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

Inspection report for children's home: 2604898 1 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 home is privately owned and provides care for up to three children who have experienced neglect and/or abuse and have social or emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children's home

The manager was appointed in January 2024 and is currently registering with Ofsted.

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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 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

Date of last inspection: 13 February 2024

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children's home: 2604898 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

13/02/2024 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children's home: 2604898 3

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improvement to be good

There was one child living at the home at time of inspection. No children have moved in or out of the home. The child has made some progress in line with their care plan but there is minimal evidence to show how staff have supported this.

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improvement to be good

The child’s daily activities are limited. The child spends a lot of time in their bedroom and rarely takes part in activities. The child has requested to do some specific activities such as going to the gym and going to a car show. These requests have not been actioned in a timely manner. This could mean the child does not feel their views are being listened to and it does not encourage positive experiences for the child.

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improvement to be good

Children’s health is not fully supported. Some progress in respect of health appointments has been made. The child attended an optician’s appointment. However, the child uses a vape and there are no conversations with them about the health implications. On occasion the child vapes inside the house. Despite this, there are no record of discussions with them about the safety concerns.

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improvement to be good

The child has a tutor who visits daily. The child does not engage with them. A weekly planner which includes some educational activities is in place. There is no recording to show whether the child was offered these activities or their response. The tutor said that they feel staff could do more to encourage the child’s engagement with education. Overall, this does not support a consistent approach for children.

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improvement to be good

The home is decorated to a high standard. The child’s bedroom is personalised. However, there are fire safety signs and fire extinguishers clearly visible around the home. Visible fire-safety equipment takes away from a homely feel.

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improvement to be good

When the child felt that representatives from their placing authority were not listening to them the manager supported the child to access an advocate. The child wanted to move on from the home and the manager worked with the local authority to help develop a plan for the child to move closer to their family.

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improvement to be good

The child said that they get on well with staff. There has been some improvements in the child’s engagement with staff. Staff encourage daily independence tasks. The child said that the staff have helped them prepare to live more independently.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

The child feels safe in the home. Staff understand the risks the child faces. Children’s behaviour management plans and care plans are detailed and provide strategies for staff to use to support children. Inspection report for children's home: 2604898 4 There have been no restraints since the last inspection or missing-from-home incidents. Staff understand the actions to take should they not know a child’s whereabouts.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

The child spends a lot of time on the internet. There are safety measures to restrict access to inappropriate content. The internet is not accessible for the child during education time or overnight. This reduces the risk of the child accessing inappropriate material.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Safer recruitment is followed for new members of staff. There is an induction process for new staff, which helps them to learn their roles.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Incidents are infrequent. When they do occur, staff attempt to speak to the child for a debrief. Managers also provide debriefs to staff. However, there are delays in incidents being recorded and the managers comments are not added in a timely manner. This reduces the potential for prompt learning from incidents.

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

The registered manager’s post ended in December 2023. A new manager was appointed in January 2024, and they have now applied to register with Ofsted. There was a delay in the application being submitted which has in turn delayed the opportunity for Ofsted to assess the suitability of the manager to be registered.

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

The shortfalls identified at the last inspection have not been fully met. Three requirements have either been fully or partially restated. This fails to demonstrate an effective approach from leaders and managers to improving children’s experiences. One requirement has not passed the due date so has been restated. One new requirement has also been raised.

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

Leaders and managers set actions at monthly team meetings. However, these are not always completed. One action for a member of staff to meet with a child was set at two team meetings and at the third team meeting it was noted to have not taken place. No action was taken by the manager about the lack of progression of this action. This means that the child is not being supported as well as they should be.

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

The manager does not take appropriate action to challenge staff practice. On one occasion the child raised concerns with a staff member. The manager was not informed about this in a timely manner. Once the manager was aware, she took appropriate action and dealt with this as a complaint. However, the manager has not addressed the fact that the staff did not promptly share the information with her. This reduces the likelihood that staff will be able to learn and improve.

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

Staff undertake training for their roles. However, one staff member has not finished their level 3 qualification within the required timescales. The manager has had limited oversight of the progression of this qualification. This was a shortfall identified at the last inspection and the due date has not yet passed so this has been restated. Inspection report for children's home: 2604898 5 Staff supervision sessions take place regularly. This supports staff development. Staff feel supported by the manager.

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

The new manager knows the child well. The social worker said that communication with the manager is good. Inspection report for children's home: 2604898 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, 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 within the given timescales.

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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

develop positive relationships with them;

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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 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; and (Regulation 7 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(i)(iii))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure staff understand what complaints are and how these should be recorded and that children's requests are listened to and they are given a response in a timely manner. 12 July 2024

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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

promotes their welfare. 26 July 2024 Inspection report for children's home: 2604898 7 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 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

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)(c)(f)(h))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure the manager has effective oversight of incidents and identifies learning which is shared with staff.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was raised at the last inspection and is restated.

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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; 26 July 2024 Inspection report for children's home: 2604898 8 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

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; and

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Requirement Due date

help each child who is above compulsory school age to participate in further education, training or employment and to prepare for future care, education or employment. (Regulation 8 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(ix))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure the child is offered regular educational activities, is encouraged to engage with education and ensure staff develop positive relationships with education providers.

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Requirement Due date

The health and well-being standard is that—

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Requirement Due date

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

understand the child's 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;

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Requirement Due date

take part in activities, and attend any appointments, for the purpose of meeting the child's health and well-being needs; and

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Requirement Due date

understand and develop skills to promote the child's well-being. (Regulation 10 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(ii)(iii)(iv)) 26 July 2024 Inspection report for children's home: 2604898 9 In particular, support the child to lead an active, healthy and balanced lifestyle, and ensure that they receive support for smoking cessation and sleep hygiene.

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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

the individual has the appropriate experience, qualification and skills for the work that the individual is to perform;

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Requirement Due date

For the purposes of paragraph (3)(b), an individual who works in the home in a care role has the appropriate qualification if, by the relevant date, the individual has attained—

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Requirement Due date

the Level 3 Diploma for Residential Childcare (England) (“the Level 3 Diploma”); or

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Requirement Due date

a qualification which the registered person considers to be equivalent to the Level 3 Diploma.

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Requirement Due date

in the case of an individual who starts working in a care role in a home after 1st April 2014, the date which falls 2 years after the date on which the individual started working in a care role in a home; or

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Requirement Due date

in the case of an individual who was working in a care role in a home on 1st April 2014, 1st April 2016. (Regulation 32 (1) (3)(b) (4)(a)(b) (5)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was raised at the last inspection and is restated. 1 July 2024

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that the home is a nurturing and supportive environment that meets the needs of children. In particular, ensure that the health and safety equipment follows relevant legislation but does not take away from a homely feel. (Guide to the Children's Homes Regulations, including the quality standards, page 15, paragraph 3.9) Inspection report for children's home: 2604898 10  The registered person should ensure that staff are familiar with the home's policies on record-keeping and understand the importance of careful, objective and clear recording. In particular, ensure that all records are clear and are recorded in a timely manner. ('Guide to the Children's Homes Regulations, including the quality standards', page 62, paragraph 14.4)

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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: 2604898 11

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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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Inspector

Leanne Lyon, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: 2604898 12 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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