Children's Home run by Attivo Care Ltd in Halton

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2680573 1

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Information about this children’s home

This home is operated by a private provider and is registered to provide care for two children who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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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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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in April 2023.

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This monitoring visit

On 24 September 2024, Ofsted carried out a full inspection. The inspector identified concerns about safeguarding practices in the home and ineffective leadership and management arrangements.

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This monitoring visit

Following the inspection, two compliance notices were issued under section 22A of the Care Standards Act 2000. These were in relation to Regulation 12 (the protection of children standard) and Regulation 13 (the leadership and management standard).

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This monitoring visit

The purpose of this visit was to review the actions taken by the provider to meet the compliance notices. Ofsted found that the provider has taken sufficient action to meet the compliance notices.

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This monitoring visit

Since the inspection, the director has taken over the role of responsible individual and has, alongside the registered manager and deputy manager, taken immediate action to review care practices in the home and support the staff team to understand and manage risks effectively.

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This monitoring visit

Children are prevented from accessing unsafe contact on the internet. Clear risk assessments set out what actions staff need to take to ensure children are safe online. This has reduced risk for one child.

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This monitoring visit

Children have been supported to manage their difficult feelings. Staff have strengthened their approach when speaking with children. Clear actions have been taken and research undertaken so that staff can understand children’s views and Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2680573 2 experiences. Clear management oversight sets out actions moving forward, such as sharing with an internal therapist and the child’s school, and encouraging the child to access emotional support through GP services.

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This monitoring visit

Since the inspection, staff have received training to understand their roles and responsibilities in relation to whistleblowing, safeguarding, teamwork and closed cultures. A new escalation policy has also been introduced. Staff confirmed the plans that had been implemented to improve practice. This means that staff understand their roles and responsibilities to follow the whistle-blowing policy and prevent a closed culture from forming.

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This monitoring visit

Risk assessments include strategies and guidance for staff to follow to support children when they are at risk. Staff are clear that work has been completed with them to understand risks.

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This monitoring visit

The manager has ensured that any serious incidents have been shared with the regulator. This means that the regulator now has adequate oversight of potential safeguarding matters. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2680573 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

24/09/2024 Full Inadequate 03/10/2023 Full Good 08/11/2022 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2680573 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 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;

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Requirement Due date

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare;

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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 home’s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(v)(vi)(vii)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that staff follow whistle-blowing procedures and report their concerns without delay. 20 January 2025

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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— 20 January 2025 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2680573 5 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; 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)(f)(h))

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that they can evidence the steps they have taken to escalate concerns when responses from the wider support system are not satisfactory in meeting children’s needs. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 11, paragraph 2.3)

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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: 2680573 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Attivo Care Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: PO Box 5, 5 Swan Alley, Ormskirk L39 2EQ

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Inspector

Nicola Forrester, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2680573 7 regulates and inspects 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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