Children's home run by Calderdale Council in Calderdale

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC034953 1 SC034953

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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 local authority. It provides care for up to three children who may experience social and emotional difficulties. The home’s purpose is to support children on a medium-term basis to return to live with their family or move in with a foster family. It also supports children on a longer-term basis to move on to semi-independent living.

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Information about this children’s home

The home has had no children living in the home for 12 months while refurbishment work has been carried out.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager recently registered with Ofsted in April 2024.

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This monitoring visit

The purpose of the monitoring visit was to establish if the provider has made suitable arrangements for the home to resume operating following a period of closure. The home continued to be registered with Ofsted during the period of closure but was taken off the inspection programme. No children have lived at the home during this period.

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This monitoring visit

The premises have been refitted and improved. The communal areas are well presented and feel homely and welcoming. The children’s bedrooms are well appointed and are a blank canvas for children to personalise when they move in.

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This monitoring visit

During the refurbishment, the home has been altered to be more environmentally friendly with sustainable energy equipment, including solar panels and an air source heat pump. This reflects the provider’s intention to invest in providing good-quality ‘green’ accommodation for children to live in. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC034953 2 The staff team has been rebuilt from the provider’s existing workforce. This ensures that the staff are experienced and qualified, and already know the policies and procedures that underpin their practice. Before children move to live in the home, some joint training sessions are planned to promote a cohesive and consistent approach among the staff team.

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This monitoring visit

The manager has consulted with key stakeholders for reassurances that there have been no changes to risks related to the location of the home.

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This monitoring visit

When the home reopens, staff will only care for up to three children, where previously the home was registered to care for up to five children. Leaders and managers have requested this change to promote a more domestic feel in the home.

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This monitoring visit

At the point that the home closed, inspectors had not evaluated improvements to meet the requirements and recommendations made at the last full inspection. At this visit, it was possible to review some of these improvements, which showed that one requirement and two recommendations had been met. However, one requirement and one recommendation remain unchecked. This is because no children have been living in the home. Those areas are therefore carried forward to the home’s next inspection when children are resident.

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This monitoring visit

The provider has demonstrated that they have suitable resources to resume operation in line with the home’s statement of purpose. The provider is ready for children to move in. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC034953 3

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 22/11/2022 Full Good 14/12/2021 Full Outstanding 09/10/2019 Full Requires improvement to be good 10/07/2019 Full Inadequate Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC034953 4

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person 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 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— that staff—

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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. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)) 31 July 2024

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that all staff can access appropriate facilities and resources to support their training needs. The registered person should understand the important role they play in the training and development of the staff in the home. They should ensure that staff receive the relevant training that helps them to meet the needs of the children who live in the home. (‘Guide to the Children’s Home Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 53, paragraph 10.11)

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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: SC034953 5

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Princess Buildings, Princess Street, Halifax, West Yorkshire HX1 1TS

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Inspector

Rachel Ruth, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC034953 6 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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