Children's Home run by O’Connell Care Group in Worcestershire

Assurance inspection report for children's home: 2744065 1 Registered provider: O’Connell Care Group

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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 operated by a private organisation. It provides care for up to three children with emotional and behavioural difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The home has been registered since March 2024. There is a manager in post. They have not yet applied to register with Ofsted.

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Inspection date: 19 November 2024

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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Information about this inspection

At this inspection, the inspector evaluated:

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Information about this inspection

 the care of children  the safety of children  the effectiveness of leaders and managers. The inspector has looked closely at the experiences and progress of children, using the social care common inspection framework. This assurance inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000 to assess the effectiveness of the service, how it meets the core functions of the service as set out in legislation, and to consider how well it complies with The Children’s Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the ‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’. Assurance inspection report for children's home: 2744065 2

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Findings from the inspection

We did not identify any serious or widespread concerns in relation to the care or protection of children at this assurance inspection.

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Findings from the inspection

At the time of the inspection, one child was living in the home. During the inspection, the child spoke to the inspector.

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Findings from the inspection

One child moved out of the home following an incident that required police involvement. Before the child moved in, the manager had not effectively considered the child’s needs. This contributed to the child’s time at the home ending. The manager supported the child to move and has kept in touch with them.

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Findings from the inspection

The home is well furnished and spacious. Staff are welcoming to children and photos of children are displayed around the home. One child’s bedroom was untidy and required cleaning. This detracts from an otherwise homely environment and does not indicate children are being equipped with the skills required to live independently.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff are supporting the child to attend school. When the child finds it difficult to attend, staff offer alternative learning and provide incentives to encourage them to attend. There is good partnership working between the manager and the local authority to ensure that appropriate educational arrangements for children are in place.

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Findings from the inspection

Children who live at the home have trusting relationships with the staff, who speak warmly about the children. The child in the home recently celebrated their birthday and spoke about the celebrations they shared with staff.

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Findings from the inspection

Incidents of going missing from the home have recently increased for one child. Staff are proactive and follow the child’s missing-from-home protocol to ensure their safe return.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff know how to keep children safe and respond to children promptly. However, children’s plans do not always include their known risks and this information is not always updated following incidents. On one occasion, poor risk management arrangements for one child resulted in them obtaining a knife and the police being called. The manager has recognised the shortfalls in staff practice within this incident and taken action to address this.

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Findings from the inspection

When concerns about staff practice have been identified, the manager responds immediately and follows procedures to ensure the child’s safety. However, when safeguarding incidents occur at the home, the manager does not always notify Ofsted. This hinders the regulatory oversight of practice in the home. Assurance inspection report for children's home: 2744065 3 The manager spoke about the challenges they have encountered in their role, in particular, the lack of support from the responsible individual. Shortfalls in this support and the use of effective monitoring systems were identified. These shortfalls have hindered the development of the home and the progress and experiences of children.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff have completed training about self-harm which has equipped them with the skills to meet children’s individual needs. However, not all staff have completed physical intervention training. Staff require training to ensure that they have appropriate skills to provide care to children.

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Findings from the inspection

There are clear processes in place to safely recruit staff. However, the checks for one staff member were incomplete. This means that not all staff have been recruited in line with regulations.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

11/06/2024 Full Good Assurance inspection report for children's home: 2744065 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 within the given timescales.

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Statutory requirements

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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Statutory requirements

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

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Statutory requirements

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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Statutory requirements

help each child to understand how to keep safe;

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Statutory requirements

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm;

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Statutory requirements

understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person;

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Statutory requirements

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

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Statutory requirements

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 and development. (Regulation 12 (1)(i)(ii)(iii)(v)(vi)(d))

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Statutory requirements

In particular, risk management strategies must be regularly reviewed and all known risks to children considered, to support staff to keep them safe. In addition, children must be supported to keep their bedrooms clean. 31 December 2024 Assurance inspection report for children's home: 2744065 5 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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Statutory requirements

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and promotes their welfare.

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Statutory requirements

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

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Statutory requirements

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child;

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Statutory requirements

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c)(h))

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Statutory requirements

This specifically relates to the responsible individual having effective oversight of the home and leaders’ monitoring and review systems being effective.

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Statutory requirements

In addition, this specifically relates to staff training and ensuring that all staff have received physical intervention training, in line with the home’s statement of purpose. 9 th December 2024

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Statutory requirements

The care planning standard is that children—

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Statutory requirements

receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home.

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Statutory requirements

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

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Statutory requirements

that children are admitted to the home only if their needs are within the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the home is to provide care and accommodation, as set out in the home’s statement of purpose. (Regulation 14 (1)(a) (2)(a))

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Statutory requirements

In particular, ensure that before admitting any child, the manager considers their needs and if the staff can safely meet them. In addition, the manager must consider how a child new to the home will safely live with the other children already living at the home. 31 December 2024

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Statutory requirements

The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety. 31 December 2024 Assurance inspection report for children's home: 2744065 6 The registered person may only—

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Statutory requirements

employ an individual to work at the children’s home; or if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3).

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Statutory requirements

full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2. (Regulation 32 (2)(a) (3)(d))

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Statutory requirements

The registered manager must ensure that all schedule 2 checks are completed when recruiting staff to work at the home.

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Statutory requirements

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if—

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Statutory requirements

a child is involved in or subject to, or is suspected of being involved in or subject to, sexual exploitation;

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Statutory requirements

an incident requiring police involvement occurs in relation to a child which the registered person considers to be serious;

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Statutory requirements

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

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Statutory requirements

This relates to the registered manager notifying Ofsted of all significant events, and that notifications are submitted without delay. 31 December 2024 Assurance inspection report for children's home: 2744065 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: O’Connell Care Group

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Inspector

Charlotte Love, Social Care Inspector Assurance inspection report for children's home: 2744065 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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