Children's home run by Potensial Limited

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged requires improvement at the last full inspection. At this interim inspection, Ofsted judges that it has improved effectiveness . The home received a full inspection on 28 April 2016. Since this inspection, the registered manager who was in post at that time has left the home. A new manager has been registered with Ofsted. The home has undergone a period of relative stability under the present registered manager, who was on annual leave during this inspection. The registered manager of the sister home nearby assisted the inspector, together with another manager from elsewhere in the company and several members of the staff team. The children and young people in this home are looked after well, and are kept safe. Some of the children and young people were able to join in the inspection and to express their views. They said that they are happy in the home. They are in full-time education. They have very full activity programmes and enjoy spending

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

time with their staff. Relationships between the staff and young people are warm and nurturing, which contributes to their good progress. All the staff spoken to had a good understanding of the children’s and young people’s needs. The manager and staff have worked hard to maintain a very pleasant, attractive environment for the children and young people. Two residents have suites of rooms, with a seating area, bedroom and en-suite bathroom. The other young person has an en-suite bathroom in their bedroom. This is a real benefit for them, and helps to support their privacy and dignity. The children and young people are able to personalise their rooms and spend time enjoying their hobbies and pastimes. One child was able to explain the home’s system of rewards and consequences and, although he said that he does not always approve of the system, he does understand it. The staff explained that some consequences have been put in place as a temporary measure to help the

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

child to overcome specific behaviours, and as soon he can manage these himself, the consequences will cease. The home’s record of physical intervention was seen, and shows a very low number of restraints. Those that have been used since the previous inspection have been appropriate. One young person has been admitted to the home since the full inspection, and has now reached the age of 18 years. A second young person is due to reach adulthood within the next few months. Senior managers are currently reviewing the home’s purpose and function in relation to how these may have to change in response to having two adult residents next year. They are aware that the home will require registration with the Care Quality Commission. The staff and fellow managers are full of praise for the registered manager, who works very hard to establish and maintain high-quality care for the children and young people. In spite of considerable pressures on her time, she has been able to

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

develop the home further, and has reviewed a number of key documents. For example, the children’s guides are exceptionally colourful, well designed and child friendly: some of the best examples the inspector has seen. One new member of staff confirmed that he has received all his induction training. He feels well equipped to do the job and loves his work. He is the key worker for one of the young people, and was able to demonstrate a good knowledge of his individual needs. The deputy manager position has not been filled, and this has added to the operational pressures that resulted from the staff shortages during the summer. The staff on duty during the inspection confirmed that the situation is now much improved. They are pleased to see several new staff in post. This inspection was marked by a buoyant mood in the staff team, and all those interviewed are highly motivated, enthusiastic and committed to the children and young people.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The challenges faced by the registered manager since her appointment to the role have had an impact on the regularity of supervision sessions. It is clear from the supervision schedule that considerable efforts have been made to bring these back on track, but there have been significant gaps in supervision sessions. Another manager within the company was present in the home during the inspection, and explained that he had come to supervise two of the most recently appointed staff. As the manager was not present to discuss this matter, it will be reviewed again at the next full inspection. A recommendation has been made. The registered manager has done extremely well to respond to and resolve all the requirements and recommendations from the previous inspection. Three requirements and three recommendations were made to help the home to improve practice. The first requirement was made under the quality and purpose of care standard.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The home was asked to ensure that the staff receive additional training to support them in their roles. In the six months since the previous inspection, staff have acquired additional skills and experience to help them to understand the children’s and young people’s specific disabilities. They are now working together more consistently as a team, to manage challenging behaviour. At the time of the previous inspection, the registered manager had commissioned an independent investigation into matters raised about some aspects of the quality of care. This investigation did not find any evidence of shortfalls in practice in the home. This requirement is met. The second requirement asked the home to risk assess individual children’s and young people’s vulnerabilities in relation to the need for door key pads, which are a restriction of liberty. The home now has these risk assessments in place, supported by signed consents from persons and organisations with parental responsibility, to

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

allow for the use of door key pads to prevent the children and young people from leaving the home unsupervised. This requirement is also met. The third requirement was made under regulation 35, supported by two recommendations. The home was asked to ensure that there is consistency between the statement of purpose and behaviour management policies regarding the use of physical intervention. The home has reviewed these two documents and has revised its list of permissible holds. The two documents are now compatible, and the requirement and the two recommendations relating to physical intervention are now met. The third recommendation concerned staff recruitment and the need to ensure that an applicant’s employment history is recorded in sufficient detail to identify any gaps, and that there is a clear and informative system for undertaking and recording reference verification. Three staff files seen during this inspection

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

showed an improvement in recruitment checking procedures, so this recommendation is also met.

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Information about this children's home

The children’s home is owned by a private national company. The organisation operates one other children’s home and a range of services for vulnerable adults. The home was registered in October 2015 for up to four children and young people who may have learning disabilities. This is one of two children’s homes operated by the company in the south-west of England.

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further, the service should take account of the following recommendation:

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Recommendations

 Ensure that there are systems in place so that all staff, including the manager, receive supervision of their practice from an appropriately qualified and experienced professional, which allows them to reflect on their practice and the needs of the children assigned to their care. Professionally qualified staff employed by the home, for example teachers or social workers, should be provided with relevant professional or clinical supervision by an appropriately qualified and experienced professional. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, April 2015, paragraph 13.2)

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What the inspection judgements mean

At the interim inspection, we make a judgement on whether the home has improved in effectiveness, sustained effectiveness, or declined in effectiveness since the previous full inspection. This is in line with the ‘Inspection of children's homes: framework for inspection’.

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people living in the children's home. Inspectors considered the quality of work and the difference that adults make to the lives of children and young people. They read case files, watched how professional staff work with children, young people and each other and discussed the effectiveness of help and care given to children and young people. Wherever possible, they talked to children, young people and their families. In addition, the inspectors have tried to understand what the children's home knows about how well it is performing, how well it is doing and what difference it is making for the children and young people whom it is trying to help, protect and look after. This inspection focused on the effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of children and young people since the most recent full inspection.

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Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000 to assess the effectiveness of the service and to consider how well it complies with the Children's Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the ‘Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards’. the guidance raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted, which is available from Ofsted's website: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted . If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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Information about this inspection

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, workbased learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It inspects services for looked after children and child protection. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team,

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Information about this inspection

The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

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Information about this inspection

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Information about this inspection

Store Street Manchester M1 2WD T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted

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