Children's Home run by Care Focus Limited in Suffolk

Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: SC062651 1 SC062651 Registered provider: Care Focus 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 provides care for up to four children aged between 10 and 16 years who experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of this inspection, two children were living at the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in April 2024.

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Information about this children’s home

There is a registered school on site. The inspector only inspected the social care provision on this site.

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This monitoring visit

This home was judged inadequate at the full inspection on 13 and 14 August 2024. Following the inspection, Ofsted served two compliance notices under the protection of children standard and the leadership and management standard. Ofsted also served a notice restricting accommodation.

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This monitoring visit

At the time of the visit, two children were living at the home. No children have moved into the home since the last inspection. The home has complied with the restriction of accommodation notice.

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This monitoring visit

The purpose of this visit was to establish the provider’s progress in meeting the steps set out in the compliance notices.

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This monitoring visit

The provider has met the steps set out in the compliance notice in respect of the leadership and management standard. Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: SC062651 2 The provider has met most of the steps set out in the compliance notice in respect of the protection of children standard. A requirement has been raised for the remaining step.

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This monitoring visit

Since the last inspection, leaders and managers have reviewed and updated the home’s statement of purpose. They have made changes to their policies and procedures and their training programme to ensure that changes are embedded in practice and reflected in the care offered to children.

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This monitoring visit

There are significantly fewer restrictions placed on children. When there are restrictions on children’s free time, these restrictions are agreed with the local authority and the child. There are clear and individual plans to reduce these restrictions in a timely way. When there are restrictions placed on children’s use of mobile phones, these are individually assessed, agreed in multi-agency meetings and subject to regular review.

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This monitoring visit

Children now have unsupervised, unrestricted access to a phone that they can use without having to ask staff. Children can take calls in private and have been provided with the details for children’s telephone helplines.

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This monitoring visit

There are no ‘blanket restrictions’ on children. The home’s mobile phone policy has been amended to reflect that children can have mobile phones in the home when this has been assessed as safe and appropriate for that child. The statement of purpose now reflects that all children can have access to the community at the point of admission to the home.

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This monitoring visit

New templates have been developed for a number of documents. For staff who require a risk assessment, these assessments are specific and individual to each member of staff, with a focus on safeguarding children. Forms for agreeing the use of door alarms now clearly include the agreement from the local authority and the child and the date for reviewing the restriction. The internal incident forms now include a prompt for managers to consider the need to update external safeguarding agencies such as Ofsted and the local authority designated officer.

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This monitoring visit

Most staff have undergone a training and improvement programme. Staff have now received external safeguarding training with a focus on the shortfalls that Ofsted raised at the last inspection. Staff have received external restraint training with a focus on the home’s specific needs. The home now holds weekly training sessions on various topics to refresh staff’s knowledge and skills. This has included training in use of language and therapeutic ways of recording.

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This monitoring visit

Managers’ reviews of incidents are analytical. When there have been shortfalls in staff practice, these have been identified and used as a learning opportunity. Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: SC062651 3 Four members of staff have not achieved the required qualification within the prescribed timescale. Two of these staff members are in leadership and management roles. There are improvement plans that are reviewed monthly in place for these staff. Since the last inspection, these staff have not made significant progress on gaining this qualification.

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This monitoring visit

Ofsted is aware of a number of allegations from children that are in the process of being investigated. These concerns have been reported by the home to the relevant safeguarding authorities and Ofsted without delay. The information in reports is consistent and children have been updated on the progress of their allegations. Children are spoken to in a way which shows them that staff and managers are listening and taking them seriously. However, on one occasion, a member of staff in a trainee management position failed to make it clear to a child that she could not keep safeguarding concerns a secret. Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: SC062651 4

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

13/08/2024 Full Inadequate 05/09/2023 Full Good 20/07/2022 Full Good 14/12/2021 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: SC062651 5

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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 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

understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(v))

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Requirement Due date

clear and consistent messages are given to children on information-sharing when children disclose information that leads to concerns for their safety. 11 October 2024

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that all staff in a care role, including external agency or bank staff, have the qualification in regulation 32(4) within the relevant timescale listed in regulation 32(5). In particular, ensure that staff who have not achieved the qualification within the relevant timescale have a clear and structured support plan that supports their progress in relation to the qualification and takes into consideration the appropriateness of their managerial roles. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 53, paragraph 10.12)

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Information about this inspection

The purpose of this visit was to monitor the provider’s progress in meeting the compliance notices and adhering to the restriction of accommodation.

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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: SC062651 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 2nd Floor, 168 Shoreditch High Street, London E1 6RA

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Inspector

Andrea Bounden, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: SC062651 7 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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