Children's home run by Total Care Matters Limited in Nottingham

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged requires improvement at the full inspection. At this interim inspection, Ofsted judges that it has improved effectiveness .

p.2

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Since the last full inspection, there has been a change in managerial arrangements. The previous registered manager left the home, a new manager has very recently commenced her employment and, in the interim period, the deputy manager has undertaken the management of the home with support from the operation’s manager. This has worked well, resulting in the home improving its effectiveness.

p.2

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Children and young people are making good progress and are safe and happy. For example, one young person with a history of going missing from care has not been missing or had unauthorised absences for two months. A child who displays challenging behaviour is now more settled and, as a result, is attending school regularly and benefiting from improved contact with his family. One young person said that she likes it here, ‘because staff have time for you.’ Young people said that staff listen to them and take their views seriously. There are good relationships between staff, children and young people; as a result, the atmosphere in the home is settled, warm and friendly.

p.2

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

There have been difficulties with group dynamics in the past that resulted in an unsettled home and the premature ending of two placements. There has been learning from this to improve practice. There is now an improved focus on placement matching to ensure that, as far as possible, these difficulties do not occur again. Admissions are planned well. On the day of the inspection, a young person was visiting the home with her family and social worker to help her to decide whether she wants to move in. Her social worker had already visited on a previous occasion, and a lot of information had been shared. The current children and young people had also been consulted and an assessment of the impact on them had been completed. This robust approach ensures that new admissions to the home are only made when it is assessed that the home can meet a child’s needs and there is no detriment to those already in placement.

p.2

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Children and young people are safe. The management of safeguarding incidents is robust, and appropriate referrals are made to the designated officer. When there have been issues in which staff practice has been less than good, these have been addressed appropriately, either through training, disciplinary procedures and/or dismissal. Behaviour management has improved. The frequency of the use of physical intervention has decreased and, although there are still some behavioural challenges, these have not resulted in the issues that occurred previously. For example, complaints from the neighbours have been resolved, and there have been no recent expressions of dissatisfaction.

p.2

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

There are good systems for monitoring the quality of care, which are being further developed to provide a more evidence-based approach to demonstrating improved outcomes and progress. There are thorough monthly reports from the independent visitor, which are used to improve practice. The deputy manager has been undertaking regular monthly monitoring to feed into the six-monthly report and identify areas for development. One area for further improvement is the regularity of staff supervision. This has slipped recently, and not all staff have had monthly supervision. Consequently, the opportunity to reflect on and improve their practice has been diminished.

p.3

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

One requirement and one recommendation made at the previous inspection related to partnership working. This has been fully addressed. There is now a greater emphasis on being proactive with partners, including the local authority, when children’s and young people’s needs are not being met. For example, there has been prompt and effective challenge in relation to educational placements and therapeutic input. This has resulted in the provision of appropriate services to meet the children’s and young people’s assessed needs.

p.3

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The other three requirements and one recommendation have also been satisfactorily met. There had been damage to the premises as a result of some challenging behaviour in the past. This has now been addressed and the home provides a pleasant environment. Children and young people have been encouraged to take more ownership of the environment by, for example, choosing their own bedroom furniture, and this approach has been effective in preventing further damage. The ethos of the home has improved and there is better and more positive management of behaviour. A key carer system has been implemented to provide a better focus on ensuring that children’s and young people’s assessed needs are met. Staff recruitment has also improved, and there is now almost a full complement of staff. Because the home decided to temporarily limit the numbers of children and young people accommodated, there have been sufficient staff on

p.3

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

duty to meet their needs. These actions have resulted in a more settled home in which children and young people thrive and make good progress.

p.3

Information about this children's home

This privately owned children’s home is registered to provide care and accommodation for four children and young people who have emotional or behavioural issues.

p.4

Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

p.4

Recent inspection history

18/02/2016 Interim Improved effectiveness

p.4

Recent inspection history

20/01/2015 Interim Sustained effectiveness

p.4

Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further, the service should take account of the following recommendation:  The registered person must have 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. (‘Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.2)

p.5

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’.

p.6

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.

p.6

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 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.6

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, work- based learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It inspects services for children looked after 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,

p.7

Information about this inspection

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

p.7

Information about this inspection

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates at http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.7

Information about this inspection

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted

p.7