Children's Home run by Oaktree Childcare Limited in Lancashire

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2740375 1 Registered provider: Rubik Care Ltd

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home registered with Ofsted in August 2023 and is operated by a private provider. It offers care for up to three children who may experience social and/or emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of the visit, no children were living in the home.

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Information about this children’s home

A manager has been appointed and has submitted her application to register with Ofsted.

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This monitoring visit

Significant shortfalls in safeguarding practice and the leadership and management of the home were identified during the home’s first full inspection on 3 and 4 January 2024. Consequently, the home was judged inadequate.

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This monitoring visit

Following the full inspection, Ofsted issued a notice restricting accommodation at the home under section 22B of the Care Standards Act 2000. Two compliance notices were also issued under section 22A of the Care Standards Act 2000. These related to Regulation 12 (the protection of children standard) and Regulation 13 (the leadership and management standard).

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This monitoring visit

A monitoring visit took place on 26 February 2024. Following this visit, a case review took place where it was agreed that the provider had taken sufficient action to meet the compliance notices issued under regulations 12 and 13. It was also determined that the notice restricting accommodation in the home could be lifted.

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This monitoring visit

In April 2024, the provider informed Ofsted that there were no children living in the home, the manager had resigned from his post and that the home did not have Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2740375 2 sufficient staff to care for children. On 30 April 2024, a three-month condition was imposed by Ofsted under section 13 of the Care Standards Act 2000.

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This monitoring visit

The home has since been taken over by another private provider. On 9 December 2024, the provider informed Ofsted of its intention to accommodate children.

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This monitoring visit

This visit took place to review the actions taken by the provider to ensure that the home is ready for children to move in.

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This monitoring visit

A manager is now in post, and she has registered with Ofsted. Recruitment is ongoing. At the time of the inspection, the provider had recruited six members of staff, three of whom have completed the organisation’s induction programme.

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This monitoring visit

The manager has updated the home’s statement of purpose; however, this has not been shared with Ofsted as required by regulation.

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This monitoring visit

Leaders and managers have taken immediate action to address and resolve shortfalls in health and fire safety practices that were identified during the visit.

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This monitoring visit

The home is decorated and furnished to a high standard and will be a homely space for children to live. Children’s bedrooms contain adequate furnishings and are ready for them to personalise. One bedroom wardrobe needs replacing. The manager is taking action to address this.

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This monitoring visit

Requirements made at the last inspection are outside the scope of this visit. These will be reviewed at the next inspection. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2740375 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

03/01/2024 Full Inadequate Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2740375 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

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

seek to secure the input and services required to meet each child’s needs;

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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. (Regulation 5 (a)(b)(c))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must provide sufficient professional challenge to ensure that a child’s education is meeting their needs. 1 March 2024

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Requirement Due date

The quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

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

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— 1 March 2024 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2740375 5 meet the needs of each child. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(vii)(c)(i))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that any damage to the building or furniture is repaired, or items are replaced in a timely manner.

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Requirement Due date

The children’s views, wishes and feelings standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

take their views, wishes and feelings into account in relation to matters affecting the children’s care and welfare and their lives.

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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

ascertain and consider each child’s views, wishes and feelings, and balance these against what they judge to be in the child’s best interests when making decisions about the child’s care and welfare;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to express views, wishes and feelings;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand how the child’s views, wishes and feelings have been taken into account and give the child reasons for decisions in relation to the child. (Regulation 7 (1)(c) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that children are involved in their plans and their views and wishes are clearly detailed. 1 March 2024

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Requirement Due date

The positive relationships standard is that children are helped to develop, and to benefit from, relationships based on—

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Requirement Due date

an understanding about acceptable behaviour; and

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Requirement Due date

positive responses to other children and adults.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— 1 March 2024 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2740375 6 that staff—

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Requirement Due date

meet each child’s behavioural and emotional needs, as set out in the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to develop socially aware behaviour;

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Requirement Due date

encourage each child to take responsibility for the child’s behaviour, in accordance with the child’s age and understanding;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to develop and practise skills to resolve conflicts positively and without harm to anyone;

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Requirement Due date

communicate to each child expectations about the child’s behaviour and ensure that the child understands those expectations in accordance with the child’s age and understanding;

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Requirement Due date

are provided with supervision and support to enable them to understand and manage their own feelings and responses to the behaviour and emotions of children, and to help children to do the same. (Regulation 11 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(x))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that staff are able to de-escalate children’s behaviour effectively and that children are supported to manage their feelings and emotions. In addition, children must receive clear messages about acceptable behaviours.

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there. (Regulation 40 (4)(c)) 1 March 2024

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain records (“case records”) for each child which—

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Requirement Due date

include the information and documents listed in Schedule 3 in relation to each child;

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Requirement Due date

are kept up to date. (Regulation 36 (1)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that each child’s records accurately reflect what is going on for that 1 March 2024 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2740375 7 child. Records must be completed and maintained, and any shortfalls must be swiftly resolved.

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Requirement Due date

The health and well-being standard is that—

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Requirement Due date

the health and well-being needs of children are met;

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Requirement Due date

children receive advice, services and support in relation to their health and well-being. (Regulation 10 (1)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that staff know how to respond when children do not take the correct dose of prescribed medication. 15 April 2024

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must compile in relation to the children’s home a statement (“the statement of purpose”) which covers the matters listed in Schedule 1.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must provide a copy of the statement of purpose to HMCI.

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Requirement Due date

keep the statement of purpose under review and, where appropriate, revise it;

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Requirement Due date

notify HMCI of any revisions and send HMCI a copy of the revised statement within 28 days of the revision.

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Requirement Due date

Subject to paragraph (6), the registered person must ensure that the home is at all times conducted in a manner which is consistent with its statement of purpose. (Regulation 16 (1) (2) (3)(a)(b) (5))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that the statement of purpose is factually accurate, kept under review and shared with Ofsted. 28 March 2025

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Requirement Due date

After consultation with the fire and rescue authority, the registered person must—

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Requirement Due date

take adequate precautions against the risk of fire, including the provision of suitable fire equipment in the children’s home;

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Requirement Due date

provide adequate means of escape from the home in the event of fire; 28 March 2025 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2740375 8 ensure, by means of fire drills and practices at suitable intervals, that persons working at the home and, so far as reasonably practicable, children are aware of the procedure to be followed in case of fire. (Regulation 25 (1)(a)(b)(d))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that: fire risk assessments are reviewed within timescales; evacuation procedures are in place; fire drills are carried out.

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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: 2740375 9

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Ground Floor Seneca House, Amy Johnson Way, Blackpool FY4 2FF

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Inspector

Kelly McCurdy, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2740375 10 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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