Children's home run by Dynamic Childcare Limited

Inspection report children’s home: 1264696 1 Registered provider: Dynamic Childcare Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

A limited company owns the home. It is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to two children and young people, aged between 11 and 17, who have experienced adverse childhood experiences which have led to associated trauma and complex behaviours. The home offers placements on both a planned and emergency basis. This home was registered on 12 January 2018. The manager’s registration was also completed at this time. Since registration, the home has provided placements for four children and young people on both an emergency and planned basis. During the inspection, the inspector had the opportunity to speak with one young person to gain their views since moving into, and living at, the home.

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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

Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: 1264696 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

No previous inspection history Inspection report children’s home: 1264696 3

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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 recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety. Full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, if a person has previously worked in a position involving work with children or vulnerable adults, verification so far as reasonably practicable of the reason why the employment or position ended and there is a full employment history, together with a satisfactory explanation of any gaps in employment. (Regulation 32 (1)(3)(d) Schedule 2 (4)(6)) 30/06/2018

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Recommendations

 All children must have access to appropriate advocacy support, and where possible, this should be provided by a person that a child chooses. Looked-after children are entitled to an independent advocate to ensure that they have the support needed to express their views, wishes and feelings in their care and lives. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 23, paragraph 4.16)

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Recommendations

 Wherever possible, staff in day to day contact with children should include staff from different gender groups. Where the home’s statement of purpose makes it explicit that the home uses staff of one sex only, clear guidance will need to be in place and followed as to how children are enabled to maintain relationships with people of a different gender. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 54, paragraph 10.22) Inspection report children’s home: 1264696 4

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people, including those who have since left the home, make progress irrespective of the length of their time at the home. Young people build positive relationships with staff, which, in turn, enable them to develop trust and to feel safe.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff identify and address young people’s healthcare needs. This includes registration with community healthcare professionals, including a doctor, dentist and optician. In addition, young people have access to an independent therapist. The provider commissions the therapist. They have the relevant qualifications and experience of working with the children and adolescent mental health service. This means that young people receive support with their emotional well-being.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people attend education on a regular basis. This includes young people who have previously experienced long periods of non-attendance at school. Staff work in partnership with the schools and the virtual headteacher to ensure that there are no delays in young people accessing an appropriate educational placement.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The manager carefully plans a new young person moving into the home. Wherever possible, a number of visits are arranged for the young person to see the home and to meet the other young person and staff. Even when the placement is an emergency, the manager seeks to gain as much information as possible before the young person moves into the home. This means that the staff have a good understanding of the young person and the support that they need.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support young people to raise any concerns or issues that they may have. The staff advocate on behalf of the young people and support them to feel confident in making their wishes and views known. However, one young person said that they did not always feel that their social worker listened to their views. The young person does not have an independent advocate to help them to express their wishes and views to their placing authority. The staff have discussed independent advocacy support, but this is currently not in place.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people are able to take part in a range of activities, both within the home and in the local community, such as boxing clubs, football and attending local leisure centres. In addition, they are involved in planning days out during the holiday periods. Examples of this include going to a theme park as well as visiting cities to experience different cultural activities.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Irrespective of how far away young people live from their family members, staff support families to visit. This is in accordance with their individual placement plan and considers any restrictions in place to safeguard the young person. One parent commented, ‘Staff are excellent at supporting myself and other family members to maintain agreed contact Inspection report children’s home: 1264696 5 arrangements. We feel welcomed into the home and it is evident from the way [name] and staff speak with one another there is genuine mutual respect.’

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

Young people feel safe, and are safe. Their safety and welfare are underpinned by a range of risk assessments, which provide clear guidance to staff in minimising risk. The risk assessments are reviewed on a regular basis to ensure that they reflect the current risks and known behaviours.

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

The staff have been successful in supporting young people who have a history of going missing from home. Some young people have not gone missing since moving into the home. When a young person has been missing, staff follow the agreed procedures and make every effort to contact and locate the young person. This includes staff trying to contact young people by telephone and searching the local area and the areas where the young person may go. Detailed records are maintained of all actions taken, including the work completed with the police and placing authority to address any regular missing from home incidents. This includes requesting and attending strategy meetings as well as making sure that the young person has a return home interview to establish any particular reason for going missing.

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

Staff have training in the management and de-escalation of negative behaviours of young people. There are detailed behaviour management plans for each individual young person. Since the registration of the home, there have been no incidents of physical restraint. Sanctions, when used, support the young person to understand and reflect on their behaviour. Staff also recognise and reward positive behaviour.

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

Fire safety and health and safety checks are completed. This ensures that the home environment is safe for the young people living there and for staff working within the home.

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

The registered manager holds a BA Hons degree in social work. He has recently completed the level 5 in leadership and management and is awaiting verification of a pass by the awarding body. Although he has previously worked within residential childcare, this is his first appointment as a registered manager. He has high aspirations for the young people and the home. Three team leaders and four residential care workers support him within his role.

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

There have been changes in the staff team since the home was registered, although this has not affected the young people. Although only one member of staff currently holds the level 3 qualification, staff have commenced this qualification, with three staff having a proposed completion date within the next six months. The home also has a number of bank staff who will provide additional support to cover any shortage of staff. This means that young people receive care and support from a consistent staff team. However, the staff team is predominately male, with one female bank member of staff who is yet to Inspection report children’s home: 1264696 6 work within the home. This is not clearly reflected within the home’s statement of purpose.

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

Staff have regular supervision and training. The vast amount of training for staff is via an online training program. Some staff said that they would prefer the opportunity for discussion in relation to different learning and development styles.

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

The manager undertakes regular monitoring and considers the information provided by the monthly independent visits. The manager uses this monitoring to reflect and improve the service. However, monitoring of recruitment files is not consistently vigorous. This includes the exploration of any gaps in employment and detailed notes on verification of references. The manager is aware of this shortfall and he is reviewing the recruitment and selection procedure.

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

Young people’s records are detailed. The records provide a clear account of young people’s daily lives and the progress that they make. Staff share information with young people and encourage them to contribute their views to the records maintained. Staff also promote partnership working with parents and professionals to enable them to have oversight of the progress and future plans for young people.

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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: 1264696 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Dynamic Childcare Limited

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Inspector

Sarah Oldham: social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: 1264696 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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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