Children's home run by M.J. Children’s Services Limited

Inspection report children’s home: SC068991 1 SC068991 Registered provider: MJ Children’s Services Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is run by a private organisation. It offers care for up to four children who may have experienced trauma, neglect or abuse and family or placement breakdowns.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager of the home was registered with Ofsted on the 15 May 2017.

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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: SC068991 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

26/06/2017 Full Good 24/11/2016 Interim Declined in effectiveness 24/05/2016 Full Good 26/01/2016 Interim Improved effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: SC068991 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

If the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005(a) applies to the home—

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Requirement Due date

the registered person must ensure that the requirements of that Order and any regulations made under it, except for article 23 (duties of employees), are complied with in respect of the home. (Regulation 25 (2)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, make immediate arrangements to ensure that all of the fire doors are repaired. 17/08/2018

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Recommendations

 The registered person is responsible for maintaining good employment practice. They must ensure that recruitment of staff safeguards children and minimises potential risks to them. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.1)

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Recommendations

In particular, ensure that the mental and physical suitability of staff is assessed.

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Recommendations

 Regulation 40(4) requires the registered person to notify Ofsted and other relevant persons if one of the situations specified in regulation 40(4)(a)–(d) occurs. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 63, paragraph 14.10) In particular, notify Ofsted of any allegations made against staff by children.  Under regulation 46, the registered person should review the appropriateness and suitability of the location and premises of the home at least once a year. The review should include the identification of any risks and opportunities presented by the home’s location and strategies for managing these. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 64, paragraph 15.1) In particular, to assess risks posed by local public houses, local businesses and the local primary school. Inspection report children’s home: SC068991 4

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The overall experiences for children who live at the home are positive. The staff forge strong relationships with the children and communicate openly and honestly with them. They care about children’s well-being and ensure that their needs are met. The children make good progress.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The staff understand the importance of education. They prioritise suitable education arrangements for the children admitted to the home. The staff take the children to and from school, and encourage attendance with positive incentives.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are involved in planning their care. They express their views and opinions at monthly house meetings and regular key-working sessions. The staff are skilled in negotiating and agreeing solutions to issues that the children may have. The children appreciate being consulted. They feel included in decision-making.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home facilitates contact between the children, their families and friends. The children know how to make a complaint. The trusting relationships between the staff and children mean that children will speak with staff if they have any issues.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The staff ensure that the children’s health needs are met. The staff provide the children with a broad and healthy diet and a wide range of activities, both of which they choose at house meetings.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home has a welcoming and nurturing feel. Pictures and paintings created by the children are displayed around the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The staff work with the children to improve their independence skills. This helps to prepare the children for when they leave the home.

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

The staff understand and value the importance of multi-agency work to meet the children’s needs. A social worker said, ‘They (the staff) keep everyone involved in (the child’s) care updated, and they are team players. Their thoughts are always with the children, and they are imaginative and creative about solving any issues that arise.’

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

The staff are experienced and well trained, and understand effective safeguarding practice. If children go missing, the staff are proactive in looking for them. The staff are skilled at de-escalating children’s challenging behaviours. As a result, physical interventions are rarely used, with just two recorded since the last inspection. Positive incentives encourage good behaviour.

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

The manager ensures that safeguarding records are clear and up to date. However, essential fire safety measures were found to be lacking, with three fire doors not Inspection report children’s home: SC068991 5 working properly. The manager made immediate plans to have them repaired, as this poses a risk to children and staff.

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

The staff team is well established, and the home has no vacant posts. However, the manager has not ensured that necessary safe recruitment checks were in place for two staff members. Failure to assess staff’s mental and physical ability for their role can place children and staff at risk.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager was registered with Ofsted on 15 May 2017. She has the relevant qualifications, experience and skills to manage the home. The staff are well trained, and those who do not already hold the appropriate level 3 qualification are enrolled to undertake it.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The staff receive regular practice-led supervisions and annual appraisals in line with the organisation’s policy. The staff feel valued by the home’s management and are supportive of one another.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The children’s files are concise and updated regularly, and evidence children’s participation. The internal review of the quality of care is comprehensive, and the manager demonstrates good oversight. The manager has produced a detailed development plan for the home, to be implemented over the next 12 months.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Feedback from external professionals and families is very positive. A parent of one of the children said, ‘Communication is really good with the home. They (the staff) let me know about everything that goes on and keep me updated about everything.’ An independent reviewing officer for one of the children said: ‘The looked after children review reports are fantastic. All of the staff write something positive about (the child), which is encouraging. The reports really stand out and give a rounded view of his life at the home and the care that he receives, which is excellent.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

External monthly monitoring visit reports are of a good standard, and offer challenge and actions for the manager to address. During one visit, a child made an allegation against a member of staff to the independent visitor. The home’s manager responded appropriately yet overlooked notifying Ofsted of the allegation. Failure to notify affects Ofsted’s ability to monitor the service effectively.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Local risks are assessed in the location risk assessment. However, the mitigation of risk is not sufficiently detailed. Local public houses, businesses and the primary school are not considered. Therefore, the assessment of local risks to children is ineffective. Inspection report children’s home: SC068991 6

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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 difference 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: SC068991 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: MJ Children’s Services Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Arbutus House, 4 Loddington Lane, Belton In Rutland LE15 9LA

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Inspector

Ricky D’Arcy: social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC068991 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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