Children's Home run by United Children's Services Limited in Leicester

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC488930 1 SC488930 United Children’s Services Limited

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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 privately owned. It is registered to provide care for up to five children with emotional and social difficulties. Since the last inspection, two children have moved out of the home. No children were being cared for at the time of this visit.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager’s post is currently vacant. There is an experienced acting manager in post who has applied to be registered with Ofsted.

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This monitoring visit

At the last assurance inspection, serious and widespread concerns were identified in relation to the care and protection of children. Following this inspection, the provider temporarily closed the home, allowing time to review the service. The purpose of this visit was to determine the viability of the home resuming caring for children.

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This monitoring visit

The home is well presented and finished to a high standard. Children’s bedrooms are spacious and modern. There is a homely environment and ample space for children to enjoy.

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This monitoring visit

Staff are supported to learn and develop. The acting manager knows staff’s strengths and areas for development. New staff receive a comprehensive induction programme and are mentored by senior staff. Face-to-face teaching has replaced some of the online courses, such as behaviours that challenge and suicide. Timeframes for essential training to be completed has also been revised. This ensures staff are suitably trained to meet children’s needs in a timely manner.

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This monitoring visit

The manager has reviewed and updated how risks are assessed and recorded. Risk assessments are now comprehensive and regularly reviewed dependant on length of placement. For example, risks are reviewed more regularly when a child is first Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC488930 2 placed. There is a clear process and format for recording updates, providing staff with up-to-date and pertinent information.

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This monitoring visit

Concerns about staff practice are taken seriously. Safeguarding policies and procedures are followed, and relevant agencies are consulted, such as the local authority designated officer. Appropriate safeguards are put in place to reduce risk, such as the suspension of staff. Thorough internal investigations are undertaken, and disciplinary processes are duly followed.

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This monitoring visit

The manager has devised detailed audits to improve monitoring and oversight of the care being provided to children. In-depth weekly audits will be carried out by the manager. The responsible individual and human resources manager also complete regular checks and audits, providing an additional layer of scrutiny.

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This monitoring visit

The manager is enthusiastic about providing children with the best possible care. She has undertaken a review of serious incidents. She has reflected on the lessons learned and findings have been used to improve the service. For example, changes to policies, procedures and the recording of information have been made to raise standards of care.

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This monitoring visit

The statutory requirements and recommendations set at the assurance inspection have not been considered at this visit and so remain in place. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC488930 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

06/09/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good 26/10/2021 Full Good 01/10/2019 Full Requires improvement to be good 11/03/2019 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC488930 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 with the given timescales.

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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

help each child to understand the importance and value of education, learning, training and employment;

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Requirement Due date

promote opportunities for each child to learn informally;

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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)(iv)(v)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This particularly refers to the home having plans regarding the child’s education and structuring days for children not in schools, so they continue to learn. This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated. 31 July 2024

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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 31 July 2024 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC488930 5 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; and

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Requirement Due date

make a positive contribution to the home and the 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

This particularly refers to the home having supporting children to participates in activities and support children’s engagement. This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated.

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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 socially aware behaviour;

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Requirement Due date

encourage each child to take responsibility for the child’s behaviour, in accordance with the child’s age and understanding; 31 July 2024 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC488930 6 communicate to each child expectations about the child’s behaviour and ensure that the child understands those expectations in accordance with the child’s age and understanding;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand, in a way that is appropriate according to the child’s age and understanding, personal, sexual and social relationships, and how those relationships can be supportive or harmful;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to develop the understanding and skills to recognise or withdraw from a damaging, exploitative or harmful relationship;

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Requirement Due date

strive to gain each child’s respect and trust;

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Requirement Due date

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 behaviour and emotions of children, and to help children to do the same;

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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)(ii)(iii)(v)(vi)(vii)(viii)(ix)(x)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This particularly refers to supporting children to have positive relationships in the home and community. This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated.

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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 31 July 2024 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC488930 7 necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand how to keep safe;

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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

understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person;

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Requirement Due date

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare; and

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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 (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This particularly refers to children not having the support to understand appropriate relationships and staff not understanding their roles to keep children safe. This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated.

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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; 31 July 2024 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC488930 8 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

ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to 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)(b) (2)(a)(b)(c)(e)(f)(h))

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Requirement Due date

This refers to leaders and managers having oversight and maintaining records to reflect children’s current needs and risks. Ensuring that all staff have the required training and skills to meet children’s individual needs. This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated.

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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

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. (Regulation 14 (1)(a) (2)(b)(ii))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to managers ensuring that the child’s care plan is accurate and up to date. This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated. 31 July 2024

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must prepare and implement a policy (“the missing child policy”) setting out—

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Requirement Due date

the steps taken, and to be taken, to prevent children from being absent without permission; 31 July 2024 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC488930 9 the procedures to be followed, and the roles and responsibilities of persons working at the home. in relation to a child is, or has been, so absent. (Regulation 34 (4)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This particularly refers to Staff having the required training to meet children’s individual needs. This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must prepare and implement a policy ("the missing child policy") setting out–

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Requirement Due date

the steps taken, and to be taken, to prevent children from being absent without permission;

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Requirement Due date

the procedures to be followed, and the roles and responsibilities of persons working at the home. in relation to a child is, or has been, so absent. (Regulation 34(4)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This particularly refers to staff having the required training to meet children’s individual needs. This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated. 31 July 2024

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Recommendations

 The registered person should actively seek independent scrutiny of the home and make best use of the information from independent and internal monitoring (including under regulations 44 and 45) to ensure continuous improvement. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page, 55 paragraph 10.24)  Where a registered person identifies gaps in qualifications, they should act to ensure relevant units or qualifications are completed in a timely manner at an appropriate level. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 68, paragraph 1.4)

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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: SC488930 10

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: United Children’s Services Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: The Old Coach House, Drinsey Nook, Lincoln, Nottinghamshire LN1 2JJ

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Inspector

Emma Dacres, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC488930 11 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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