Children's Home run by Almoner Care Group Limited in Liverpool

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2746850 1 Registered provider: Almoner Care Group 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 owned by a private organisation. It is registered to provide care for up to two children with social and emotional needs.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in February 2024.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, one child was living at the home.

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This monitoring visit

Following a full inspection on 24 and 25 September 2024, this home was judged inadequate. Poor practice was identified in areas of risk management, supervision of children, management of allegations and staff recruitment. In addition, leaders of the home did not have robust oversight of incidents and effective monitoring systems. They had also failed to ensure that staff have the skills to meet the needs of the child. Two compliance notices were issued under section 22A of the Care Standards Act 2000. The compliance notices 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 whether leaders and managers have met the steps required in the compliance notices.

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This monitoring visit

Since the full inspection, the manager has been supported by the responsible individual to review and update all risk assessments. Risk assessments now include clear information about specific risks for the child and the steps that staff need to take to minimise risk. The manager ensures that staff are aware of what the risk assessments contain. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2746850 2 Staff ensure good supervision on most occasions in accordance with the child’s plans. However, there has been one occasion when the child was missing from home for a matter of hours. Although staff searched for the child, they did not fully follow the missing-from-home protocol as set out in the child’s plan. The manager has addressed this with staff and reinforced the importance of adhering to the protocol.

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This monitoring visit

Previously, allegations against staff had not been dealt with in accordance with processes and guidelines. There have been no further allegations in this period. The manager and responsible individual were able to articulate how they would deal with allegations moving forward. New recording systems have been implemented that guide managers and staff through the steps when an allegation is made, and this should ensure that processes are followed.

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This monitoring visit

The manager has now received the necessary overseas checks for all employees. The responsible individual and manager are now aware of the checks that must be carried out for all employees. The new deputy manager is trained in safer recruitment.

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This monitoring visit

Staff have received training in criminal exploitation, gangs and knife crime and self- harm. The responsible individual has also sourced further training for staff in trauma-informed approaches.

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This monitoring visit

Internal monitoring of the care provided has improved. Leaders and managers have implemented new documentation to improve the manager’s oversight and evaluation of incidents. This means that the manager can identify and act on any shortfalls in staff practice swiftly. All records are now stored in the home. This further improves the manager’s oversight of the children’s plans and ensures that the staff and the child have access to the child’s files when required.

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This monitoring visit

The manager has completed a review of the quality of care provided to the child. However, the review did not contain any feedback from the child or include clear actions of how the manager plans to improve the home and the care provided to the child.

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This monitoring visit

The home is visited by an independent person. Reports provided by the independent person are in-depth, and the manager acts on the advice given. However, a visit was not conducted in September 2024.

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This monitoring visit

An updated statement of purpose has been completed and shared with the regulator.

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This monitoring visit

A case review was held on 11 November 2024, where it was agreed that the steps of the compliance notices have been met. Other requirements raised at the full inspection have not been reviewed and remain in place. In addition, two further requirements have been made. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2746850 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

24/09/2024 Full Inadequate Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2746850 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 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

have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home.

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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

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

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Requirement Due date

that each child’s relevant plans are followed. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b) (2)(b)(ii)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered manager must ensure that up-to- date relevant care plans are received for each child from the local authority in a timely manner.

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Requirement Due date

Additionally, the registered person must ensure that they fully consider the suitability of the home for child, including the ability of the staff to meet the child’s needs.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated. 4 December 2024

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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 name of the child; 4 December 2024 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2746850 5 details of the child’s behaviour leading to the use of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

the date, time and location of the use of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

a description of the measure and its duration;

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Requirement Due date

details of any methods used or steps taken to avoid the need to use the measure;

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Requirement Due date

the name of the person who used the measure ("the user"), and of any other person present when the measure was used;

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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

a description of any injury to the child or any other person, and any medical treatment administered, as a result of the measure;

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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.

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Requirement Due date

Paragraph (3) does not apply in relation to restraint that is planned or provided for as a matter of routine in the child’s EHC plan or statement of special educational needs. (Regulation 35 (3)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(viii)(b)(i)(ii)(c) (4))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated.

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Requirement Due date

The quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who— 4 December 2024 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2746850 6 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

ensure that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed and furnished so as to—

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Requirement Due date

enable each child to participate in the daily life of the home. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c)(i)(ii))

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Requirement Due date

In particular leaders and managers must ensure that maintenance issues in the home are identified and rectified in a timely manner.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees—

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Requirement Due date

receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience. (Regulation 33 (4)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular the registered person must ensure that staff received regular supervision that supports them to reflect on their practice.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated. 4 December 2024

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Requirement Due date

In order to complete a quality of care review the registered person must establish and maintain a system for monitoring, reviewing and evaluating—

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Requirement Due date

the quality of care provided for children;

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Requirement Due date

the feedback and opinions of children about the children’s home, its facilities and the quality of care they receive in it; and 23 December 2024 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2746850 7 any actions that the registered person considers necessary in order to improve or maintain the quality of care provided for children. (Regulation 45 (2)(a)(b)(c))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that an independent person visits the children’s home at least once each month. (Regulation 44 (1)) 23 December 2024

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Recommendation

 The registered person should have a workforce plan that can fulfil the workforce related requirements of regulation 16, schedule 1 (paragraphs 19 and 20). The plan should detail the necessary management and staffing structure, the experience and qualifications of staff, any further training required for those staff and the processes for managing and improving poor performance. The plan should be updated as necessary and used to record the ongoing training and continuing professional development needs of staff, including the manager. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards,’ page 53, paragraph 10.8)

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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: 2746850 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Almoner Care Group Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Brunswick, Seymour Chambers, 92 London Road, Liverpool L3 5NW

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Inspector

Eve Ostridge, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2746850 9 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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