to become more independent.

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This monitoring visit

The staff speak positively about the support that they receive from the leaders and managers. They say that the registered manager is ‘always available to them’, and that ‘their door is always open’. The staff are equally confident in the support that they receive from the responsible individual. She supports the registered manager well, so she can continue to develop her skills.

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This monitoring visit

The children are relaxed and confident in the home. They are helped to get along with one another and they enjoy individual and joint activities with the staff. The children spoke positively about the manager and the staff. One child said, ‘I like it here. It’s good. I feel safe living here.’

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This monitoring visit

The current staffing arrangements do not allow for sufficient contingency plans should there be any unforeseen changes in the staffing levels. As such, the requirement under Regulation 13 has been reissued, along with Regulation 5. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC423442 3

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 03/05/2023 Full Good 22/06/2022 Full Good 23/03/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good 10/03/2020 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC423442 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

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

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Requirement Due date

seek to secure the input and services required to meet each child’s needs. (Regulation 5(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered provider must escalate concerns to the relevant professionals when children are not provided with the opportunity for independent advocacy services. 30 April 2024

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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

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child;

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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 30 April 2024 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC423442 5 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)(b) (2)(c)(e)(f)(g)(i)(ii)(h))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that contingency plans are in place in the event of a shortfall in staffing levels. If it is likely that there might only be one member of staff on duty at any time the manager should make a formal assessment of the implications for children’s care, including any likely risks.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must also ensure that the staff are kept up to date with all relevant information to help them to meet the needs of all the children in the home, and ensure that the staff do not use stigmatising and blaming language with the children, or in the children’s records.

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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: SC423442 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Care Management Solutions Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 57 Lydgate, Lepton, Huddersfield HD8 0LT

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Rebecca Halliwell

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Inspector

Jo Birtwhistle, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC423442 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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