Children's home run by Clover Childcare Services Limited

Inspection report children’s home: 1263776 1 Registered provider: Clover Childcare Services Ltd Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This privately owned home offers care and accommodation to one child who has emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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outstanding

How well children and young people are helped and protected outstanding

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outstanding

The effectiveness of leaders and managers outstanding

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outstanding

The children’s home provides highly effective services that consistently exceed the standards of good. The actions of the children’s home contribute to significantly improved outcomes and positive experiences for children and young people who need help, protection and care.

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outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable

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outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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Key findings from this inspection

This children’s home is outstanding because:

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Key findings from this inspection

 The home has been set up as a bespoke provision for a child who has lived in another of the organisation’s homes for eight years. The provider and the staff are absolutely committed to providing dedicated care in order to maximise the Inspection report children’s home: 1263776 2 child’s future opportunities.  The home operates using the same theoretical model and therapeutic approach as the organisation’s other homes.  The child’s relationship with his family has greatly improved because of the work of the staff team.  The support from the staff has enabled the child to become increasingly independent.  The child is now feeling more relaxed about participating in activities in the community. He is making friends in the local area.  The child is able to share his concerns with the staff, which allows him to be assured that they will help him to feel safe.  The child is taking ownership of his home. He takes an active role in cooking,

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Key findings from this inspection

and decorating and maintaining its upkeep.  The child is working with the staff to ensure that he has a healthier lifestyle.  The child has maintained a volunteer job for two years, despite having some personal difficulties.  The managers are covering some shifts in order to maintain an ongoing working relationship with the child.  The staff ensure that the child is provided with the high standard of care and the experiences that children living with their families often take for granted and those in care often miss out on.

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Recent inspection history

Not applicable Inspection report children’s home: 1263776 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The provider has shown intuitiveness in opening this resource to provide a home for a child who needed to move on from his long-term placement in another of the organisation’s homes. The organisation has been innovative in its approach, which has resulted in a bespoke placement that fully meets the child’s needs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The same staff who have cared for the child for many years continue to own, manage and staff the home. The home operates using the same theoretical model and therapeutic approach as the organisation’s other homes. This provides a level of consistency that is not usual in a home that is so new. The child continues to receive an outstanding level of care, with the only new element being the actual house.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The house is furnished to a high standard and the child was involved in selecting the furnishings and decor. The child also assisted with the decorating. Taking part in these tasks will help him to prepare for future moves.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The staff team’s work with the child continues to be successfully underpinned by the therapeutic theories and methods that are used across the organisation. The child’s relationship with the staff continues to develop positively as he matures. The staff are thoroughly supportive and encouraging. They describe how the child has become increasingly independent, and is taking ownership of his new home. He has maintained a volunteer job for two years. A staff member said, ‘They love him up there.’ The child is making friends in the community, and is cooking and travelling independently. The staff, evaluate each independence activity that he undertakes. They thoroughly assess, with the child, how each activity goes, to identify next steps. This fluid and reflective approach ensures that the child’s independence plan is led by his needs. This approach encourages the development of valuable life skills.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The child’s relationship with his family has substantially improved. He spoke cheerfully as he described having his first Christmas at home with his family for several years. His parent echoed this, and spoke about the positive changes that her child is making. She also spoke about how pleased she is that she will soon be having him home for overnight stays. This positive increase in their time together as a family has been achieved through the staff members’ diligent coordination and facilitation of additional and extended family visits.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The child is making excellent progress and he continues to flourish. He has remained engaged in education, and is due to sit his exams this summer. He has successfully achieved the impressive position of head boy. In an entry in his memory book, accompanied by a photograph, a message from the staff reads, ‘You will never know how proud we are that, in the face of adversity, you achieved this.’ The staff’s positive praise and reinforcement demonstrate the ‘parental’ pride that they feel.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The staff encourage and support the child to attend his health appointments. He is now Inspection report children’s home: 1263776 4 willingly attending the appointments. This is enabling him to access the specialist support that he needs, and use the sessions as a source of external support.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The staff seek the child’s views on all aspects of his care. His life with the organisation is evidenced pictorially throughout the home and in his achievement books. The achievement books, photographs and canvasses provide him with an excellent source of memories of his time living at the organisation’s homes. The pictures demonstrate that he participates in a wide variety of activities and experiences, both at home and in the community. These include events with the staff, such as attending a staff member’s wedding. The inclusion of the child in these important milestones in the lives of the staff members demonstrates how important he is to them. His everyday experiences are enhanced by being cared for by a core staff team that knows him extremely well. The child says that the staff make him feel cared for, safe, valued and loved. This is visible through observing their interactions, and hearing the enthusiasm and pride when the

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

staff describe their work with the child, particularly when they speak about the progress that he continues to make.

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

The staff have undertaken a comprehensive location risk assessment. The child’s risk assessments are detailed, and identify strategies for reducing/negating the risks. These strategies include a detailed lone-working policy. The thorough assessment of the potential risks has enabled the staff to identify strategies for addressing any issues that arise.

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

The staff have put structured and agreed boundaries in place to ensure that the child receives consistent messages from the staff. The independence work that is being undertaken with the child is enabling him to become increasingly safe. He is more able to travel independently, shop online and understand how to safely use the internet. The staff monitor the sites that the child accesses online. The child has let the staff know when information on the internet has worried him. This openness provides opportunities for the staff to use such matters as a learning exercise with the child. The staff are proactive in liaising with the relevant external agencies to report any concerns. This vigilant approach comprehensively safeguards the child.

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

The child is becoming more independent. He maintains contact with the staff when he is out of the home. He has gradually increased his amount of free time and independent travel. The staff work with him to boost his awareness of potential risks in the community, and in general. This heightened yet realistic understanding of potential risks helps to protect him. There have been no missing-from-home episodes. The staff are aware of the processes to follow should an incident occur. The staff are trained in the use of physical intervention techniques. Due to the fact that staff lone work and the strategies outlined in the child’s behaviour management plan, this is not an approach that the home uses. The staff know the child exceedingly well and recognise any changes in his mood or behaviour. They support him to use the agreed calming methods that he says work for him, such as going for a walk. Working in agreement with the child

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

Inspection report children’s home: 1263776 5 ensures that he is central to his care planning and behaviour management.

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

There is minimal need for the use of consequences. When these have been used, the consequences have proved effective in adapting the child’s behaviour positively. Self- harmful behaviour is at a low level. The organisation has proactively allocated a staff member to conduct research into self-harm. The commissioning of this research to guide practice and training demonstrates the home’s commitment to the care of children.

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

The staff use their relationships with the child to address difficult topics such as substance misuse and sexual heath. The staff member that is deemed most appropriate conducts key-work discussions on these topics with the child. The staff successfully manage to engage the child in the conversations because the subjects are addressed in a sensitive way.

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

During each shift, the staff member makes an entry into a reflection log, which enables them to review how they feel each shift has gone. The staff also identify any techniques that they have found to be successful when working with the child. This reflective practice enables the staff to share their experience and knowledge of positive ways of working with the child.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager has a relevant level 5 qualification. He and the assistant manager oversee this home as well as the main house. The managers and the leaders are highly aspirational for the child. A social worker said, ‘The staff want him to have a bright future.’ The managers have a clear understanding of the progress that the child is making against his current plans. Having cared for the child for many years, they can see how rapidly he has developed since moving to this home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The staff are from a core group of existing team members who are known to the child. The staff work across the organisation and their shifts at this home are included and highlighted on the main rota. This deployment ensures that the staff are able to maintain a rapport with all of the children. For the same reason, the managers also work on some shifts. Although the home is new, the organisation and the team are established. Having this existing relationship and knowledge of the child strengthens the home’s ability to care for the child. Additional workers from the wider team are gradually introduced into the home. This is to ensure that the child has a range of staff and different gender role models.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The staff’s supervision and appraisal sessions are conducted at frequencies that are in line with the organisation’s policies. The general team meetings and those held with the home’s psychologist assist the staff in identifying strategies that will help the child develop. These wider discussions ensure that all staff, whether they are working at the home or not, stay informed about the child’s progress. This inclusive approach ensures that should the staff ever need to cover at the home in the event of an emergency, they are working with current knowledge. Inspection report children’s home: 1263776 6 The manager is utilising the strength of the staff’s relationship with the child to help the child to develop his semi-independent skills and to begin to address his emotional and familial issues. As the child already trusts the staff and knows that they want the best for him, it is easier to address these issues.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The staff receive an immense amount of training to enhance their knowledge and their ability to work with children. A staff member said that this training has helped her to feel more equipped to do the work. She said, ‘It has enhanced my relationship with [the child].’ All eligible staff possess a relevant level 3 qualification.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The monthly independent visitor’s reports are comprehensive, and detail the progress of the child and the events of each month. The manager uses these reports, along with his internal auditing, to enhance standards at the home. He is updating the format of the quality of care report. The revised format more clearly demonstrates how he uses the views of the children, the staff and professionals to develop the service. The managers are continually seeking areas that can be further developed across the organisation, such as the research into self-harm. This continual development demonstrates that neither the managers nor the provider are complacent about the care that they provide.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The feedback from professionals and parents is that the team is doing all it can do, and more, to ensure that the child’s placement is successful. Parents and professionals are confident that the home advocates on the child’s behalf and challenges any decision- making that the staff feel is not in his best interest. Parents and professionals commend the home for working collaboratively. It is evident that the staff are motivated to provide the child with the high standard of care and the experiences that children living with their families often take for granted and those in care often miss out on.

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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

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: 1263776 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Clover Childcare Services Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: The Old Rectory, Old Rectory Road, Brumstead, Norwich NR12 9EU

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Inspector

Sonia Hay: social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: 1263776 8 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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