Children's Home run by High View Children's Services Limited in Staffordshire

Assurance inspection report for children's home: 2655778 1 Registered provider: High View Children’s Services Limited

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home provides care for up to three children who have learning disabilities. A private company runs the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The home was registered with Ofsted in May 2022. Since the last inspection, a new manager has been appointed. He holds a level 5 qualification and has submitted his application to be registered with Ofsted.

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Inspection date: 9 September 2024

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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Enforcement action since last inspection:

The home was judged as requires improvement at the last full inspection in May 2024. Leadership and management were judged inadequate. As a result of ongoing concerns about the leadership and management of the home, a compliance notice was issued in relation to regulation 13 of the Children’s Homes (England) Regulations 2015.

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Information about this inspection

At this inspection, the inspectors evaluated:

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Information about this inspection

 the care of children  the safety of children  the effectiveness of leaders and managers. Inspectors have 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 Assurance inspection report for children's home: 2655778 2 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: 2655778 3

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Findings from the inspection

We did not identify any serious or widespread concerns in relation to the care or protection of children at this assurance inspection.

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Findings from the inspection

At the time of this inspection, three children were living in the home. One child has turned 18 since the last inspection. Managers have escalated concerns and supported the child to make a formal complaint about delays in care planning surrounding her future. This has supported the child to better understand how her next steps are being explored. All three children are making progress and are engaged in education. They have opportunities to explore their interests and participate in fun activities inside and outside of the home.

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Findings from the inspection

Leaders and managers have worked hard to improve some aspects of staff’s practice and the quality of care that children receive. There is now an experienced responsible individual and a manager in post. Staff report greater support and improved cohesiveness. Children enjoy the time they spend with the staff who care for them. The staff have a greater understanding of children’s needs and behaviours. This understanding is reflected in child-centred records and has contributed to a reduction in incidents and physical interventions.

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Findings from the inspection

A new recording system has been implemented. This is in the early stages and not all documents have been successfully transferred to the new system. As a result, there are a number of gaps in children’s records and written plans. This means that written guidance and plans are not yet providing staff with the information they need to support children effectively. For example, there is insufficient guidance about how to care safely for children who require intimate care. Leaders and managers have not ensured that the staff have the experience and understanding to support children in relation to this and have not reviewed guidance in response to new and emerging concerns.

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Findings from the inspection

Managers and staff do not regularly review and update children’s records to capture their progress and needs when preparing them for future independence. There is a lack of understanding about how one child’s strengths and needs are helping to inform decisions that are being made about her future. Statutory documents that contribute to this process are outdated and do not contain current information about the child.

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Findings from the inspection

Improved monitoring and review systems have been developed; however, these are not yet being used in practice. This is not helping managers to identify and address shortfalls in a timely way and support and develop the care and experiences of children. Feedback from children about their experiences is gathered, however, this is not explored with children in a timely way. Furthermore, there have been careless errors which have resulted in children and staff being provided with documents containing inaccurate information. This undermines the focus on relationship- building and children feeling valued in the consultation process. Assurance inspection report for children's home: 2655778 4 Leaders and managers have recognised that training is not sufficient, and they are considering ways that this can be improved, including an increased focus on face-to- face training. Despite this, interim plans have been ineffective. While essential

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Findings from the inspection

training has been identified and delivered to staff, managers have not reviewed the progress made. This means that staff have still not received the training they need to support children’s individual needs.

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Findings from the inspection

Since the last inspection, some progress has been made to improve the frequency and quality of supervision. However, not all staff have received an annual appraisal. The manager has plans in place to address this.

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Findings from the inspection

The compliance notice in relation to regulation 13 is not met. This is issued for a second time. Four requirements from the previous inspection have been met, three have been restated and one new requirement has been raised as a result of this inspection.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

20/05/2024 Full Requires improvement to be good 24/05/2023 Full Good 03/01/2023 Full Good 14/09/2022 Full Inadequate Assurance inspection report for children's home: 2655778 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 within 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 promotes their welfare.

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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;

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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

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Requirement Due date

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)(h)(i)(ii)) 10 November Assurance inspection report for children's home: 2655778 6 The responsible person must consider and understand the reasons why managers and responsible individuals leave their positions and use learning about this to bring about greater stability in leadership arrangements for the home.

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Requirement Due date

The responsible person must take all reasonable steps to appoint a manager with the experience and skills to lead the care of children well, and that the person applies to register with Ofsted without delay.

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Requirement Due date

The responsible person must take steps to ensure that oversight of the home by the responsible individual and manager is effective and is used to identify and address shortfalls in the quality of care provided to children, and to bring about positive change for them.

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Requirement Due date

The responsible person must take steps to implement learning from a recent investigation into concerns about team dynamics and roles and responsibilities of the directors and staff, and address any conflicts of interest.

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Requirement Due date

The responsible person must ensure that staff receive training that provides them with the skills to meet the needs of each child.

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Requirement Due date

The responsible person must take steps to evaluate the quality of the training that staff receive and understand what impact this is having on the care that children receive and how it is supporting their progress and experiences.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was raised at the last inspection and is repeated.

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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

protect and promote each child’s welfare; 10 November Assurance inspection report for children's home: 2655778 7 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. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(b)(ii)(iii)(iv))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that children’s plans are up to date and provide clear guidance for staff in respect of children who need support with their personal care.

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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

manage and review the placement of each child in the home; and

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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) (2)(b)(ii)(iii))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, that children receive appropriate support and planning when they are transitioning to adulthood. 10 November

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees—

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Requirement Due date

undertake appropriate continuing professional development;

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Requirement Due date

receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience; and

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Requirement Due date

have their performance and fitness to perform their roles appraised at least once every year. (Regulation 33 (4)(a)(b)(c))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to staff supervision sessions and ensuring they are reflective and have purpose. In addition, that yearly appraisals take place. 10 November

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Requirement Due date

*These requirements are subject to a compliance notice. Assurance inspection report for children's home: 2655778 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: High View Children’s Services Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Azzurri House, Walsall Road, Aldridge, Walsall WS9 0RB

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Inspectors

Natasha Skinner, Social Care Inspector Jackie Line, Social Care Inspector Assurance inspection report for children's home: 2655778 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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