Children's home run by Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council

Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC034012 1 SC034012 Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council

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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 owned and operated by a local authority. It is registered to care for up to three children who may have emotional or social difficulties.

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Information about this children's home

There was one child living in the home at the time of this monitoring visit. The child spoke with the inspector about their experiences living in the home.

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Information about this children's home

The home has been without a registered manager since November 2021. A manager has now been appointed. She has not submitted her application to register with Ofsted.

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This monitoring visit

This children’s home was judged inadequate at the full inspection on 26 and 27 June 2024. Compliance notices were issued under section 22A of the Care Standards Act 2000. These related to regulation 13, the leadership and management standard and regulation 14, the care planning standard. The purpose of this visit was to monitor the actions taken by the provider to meet the steps in the compliance notices.

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This monitoring visit

Since the full inspection, management oversight has improved significantly. The deputy manager has been appointed into the manager’s post. She knows the child and the home well.

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This monitoring visit

Documents have been improved and the manager now reviews and evaluates all incidents, forms, and work completed with the child. Actions from child and staff meetings are carried forward and shared with all staff to ensure that they are met. The manager has a monthly audit document to support internal monitoring, but this is not yet consistently used. Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC034012 2 The use of agency staff has decreased significantly. For occasions when agency staff do work in the home, the manager has created a grab file that includes all key forms and documents. This ensures that agency staff have access to up-to-date information about the child and understand their roles and expectations around completing records.

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This monitoring visit

A robust training plan has been put in place to support staff to develop their skills and confidence. Staff have found the training useful and relevant to the needs of the child. The manager and staff team are continuing to embed this learning into practice.

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This monitoring visit

The manager is taking steps to improve the morale of the staff team. Staff do not always feel supported by senior leaders but say that they feel well supported and valued by the manager in the home.

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This monitoring visit

The child's routine has improved, and they have been supported to successfully find a part time job. This is helping the child to develop their self-esteem and self-worth.

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This monitoring visit

No children have moved in to or out of the home since the full inspection. However, the manager has improved the records for assessing the needs of children who may move in. These now have space to reflect the views and rationale of each manager involved in the decision-making.

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This monitoring visit

Staff are supporting the child to develop their skills in preparation for becoming more independent. There is currently a court order in place which restricts some of the child's liberties. The manager has been advocating for this court order to end to further enable the child to continue developing their independence.

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This monitoring visit

Following the monitoring visit, a case review was held where it was agreed that the provider has taken sufficient action to meet the steps in the compliance notices for regulation 13, the leadership and management standard and regulation 14, the care planning standard.

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This monitoring visit

The requirements made at the last inspection are outside of the scope of this visit. These will be reviewed at the next inspection. Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC034012 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

26/06/2024 Full Inadequate 30/08/2023 Full Requires improvement to be good 17/05/2023 Full Inadequate 31/08/2022 Full Good Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC034012 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, 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 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

that children are admitted to the home only if their needs are within the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the home is to provide care and accommodation, as set out in the home's statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

ensure the effective induction of each child into the home;

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Requirement Due date

plan for, and help, each child to prepare to leave the home or to move into adult care in a way that is consistent with arrangements agreed with the child's placing authority. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(i)(iii))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, leaders and managers must ensure that:

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Requirement Due date

children only move into the home when it is identified that their needs can be met safely alongside children already living in the home;

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Requirement Due date

there is clear rationale for decision-making when children move in and out of the home;

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Requirement Due date

children are well prepared for moving into and out of the home. 30 September Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC034012 5 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

there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40 (4)(b)(e))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated. 30 August 2024

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Requirement Due date

the privacy of children is appropriately protected;

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Requirement Due date

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

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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; and

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Requirement Due date

allows children as much freedom as is possible when balanced against the need to protect them and keep them safe. (Regulation 21 (a)(b)(c)(i)(ii)(iv)) 30 August 2024

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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— 30 September Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC034012 6 that staff help each child to—

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Requirement Due date

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

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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; 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)(i)(ii)(iv))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, leaders and managers must ensure that:

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Requirement Due date

children are provided with written guidance that details the home's approach to the use and storage of cigarettes, e- cigarettes and related equipment by children, and the resources available to children to support smoking cessation;

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Requirement Due date

children eat a healthy, balanced diet at appropriate intervals throughout the day and that children are encouraged to eat communally, not in their bedrooms.

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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; 30 September Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC034012 7 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

help a child who is excluded from school, or who is of compulsory school age but not attending school, to access 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 who is above compulsory school age to participate in further education, training or employment and to prepare for future care, education or employment;

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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. (Regulation 8 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(ix)(x))

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Requirement Due date

The registered provider must appoint a person to manage the children's home if—

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Requirement Due date

there is no registered manager in respect of the home; and

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Requirement Due date

is not, or does not intend to be, in day-to-day charge of the home.

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Requirement Due date

If the registered provider appoints a person to manage the home, the registered provider must, without delay, give HMCI notice of—

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Requirement Due date

the name of the person so appointed; and

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Requirement Due date

the date on which the appointment takes effect. (Regulation 27 (1)(a)(b)(i)(ii)(iii) (2)(a)(b)) 30 September

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must— 30 September Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC034012 8 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 (3)(a)(b))

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure children's care records are written in a way which is accessible to children and each record should be signed and dated by the author of the record. ('Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards', page 62, paragraphs 14.3 and 14.4)

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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: SC034012 9

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Children's home details

Registered provider: Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council

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Children's home details

Registered provider address: Tameside One, Market Place, Ashton-under-Lyne OL6 6BH

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Inspector

Aislinn Cooper, Social Care Regulatory Inspector Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC034012 10 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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