Children's home where 'manager bought tattoo gun for child', while another kid 'built a makeshift flamethrower'
19 October 2022, 17:53 | Updated: 19 October 2022, 22:40
Staff at a children's home are being ordered to make fast improvements, after an inspection revealed a manager brought home a tattoo gun for a child to ink others - while another young resident threatened an employee with a makeshift flamethrower, according to reports.
Listen to this article
Loading audio...
The care home, which cannot be named for safeguarding reasons but is registered in Leicester, had a number of "serious and widespread failures" revealed by an Ofsted inspection.
These include a child creating a weapon out of an aerosol can and a cigarette lighter, before threatening staff with it.
Another incident saw a manager at the home bought a tattoo gun for one of the children, who then used it to give permanent inkings to one of the other children.
Vigilante mums patrol the streets to protect children from muggers
Slamming the care home, the Ofsted report said: "There are serious and widespread failures that mean children and young people are not protected or their welfare is not promoted or safeguarded and the care and experiences of children and young people are poor and they are not making progress."
The report claimed that "staff are slow to respond to challenging behaviours from children", according to the Mail Online.
"As a result, children's behaviours can quickly escalate. Children and staff are then placed at increased risk.
"For example, in August 2022, staff were threatened when a child used a cigarette lighter, and an aerosol can as a weapon.
"An earlier intervention from staff may have prevented this incident escalating. A failure to intervene compromised the safety of children and staff."
Ofsted added that the home's supervision of children has been "inadequate".
Inspectors said: "There have been many incidents of children not being adequately supervised in line with their care plans.
Ofsted Chief Inspector says sexual harassment has been 'normalised' for schoolchildren
"For example, one child was able to give another child a permanent tattoo after the manager purchased a tattoo gun for the child. Both children were required to have 2:1 staff supervision.
"Additionally, staff have failed to supervise children in line with their risk assessments. As a result, children have been harmed."
The owners of the home have been ordered to improve in a wide range of areas following the report.
