Children's Home run by GBA Care Limited in Kirklees

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2732583 1 Registered provider: GBA Care 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 organisation. It provides care for four children who may experience social and emotional difficulties. At the time of the inspection, three children were living at the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager is not currently registered with Ofsted.

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This monitoring visit

This home was judged inadequate following a full inspection on 21 and 22 January 2025. Poor practice was identified in areas of safeguarding and the management of allegations. A compliance notice relating to regulation 12, the protection of children standard, and a restriction of accommodation notice were issued under section 22A of the Care Standards Act 2000.

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This monitoring visit

The purpose of this visit was to review if leaders and managers have met the steps required within the compliance notice and assess whether action taken means that the restriction of accommodation can be lifted or not. The manager was absent at the time of the visit. The visit was supported by the deputy manager.

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This monitoring visit

Since the last inspection, managers and staff have attended safeguarding training. Leaders, managers, and staff now understand what actions to take when they have safeguarding concerns about a professional. They can explain what actions they need to take, including following whistle-blowing procedures and reporting allegations. They have ensured that referrals are made to the relevant service, including the child’s social worker, the police, and the local authority designated officer. There is a clear process to ensure that concerns about adults are acted on appropriately. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2732583 2 Leaders and managers ensure that information about staff is held on their electronic system. Any concerns or allegations are recorded on individual staff files. Staff files are accessible for all leaders and managers in the company. This means that managers now have the information that they need to make informed decisions

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This monitoring visit

Staff understand what actions to take when children self-harm. Children are provided with immediate first aid. Staff seek medical advice from health professionals when required. Room searches are carried out to remove any dangerous items. Children are supported to attend hospital for emergency care. Managers and staff ensure that children receive further support for their physical and emotional well-being. Children’s physical and mental health needs are met.

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This monitoring visit

Leaders and managers have implemented staff monitoring plans to address more serious shortfalls in staff practice. Staff are receiving additional support and training where there is an identified learning need. This ensures that staff have the knowledge and skills to provide appropriate care for children.

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This monitoring visit

Managers have oversight of incidents. They provide an evaluative overview and identify any gaps in staff practice. Staff debrief and reflect following incidents. When children raise any concerns, managers raise this with the appropriate professionals. However, managers do not consistently discuss incidents with children to give them an opportunity to share their views. Additionally, managers do not escalate concerns about other professionals effectively when they do not follow the correct procedures.

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This monitoring visit

The use of door alarms has been reviewed by leaders and managers. Maintenance work has progressed to ensure that the doors alarms are fully functioning. The volume has been increased to minimise the possibility of staff not hearing the alarm when asleep. Different sounds are used so that staff can easily identify which child has left their room. There is a risk assessment in place to ensure that the use of door alarms is proportionate dependent on the children’s needs.

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This monitoring visit

Staff know what actions to take to minimise risk and ensure that children are safe. Risk management plans are individual to each child’s needs with clear actions in place to help staff minimise the risk. Risk assessments are regularly reviewed by managers. They are kept electronically, making them accessible to staff.

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This monitoring visit

Leaders and managers ensure that the home is well maintained. The garden has been secured and there have been some improvements inside the home. There are further plans to improve the outdoor areas during the summer months.

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This monitoring visit

One requirement and two recommendations from the previous inspection were not explored during this visit and are therefore restated. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2732583 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

21/01/2025 Full Inadequate 01/02/2024 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2732583 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; and

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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)(c))

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Requirement Due date

Leaders and managers should ensure that children are always given the opportunity to reflect after an incident and that any concerns are raised with relevant parties.

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Requirement Due date

Leaders and managers should ensure that when the placing authority does not follow child protection procedures, this is escalated to more senior managers. 24 April 2025

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Requirement Due date

When the independent person is carrying out a visit, the registered person must help the independent person—

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Requirement Due date

if they consent, to interview in private such of the children, their parents, relatives, and persons working at the home as the independent person requires. (Regulation 44 (2)(a))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was not explored during the visit and therefore is restated. 13 March 2025 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2732583 5

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that negative consequences used to address unwanted behaviour are restorative in nature, to help children recognise the impact of their behaviour on themselves, other children, the staff caring for them and the wider community. Where some consequences used are not effective, these should be reviewed by the manager and an alternative approach applied. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards,’ page 46, paragraph 9.38) This was not explored during the visit and is therefore restated.  The registered person should ensure that where a child living in the home is not participating in education they are supported to sustain or regain their confidence in education and be engaged in suitable structured activities for the whole of the school day. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards,’ page 28, paragraph 5.15)

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Recommendations

This was not explored during the visit and is therefore restated.

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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: 2732583 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 2nd Floor, Brian Royd Mills, Saddleworth Road, Halifax HX4 8NF

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Inspectors

Sarah Probert, Social Care Inspector Lisa Summers, His Majesties Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2732583 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

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Inspectors

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