Children's Home run by Accord Care Homes Limited in Bury

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2759542 1 Registered provider: Accord Care Homes 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 and operated by a private provider. It is registered to provide care for up to three children with social and emotional needs.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, three children were living in the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager post is currently vacant. A manager has been recruited and has submitted her application to register with Ofsted.

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This monitoring visit

This monitoring visit was undertaken to review the restriction of accommodation notice, the action taken by the provider and the progress made since the last visit.

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This monitoring visit

At the time of the monitoring visit, there was one child living in the home, and another child had recently moved out.

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This monitoring visit

There have been changes to the senior leadership and management team. A new responsible individual has been appointed; they have submitted their application, and this is currently under review to determine their suitability.

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This monitoring visit

Although there is no registered manager, there is an interim manager in post who has also submitted their application, and this is also currently under review to determine their suitability.

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This monitoring visit

The new responsible individual has taken a proactive approach and has developed and applied new monitoring systems that have increased the level of oversight of the day-to-day running of the home. The additional oversight is also supporting the development of the interim manager; because of this, her confidence is growing. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2759542 2 Incidents in the home have reduced; however, there have been occasions when one child has been missing from home. Staff respond appropriately and in line with the child’s risk management plans. Risk management plans are robust and are regularly reviewed by the manager, who also reviews all incidents with scrutiny that includes reflection on staff practice.

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This monitoring visit

Training and development for staff has continued to improve. Since the last visit, staff have received additional face-to-face training. This includes training on safeguarding, missing from home, first aid, behaviour management and child exploitation. As a result of this, staff practice continues to develop, and they have been equipped with the necessary skills to fulfil their roles.

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This monitoring visit

The physical environment for children continues to be safe and secure; there were no signs of any damage or hazards. However, the hall, stairs and landing walls were bare, the paintwork has begun to look tired and there were no curtains in the children’s bedrooms.

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This monitoring visit

A case review was held on 14 January 2025. It was the decision at the case review that the risk of harm no longer exists; therefore, the restriction of accommodation was lifted.

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This monitoring visit

The requirements raised at the assurance inspection were not considered as part of this visit and will be reviewed at the next inspection. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2759542 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

31/07/2024 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2759542 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

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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Requirement Due date

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

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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

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)(i)(iii)(v)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that staff follow the individual child’s risk plans and children are provided with the opportunity to engage in return home interviews following episodes of being missing from home. 12 November 2024

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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 19 December 2024 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2759542 5 promotes their welfare.

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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 staff work as a team where appropriate;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child;

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Requirement Due date

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;

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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)(b)(e)(f)(h))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered provider must ensure that staff work as a team and provide consistent boundaries and expectations for the children, use effective monitoring systems to recognise any shortfalls in practice, and respond swiftly to address the shortfalls.

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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

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; the name of the person who used the measure (“the user”), and of any other person present when the measure was used; 19 December 2024 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2759542 6 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. (Regulation 35 (3)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(viii)(b)(i)(ii)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In meeting the quality standards, the registered person must, and must ensure that staff—

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Requirement Due date

seek to involve each child’s placing authority effectively in the child’s care, in accordance with the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

if the registered person considers, or staff consider, a placing authority’s or a relevant person’s performance or response to be inadequate in relation to their role, challenge the placing authority or the relevant person to seek to ensure that each child’s needs are met in accordance with the child’s relevant plans; and

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Requirement Due date

seek to develop and maintain effective professional relationships with such persons, bodies or organisations as the registered person considers appropriate having regard to the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the children’s home is to provide care and accommodation. (Regulation 5 (a)(c)(d))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that leaders and managers advocate for children and challenge the decisions made by professionals if they are not in the best interests of children. 19 December 2024 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2759542 7 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. (Regulation 14 (1)(a))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that they consider whether staff are able to meet the needs of the child, before they move in. 19 December 2024

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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

provide to children living in the home the physical necessities they need in order to live there comfortably;

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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;

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered provider must ensure that the hallway, stairs and dining area are decorated to a standard where all wear and tear marks are removed.

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Requirement Due date

Additionally, children must also have curtains in their bedrooms. 14 February 2025

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Requirement Due date

*These requirements are subject to a compliance notice.

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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: 2759542 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Accord Care Homes Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 24 Greek Street, Stockport SK3 8AB

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Inspector

Kimmy Feeley, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2759542 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 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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