Children's home run by Silverlining Childcare Limited

Inspection report children’s home: SC458746 1 SC458746 Registered provider: Silverlining Childcare

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home provides care and accommodation for up to three children and young people who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. It is run by a small private partnership company.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

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good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

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good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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good

Date of last inspection: 17 January 2017

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: Sustained effectiveness

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: None

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Key findings from this inspection

 Young people feel safe and well cared for.  Staff understand and manage risk well.  Dedicated staff prioritise young people’s needs. Inspection report children’s home: SC458746 2  Young people enjoy positive relationships with staff and each other.  Young people develop hobbies and participate in different leisure activities.  Young people receive excellent support to promote their independence.  The staff provide exceptional home-cooked meals, which are chosen by the young people and meet their diverse and cultural needs.  The manager and staff communicate well with parents, social workers and other professionals.  Staff help young people to settle in well when they first arrive.  Young people contribute to the day-to-day running of the home.

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Key findings from this inspection

The children’s home’s areas for development:

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Key findings from this inspection

 Ensure that young people receive an interview with an independent person when they return from being missing from care.  Improve health and safety monitoring.  Operate the home in accordance with its statement of purpose.  Arrange for the manager to receive regular supervision and an annual appraisal.  Ensure that all staff recruited to work in the home have a full employment history, including an explanation of any gaps in employment.  Keep the statement of purpose up to date and provide a copy to Ofsted within 28 days of its revision.  Notify Ofsted of all significant events.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

17/01/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness 07/07/2016 Full Good 25/02/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness 02/09/2015 Full Requires improvement Inspection report children’s home: SC458746 3

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person must take to meet the Care Standards Act 2000, Children’s Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the ‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’. The registered person must comply within the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

The quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to— ensure that the premises used for the purpose of the home are designed and furnished so as to meet the needs of each child. (Regulation 6(1)(a)(2)(c)(i)) 30/09/2017

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Requirement Due date

The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— that the premises used for the purpose of the home are designed, furnished and maintained so as to protect each child from avoidable hazards to the child’s health. (Regulation 12(2)(d)) 30/09/2017

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Requirement Due date

The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that— helps children to aspire to fulfil their potential; and promotes their welfare. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to— lead and manage the home in a way that is consistent with the approach and ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set out in the statement of purpose. (Regulation 13(1)(a)(b)(2)(a)) 30/09/2017

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must keep the statement of purpose under review and, where appropriate, revise it and notify HMCI of any revisions and send HMCI a copy of the revised statement within 28 days of the revision. (Regulation 16(2)(a)(b)) 30/09/2017

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Requirement Due date

The registered person may only employ a person to work at the children’s home if full and satisfactory information is available in 30/09/2017 Inspection report children’s home: SC458746 4 relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2. (Regulation 32(2)(a)(3)(d)) The registered person must ensure that all employees receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience and have their performance and fitness to perform their roles appraised at least once every year. (Regulation 33(4)(b)(c)) 30/09/2017

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Recommendations

 Ensure that, when a child returns to the home after being missing from care or away from the home without permission, the responsible local authority must provide an opportunity for the child to have an independent return home interview. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 45, paragraph 9.30)  Ensure that the registered person notifies Ofsted and other relevant persons if one of the situations specified in regulation 40(4)(a)(e) occurs. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 63, paragraph 14.10)

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people living at the home get on well with each other. Managers and staff carefully consider compatibility before a young person moves in. This helps young people to live together harmoniously. Staff take the time to understand young people and have the skills to adapt to each young person’s individual personality. Staff develop strong bonds with young people. This helps young people to identify an adult that they can turn to when they are worried and upset. A staff member said, ‘The young people get on and can talk openly to staff. Staff have a great understanding of how important it is for them to feel loved and cared for. We have to provide stability and look at past history and understand where they have come from. It is very calm here.’ Two young people came to live at the home just before the start of the summer holidays without a clear plan for their education. Staff have liaised with the young people’s social

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

workers and the virtual school to organise education for the start of the September term. This helps to minimise any further delay to young people’s learning opportunities. Young people understand the importance of maintaining good health and well-being. Sometimes, young people miss routine appointments. When they do, staff re-book them and encourage young people to attend. This shows that staff promote young people’s health. Young people develop their self-care skills. A social worker said, ‘He is engaging well with staff. He is taking more responsibility and is attending to his personal care Inspection report children’s home: SC458746 5 more.’ Some young people attend health appointments independently in line with their age and development. Young people feel a sense of responsibility to keep fit and like to take part in physical exercise. Both young people speak highly about the excellent food staff provide. A young person commented that the best thing about the home is the

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

food. Young people have hobbies and enjoy taking part in activities of their choice. They like to go fishing, play pool or spend time on the PlayStation/Xbox. As a result, they learn new skills and have fun. Staff encourage young people to spend time with them and young people enjoy this. This helps young people to develop positive relationships with staff. Staff support young people to keep in touch with their family and friends. This improves family bonds and maintains important ties. Staff promote contact and are always on hand to help if they are needed to support and supervise arrangements. Staff enable young people to be independent. They encourage young people to use public transport and undertake domestic duties such as cooking and cleaning. Developing good independence skills builds young people’s confidence and self-esteem. One young person has a part-time job. Staff confirm he is always up on time and

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

prepared for his working day. As a result, young people learn how to manage their finances, become self-sufficient and learn about the world of work. Young people receive a young person’s guide to the home when they first arrive. This provides them with relevant information, which they find helpful. Staff are attentive, warm and nurturing. This helps young people to feel welcomed and to settle in quickly when they first arrive. Young people know how to complain. There have not been any complaints from young people since the last full inspection. Young people have access to an independent advocacy service should they need it. Regular house meetings help young people to have their say. A set agenda makes sure that important issues are always dealt with. Young people make suggestions and contribute to the running of the home. Young people have a voice and staff listen.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Young people feel safe and well cared for. Good staffing levels enable young people to receive the care that they need to keep them safe. Detailed risk assessments ensure that staff understand young people’s individual risks and behaviours. Staff know the triggers to young people’s challenging behaviour. Furthermore, they know how to respond when young people put themselves at risk. This promotes young people’s welfare and safety. When young people go missing from care, staff take action to make sure they return safely. Staff work closely with the police and follow procedures. However, following the young people’s return, they do not always have a return interview. This does not provide young people with the opportunity to talk to someone independent about the reasons why they went missing and what happened when they were away. Young people understand the rules and boundaries of the home. Most of the time they

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Inspection report children’s home: SC458746 6 are respectful and compliant. Young people receive consequences when they misbehave. Young people say that the sanctions are fair and balanced. Staff rarely need to use physical intervention to keep young people safe. Staff only use physical intervention as a last resort and staff receive training to be able to do this safely. Managers do not ensure that staff carry out all the necessary health and safety checks. Overhanging brambles cause a hazard in the garden. The presence of vermin in the garden shed has gone unnoticed and unreported. Furthermore, the landing window does not have a restrictor, even though it opens out on to the conservatory roof. During the inspection, the manager contacted a pest control and the maintenance team to remedy these shortfalls. The manager monitors the fire safety arrangements. Regular fire drills and equipment checks help to protect young people and staff in the event of a fire.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Not all staff recruited provide a full employment history and explain any gaps in their employment. This means that managers do not follow safer recruitment principles and this does not prevent unsuitable people from working with young people.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The manager registered with Ofsted in February 2016 and she is suitably qualified. An experienced and dedicated staff team provides a good standard of care for young people. All staff have attained their level 3 diploma in residential childcare or are working towards the qualification within the required two-year period. When the manager updates the statement of purpose, she does not provide a copy of the revised version to Ofsted. The statement of purpose does not reflect the current staffing arrangements or make clear how many staff should work in the home. The home is without a deputy manager. The registered manager feels that the absence of a deputy manager means that she cannot always keep on top of all the managerial tasks. The home accommodated one young person under a respite arrangement on two occasions. As a result, the manager sometimes operates the home outside the criteria set out in the home’s statement of purpose. This has the potential to compromise the

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

welfare of children. The staff receive regular supervision from the manager. They say that the manager is supportive and they can seek advice at any time outside of formal supervision. A staff member said, ‘The induction is really good. The manager is very supportive and the induction arrangements were what sold me the job.’ The registered manager has not received regular supervision or an annual appraisal. This hinders the manager’s development. It does not provide her with the opportunity to reflect on her performance and receive constructive feedback. Areas of the home require improvement. The bathroom window blind is broken and this does not provide young people with sufficient privacy. Young people’s bedrooms do not contain all the furniture that the statement of purpose says that the home provides. The home also lacks resources such as books and games, and the young people’s computer is broken. As a result, the manager does not maintain the home environment to a good

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Inspection report children’s home: SC458746 7 standard throughout. On one occasion, the manager did not notify Ofsted when a significant event occurred in the home. Consequently, she does not inform all relevant people and this does not fully promote young people’s welfare.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The manager has taken action to address the five requirements and one of the two recommendations made at the last inspection. Young people now understand the importance and value of education, training and employment. Staff have regular key- working meetings to promote young people’s learning. This encourages young people to re-engage with the education system. As a result, young people develop aspirations for their future. The admission and discharge log now includes the required information. The manager has revised young people’s care plans to make them more accessible to young people and easier to understand. Improvements to the quality of care review help the manager to understand the strengths and needs of the home. The manager is ambitious and dedicated to her role. She knows what is going on in the home because she communicates well with young people and staff. As a result, she is aware of the achievements and progress that young people make.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The manager has a diverse staff group. The manager and staff promote equality on a daily basis by meeting children’s individual needs. The staff take up issues with young people if they display any racist, oppressive or offensive behaviour. As a result, young people learn about tolerance and difference. The manager and staff build good relationships with external professionals. As a result, communication is open and transparent. This ensures that young people have access to all the services that they need. A social worker said, ‘The manager is always on hand and provides good reports and updates. The communication is good.’

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people. Inspectors considered the quality of work and the difference made to the lives of children and young people. They watched how professional staff work with children and young people and each other and discussed the effectiveness of help and care provided. Wherever possible, they talked to children and 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 who it is trying to help, protect and look after.

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Information about this inspection

Using the ‘Social care common inspection framework’, this inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000 to assess the effectiveness of the service, how it meets the core functions of the service as set out in legislation, 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’. Inspection report children’s home: SC458746 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Silverlining Childcare

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 59a, Lichfield Street, Walsall, West Midlands WS4 2BX

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Lakhvinder Khera

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Inspector

Michelle Spruce, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC458746 9 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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