Children's home run by Unity Residential Care Services Limited in Newcastle-under-Lyme

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC412385 1 SC412385 Registered provider: Unity Residential Care Services Limited

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is operated by a private provider. It offers care for up to three children who may have experienced childhood instability that has resulted in trauma and associated complex behaviours.

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Information about this children’s home

The home currently does not have a registered manager.

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This monitoring visit

This visit was carried out after concerns relating to staff practice in the home were notified to Ofsted and the local authority designated officer.

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This monitoring visit

Significant shortfalls were identified during the visit. At the time of the visit, leaders had suspended five members of staff, and a sixth member of staff was suspended during the visit. This significant shortfall left four staff members working at the home. There is not enough staff to provide safe care for the children living at the home.

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This monitoring visit

Furthermore, the home has no responsible individual and no registered manager. The interim arrangements are inadequate. The covering manager is scheduled to cease working at the home soon. This means that staff do not receive consistent management oversight or guidance, which impacts on the quality of care being provided.

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This monitoring visit

The quality of care delivered to children is poor. Inconsistent staff boundaries mean that children have been subject to a poor caring culture. For example, children are visited by members of staff who are not on shift and who then delete evidence of their visits. This practice heightens the risk of children being groomed. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC412385 2 Staff were unaware of the content of one child’s deprivation of liberty order. Staff informed the inspector that they did not have a copy. Therefore, the specific arrangements regarding mobile phone use and restrictions were not understood or assessed.

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This monitoring visit

The child’s safety planning regarding ligatures is poor. Assessment of risk is not consistently reviewed following ligature incidents. Risk plans are contradictory and misleading, which means that staff are not clear of the specific action to take during significant incidents. Staff in the home are unaware of the specifics included in each plan.

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This monitoring visit

Furthermore, plans detailing staff observations for one child contradict each other, with one stating constant 20-minute observations throughout the day, while another plan states 20-minute observations when heightened. Although the child is deemed high risk of harm by ligature, there has been no consideration regarding the environment to ensure their safety and well-being.

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This monitoring visit

Due to these findings, coupled with the concern regarding the ability of leaders and managers to understand the poor culture in the home, Ofsted has decided to suspend the home’s registration. This is because children are at risk due to the failure to provide safe and effective care. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC412385 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

28/11/2023 Full Good 24/01/2023 Full Good 21/09/2021 Full Outstanding 03/03/2020 Full Outstanding Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC412385 4

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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: SC412385 5

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Unity Residential Care Services Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 2 Lymevale Court, Lyme Drive, Parklands, Stoke- on-Trent ST4 6NW

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Inspector

Mark Dickinson, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC412385 6 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

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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