Children's Home run by Watermead Care Ltd in West Northamptonshire

Inspection report children’s home: 1247244 1 Registered provider: Watermead Care 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

The home provides care and accommodation for up to three children aged between seven and 14 years on admission, who require a medium- to long-term placement. Children have complex and multiple needs, under the definition of emotional and behavioural difficulties. The registered manager has worked in the home since May 2018 and was registered on 12 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

Date of last inspection: 25 October 2017

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good Inspection report children’s home: 1247244 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

25/10/2017 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: 1247244 3

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Recommendations

 All children’s case records must be kept up to date and stored securely whilst they remain in the home. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.3)  The registered person is responsible for ensuring that all staff consistently follow the home’s policies and procedures for the benefit of the children in the home’s care. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 54, paragraph 10.20) In particular, this relates to the need to always implement in practice planned direct work.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children receive a high standard of nurturing care, delivered by experienced and dedicated staff. A parent said, ‘The staff are amazing in the way they are as people, and the way they take time to understand my child.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are settled and happy. They spoke very positively about their experiences at this home. Comments included:

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

 ‘Staff have always been there to show me how things will be OK.’  ‘I have fun with staff. They make your day even better.’  ‘The best thing here is the staff. I like it because they are not really bossy.’  ‘We are very spoilt here with all the activities we can do.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff recognise and celebrate the notable progress made by each child. One child is regulating his emotions in an improved way. Almost daily incidents of aggression, requiring physical intervention, have reduced markedly. Another child is taking on increasing responsibility for her personal hygiene and daily routine.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s health and well-being are prioritised. For example, one child is receiving targeted support to improve her physical fitness. She talks confidently about the progress she has made and the targets she is working towards. Emotional well-being is closely monitored. When required, referrals are made to external agencies for more specific support.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are maintaining educational placements and are generally making good progress. The team works effectively with external agencies to support a smooth Inspection report children’s home: 1247244 4 transition when change to an educational arrangement is necessary. Staff encourage children to be aspirational and to try new experiences.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children benefit from supportive daily care and planned direct-work sessions. However, some planned one-to-one work had not been facilitated. Additionally, monitoring systems had failed to identify this weakness in arrangements.

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

Children are kept safe by effective risk management strategies. Staff understand the known and potential risks for each child. As a result, children feel safe and are beginning to make appropriate decisions about their own safety and the safety of others.

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

The team is resilient and remains dedicated to the children in its care. Complex behaviours and personalities are readily accepted as part of the richness of each child. Children have started to understand the impact of their behaviours. They said that staff are always calm and caring when addressing behaviours. As a result, there has been a reduction in the need for physical intervention in the management of behaviour.

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

There are a low number of safeguarding incidents, with no missing from care events since the home opened. Safeguarding issues are responded to promptly and appropriately. The team makes all appropriate referrals and the manager responds to guidance given by safeguarding professionals. Management decisions demonstrate that children’s safety and well-being are always prioritised.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Following previous management changes, the home now benefits from an experienced, qualified and permanent registered manager. Staff feel supported and said that the new manager has reintroduced stability to the team. The manager, supported by an experienced deputy, sets clear expectations that children will receive a high standard of care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Children’s needs are well understood by the staff team. The staff team ensures that children have every opportunity to contribute to their own care arrangements. Their wishes and feelings are sought and responded to. As a result, children feel listened to and feel that their opinions are valued.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager understands the strengths and weakness of the service. He takes action promptly to address children’s emerging needs. He has initiated a range of process changes with a view to improvement. These changes include better record keeping and care planning.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager ensures that the services and ethos of the home, as set out in the home’s statement of purpose, are adhered to. He is comfortable challenging external agencies and advocates for children’s needs and wishes. Inspection report children’s home: 1247244 5 A weakness was found in relation to the security of some confidential records. Records removed from the usual locked cabinets have been left temporarily in an open box in the office. This raises the potential for confidential information to be read by individuals not authorised to do so.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff development is seen as important. A core training programme is delivered, alongside additional training to meet specific service needs. Further training is currently being planned for new staff, to ensure that they fully understand the home’s model of care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

A requirement and two recommendations set on the last inspection have been met. Updates to the home’s statement of purpose are now submitted to Ofsted. The management of arrangements around the use of agency staff has been strengthened. Records are now signed and dated by staff as required.

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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: 1247244 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Suite 135, 1 Hanley Street, Nottingham NG1 5BL

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Inspector(s)

Mary Timms, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: 1247244 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(s)

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Inspector(s)

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Inspector(s)

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