Children's Home run by Stoke-on-Trent City Council in Stoke-on-Trent

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC403895 1 SC403895 Registered provider: Stoke on Trent City Council

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The local authority runs this home. It offers care for up to two children who have experienced childhood instability resulting in trauma and associated complex behaviours.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has applied to Ofsted to be the registered manager of this home. She is already registered to manage another home in the organisation, and that home was judged good at its last inspection in September 2023.

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This monitoring visit

The children’s home was judged inadequate at the last full inspection on 16 and 17 April 2024. There were serious and widespread failures that meant children were not protected or their welfare was not promoted or safeguarded. The care and experiences of children were poor, and they were not making progress. Following the inspection, several requirements were made, and a compliance notice was issued under regulation 13, the leadership and management standard.

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This monitoring visit

On 30 May 2024, a monitoring visit was conducted to review the compliance notice and the requirements where the dates were due. The inspector identified that two required steps in the compliance notice under regulation 13 had not been met. Therefore, this notice was reissued.

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This monitoring visit

On 9 July 2024, a further monitoring visit was conducted to review the compliance notice and the outstanding requirements where the dates were due. The inspector identified that the compliance notice under regulation 13 had been met and the requirements, which had dates that were due, had also been met. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC403895 2 At the time of the monitoring visit, there were no children living in the home. The child who was living in the home has recently moved on from the home. Although this was not in line with their original care plan, the child’s changing needs and increased associated risks in the local area posed to the child meant that the manager could not sustain the safety of the child. Professionals worked together to manage the move as sensitively as possible while considering the feelings of the child. Staff members supported the child’s move to a new home out of the area.

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This monitoring visit

Increased staffing levels remained in place while the child continued to live in the home. This practice supported the child to engage more with staff and enjoy activities. Additionally, incidents of the child going missing had reduced to one incident following the last inspection. This incident was for a short period, and the staff members followed the missing-from-home protocols well.

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This monitoring visit

Since the last inspection, the staff have adapted their practice to enforce more positive reinforcement approaches. In addition, a review was undertaken of previous restrictive practices to reduce behaviours, and the practices were adapted. As a result, the child engaged more with day-to-day routines, such as personal hygiene and education, and they spent more time in the home. Staff also listened to the child’s views about internet time and increased this at night. As a result, this helped the child to be more settled at nighttime and reduced incidents significantly.

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This monitoring visit

Staff have continued to attend bespoke training to further upskill and understand their roles. One staff member said, ‘The training has been good, as we as a team have reflected on our practices and understand where we can improve.’ The manager has used this time to focus on the development of the staff team and redecorate the home. At the time of the inspection, children’s bedrooms, the living room and dining room had started to receive improvement works, and already felt more inviting and homely.

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This monitoring visit

The manager has undertaken a full review of staffing based on the model of care. There is now a clear protocol in the event of needing additional staffing to support children to reduce risks. In addition, going forward, this will also be assessed at the start of the process of placing children in the home. The manager has set out clear expectations of when staffing should be reviewed if, for any reason, risks increase to a level where one staff member is not proportionate. This practice suitably supports the focus on the protection of children. No requirements or recommendations have been made at this inspection. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC403895 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

16/04/2024 Full Inadequate 23/01/2024 Full Requires improvement to be good 12/07/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good 18/05/2021 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC403895 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: SC403895 5

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Stoke on Trent City Council

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Civic Centre glebe Street, Floor 2, Stoke on Trent ST4 1HH

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Inspector

Joanne Humphreys, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC403895 6 to achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children’s social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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