Children's Home run by Total Care Matters Limited in North Northamptonshire

Inspection report children’s home: 1232200 1 Registered provider: Total Care Matters 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

Ashleigh House is registered to work with up to three young people aged between seven and 17 years. The home caters for males and females who have social, emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. The home will promote and deliver, where appropriate, independence training. The home has been developed to cater for young people who are ready for the transition into independent living.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager was registered with Ofsted on 8 June 2016

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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

Overall judgement at last inspection: improved effectiveness

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: 1232200 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

14/03/2018 Interim Improved effectiveness 18/04/2017 Full Good 23/11/2016 Full Requires improvement Inspection report children’s home: 1232200 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 health and well-being standard is that— the health and well-being needs of children are met.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

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Requirement Due date

understand the child’s health and well-being needs and the options that are available in relation to the child’s health and well-being, in a way that is appropriate to the child’s age and understanding.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, when a medical need is identified in respect of a young person a referral should be made and followed up with the relevant agency. 29/06/2018

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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.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

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Requirement Due date

that the home’s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people are making good progress in many areas of their lives. The care that they receive is tailored to their identified needs. Young people are happy and settled. A young Inspection report children’s home: 1232200 4 person said, ‘There is nothing bad about the home. Staff are sound. They help me and I know they care about me, which is more than anyone else ever has.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people have trusting relationships with staff and feel confident that staff would help and support them. Young people are sensitively helped to understand how to manage their emotions and behaviours. A social worker said, ‘Staff are confident in dealing with him. It’s been a long, long time since he engaged in any placement but he has here. He has made progress. He knows that staff are not going to give up on him and because of this, his behaviour has settled from what it was.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Education is promoted. Bespoke packages of education are tailored to young people’s individual needs. One young person is on an apprenticeship scheme, which is proving to be extremely successful.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people are encouraged to keep themselves healthy. However, one young person has waited a considerable period of time for a referral to be made to a health service. This matter should have been challenged or escalated to the local authority and/or other partner agencies. Consequently, this young person’s health need has not been addressed.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff encourage young people to take part in individual activities, to stay active and to follow their interests. Young people are respected and valued by the staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The house is a safe, friendly and welcoming environment. A social worker said, ‘There is a nice feel to the house. Young people seem relaxed there and clearly treat it as their home.’

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

Young people are safe and appropriately protected. Staff work creatively to ensure that young people understand risks, and as a result risk is minimised. A reviewing officer said, ‘The staff have engaged the young person fantastically. I think they have done an excellent job. Building a relationship, working with the young person, knowing their triggers and getting them to engage. That is not easy to achieve with this young person. Staff have done remarkably well.’

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

There was, however, a shortfall in practice when a young person was out in the community and was not contacted by any member of staff for a substantial period of time. This left the young person in a vulnerable position and could potentially have placed him at risk of harm. Managers are aware that this practice was unsatisfactory.

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

Risk assessments identify young people’s individual risks and vulnerabilities and what actions should be taken to safeguard young people. A social worker said, ‘Staff go above and beyond in relation to safeguarding this young person. This young person is at high risk. However, staff have engaged her so well.’ Inspection report children’s home: 1232200 5 Missing from care incidents are managed well, and risks reduce. A reviewing officer said, ‘The fact they are presenting themselves to staff and letting them know where they are when they are missing/absent is a miracle. This was not happening before.’

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

Key-working sessions are effective and relevant to the risks identified for each young person. Behaviour is managed through clear and consistent boundaries being implemented. Staff work effectively with education providers to resolve any difficulties swiftly.

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

Restorative practice is used within the home. This alternative strategy of discipline helps young people to begin to take responsibility for their behaviour. This assists in creating an environment of accountability and fairness.

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

Physical intervention is only used as a last resort. Management monitoring of all incidents helps to ensure that practice in this area is of a good standard.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager was on annual leave during the inspection. The deputy manager and the responsible individual therefore facilitated the inspection. The registered manager is suitably qualified and experienced. Partner agencies and staff hold her in high regard.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The deputy manager presents as a committed and child-focused individual. She is passionate about improving outcomes for young people. However, she lacked knowledge of some relevant information regarding young people. The management team fully acknowledged this during the inspection.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager works well with the professionals involved with each young person. She advocates for them. Her attendance at meetings ensures that multi-agency working is effective and there is robust sharing of information.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The current quality assurance systems enable the manager to track young peoples’ progress. The responsible individual is in the process of developing these systems further to improve the service and outcomes 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. Inspection report children’s home: 1232200 6 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

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Information about this inspection

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: 1232200 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Total Care Matters Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 230 Bathley Street, Nottingham NG2 2ER

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Inspector

Davinia Lawton, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: 1232200 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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