Children's Home run by St. Benedict’s Care Solutions Ltd in Walsall

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2688362 1 Registered provider: St. Benedicts Care Solutions Ltd

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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 registered to provide care for up to three children who have learning disabilities.

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Information about this children’s home

The home was registered in August 2022. The registered manager post has been vacant since 10 June 2024. A manager has started in post and intends to make an application to register.

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Information about this children’s home

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

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This monitoring visit

On 26 September 2024, a monitoring visit took place due to Ofsted receiving concerns about the operation of the home, including the care of children, the management and staffing arrangements and the safer recruitment of staff.

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This monitoring visit

As a result of the visit, Ofsted issued a notice to restrict accommodation at the home and a compliance notice for regulation 32. The purpose of this visit was to review the provider’s adherence to the notice restricting accommodation and to review the progress made in meeting the steps set out in the compliance notice.

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This monitoring visit

Managers have complied with the restriction notice. One child has moved out of the home since the previous monitoring visit. No children have moved in.

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This monitoring visit

Since the previous monitoring visit, there have been notable improvements made to staff recruitment. Managers have put systems in place to ensure that staff are safely recruited. Records of staff recruitment are available. Full employment histories are now in place for staff. This has enabled further references to be sought, where required. Identification checks have been completed. As a result, most of the staff team are safely recruited. Managers are clear about any checks that are outstanding, and these are in the process of being completed. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2688362 2 The compliance notice has been met and restriction of accommodation has been lifted. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2688362 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

04/09/2024 Full Requires improvement to be good 02/01/2024 Full Good 14/03/2023 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2688362 4

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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 have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of 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. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(c)(f))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, leaders and managers must ensure that there is sufficient monitoring of all aspects of the day-to-day running of the home and that staff have training that is specific to the individual needs of children living in the home.

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Requirement Due date

Additionally, leaders and managers must ensure that the staff team is trained, skilled and experienced in meeting the needs of children and keeping them safe. 14 October 2024

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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. 14 October 2024 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2688362 5 In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— that staff—

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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

that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed, furnished and maintained so as to protect each child from avoidable hazards to the child's health. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(d)

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Requirement Due date

In particular, leaders and managers should ensure that the home is free from hazards.

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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

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)(b) (2)(a)(b)(iv)) 14 October 2024

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety.

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Requirement Due date

employ an individual to work at the children’s home;

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Requirement Due date

if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3).

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Requirement Due date

The requirements are that full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2. (Regulation 32 (1) (3)(d)) 14 October 2024 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2688362 6 This specifically relates to the registered person ensuring that staff are safely recruited.

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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

the effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the measure; and

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Requirement Due date

within 48 hours of the use of the measure, the registered person, or a person who is authorised by the registered person to do so ("the authorised person")—

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Requirement Due date

has spoken to the user about the measure; and

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Requirement Due date

has signed the record to confirm it is accurate; and

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Requirement Due date

within 5 days of the use of the measure, the registered person or the authorised person adds to the record confirmation that they have spoken to the child about the measure. (Regulation 35 (3)(a)(vii)(b)(i)(ii)(c))

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Requirement Due date

This was a requirement at the last inspection and has been restated. 14 October 2024

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must give notice in writing to HMCI, as soon as it is reasonably practicable to do so, if any of the following events take place or are expected by the registered person to take place—

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Requirement Due date

if the registered provider is an organisation

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Requirement Due date

any change in the identity of the responsible individual. (Regulation 49(e)(iii)) 14 October 2024

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Information about this inspection

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2688362 7 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: 2688362 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: St. Benedicts Care Solutions Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 6a George Street, Nottingham NG1 3BE

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Inspector

Chanel Bryant, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2688362 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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