Children's Home run by Oracle Care Limited in Central Bedfordshire

Inspection report children‟s home: SC421531 1 SC421531 Registered provider: Oracle Care Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is owned by a private company. It is registered for three children who require care, education and clinical support. The manager has been registered for this home since March 2018.

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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: 24 January 2018

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: declined in effectiveness

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children‟s home: SC421531 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

24/01/2018 Interim Declined in effectiveness 03/05/2017 Full Good 21/11/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness 12/07/2016 Full Requires improvement Inspection report children‟s home: SC421531 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

For the purposes of paragraph (3)(b), an individual who works in the home in a care role has the appropriate qualification if, by the relevant date, the individual has attained—

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Requirement Due date

the Level 3 Diploma for Residential Childcare (England) (“the Level 3 Diploma”); or

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Requirement Due date

a qualification which the registered person considers to be equivalent to the Level 3 Diploma.

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Requirement Due date

in the case of an individual who starts working in a care role in a home after 1st April 2014, the date which falls 2 years after the date on which the individual started working in a care role in a home; or

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Requirement Due date

in the case of an individual who was working in a care role in a home on 1st April 2014, 1st April 2016.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 32 (4)(a)(b)(5)(a)(b)) 03/09/2018

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees—

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Requirement Due date

have their performance and fitness to perform their roles appraised at least once every year. (Regulation 33 (4)(a)(b)) 09/08/2018

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have begun to make good progress socially, emotionally and educationally. The staff work well with other professionals to achieve this. A consistent and motivated staff team has good, trusting relationships with the children and understands their individual Inspection report children‟s home: SC421531 4 needs and behaviours. Good interactions between children and the staff were observed throughout the inspection. The children commented that they feel safe to be able to explore their identity and to not be judged.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff proactively support the children to attend education and they all have high attendance. One child, with the agreement of the social worker, is on a reduced timetable to enable him to transition into school in a positive way. Children spoken to were able to recognise their own improvement educationally since moving into the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Regularly reviewed, individualised, child-centred placement plans are in place and the children have the opportunity to record their views, wishes and feelings. These plans support the staff in working with the children.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Key-work sessions have greatly improved since the last inspection. They are child-led and are detailed, with staff recording any actions and outcomes of the sessions. Children said that the sessions are helpful, they feel listened to and are involved in making decisions about the care that they receive.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home has a warm, nurturing feel. The children have been involved in choosing colours and furnishings for the home and have all personalised their own bedrooms.

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

Children say that they feel safe living in the home and all of them could name a member of staff who they would speak to if they were worried or upset. There have been six complaints from children. These have been fully investigated within the appropriate timescale and children say that they were happy with the outcome. Children feel cared for and secure, and are confident to discuss their feelings with members of staff.

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

The staff have all completed safeguarding, „Prevent‟ duty and gangs and county lines training, and they understand the importance of reporting any safeguarding concerns. Comprehensive risk assessments and behaviour management plans are in place, which are regularly review and updated. These support the staff in working with and keeping the children safe.

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

Staff challenge unwanted behaviours and reinforce boundaries. Staff have a reflective conversation with the children after any incident to support them to understand their actions and find more appropriate ways of managing their behaviours. These effective strategies help the children to manage their behaviour and to reduce incidents.

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

Sanctions are fair and proportionate and children have the opportunity to reflect and comment on these. The manager evaluates the effectiveness and comments on the sanction to ensure that they are fair.

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

Physical interventions during May and June have been high and pertain to one child. The child and staff are debriefed and the manager and responsible individual have completed Inspection report children‟s home: SC421531 5 in-depth analysis of the behaviour leading up to the hold and have put strategies in place to support the child. As a result, there has been a slight decrease in the number of physical interventions.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The experienced manager has a clear vision for the home and she has made great improvements in the filing systems and the monitoring of practice in the home. The manager has met all of the six requirements and one recommendation from the last inspection.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff understand the importance of children feeling valued and having their wishes and feelings listened to and acted upon. Children commented that they are consulted in house meetings or in general conversations. The manager responds in writing to any requests by the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There is clear evidence that the manager confidently raises issues with professionals, if she feels that actions or proposed actions are not in the best interest of the child, or fails to offer them the service that they deserve, which ensures that children receive the care needed to support them to progress.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff have completed the required mandatory training. However, not all staff have completed the national vocational qualification level 3 within the required timescale. All staff have regular supervision that supports them in working with the children and helps to develop their practice. However, due to two staff moving from other homes in the organisation, their appraisals are not up to date which means that they do not have an up-to-date development plan.

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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: SC421531 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Oracle Care Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Unit 54 Wrest Park, Silsoe, Bedford MK45 4HS

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Inspector

Trish Palmer: social care inspector Inspection report children‟s home: SC421531 7 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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