Children's Home run by CareTech Community Services Limited in Staffordshire

Inspection report children’s home: SC005041 1 SC005041 Registered provider: Daisybrook 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 operated by a private organisation. It is registered to accommodate up to 10 children and young people who have a range of disabilities and complex needs. The provision may be for either settled care or short breaks. The registered manager is suitably qualified, holds a level 4 diploma and is undertaking the level 5 diploma.

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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: 21 November 2017

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC005041 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

21/11/2017 Full Good 03/02/2017 Interim Improved effectiveness 07/06/2016 Full Good 10/03/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: SC005041 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 children’s views, wishes and feelings standard is that children receive care from staff who— take their views, wishes and feelings into account in relation to matters affecting the children’s care and welfare and their lives. (Regulation 7(1)(c)) In particular, ascertain the wishes and feelings of children about joining the staff and other young people in the dining room at mealtimes so as not to exclude them inappropriately. 01/08/2018

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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. In particular, the standard requires the registered person to ensure that staff— help each child to understand how to keep safe; (Regulation 12(1)(2)(a)(ii)) Specifically, undertake work with young people to help them understand how to keep themselves safe from, for example, bullying. 01/08/2018

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Recommendations

 For children’s homes to be nurturing and supportive environments that meet the needs of their children, they will, in most cases, be homely, domestic environments. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9) In particular, complete the redecoration and refurbishment in a timely way, to reduce disruption in the home. Inspection report children’s home: SC005041 4

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children and young people enjoy warm and trusting relationships with child-focused, caring staff. Children and young people say that they enjoy living at the home and show this by being relaxed and feeling secure. They seek hugs and attention from staff and tell them how much they like them. Staff meet children’s and young people’s highly complex needs well. They ensure that children and young people attend health appointments and that they meet their personal care needs safely and with sensitivity. Staff are very skilled at communicating with children and young people in a variety of ways, including sign language, Makaton, reading body language and Widget. This is key to meeting children’s and young people’s needs and enabling them to effectively express their views, wishes and feelings. Children and young people engage in group meetings and key-work sessions where their wishes and feelings are explored and recorded.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children and young people communicate confidently with staff and know how to complain. Since the last inspection, the home has been refurbished and decorated in light, welcoming colours. The children and young people have been involved in helping to choose what colours are used and how the home is decorated. This has been fun for the children and young people and gives them a sense of ownership. One child has suggested decorating the lift to look like the Dr Who ‘Tardis’, which the registered manager is keen to do. Children and young people make good progress from their starting points. For example, they get used to being hoisted, their personal hygiene improves, they build their confidence and develop good eating habits. They also learn independence skills such as dressing themselves and learn to manage their own behaviour. Children and young people benefit from a stimulating social environment and make friendships. One young

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

person is teaching a much younger child to improve his Makaton, which is highly enjoyable to them both. Most children and young people eat together in the dining room in the evenings with staff, where there is a friendly atmosphere with banter and conversation. Most of the children and young people who are tube fed also attend, but two do not. The reasons that staff gave the inspector for this were varied, including the fact that some staff felt that the children and young people did not want to watch others eating. This is an area for improvement and staff need to assess the specific wishes and feelings of the children and young people who are excluded, to establish their views about being in the dining room at meal times. Staff could also be creative where the reasons for exclusion might be managed with practical changes to the dining room.

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

Staff keep children and young people safe and they feel safe. There have been no incidents of missing, no child or young person is at risk of child sexual exploitation, and staff do not use physical interventions. Vigilant staff understand each child’s and young Inspection report children’s home: SC005041 5 person’s individual safeguarding needs and, if accidents occur, staff follow clear protocols. Risk assessments are thorough and effective and are regularly reviewed and updated by the registered manager. Staffing ratios are high, which enable staff to maintain close supervision of children. Positive relationships between staff and children and young people enable staff to develop good knowledge of each child’s and young person’s care needs, triggers to behaviours and strategies to reassure and calm children and young people. Highly trained staff understand safeguarding and child protection issues and procedures.

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

They are trained to undertake procedures such as tube feeding and hoisting safely. The home is safe and well maintained and fire safety is good. Staff undertake regular drills and follow each child’s and young person’s individual fire evacuation plan. An area for improvement is that staff could undertake work with children and young people to help them understand and respond to issues such as bullying. This would support them to know how to keep themselves safe.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager has responded positively to requirements raised at the last inspection. He has organised for the home to be refurbished so that the quality of the environment for children and young people reflects the ethos of the home. This work is still ongoing and needs to be completed at a faster pace to limit disruption in the home. The home is now using fewer agency staff, which has improved the continuity of care for children and young people. The registered manager has a good awareness of the strengths and areas for development in his staff team. He has increased the frequency of supervision for staff and has introduced new agenda items, including professional development to help staff increase their confidence in communicating with other agencies. Staff say that they find supervision supportive and valuable for reflecting on their practice. Children’s and young people’s files are in good order and include the essential

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

information that staff require to meet children’s and young people’s changing needs. The registered manager is proactive in escalating requests for information with placing authorities when they have not provided the required documentation. He also advocates strongly on behalf of children and young people so that they get access to the services that they need. Feedback from parents and professionals is positive. Staff have received cards from parents thanking them for the care that they have provided to their children and the support they have provided to families. Professionals have also commented on the good standard of care and the happy environment for children and 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 Inspection report children’s home: SC005041 6 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: SC005041 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 5th Floor, Metropolitan House, 3 Darkes Lane, Potters Bar, Hertfordshire EN6 1AG

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Inspector

Louise Whittle, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC005041 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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Inspector

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