Children's home run by The Children’s Trust

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC062079 1 SC062079 Registered provider: The Children’s Trust

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This service provides residential care for children who have an acquired brain injury, multiple disabilities and complex health needs. The service is registered as a children’s home to provide care for up to 66 children across several separate houses. The types of residential care provided include long-stay care as well as short-break services. The home also provides rehabilitation services for children who have recently been diagnosed with an acquired brain injury. There is a non-maintained school on site, registered with the Department for Education, which some of the children attend. The home is also registered with the Care Quality Commission because it provides nursing care.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of this visit, 46 children were staying in the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted on 1 May 2020.

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Information about this children’s home

The inspectors only inspected the social care provision on this site.

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This monitoring visit

This visit was carried out following the very sad death of a child and recent safeguarding incidents. Ofsted does not investigate incidents of this kind. The focus of this visit was on the support provided to staff and children, training and supervision, alongside actions taken following a child’s death and the safeguarding incidents.

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This monitoring visit

The compassionate and skilled care provided by staff enables children to live in a safe and nurturing environment. Children experience plentiful and joyful activities in the home and in the wider community. Staff provide attentive, caring support to the children they care for. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC062079 2 Staff receive good-quality support following the death of a child. They have access to internal therapeutic support as well as access to counselling services. This supports them with looking after children who may be on an end-of-life care plan and/or receiving palliative care. Staff support each other and feel that managers are available, and this support is invaluable. Managers have made special efforts to cover the rota to allow any staff who requested to attend the child’s funeral.

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This monitoring visit

The registered manager is knowledgeable and understands the needs of the children. She has extensive experience of managing a home that provides care for children with disabilities and complex health needs. She is supported by an equally experienced and dedicated manager.

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This monitoring visit

Leaders carry out their own learning review in response to any child’s death. This helps them to assess what went well and identify any learning to inform future practice. They notify all relevant statutory agencies in the event of a child’s death and cooperate with any investigation or review by external agencies.

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This monitoring visit

Safeguarding incidents are thoroughly investigated. Any learning that is identified from these investigations is acted on. Parents are fully involved in discussions and contribute to any learning when there are concerns.

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This monitoring visit

The provider works effectively in partnership with safeguarding agencies when concerns arise. They share information promptly and act on any recommendations identified to ensure safe practice.

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This monitoring visit

The requirements made at the last full inspection have not been reviewed as part of this visit and have therefore been restated. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC062079 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

15/10/2024 Full Good 19/09/2023 Full Good 18/05/2022 Full Good 24/08/2021 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC062079 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.

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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

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

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that children’s plans are explicit in relation to the expectations of staff regarding the supervision and support that children need.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement is restated. 3 February 2025

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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, ensure that all staff receive formal supervision at the frequency outlined in the provider’s policy. Records of these meetings should demonstrate that staff have been supported to reflect on their practice and learning and development.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement is restated. 3 February 2025

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that the home is a nurturing and supportive environment that meets children’s needs. In most cases, children’s homes are homely, domestic environments. The home should comply with relevant health and safety legislations, such as alarms and food hygiene. However, in doing so, Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC062079 5 the home should seek as far as possible to maintain a domestic rather than ‘institutional’ impression. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9)

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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: SC062079 6

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Children’s home details

Provision sub-type: Residential special school

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Bethan Eaton-Haskins

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Inspectors

Hannah Cox, Social Care Compliance Inspector Lee Kirwin, Regulatory Inspection Manager Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC062079 7 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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

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