Children's Home run by United Children's Services Limited in Nottinghamshire

Inspection report children’s home: SC488961 1 SC488961 Registered provider: United Health Limited

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is run by an independent provider. It is registered with Ofsted to work with up to five vulnerable children and young people irrespective of gender, aged between eight and 18 years of age. The children may display challenging behaviours.

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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 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: 29 January 2018

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: improved effectiveness

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

29/01/2018 Interim Improved effectiveness 08/05/2017 Full Good 07/11/2016 Interim Improved effectiveness 12/04/2016 Full Requires improvement Inspection report children’s home: SC488961 2

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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.

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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.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that a record is made of any complaint, the action taken in response, and the outcome of any investigation.

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Recommendations

 The registered person should monitor and review the patterns and trends of turnover of staff, whether agency or directly employed, and be able to understand and, where possible, address any negative trends. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 54, paragraph 10.19)

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are happy, settled and safe. They have positive relationships with staff, who listen to them and understand their needs. Comments made by the children to their social workers include: ‘I love it here’ and ‘It is a good place.’ One child told the inspector that the food is fabulous, and gave the home a ‘thumbs up’. Staff have high aspirations for children. As a result, children make good progress, given their starting points. Children have their own pets and they share responsibility for looking after the two guinea pigs. Achievements are celebrated, which helps to build up children’s self-esteem and confidence. The child’s voice is strong and central to decision-making. They know that staff will listen to their views and suggestions and act upon them when appropriate. This helps them to Inspection report children’s home: SC488961 3 feel safe and valued. Children's education attendance improves tremendously during their time at the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff challenge professionals when there are delays in new children starting an appropriate education placement. Staff are very supportive of children during periods of home-based education. Staff work hard to enable children to develop life skills, and to become valued members of society. This ranges from learning practical skills to developing good manners. For example, one child is now able to arrange their own horse-riding lessons. Staff provide very good practical and emotional support to children. This includes staff accompanying children when they visit their families. This helps to ensure that children can maintain contact with their families and people who are important to them, where appropriate.

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

Children become safer as a result of living at the home because staff know and understand them very well. Staff quickly get to know what triggers are likely to affect children’s behaviours and emotional well-being. Staff are skilled at managing children’s behaviour. They help children to understand the impact of their behaviours on themselves and on others, and they help them to develop self-management skills. Individualised targets and incentives help children to successfully change their risk-taking behaviours. The use of physical intervention reduces dramatically over time, as do the incidents of children going missing. Staff work very well with partner agencies to ensure that children are safe and that they are able to take age-appropriate risks. Children feel confident to raise any concerns with staff and know that their concerns will be taken seriously. However, records do not always give details of the outcome of any

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager has been in the role since March 2016, and worked in children’s homes for a number of years prior to this. He is currently enrolled to study for the level 5 qualification. Feedback from staff reflects clear leadership and direction; they find managers approachable and feel well supported. Quality assurance systems and tools are a particular strength. Systems include monthly feedback questionnaires that are linked to children’s individual targets. The home’s statement of purpose contains all the required details and is reviewed when necessary. However, revised copies of the statement of purpose are not always sent to Ofsted. Staffing levels are flexible and meet the needs of children. However, leaders and managers need to monitor staff turnover closely to ensure continuity of care.

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Information about this inspection

Inspection report children’s home: SC488961 4 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: SC488961 5

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: United Health Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: United Health Limited, Old Coach House, Drinsey Nook, Lincoln, Lincolnshire LN1 2JJ

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Inspector(s)

Katarina Djordjevic, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC488961 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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector(s)

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Inspector(s)

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Inspector(s)

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

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