Children's Home run by CURISUK LIMITED in Nottinghamshire

Inspection report for children's home: 2732325 1 Registered provider: Curisuk Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is owned and operated by a sole director. The home registered with Ofsted in September 2023. It is registered to provide care to one child who may have social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager and responsible individual have both resigned. The director of the organisation provided some information and supported this inspection.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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inadequate

How well children and young people are helped and protected inadequate

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inadequate

The effectiveness of leaders and managers inadequate

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inadequate

There are serious and widespread failures that mean children and young people are not protected or their welfare is not promoted or safeguarded and the care and experiences of children and young people are poor and they are not making progress.

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inadequate

Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable

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Enforcement action since last inspection:

This home’s registration was suspended in February 2024 as it was no longer financially viable. Inspection report for children's home: 2732325 2

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inadequate

This is the home’s first inspection since registering and in this time one child has moved in and then out of the home. The child’s time at the home ended in an unplanned way when it was decided that staff could no longer provide safe care. The home environment had also been significantly damaged and was no longer safe. The manager supported the child to move to another home.

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inadequate

Not all the information requested was provided by the director, so this evaluation is based on the information seen. The planning and risk assessment document produced before the child moved into the home was drawn up by the child’s previous home. This meant that, before the child moved in, the manager did not assess the staff’s competency, knowledge and experience, or how the home was going to meet the child’s complex needs. The manager did meet the child several times before they moved into the home, to establish relationships and familiarity, which helped the transition.

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inadequate

There was some evidence of appropriate care planning, although information about the child’s education and health was insufficient. The child did not have any education provided during their time at the home. They were not registered with a dentist or optician, so these aspects of their health were not assessed. The manager did seek additional external support in response to the child’s mental health needs.

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inadequate

It was not clear from the information provided how the child’s voice was heard or how their wishes and feelings informed their care. The child had a deprivation of liberty (DOL) order, which placed a lot of restrictions on their day-to-day life. However, staff did not always follow the DOL order, particularly around the levels of support and supervision required.

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inadequate

The home is currently unfurnished as all the contents have been removed and placed in storage. The home is bare, has no heating and lacks basic necessities, such as laundry facilities and beds, and is therefore not currently suitable for children to live in.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: inadequate

The home is currently not a safe environment for children to live in as the fire alarm system and fire safety equipment have all been removed. Records indicated that these had been installed but they were not evident during this inspection.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: inadequate

There were numerous incidents involving the child. These were mostly managed positively and the child was supported by staff. Staff have not appropriately recorded the use of physical restraint, including the type of technique used and its duration. The manager has not provided an evaluation following incidents of restraint and this Inspection report for children's home: 2732325 3 means opportunities for staff learning, to try and prevent further incidents, have not been taken.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: inadequate

On one occasion, the manager failed to report an allegation made by the child about a member of staff. This prevented external safeguarding professionals having oversight and suitable action being taken in response.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: inadequate

Safe recruitment practices have not been followed and do not provide assurances that adults working at the home have been assessed as suitable to work with children. One staff member had been working in the home without a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check. References from previous employers had not all been obtained. This practice has placed children at risk of harm.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The home is currently not financially viable and this concern had been raised with Ofsted. Staff have not been paid their wages and the home has rent and utilities arrears. As a result, the home’s registration has been suspended, and the director has been asked to provide assurances and information regarding their current and future financial viability.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The manager and responsible individual have both resigned from the home. This means the home does not currently have a management team, therefore nobody is suitably qualified and experienced to provide leadership and management.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The staff have all resigned and no staff are currently employed. This means the home is not able to provide care to children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The director failed to provide the information requested by Ofsted relating to supervision and training for staff who had been employed. Therefore, Ofsted was unable to evaluate whether staff had been adequately supported and trained to undertake their roles.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Minimal evidence was provided of the management team’s quality assurance systems and reviews of the quality and development of care. Some shortfalls were identified in the management oversight and recording of restraint. There was evidence of the child’s plans being regularly reviewed and updated when they were living at the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The management team completed a lessons learned evaluation following the child leaving. This was a thorough and detailed account which identified several areas for improvement and development. Inspection report for children's home: 2732325 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

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—

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Requirement Due date

meet the needs of each child. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(b)(vii)(c)(i)) 1 June 2024

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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

are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(vii))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, this relates to ensuring any allegation is reported to external safeguarding professionals and a record is kept of the allegation and outcome. 1 June 2024 Inspection report for children's home: 2732325 5 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

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

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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

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.

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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 has sufficient staff to provide care for 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

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(c)(d)(f)(h)) 1 Jun 2024

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Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children-

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Requirement Due date

receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home; and

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Requirement Due date

have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home.

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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 each child’s relevant plans are followed; (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, this relates to an assessment of need being completed before a child moves into the home to ensure that staff have the knowledge and experience to meet the child’s 1 June 2024 Inspection report for children's home: 2732325 6 needs. It also relates to staff following agreed plans, particularly around agreed staffing ratios.

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Requirement Due date

After consultation with the fire and rescue authority, the registered person must-

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Requirement Due date

take adequate precautions against the risk of fire, including the provision of suitable fire equipment in the children’s home. (Regulation 25 (1)(a))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, this relates to having a fire alarm system and fire safety equipment in the home. 1 June 2024

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must appoint a person to manage the children’s home if-

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Requirement Due date

there is no registered manager in respect of the home; and the registered provider-

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Requirement Due date

is not, or does not intend to be, in day-to-day charge of the home. (Regulation 27 (1)(a)(b)(ii)(iii)) 1 June 2024

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety.

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Requirement Due date

employ an individual to work at the children’s home-

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Requirement Due date

if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3).

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Requirement Due date

full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2. (Regulation 32 (1) (2)(a) (3)(d)) 1 June 2024

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must prepare and implement a policy("the behaviour management policy") which sets out-

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Requirement Due date

the measures of control, discipline and restraint which may be used in relation to children in the home.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that- 1 June 2024 Inspection report for children's home: 2732325 7 within 24 hours of the use of a measure of control,discipline or restraint in relation to a child in the home, a record is made which includes-

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Requirement Due date

the date, time and location of the use of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

a description of the measure and its duration; the name of the person who used the measure("the user"), and of any other person present when the measure was used;

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Requirement Due date

the effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the measure. (Regulation 35 (1)(b) (3)(a)(iii)(iv)(vi)(vii))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must carry on the children’s home in such manner as is likely to ensure that the home will be financially viable for the purpose of achieving the aims and objectives set out in the statement of purpose. (Regulation 47 (1)) 1 June 2024

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people, using the social care common inspection framework. This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000 to assess the effectiveness of the service, how it meets the core functions of the service as set out in legislation, and to consider how well it complies with The Children’s Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the ‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’. Inspection report for children's home: 2732325 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 51 Priory Ridge, Crofton, Wakefield WF4 1TF

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Inspector

Sarah Orriss, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: 2732325 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 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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