Children's Home run by Call4Care Services Limited in West Northamptonshire

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2742794 1

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Call4Care Services Limited

Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is owned by a small provider. It is registered to provide care for up to two children who may experience social and emotional difficulties and/or a learning disability.

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Information about this children’s home

There were no children at the home during this monitoring visit.

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This monitoring visit

This monitoring visit was undertaken to assess whether the provider was compliant with a suspension notice issued by Ofsted. The previous monitoring visit had taken place on 16 April 2024. It was also to continue to assess any progress and development in the home made by the organisation.

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This monitoring visit

The organisation continues to be compliant with the suspension notice. There were no children living in the home. The monitoring visit was supported by the operations manager, who continues to oversee the action plan for the required improvements and development of the home.

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This monitoring visit

The manager has resigned but remains registered with Ofsted. The responsible individual has also resigned. The organisation has appointed a new responsible individual to support the action plan and the operations manager. The organisation has not yet appointed a new manager or team leaders for the home. They continue to seek to recruit suitable individuals to fulfil these roles.

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This monitoring visit

The operations manager and new responsible individual have continued to prioritise the development of staff. Supervisions have continued to take place monthly, alongside team meetings. All current staff are enrolled to gain the relevant childcare qualification. The organisation has identified a new training provider and is creating Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2742794 2 a new workforce development plan. The plan is still not complete. Existing policies are still in the process of being reviewed, updated, and shared with staff. Safer recruitment practices have been reviewed and updated. Staff recruitment files are in line with the requirements under regulation. There have been no new staff recruited since the last monitoring visit.

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This monitoring visit

The operations manager and responsible individual continue to develop the staff team in their knowledge of systems implemented for recording and oversight.

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This monitoring visit

Previous requirements were not reviewed during this visit and will remain in place. Further monitoring visits will be carried out to review the home’s compliance with the suspension notice. This will remain in place as the home is not currently in a position to provide suitable care to children.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 05/12/2023 Full Inadequate Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2742794 3

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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; and

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Requirement Due date

seek to develop and maintain effective professional relationships with such persons, bodies or organisations as the registered person considers appropriate having regard to the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the children’s home is to provide care and accommodation. (Regulation 5 (b)(d))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, this relates to ensuring that children have relevant agreed plans and that the manager is working with relevant professionals in implementing and acting on these plans. 30 June 2024

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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; and

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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

understand and apply the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

understand and apply the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

protect and promote each child’s welfare; and 30 June 2024 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2742794 4 provide personalised care that meets each child’s needs, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans, taking account of the child’s background. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(i)(ii)(iv))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, this relates to the manager and staff following the aims and objectives of the statement of purpose and applying this to the care that children receive.

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Requirement Due date

The children’s views, wishes and feelings standard is that children receive care from staff who —

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Requirement Due date

take their views, wishes and feelings into account in relation to matters affecting the children’s care and welfare and their lives.

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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

ascertain and consider each child’s views, wishes and feelings, and balance these against what they judge to be in the child’s best interests when making decisions about the child’s care and welfare;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to express views, wishes and feelings;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand how the child’s views, wishes and feelings have been taken into account and give the child reasons for decisions in relation to the child;

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Requirement Due date

regularly consult children, and seek their feedback, about the quality of the home’s care;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to prepare for any review of the child’s relevant plans and to make the child’s views, wishes and feelings known for the purposes of that review;

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Requirement Due date

is enabled to provide feedback to, and raise issues with, a relevant person about the support and services that the child receives; 30 June 2024 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2742794 5 is given appropriate advocacy support; and

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Requirement Due date

keep the children’s guide and the home’s complaints procedure under review and seek children’s comments before revising either document. (Regulation 7 (1)(b)(c) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(vi)(b)(i)(iii)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, this relates to children having a voice in the home to be able to express their views. It also relates to children having access to a children’s guide that is factually accurate.

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Requirement Due date

The education standard is that children make measurable progress towards achieving their educational potential and are helped to do so.

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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

help each child to achieve the child’s education and training targets, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

support each child’s learning and development, including helping the child to develop independent study skills and, where appropriate, helping the child to complete independent study;

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Requirement Due date

understand the barriers to learning that each child may face and take appropriate action to help the child to overcome any such barriers;

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Requirement Due date

promote opportunities for each child to learn informally;

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Requirement Due date

maintain regular contact with each child’s education and training provider, including engaging with the provider and the placing authority to support the child’s education and training and to maximise the child’s achievement;

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Requirement Due date

raise any need for further assessment or specialist provision in relation to a child with the child’s education or training provider and the child’s placing authority;

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Requirement Due date

help a child who is excluded from school, or who is of compulsory school age but not attending school, to access 30 June 2024 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2742794 6 educational and training support throughout the period of exclusion or non-attendance and to return to school as soon as possible;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to attend education or training in accordance with the expectations in the child’s relevant plans; and

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Requirement Due date

that each child has access to appropriate equipment, facilities and resources to support the child’s learning. (Regulation 8 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(v)(vi)(vii)(viii)(x)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, this relates to children having an education plan that contains information relating to the child’s education, both formal and informal, and how staff are to support this. It also relates to children being encouraged and supported to attend education that is relevant to their needs and being provided with the necessary resources to engage in education.

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Requirement Due date

The enjoyment and achievement standard is that children take part in and benefit from a variety of activities that meet their needs and develop and reflect their creative, cultural, intellectual, physical and social interests and skills.

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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

develop the child’s interests and hobbies;

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Requirement Due date

participate in activities that the child enjoys and which meet and expand the child’s interests and preferences;

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Requirement Due date

make a positive contribution to the home and wider community; and

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Requirement Due date

that each child has access to a range of activities that enable the child to pursue the child’s interests and hobbies. (Regulation 9 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, this relates to children being provided with activities in the home and community that are relevant to their interests and that there are resources available in the home for them to pursue hobbies and interests. 30 June 2024

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Requirement Due date

The health and well-being standard is that — 30 June 2024 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2742794 7 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; and

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Requirement Due date

children are helped to lead healthy lifestyles.

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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

achieve the health and well-being outcomes that are recorded in the child’s relevant plans; and

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Requirement Due date

understand the child’ health and well-being needs and the options that are available in relation to the child’s health and well-being, in a way that is appropriate to the child’s age and understanding. (Regulation 10 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(i)(ii))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, this relates to children having a health plan on file and that staff are aware of any health needs and diagnoses the child may have and how best to support the child.

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Requirement Due date

The positive relationships standard is that children are helped to develop, and to benefit from, relationships based on —

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Requirement Due date

an understanding about acceptable behaviour; and

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Requirement Due date

positive responses to other children and adults.

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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

meet each child’s behavioural and emotional needs as set out in the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to develop and practise skills to resolve conflicts positively and without harm to anyone;

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Requirement Due date

strive to gain each child’s respect and trust; 30 June 2024 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2742794 8 understand how children’s previous experiences and present emotions can be communicated through behaviour and have the competence and skills to interpret these and develop positive relationships with children;

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Requirement Due date

are provided with supervision and support to enable them to understand and manage their own feelings and responses to the behaviours and emotions of children, and to help children to do the same; and

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Requirement Due date

that each child is encouraged to build and maintain positive relationships with others. (Regulation 11 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(i)(iv)(viii)(ix)(x)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, this relates to supporting children to have positive relationships with each other and for the staff to develop positive and trusting relationships with the children. It also relates to staff receiving reflective supervision to explore their own practices when supporting children who may be in crisis.

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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

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm;

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Requirement Due date

manage relationships between children to prevent them from harming each other;

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Requirement Due date

are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies;

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Requirement Due date

that the home’s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm; and 30 June 2024 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2742794 9 that the effectiveness of the home’s child protection policies is monitored regularly. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(iii)(iv)(vii)(b)(e)

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Requirement Due date

In particular, this relates to children having risk assessments in place for staff to refer to, the manager and staff taking appropriate action in response to online safety for children, and staff supervising children in line with their plans. It also relates to the manager and staff following advice from external safeguarding professionals following allegations of harm.

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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

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 work as a team where appropriate;

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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

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

feedback on the experiences of children, including complaint’s 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. (Regulation13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(c)(f)(g)(ii)(h)) 30 June 2024 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2742794 10 In particular, this relates to management oversight and quality assurance, the training and experience of the staff team, and the regular review of the quality and standard of care being provided.

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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

manage and review the placement of each child in the home; and

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Requirement Due date

that each child’s relevant plans are followed; and

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Requirement Due date

that the staff help each child to access and contribute to the records kept by the registered person in relation to the child. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b) (2)(b)(ii)(c)(f))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, this relates to each child having a care plan on file that staff follow, and that the child is being supported to understand and contribute to this plan. 30 June 2024

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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

In particular, this relates to ensuring that the statement of purpose accurately reflects the home and is amended 30 June 2024 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2742794 11 accordingly. Once this is completed, and after any further revisions, a copy must be sent to Ofsted.

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Requirement Due date

This regulation applies to a child who is looked after by a local authority.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must co-operate with the child’s placing authority in agreeing and signing the child’s placement plan. (Regulation 17 (1) (2))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, this relates to the registered person ensuring that a child’s local authority placement plan is kept in the home and is easily accessible. 30 June 2024

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that —

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Requirement Due date

the privacy of children is adequately protected;

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Requirement Due date

children can access all appropriate areas of the children’s home premises;

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Requirement Due date

any limitation placed on a child’s privacy or access to any area of the home’s premises —

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Requirement Due date

is intended to safeguard each child accommodated in the home;

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Requirement Due date

is kept under review, and, if necessary, revised. (Regulation 21(a)(b)(c)(i)(ii)(iii))

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Requirement Due date

This relates to staff locking doors to exclude children from communal areas, such as the lounge and kitchen, with no relevant reason to do this apart from ‘house rules’. It also relates to staff following agreed supervision levels to ensure that children’s right to privacy is not compromised. 30 June 2024

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must make arrangements for the handling, recording, safekeeping, safe administration and disposal of medicines received into the children’s home.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that —

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Requirement Due date

medicine which is prescribed for a child is administered as prescribed to the child for whom it is prescribed and to no other child; (Regulation 23 (1) (2)(b)) 30 June 2024 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2742794 12 In particular, this relates to children being administered medication that is prescribed to them.

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Requirement Due date

An individual may only carry on a children’s home if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (5).

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Requirement Due date

the person is of integrity and good character.

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Requirement Due date

satisfy the requirements in paragraph (5)(a) to (c); and

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Requirement Due date

have the capacity, experience and skills to supervise the management of the home, or the homes, in respect of which the responsible individual is nominated. (Regulation 26 (1) (5)(a) (7)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, this relates to the honesty and conduct of the responsible individual during the inspection and their ability to provide impartial and effective management oversight of the home. 30 June 2024

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that —

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Requirement Due date

at all times, at least one person on duty at the home has a suitable first aid qualification. (Regulation 31 (2)(a)) 30 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

the individual has the appropriate experience, qualification and skills for 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) (3)(b)(d)) 30 June 2024 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2742794 13 The registered person must —

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Requirement Due date

ensure that each employee completes an appropriate induction; and

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Requirement Due date

ensure that each permanent appointment of an employee is subject to the satisfactory completion of a period of probation.

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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; and

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Requirement Due date

have their performance and fitness to perform their roles appraised at least once every year. (Regulation 33 (1)(a)(b) (4)(a)(b)(c)) 30 June 2024

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain records ("case records") for each child which —

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Requirement Due date

include the information and documents listed in Schedule 3 in relation to each child;

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Requirement Due date

are signed and dated by the author of each entry. (Regulation 36 (1)(a)(b)(c)) 30 June 2024

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Requirement Due date

Schedule 4 sets out the other information that the registered person must keep in relation to a children’s home.

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Requirement Due date

maintain in the home the records in Schedule 4;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the records are kept up to date; and

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Requirement Due date

retain the records for at least 15 years from the date of the last entry. (Regulation 37 (1) (2)(a)(b)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, this relates to keeping complete and factually accurate rotas in the home and a children’s register. 30 June 2024 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2742794 14 The registered person must ensure that the following items, which may be kept in electronic form, are kept in an accessible manner —

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Requirement Due date

records of the use of measures of control, discipline or restraint (see regulation 35);

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Requirement Due date

children’s case records (see regulation 36);

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Requirement Due date

records of complaints (see regulation 39);

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Requirement Due date

the independent person’s reports. (See regulation 44) (Regulation 38 (h)(i)(j)(l)(m)) 30 June 2024

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that a record is made of any complaint, the action taken in response, and the outcome of any investigation.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must supply to HMCI, at HMCI’s request, a statement containing a summary of any complaints made during the preceding twelve months and the action that was taken in response to each complaint. (Regulation 39 (3) (5)) 30 June 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

a child protection enquiry involving a child —

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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)(c)(d)(i)(e)) 30 June 2024

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Requirement Due date

The registered provider must appoint, at the registered provider’s expense, a person ("the independent person") to visit and report on the children’s home carried on by the registered provider. (Regulation 43 (1)) 30 June 2024

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that an independent person visits the children’s home at least once a month. 30 June 2024 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2742794 15 The independent person must produce a report about a visit ("the independent person’s report") which sets out, in particular, the independent person’s opinion as to whether —

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Requirement Due date

children are effectively safeguarded; and

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Requirement Due date

the conduct of the home promotes children’s well-being.

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Requirement Due date

The independent person must provide a copy of the independent person’s report to —

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Requirement Due date

HMCI. (Regulation 44 (1) (4)(a)(b) (7)(a))

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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: 2742794 16

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Call4Care Services Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 34 Haywards Croft, Greenleys, Milton Keynes MK12 6AH

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Ruzivo Gangaidzo

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Inspector

Chris Haines, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2742794 17 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

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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