Children's Home run by Wakefield Council in Wakefield

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC033808 1 SC033808

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Registered provider: The Council of the City of Wakefield

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is owned and run by a local authority. It offers overnight short breaks for up to seven children at a time who may have physical or learning disabilities and/or sensory impairment.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, 27 children were having a maximum of 74 overnight breaks per year. On the date the inspectors visited, one adult was staying at the home and five children were due to attend the home for overnight stays. However, these children were not in attendance during the inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager position has been vacant since May 2024. A manager is in post and is not yet registered with Ofsted.

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This monitoring visit

Inspectors were aware during this inspection of a serious incident concerning a child that had occurred since the last inspection. While Ofsted does not have the power to investigate incidents of this kind, actions taken by the setting in response to the incident were considered alongside other evidence available at the time of the inspection to inform inspectors’ judgements.

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This monitoring visit

This visit was undertaken following the recent tragic death of a child who accessed overnight short-breaks care. This child had a life-limiting health condition. The child’s tragic death did not take place in the short-breaks home.

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This monitoring visit

This visit was undertaken to understand how leaders and managers have responded during this difficult time and to review the support that the staff and children have received. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC033808 2 Staff understand the needs and vulnerabilities of the children in their care. Staff work with professionals and families to help to ensure that they have updated information regarding the children’s health and medical needs.

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This monitoring visit

Staff sensitively support children and their families. They offer children the opportunity to talk about the loss of their peer. The staff’s approach provides children with emotional support that is in line with their individual needs.

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This monitoring visit

Staff have access to bereavement support. They have established relationships and come together as a team for support and to reflect. Additionally, leaders and managers help staff have access to specialist counselling. These steps support the emotional well-being of staff.

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This monitoring visit

The recommendations made at the last inspection are outside of the scope of this visit. These will be reviewed at the next inspection. No additional requirements or recommendations were raised following this visit. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC033808 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

16/04/2024 Full Good 19/12/2023 Full Inadequate 20/02/2023 Full Good 19/01/2022 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC033808 4

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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 with the given timescales.

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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

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)(a)(b)(iv))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that children’s care plans are reviewed and amended as children’s needs change so that they remain relevant. Children who have specific health needs that are overseen by a health professional, such as an epilepsy specialist nurse, must have copies of the relevant plans in their records.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement is restated. 5 July 2024

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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

promotes their welfare. 5 July 2024 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC033808 5 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

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

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)(f)(h))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that children are receiving care in line with their plans; that there are effective systems in place to monitor and review the quality of care that children receive; that the review of service report evaluates children’s experiences of staying at the home and the impact of the care they receive; that effective collaboration is in place between the home and children’s local authorities to ensure that children’s needs are understood and met; and that sufficient internet safeguards are in place to ensure that children are not experiencing levels of adult supervision that are excessive for their needs.

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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

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

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Requirement Due date

This requirement is restated. 5 July 2024

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that when children experience being physically held by staff to keep them safe, they are offered the opportunity to talk about their experiences and feelings. For children who are pre-verbal or nonverbal, the registered person should ensure that staff use their knowledge of Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC033808 6 the child to understand what the child is communicating. This recommendation is restated. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 50, paragraph 9.60)

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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: SC033808 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: The Council of the City of Wakefield

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Wakefield Council, County Hall, Bond Street, Wakefield WF1 2QW

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Cheryl Whitehouse

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Inspectors

Gina Lightfoot, Social Care Inspector Rachel Ruth, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC033808 8 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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