Children's home run by Semi-independent House Limited in Peterborough

Inspection report for children's home: SC452107 1 SC452107

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Registered provider: Semi-independent House Limited

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This privately owned home provides care for up to three children with social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in December 2022.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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requires improvement to be good

How well children and young people are helped and protected requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The children’s home is not yet delivering good help and care for children and young people. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children's home: SC452107 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

13/06/2023 Full Good 23/08/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good 20/07/2021 Full Good 22/01/2020 Full Good Inspection report for children's home: SC452107 3

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improvement to be good

Two children were living at the home at the time of this inspection. One child has moved out and no children have moved in since the last inspection.

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improvement to be good

Shortfalls in the maintenance of the environment, the response to fire safety risks, the supervision of staff, and clarity of records mean that children are not yet receiving a consistently good service.

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improvement to be good

Leaders and managers’ systems for monitoring and responding to the general maintenance of the home are not effective. The standard of cleanliness in the home is poor. Various areas of the home require painting and decorating. The back garden is littered with cigarette butts and the grass and weeds in the garden also require maintenance. One child’s bedroom had dirty ripped sheets on their bed and cigarette butts on the floor. Consequently, the children living in the home are not provided with a good, homely environment.

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improvement to be good

One child engages in education, the other child was permanently excluded from their education provision. Leaders and managers have acted quickly to secure another education placement. However, in the interim, there are no education arrangements in place and the child spends a lot of time in their bedroom gaming online.

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improvement to be good

Staff have good relationships with children. Staff meet with the children regularly. Records show a good level of engagement from children. One child said that they like the home and the staff. They also said that they could talk to any staff if they were worried or concerned.

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improvement to be good

Staff understand the importance of children maintaining contact with those who are important to them. One child has a friend who lives far from the home. Staff have built relationships with the child’s friend’s parents and arrange for the children to meet each year on their joint birthday. One child, who has now moved on from the home, was supported with their family time. When they first arrived at the home, they did not have time with their family; however, the staff supported the child and family to re-establish this. The child’s parent said, ‘The staff were brilliant.’

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improvement to be good

The home’s fire risk assessment was updated by an external professional in September 2023. The assessor placed the home at high risk due to children smoking in the home and the utility room needing a fire door installed. Leaders and managers are yet to address these concerns. During the inspection, a child was seen lighting a cigarette on the stove in the kitchen and the utility room did not have a fire door fitted. One child’s Inspection report for children's home: SC452107 4 bedroom also had a strong cannabis odour, which suggests the child was smoking in their room.

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improvement to be good

Leaders and managers have lacked professional curiosity to ascertain how a child is accessing cannabis. When asked about the smell of cannabis in a child’s room, a staff member said ‘yeah, they have a problem with cannabis’. The manager reports that the child is on supervised spending and does not know how the child is accessing this. Leaders and managers have not reached out to external health professionals to support the child.

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improvement to be good

Risk assessments and care plans do not provide clear and consistent information or guidance for staff to follow. One child’s management plan says that staff are not to carry out a particular activity with a child; however, during the inspection, a staff member was seen doing this. When asked, the manager said that the associated risks had changed but the plan had not been updated.

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improvement to be good

Missing-from-home incidents have reduced. There have been no physical interventions since the last inspection. There has been one allegation made against staff working in the home; this was investigated promptly.

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improvement to be good

Children are provided with external agencies that they can contact if they have concerns. When asked, a child said that they feel safe living in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The manager registered with Ofsted in December 2022. They are suitably qualified and experienced. They are supported by an experienced deputy manager.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Permanent staff receive one-to-one supervision with the home’s manager or deputy. However, some staff have not received regular supervision. The home utilises its bank staff team to cover staff shortages. However, there were no supervision records for these staff. Staff generally receive annual appraisals. However, one staff member has not had any appraisals despite working in the home for over three years. This does not provide all the staff with all the guidance they need.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Staff undertake the organisation’s mandatory training. Some staff are qualified. Those who are not qualified have been enrolled on a relevant level 3 diploma, apart from one staff member who has recently passed their probation. Staff said that they felt supported by the managers.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The home has recently lost two experienced members of staff and are in the process of recruiting more staff. There are good safe recruitment practices. Staff are assessed as suitable before any appointment is confirmed. These procedures help to prevent unsuitable adults from working with children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Leaders and managers have developed good relationships with external professionals. Feedback from professionals was positive. A social worker for a child who has moved on Inspection report for children's home: SC452107 5 from the home said, ‘The staff were great, they really understand the children.’ Feedback from the children was also positive about the manager. One child said, ‘I like him, he’s cool.’ Inspection report for children's home: SC452107 6

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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 within the given timescales.

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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

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)(b) (2)(f)(h))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that the maintenance and cleanliness of the home are continuously monitored, and any issues are addressed without delay. 1 July 2024

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Requirement Due date

If the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005(a) applies to the home—

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Requirement Due date

the registered person must ensure that the requirements of that Order and any regulations made under it, except for article 23 (duties of employees), are complied with in respect of the home. (Regulation 25 (2)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that matters identified in the fire risk assessment as high risk are rectified without delay. 1 July 2024

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Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children— 1 July 2024 Inspection report for children's home: SC452107 7 receive effectively planned care in or through the children's 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) (2)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that children's plans are kept up to date and provide staff with accurate guidance.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees—

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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 (4)(b)(c)) 1 July 2024

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that the provider takes the initiative in engaging with relevant people proactively, advocating for the children in their care. In particular, they should ensure that they work with relevant health services to support the children to live a healthy lifestyle and deter them from engaging in activities that are harmful to their health. ('Guide to the Children's Homes Regulations, including the quality standards', page 12, paragraph 2.7)

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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: SC452107 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Semi-independent House Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 51 Ploverly, Peterborough PE4 6HZ

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Children’s home details

Registered manager: Hakeem Cummings-Quarry

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Inspectors

Anver Rose, Social Care Inspector Ann Adesoye, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: SC452107 9 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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