Children's Home run by TS Children Services Ltd in Dudley

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2726003 1 TS Children Services Ltd

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This privately owned home is registered to provide care for up to four children with social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The home registered with Ofsted in November 2023. The registered manager left shortly after registration in December 2023. A new manager started in January 2024; he is in the process of registering with Ofsted.

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This monitoring visit

An assurance inspection was completed on the 13 March 2024. Serious and widespread concerns were identified in relation to the care and protection of children. As a result, Ofsted issued a notice to restrict accommodation to prevent any new children from moving into the home. A decision was made to complete a full inspection on the 14 March 2024 to gain more of an understanding about the experiences and progress of children, their welfare and safety. Following the full inspection, the home was judged to be inadequate. This resulted in Ofsted issuing a suspension of the registration on the 15 March 2024.

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This monitoring visit

The purpose of this monitoring visit was to review the provider’s progress in meeting the requirements and to review their adherence to the restriction of accommodation and suspension notice.

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This monitoring visit

At the last full inspection, 11 requirements were made. At this inspection, the inspector found that seven of the requirements were met. The remaining four requirements were not met and will be re-instated and reviewed as part of the next inspection. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2726003 2 There are currently no children living in the home. No new children have moved into the home since the last inspection. This means the suspension and restriction notices have been adhered to.

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This monitoring visit

The manager has made improvements to the environment. New furniture has been purchased for children’s bedrooms, ensuring that children have suitable storage for their clothes and other personal belongings. In addition, staff have now been made aware of the expectations regarding the environment and monitoring tools have been implemented to ensure that standards are maintained.

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This monitoring visit

The manager and staff are now clear about their responsibilities to protect children. Staff have received a wide range of training to ensure that they understand how to keep children safe and work in-line with company policies and legislation. A new central electronic system allows for more effective recording, reporting, and monitoring of any safeguarding concerns. Additional learning has also been provided about risk management planning to ensure that risks are suitably identified and mitigated.

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This monitoring visit

Improvements have been made to assessing children’s suitability when moving into the home. The manager and responsible individual have implemented a new assessment tool to better inform themselves about children’s behaviours and risks prior to them moving into the home. This specifically allows them to consider any potential impact that a child might have on the other children already living in the home. In addition, risks in the local area and additional training for staff are also now considered as part of the assessment.

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This monitoring visit

The manager has made some improvements to their monitoring systems. They have implemented a new daily and weekly checklist as well asquarterly monitoring forms. Furthermore, the approval process within the new electronic system also provides the manager greater oversight as he will be notified of any concerns or incidents. These improved monitoring tools enable the manager to identify any shortfalls in the care that children receive and to be proactive in addressing them. This means that the manager will have more effective oversight of children’s care.

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This monitoring visit

Since the last inspection the manager has stabilised the staff team. There are now core staff members employed to work in the home. A new deputy manager has also recently been recruited and is supporting the manager. However, despite the improvement, there is currently only enough staff to meet the needs of one child. Consequently, there is not enough staff to fully meet the conditions of the registration.

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This monitoring visit

There has been improved oversight from the responsible individual. Since the last inspection she has spent more time supporting the manager and staff, taking the lead with training, and providing learning opportunities. In addition, recruitment of a new quality assurance person is in process, to provide another layer of support to the manager and increase the quality of care provided to children. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2726003 3 Records of children moving into and out of the home have been improved. The manager now has suitable recording systems to ensure that information pertaining to children living in and moving out of the home are present.

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This monitoring visit

There has been some improvement in recruitment of staff. Despite this, one shortfall was identified regarding a staff members employment history. The manager has failed to identify the shortfall or take appropriate action. This means that not all staff have had the necessary checks prior to working in the home.

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This monitoring visit

Shortfalls about the use of consequences have not been improved. The manager has a good understanding about the use of therapeutic approaches relating to consequences but has not provided any additional learning to staff. There has also been no development of records to improve recording or management oversight.

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This monitoring visit

The statement of purpose has now been submitted to Ofsted. This includes an update of the staff who work in the home. However, information relating to staff experience has not been included. Therefore, it is not compliant with schedule 1 of the children’s home’s regulations.

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This monitoring visit

Most concerns noted in previous visits have been addressed and therefore Ofsted has removed the notice of restriction and suspension. However, there remains a lack of sufficient staff to care for more than one child safely. Consequently, Ofsted has varied the home’s conditions of registration to reduce the number of children the home can care for from four to one. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2726003 4

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

14/03/2024 Full Inadequate Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2726003 5

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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 with the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must compile in relation to the children’s home a statement (“the statement of purpose”) which covers the matters listed in Schedule 1.

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Requirement Due date

keep the statement of purpose under review and, where appropriate, revise it; and

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Requirement Due date

notify HMCI of any revisions and send HMCI a copy of the revised statement within 28 days of the revision. (Regulation 16 (1) (3)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the manager ensuring that details of staff experience are included within the statement of purpose. 29 May 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; or

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Requirement Due date

if an individual is employed by a person other than the registered person to work at the home in a position in which the individual may have regular contact with children, allow that individual to work at the home,

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

the individual is of integrity and good character;

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Requirement Due date

the individual has the appropriate experience, qualification and skills for the work that the individual is to perform; 29 May 2024 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2726003 6 the individual is mentally and physically fit for the purposes of the work that the individual is to perform; and

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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)(b) (3)(a)(b)(c)(d))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the manager ensuring that details of staff employment history are accurate and in the event of discrepancies these are reasonably explained.

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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

how appropriate behaviour is to be promoted in the children’s home; and

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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

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

details of the child’s behaviour leading to the use of the measure;

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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;

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Requirement Due date

details of any methods used or steps taken to avoid the need to use the measure;

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Requirement Due date

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; and 5 June 2024 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2726003 7 a description of any injury to the child or any other person, and any medical treatment administered, as a result of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

within 48 hours of the use of the measure, the registered person, or a person who is authorised by the registered person to do so (“the authorised person”)—

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Requirement Due date

has spoken to the user about the measure; and

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Requirement Due date

has signed the record to confirm it is accurate; and

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Requirement Due date

within 5 days of the use of the measure, the registered person or the authorised person adds to the record confirmation that they have spoken to the child about the measure. (Regulation 35 (1)(a)(b) (3)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(viii)(b)(i)(ii)(c)(iv))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the manager ensuring that any use of consequences are restorative in nature and support children to understand the impact of their behaviour. In addition, the manager should ensure that records are more effective with appropriate management oversight.

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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;

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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)(c)(e))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the manager ensuring that they have a full understanding of the criteria of when they must notify Ofsted. 5 June 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: 2726003 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: TS Children Services Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 11 Waterloo Road, Wolverhampton, West Midlands WV1 4DJ

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Inspector

Carl Wilton, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2726003 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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