Children's home run by Beacon Childcare Ltd in Cheltenham

Inspection report children’s home: 1230415 1 Registered provider: Beacon Child Care Limited Interim inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is registered to provide care for four young people up to the age of 18. The home offers care for young people who have behavioural and/or emotional needs. The home is privately owned.

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Information about this children’s home

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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Enforcement action since last inspection:

One compliance notice was issued after a monitoring visit in August 2017.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged requires improvement to be good at the last full inspection.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

After receiving concerns from a young person living at the home, a monitoring visit took place on the 31 August 2017. This resulted in two new requirements and one compliance notice being issued. The notice related to the condition of the premises.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

In order to evaluate the progress that managers have made in meeting the requirements and the compliance notice, an interim inspection took place on 2 November 2017.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

At this interim inspection, Ofsted judges that the home has improved effectiveness .

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

 There have been considerable improvements made to the physical condition of Inspection report children’s home: 1230415 2 the premises. All previously highlighted concerns have been addressed. All improvements have ensured that young people have a more comfortable and homely environment in which to live. Consequently, the compliance notice has been met.  Young people’s overall experience of living in the home has improved. This helps them to make progress. Staff have supported young people to develop daily routines that help promote their independence. A young person told the inspector, ‘There is a basic routine now, i.e. getting up and going to bed, but we have freedom to plan for ourselves. For example, what trains and buses to catch to college.’ As part of their day, young people enjoy opportunities to eat meals and share activities together. For one young person, a more active lifestyle has led to

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

improvements in his health. A young person shared with the inspector, ‘It’s a lot better. It feels a lot calmer. The atmosphere is better.’  Staff give priority to young people’s education. One young person has started attending an alternative education provision. Another young person is enjoying a college placement. Both young people are making progress with their learning. For example, one young person has exceeded expectations by attending education on a full-time basis. Positive partnerships between staff and education providers help young people to make the best progress they can with their education and to grow in confidence.  Better oversight of records means that the manager is able to identify, investigate and respond to any complaints young people make in their young people’s meetings. A display in the home gives young people clearer information about how to complain. This ensures that young people know how to raise concerns,

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

and that they receive timely responses.  Young people have access to a safe within their bedrooms. This means that they are able to keep precious items secure should they wish to.  Young people rarely go missing from care. However, when a young person goes missing, the manager makes sure that the young person has the opportunity to speak to someone independent when they return. Information gained from these interviews is used to help staff to understand why young people go missing from the home. The information is used to inform their risk assessments and care plans going forward.  The manager has revised the statement of purpose to make it clear that the home does not provide care and support for young people where child sexual exploitation is their primary risk prior to admission. This ensures that managers, staff and placing authorities are clear about the services offered by the home.  Improved recruitment practice has helped to ensure that all potential employees

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

are subject to essential checks before starting work with young people. This safeguards young people from exposure to adults who are unsuitable to work with them.  Adequate precautions are in place to help reduce and protect against the risk of fire. On the advice of the West Midlands Fire Service, maintenance work has been done on the fire doors; this means that they now offer suitable fire protection. In Inspection report children’s home: 1230415 3 addition, fire doors are kept closed and the rear garden is free of rubbish bags.  Updates to the safeguarding policy ensure that staff have clarity about the procedure for the prompt referral of allegations of abuse to those that need to know. In addition, clear guidance is available so that staff know how to make timely notifications of a serious event. This means that staff understand their reporting responsibilities, and that safeguarding concerns can receive swift,

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

external scrutiny.  Young people’s case records now mostly hold the required statutory documentation. Where documentation is outstanding, the manager has challenged social workers to provide the information. This ensures that staff have access to the information needed to support the planning and delivery of effective day-to-day care for young people.  Risk assessments have improved. They now identify all known risks and triggers. In addition, they are now much clearer about the action that staff must take to reduce risk. This means that staff are clear about the risks young people face and their responsibilities in regard to keeping young people safe.  The manager has now developed a workforce plan, which clearly outlines the minimum frequency for staff supervision. However, some staff still do not receive supervision within the specified timescales. This means that staff do not have sufficient opportunity to reflect upon and develop their practice. Staff have had

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

the opportunity to complete training in the areas of equality and diversity, and ‘Prevent’. However, online safety training remains outstanding. Consequently, two requirements made at the full inspection in relation to supervision and training have been remade.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

05/06/2017 Full Requires improvement to be good 20/02/2017 Interim Improved effectiveness 18/10/2016 Full Requires improvement

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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, 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 within the given timescales. Inspection report children’s home: 1230415 4

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees undertake appropriate continuing professional development. This is in relation to training to raise awareness of online safety. (Regulation 33(4)(a)) 26/01/2018

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience. (Regulation 33(4)(b)) 26/01/2018

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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 differences 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 whom it is trying to help, protect and look after.

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Information about this inspection

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

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’.

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Beacon Child Care Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Hazlewoods, Windsor House, Bayshill Road, Cheltenham GL50 3AT

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Children’s home details

Registered manager: Paul Sweeney Inspection report children’s home: 1230415 5

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Inspector

Alison Cooper, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: 1230415 6 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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