Children's home run by Next Step Independence Ltd

Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2730493 1 Registered provider: Next Step Independence

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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 two children. There is currently one child living in the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager post is vacant and there are plans to appoint a new manager. The responsible individual is providing management cover.

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This monitoring visit

During the full inspection on 13 and 14 August 2024, Ofsted judged the home to be inadequate. There were significant concerns about the standard of accommodation, poor daily routines for children, and a failure by senior leaders to ensure that safe care is provided to the children. This monitoring visit was to review the action taken by the provider to meet the requirements made at the full inspection and improve the care provided for children.

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This monitoring visit

Since the full inspection, one child has moved out of the home. The move was part of a planned transition, and professional feedback has been positive about the way this was managed by staff in the home. The child currently living in the home is settled and has trusting relationships with staff. Plans for another child to move in have been put on hold to enable a manager to be recruited and improvements to be made in the home.

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This monitoring visit

The home environment is significantly improved and works are continuing at pace. Much of the flooring has been replaced, the home has been repainted and there is new furniture in several rooms. The child has been involved in the redesign of the home and choosing new colours and décor. Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2730493 2 Senior leaders have a plan in place to fill the vacant manager post. Until this time, there is an increased presence by senior managers in the home, and staff have given positive feedback about this additional support. Leaders and managers have begun to take action to challenge poor practice and support the development of the staff team, for example, through team meetings and supervision.

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This monitoring visit

Leaders and managers have reviewed the ongoing effectiveness of the home and the reasons for the inadequate judgement. There is a plan in place to address these issues, but the work is in its early stage of implementation and changes are not yet embedded.

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This monitoring visit

Leaders and managers have not done enough to address the concerns about safeguarding and managing behaviour. Incidents are not always recorded accurately and some safeguarding issues have been missed because of this. There is not yet consistent and effective management oversight to ensure that children are kept safe at all times.

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This monitoring visit

A further full inspection will be completed to review the ongoing performance of the home and to assess the requirements in full.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2730493 3

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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 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 has sufficient staff to provide care for 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;

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Requirement Due date

demonstrate that practice in the home is informed and improved by taking account and acting on—

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Requirement Due date

research and developments in relation to the ways in which the needs of children are best met; and 1 December 2024 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2730493 4 feedback on the experiences of children, including complaints received; and

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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)(b)(c)(e)(f)(g)(i)(ii)(h))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered provider must ensure that the home is managed by a suitably qualified and experienced manager. In addition, leaders and managers should ensure that they have effective oversight of systems and practice within the home.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement has been restated from the previous inspection.

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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—

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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 the child's needs, as recorded in the child's relevant plans, taking into account the child's background;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand and manage the impact of any experience of abuse or neglect. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(b)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered provider must ensure that staff take time to understand the children's specific needs and 1 December 2024 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2730493 5 follow the care guidelines outlined in the home's statement of purpose.

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Requirement Due date

The positive relationship standard is that children are helped to develop, and 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;

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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

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

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Requirement Due date

that each child is encouraged to build and maintain positive relationships with others. 1 December 2024 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2730493 6 (Regulation 11 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(viii)(ix)(xi) (b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered provider must ensure that staff support children to understand and express feelings and emotions without aggression. In addition, the registered provider must ensure that when children do become distressed, staff understand and apply appropriate de- escalation techniques and safe behaviour management strategies.

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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 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 homes day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to effectively protect each child from harm. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(b)) 1 December 2024 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2730493 7

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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: 2730493 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Next Step Independence

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Next Step Independence, Wellington House, Queen Street, Taunton TA1 3UF

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Bridget Drew-Spyer

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Inspector

Stacey Pellow, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2730493 9 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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