Children's Home run by Associated Wellbeing Limited in Lancashire

Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2753204 1 Registered provider: Associated Wellbeing 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 owned by a private provider. It is registered to provide care for up to four children who may experience social or emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

There were three children living in this home at the time of this inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

The home was registered with Ofsted in January 2024. The manager has been registered with Ofsted since 18 January 2024. The responsible individual has been in post with the provider since 15 July 2024.

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Information about this children’s home

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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Information about this children’s home

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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Information about this inspection

At this inspection, the inspector evaluated:

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Information about this inspection

 the care of children  the safety of children  the effectiveness of leaders and managers. The inspector has looked closely at the experiences and progress of children, using the social care common inspection framework. This assurance 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’. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2753204 2

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Findings from the inspection

We identified the following serious and widespread concerns in relation to the care or protection of children at this assurance inspection:

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Findings from the inspection

 Leaders and managers do not ensure that there is sufficient oversight of staff practice to keep children safe.  Children’s plans do not reflect the level of risk that they experience, and do not include clear steps for staff to follow to keep children safe.  Leaders and managers do not ensure that staff have the skills to de-escalate children’s behaviours effectively.  Leaders and managers do not ensure that staff follow the organisation’s procedures when children are missing from the home.  Staff do not manage relationships between children effectively to prevent them from causing harm to each other.  Leaders and managers do not ensure that allegations management processes are followed, or that the relevant professionals are informed when allegations are made by children.

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Findings from the inspection

Shortfalls in the leadership and management of this home have resulted in children not being safeguarded effectively. Since the last inspection, one child had moved out of the home and one child had moved in. Children’s experiences of living in the home are not consistently positive, and they say that they do not always feel safe.

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Findings from the inspection

Children’s risk plans do not accurately reflect children’s known risks or include clear guidance for staff to follow to keep children safe. When plans are updated, leaders and managers have failed to communicate this with staff effectively and do not ensure that any changes are understood by the team. Consequently, staff responses to children are inconsistent.

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Findings from the inspection

Shortfalls in staff practice when children go missing from the home mean that missing from home procedures are not followed. On one occasion, staff failed to look for a child and did not support their safe return. This left the child at further risk of harm. Incidents of children going missing from the home together have increased for all the children living in the home. A requirement made at the last inspection has been restated.

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Findings from the inspection

Behaviour management strategies are not effective, and staff have failed to appropriately manage dynamics between children. A serious incident in the home resulted in one child being assaulted by another child. This incident was also witnessed by the third child. The assault left children saying that they felt scared in their home and, due to increased supervision, their privacy and movement around the home have been restricted. On other occasions, the police have been called to Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2753204 3 manage behaviours between children. This has caused distress to the children and places them at risk of being criminalised.

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Findings from the inspection

The oversight of incidents by leaders and managers is not effective. They have not consistently carried out evaluations of incidents, and do not effectively challenge poor staff practice. Recording shortfalls mean that significant incidents do not consistently contain the details of the incident and the author of the record is not always clear. When children have been held, records do not accurately reflect the details of the hold in line with the regulation. This reduces opportunities for leaders and managers to ensure that children are cared for safely and to identify any learning to develop practice in the home. This was a requirement at the last inspection and has been restated.

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Findings from the inspection

Leaders and managers do not ensure that all notifications are submitted to Ofsted as required by regulation. Reports from the independent person have not been submitted to Ofsted since the last inspection. This limits the regulator’s oversight of practice in the home.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff do not receive regular supervision of their practice. This is a missed opportunity to address any practice concerns, support staff with their development and to identify any learning to improve the care provided to children. This was a requirement at the last inspection and has been restated.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff understand the importance of children engaging in education. Leaders and managers have appointed a member of staff to lead on education. When children are not attending formal education, staff support them to achieve informal qualifications. This ensures that children are developing the necessary skills they need, as well as building their confidence.

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Findings from the inspection

Internal door alarms are now only used as a safeguarding measure when required. Their use is accurately reflected in the home’s statement of purpose.

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Findings from the inspection

Leaders and managers have failed to take sufficient action to address shortfalls identified at the last inspection and three requirements have been restated. A new responsible individual has recently been appointed. She has begun to implement an improvement plan to develop the service.

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Findings from the inspection

Following this inspection, a case review was held and the decision was made to issue compliance notices under regulation 12, the protection of children standard and regulation 13, the leadership and management standard. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2753204 4

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

04/06/2024 Full Requires improvement to be good Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2753204 5

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person 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 must comply within the given timescales.

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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 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.

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Requirement Due date

that the effectiveness of the home’s child protection policies is monitored regularly. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vi)(vii)(b)(e)) 8 September 2024 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2753204 6 Specifically, the registered person must ensure that risk management plans reflect the level of risk to children, and there are clear steps for staff to follow to reduce the risk. Any updates to plans must be clearly communicated to staff.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that staff have the skills to manage behaviours that place children at risk. Staff must have the skills to ensure that children can live together safely in the home.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that staff follow the provider’s safeguarding procedures when children are missing from home.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that they share safeguarding information with the relevant professionals.

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Requirement Due date

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;

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Requirement Due date

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; 8 September 2024 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2753204 7 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

In particular, the registered person must ensure that there are systems of monitoring in place that identify shortfalls in staff practice effectively.

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Requirement Due date

The registered must ensure that the staff are working together effectively, and strategies they use are consistent.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that staff receive regular supervision as outlined in the statement of purpose.

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Requirement Due date

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;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to develop and practise skills to resolve conflicts positively and without harm to anyone;

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Requirement Due date

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; 4 October 2024 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2753204 8 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

de-escalate confrontations with or between children, or potentially violent behaviour by children;

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Requirement Due date

each child is encouraged to build and maintain positive relationships with others. (Regulation 11 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(viii)(ix)(x)(xi)(b))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that staff have the skills to de-escalate behaviours in line with the home’s therapeutic ethos.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that staff can confidently and consistently establish the expectations of the home to the children in the interests of the care of the children.

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Requirement Due date

The quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children;

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Requirement Due date

use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to— 4 October 2024 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2753204 9 understand and apply the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

understand and apply the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

protect and promote each child’s welfare;

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Requirement Due date

treat each child with dignity and respect;

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Requirement Due date

provide personalised care that meets each child’s needs, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans, taking account of the child’s background;

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Requirement Due date

make decisions about the day-to-day arrangements for each child, in accordance with the child’s relevant plans, which give the child an appropriate degree of freedom and choice. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(ix))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that children feel safe in their home, and have the freedom to move around the home independently without supervision.

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Requirement Due date

within 24 hours of the use of a measure of control, discipline or restraint in relation to a child in the home, a record is made which includes—

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Requirement Due date

details of the child’s behaviour leading to the use of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

the date, time and location of the use of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

a description of the measure and its duration;

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Requirement Due date

details of any methods used or steps taken to avoid the need to use the measure;

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Requirement Due date

the name of the person who used the measure ("the user"), and of any other person present when the measure was used;

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Requirement Due date

the effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the measure. (Regulation 35 (3)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)) 4 October 2024 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2753204 10 The registered person must ensure that an independent person visits the children’s home at least once each month.

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Requirement Due date

The independent person must provide a copy of the independent person’s report to—

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Requirement Due date

upon request, the local authority for the area in which the home is located;

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Requirement Due date

the registered provider and, if applicable, the registered manager; and

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Requirement Due date

the responsible individual (if one is nominated). (Regulation 44 (1)(7)(a)(b)(c)(d)(e)) 8 September 2024

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Requirement Due date

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 an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there;

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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)(c)(e)) 8 September 2024

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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. (Regulation 33 (4)(b))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that all staff, including managers, receive regular supervision in line with the organisation’s supervision policy.

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Requirement Due date

This was a requirement at the last inspection and has been restated. 4 October 2024

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Requirement Due date

*These requirements are subject to a compliance notice. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2753204 11

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Associated Wellbeing Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Suite 5 Salesbury Hall Road, Ribchester, Preston PR3 3XR

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Inspector

Sarah Gilbert, Social Care Inspector Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2753204 12 and inspects 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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Inspector

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