Children's Home run by Step Up Children and Family Services Ltd in Essex

Inspection report children’s home: 1271182 1 Registered provider: Foundations Children and Family Services Ltd

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home, which is run by a private organisation, provides care for up to four children. The home’s overall aim is to provide children with optimal chances to minimise risk and to provide a wealth of opportunities allowing them to feel valued.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager has been in post since 7 June 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: This is the home’s first inspection since registration.

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: 1271182 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

Not applicable Inspection report children’s home: 1271182 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 positive relationships standard is that children are helped to develop, and to benefit from, relationships based on—

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Requirement Due date

an understanding about acceptable behaviour.

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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

communicate to each child expectations about the child’s behaviour and ensure that the child understands those expectations in accordance with the child’s age and understanding. (Regulation 11 (1)(a)(b)(2)(a)(v)) 31/08/2018

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must compile in relation to the children’s home a statement ("the statement of purpose") which covers the matters listed in Schedule 1.

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Requirement Due date

keep the statement of purpose under review and, where appropriate, revise it; and

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Requirement Due date

notify HMCI of any revisions and send HMCI a copy of the revised statement within 28 days of the revision. (Regulation 16 (1)(3)(a)(b)) 31/08/2018

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Requirement Due date

No measure of control or discipline which is excessive, unreasonable or contrary to paragraph (2) may be used in relation to any child.

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Requirement Due date

The following measures may not be used to discipline any child—

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Requirement Due date

any restriction, other than one imposed by a court or in accordance with regulation 22 (contact and access to communications), on— 10/09/2018 Inspection report children’s home: 1271182 4 a child’s access to any internet-based or telephone helpline providing counselling for children. (Regulation 19 (1)(2)(c)(iv)) The registered person must prepare and implement a policy ("the missing child policy") setting out—

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Requirement Due date

the procedures to be followed, and the roles and responsibilities of persons working at the home, in relation to a child who is, or has been, so absent. (Regulation 34 (4)(b)).

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Requirement Due date

In particular, this is with regard to the missing from care reports not completed. 31/08/2018

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children benefit from carefully planned introductions to the home. The manager and staff team make a great effort and give particular attention to the detail of each child’s transition plans. Consequently, the children’s individual needs are well met, and they soon settle into their new home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children spoke about feeling valued and know that the staff care about them. The children are confident that their opinions and views are listened to. However, they described the programme in place to support them as being ‘too strict’, and staff and professionals alike echoed this description of the programme. For example, the children do not have access to the internet or a phone. The points system in place is punitive and it is nearly impossible for children to achieve the targets and expectations set. Children find it difficult to follow as they are not given a copy of the points guide or rewards chart. This practice does not enable inclusion or participation.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Where appropriate, the staff support safe, managed contact with friends and family, which helps children to develop relationships that will sustain them into adulthood. This helps staff to understand family dynamics, build relationships with families and use these experiences to enhance better outcomes for the children. The children are in good health because the staff identify and meet their needs. Mealtimes are enjoyable occasions, during which a healthy, balanced diet is provided. One child said, ‘The food is amazing.’ Children participate, when possible, in some of the daily routines at the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is set in a village in the countryside and is decorated and furnished to a high standard. Inspection report children’s home: 1271182 5

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

The children talked about their safety with confidence and understanding. They learn how to understand risks and how their behaviour can increase or reduce risks. The children spoke about their safety and, although they do not always agree with the procedures that the staff have put in place to protect them, understand why these risk assessments and arrangements are in place to keep them safe. One child said, ‘They [the staff] tell me the boundaries, which is good and not good, but it is only to keep me safe, so I will thank them in the end.’

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

The safety of children is promoted. Staff have a good understanding of safeguarding practice. They are fully aware of their responsibility to protect the children from abuse and they can confidently describe reporting procedures. The staff are fully aware of the roles of external agencies and report in confidence their organisation’s whistle-blowing policy. This knowledge helps to ensure that any safeguarding concerns are reported and dealt with promptly. Staff have failed to write some recent missing from care reports. This has had no impact on the safety and well-being of the children.

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

Individual placement plans, behaviour plans, risk assessments and health plans are of good quality. Documentation gives a clear and vivid description of the work undertaken towards meeting health, behavioural and care needs. Any potential risks are swiftly identified and plans are updated.

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

The manager understands the value of thorough recruitment practices and the importance of ensuring that only those people considered suitable work in the home. The manager ensures that all statutory checks, references and employment histories of applicants are meticulously gathered. The manager makes the key recruitment decisions and uses her expertise to carry out face-to-face assessments and interviews.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has completed the level 5 diploma in leadership and management. She has good insight into the challenges of her current role. She understands how to develop an effective team and support children to progress well from their starting points and the importance of accurate, detailed paperwork. The statement of purpose is clear and has been revised to reflect the changes of management, the staffing structure and the changes in the programme offered. However, it has not been sent to Ofsted.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

A culture of continuous improvement is engrained in the organisation and in the manager’s leadership style. The manager is further developing the development plan that sets out the aims for the home that identify areas for change and how these are to be achieved using, for example, the model practised.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Case records for the children reflect the work done to support them. Regular audits and reviews ensure that the plans and assessments reflect the current and changing needs of each child. The staff have good aspirations for the children and work collaboratively to ensure that their holistic needs are known and met. Inspection report children’s home: 1271182 6 Staff spoken with during this inspection reported high levels of satisfaction in their roles and in the support that they receive from the manager. One member of staff spoke with real passion about their role. Another member of staff said, ‘I love my job.’ Induction, supervision and training are of a high standard. This practice ensures that the staff review and develop their childcare practice.

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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’.

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Foundations Children & Family Services Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 742 New Hey Road, Huddersfield HD3 3YQ

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Inspector

Cathy Russell: social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: 1271182 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 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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