Children's Home run by Step-A-Side Company Limited in Gloucestershire

Inspection report children’s home: SC030650 1 SC030650 Registered provider: Step-a-Side Company Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home currently provides long-term care and short breaks for a maximum of five children who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties or learning disabilities. A private company manages the home. The registered manager has been in post since August 2017. She has the qualifications, skills and experience to manage the home.

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Information about this children’s home

Inspection dates: 31 July to 1 August 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

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC030650 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

10/08/2017 Full Good 01/11/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness 02/08/2016 Full Outstanding 03/11/2015 Interim Declined in effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: SC030650 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

13: The leadership and management standard

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Requirement Due date

The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that—

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Requirement Due date

uses monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1) and (2)(h))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that documents, including incident records and accident records, are monitored, evaluated and updated effectively. 31/08/2018

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Requirement Due date

35: Behaviour management policies and records

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Requirement Due date

within 48 hours of the use of a measure, the registered person, or a person who is authorised by the registered person to do so, has spoken to the user about the measure. (Regulation 35 (3)(b)(i))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that records clearly detail the discussions held with staff following the use of an intervention. 31/08/2018

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Recommendation

 Ensure that all areas of the children’s home provide children with a welcoming and homely environment. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9) Inspection report children’s home: SC030650 4

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children who live here and the children who access a short break receive good-quality care and support. Staff have the skills and experience to develop positive relationships with children. Staff demonstrated a thorough understanding of children’s needs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children enjoy living at this home. A child said, ‘I like the staff. I give them 9/10. They listen to me and have helped me to understand things better.’ A parent said, ‘The staff are fantastic. My son gets on really well with them.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The registered manager ensures that there is careful and considered planning and preparation before children come to live at the home. The timeframe for children moving in is based on their individual needs and levels of understanding. For example, prior to a child moving into the home, staff spent time with him in his family home. In addition, staff used photographs and visual aids to help him to get to know his new home. As a result, the child had a safe and supportive move to the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s needs are met well in this home. The registered manager undertakes a compatibility risk assessment prior to children moving in. This ensures that staff understand the children’s individual and collective needs and can provide the right support to meet these needs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are attending education that is tailored to meet their specific learning needs. Since moving to this home, one child’s attendance at school has significantly improved. The social worker said that he is achieving well.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children enjoy a wide range of activities, both in the home and in the local community. A child gave 9/10 for the activities and said that he had a great time when he recently went fishing for the weekend.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support children to maintain and improve their health. Children have access to specialist healthcare support. Staff demonstrate a good understanding of the children’s individual healthcare needs. Medicines are well managed.

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

The arrangements to safeguard children are good. The registered manager effectively communicates safeguarding matters to safeguarding agencies and other professionals. Staff have undertaken safeguarding training and demonstrate a good awareness and understanding of safeguarding and whistleblowing procedures.

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

All staff have received training in de-escalation and restraint. Restraint is used as a last resort. The interventions are mainly low level guides to help children to stay safe. The registered manager thoroughly evaluates the use of physical intervention to look for triggers and trends. However, she has not recorded in detail the discussions held with Inspection report children’s home: SC030650 5 staff following the use of an intervention.

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

Staff support and encourage children well to manage their emotions and feelings. Staff follow the agreed approaches in managing children’s behaviours as identified in the children’s therapeutic support plans. As a result, children receive consistency and clear boundaries. The registered manager closely monitors records relating to incidents and accidents. However, some of the records do not always demonstrate a thorough evaluation.

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

Due to a child’s complex support needs, he needs to be monitored during the night. Consents have been obtained from the parent and social worker. The registered manager ensures that the reason for this practice is detailed in the child’s placement plan, is risk assessed and is regularly reviewed.

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

Effective recruitment and selection processes safeguard children. Leaders and managers now ensure that prospective candidates complete a full employment history and references are verified.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager has the qualifications, skills and experience to manage the home. She has been in post as the registered manager since August 2017.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home is effectively managed. The registered manager places the needs of the children at the centre of her practice. Overall, she has a good awareness of the strengths and weaknesses of the service. Since the last inspection, she has reviewed the quality of care provided and completed a comprehensive, accurate and detailed report about her findings. The registered manager has identified that improvements can be made to the environment. These relate to areas within the home that need redecoration and soft furnishings as this detracts from a homely and welcoming environment.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Visits by the independent visitor take place regularly and the registered manager responds effectively to recommendations made.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Children’s placement plans, and risk assessments, guide staff well about how to meet children’s needs. These documents are regularly reviewed to ensure that they are up to date. However, some records completed by staff require closer scrutiny and evaluation.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive clear support and direction. Staff speak highly of the management of the home. A member of staff said, ‘The registered manager gives us confidence, motivates us and wants the best outcomes for children.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers respond swiftly and effectively to address poor staff performance. Where appropriate, leaders and managers effectively implement the home’s disciplinary procedures.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Complaints are managed well and responded to effectively. Inspection report children’s home: SC030650 6 A parent and a social worker spoke highly of the care and support provided to children. In addition, they say that there is excellent communication and information sharing between them and the managers. A social worker said, ‘I cannot fault the team and I have no concerns in relation to the quality of care children receive.’

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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: SC030650 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Step-a-Side Company Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Step-a-Side, 29 Market Place, Coleford, Gloucestershire GL16 8AA

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Rachel Carwardine

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Inspector

David Kidner: social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC030650 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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