Children's home run by The Senad Group Limited in Derby

Inspection report children’s home: SC358046 1 SC358046 Registered provider: The Senad Group 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

This privately run service is registered as a children’s home. It is part of a residential school. It provides care and accommodation for up to 32 children who have autistic spectrum disorder, Asperger syndrome, acquired brain injury and communication difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

Inspection dates: 26 to 27 September 2018

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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outstanding

How well children and young people are helped and protected outstanding

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outstanding

The effectiveness of leaders and managers outstanding

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outstanding

The children’s home provides highly effective services that consistently exceed the standards of good. The actions of the children’s home contribute to significantly improved outcomes and positive experiences for children and young people who need help, protection and care.

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outstanding

Date of last inspection: 14 November 2017

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outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: outstanding

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outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC358046 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

14/11/2017 Full Outstanding 14/03/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness 06/06/2016 Full Outstanding 21/01/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: SC358046 3

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that children are offered a wide range of activities both inside and outside of the home (where appropriate) and are encouraged to participate in those activities. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 31, paragraph 6.5) This relates to the fact that the number of cars available to staff means that most trips have to be planned, rather than being spontaneous.  The policy for the protection of children from abuse or neglect should be available and explained to children and their families as well as to all staff, whatever their role. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 44, paragraph 9.21)

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people:

Young people make significant progress in their education. They also improve their social and personal and life skills. A parent said that her child had not been in education for two years before moving to the home. She said: ‘When he started here, I felt like I got my child back.’ Another parent said: ‘It’s been an amazing transformation and I think it will be the making of him.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people:

Staff know the young people well. They work in partnership with parents. Each young person has a key team comprising care, education and therapy staff. The team members meet regularly with each other, parents and the young person to formulate strategies that enable the young person to make progress.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people:

Young people are encouraged to express their thoughts, views and opinions. Their voice is central to the care they receive. Young people are valued, listened to and highly respected. What they have to say matters to staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people:

Young people engage in a wide variety of activities both in the home and the community. They are involved in planning their activities. However, because of a lack of cars all activities must be arranged in advance. This does not allow young people to be spontaneous about going out and may mean that they participate in activities they do not really want to do. However, staff are very creative about how they plan activities so that, overall, young people can go on the activities of their choice.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people:

Young people said that they are happy and feel safe. One young person said that she has everything she needs and gave the home a grade of nine out of 10. Another young Inspection report children’s home: SC358046 4 person said: ‘I enjoy it here, especially in the evenings. I do lots of activities. I can talk to my keyworker and I can talk to other staff.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people:

Staff build warm and nurturing relationships with young people. Young people said that they enjoy spending time with staff because the staff have a good sense of humour. Staff fully understand the importance of building strong relationships with young people.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people:

Admissions are well planned. There is a dedicated assessment team to ensure that young people’s needs are fully understood. This helps young people settle quickly and feel secure.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected:

Safeguarding processes are strong. The child protection online management system works well and clearly evidences good practice. Early intervention means that safeguarding concerns do not become more serious.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected:

Risk assessments are thorough and regularly reviewed. However, risk management does not prevent young people from exploring activities such as skate boarding, cycling, assault courses and swimming, as part of normal child development.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected:

Strong relationships mean that staff can help young people to manage their own behaviour effectively. Behaviour support plans are tailored to each young person and clearly identify interventions that help the young people to reduce their anxieties. These may include humour, distraction and giving a young person space. Staff use these techniques successfully. Consequently, physical intervention is rarely necessary.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected:

There have been two incidents when parents have not agreed with staff actions in relation to safeguarding concerns. The parents’ guide refers to safeguarding procedures. However, this could be strengthened and clarified to ensure that parents are fully aware of the provider’s safeguarding duties.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers:

There is a very strong leadership team, including a highly experienced and qualified registered manager. Comprehensive monitoring systems mean that the registered manager has an in-depth understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the home. She has well-thought-out plans to address shortfalls and continually strives to improve the home further. Leaders and managers are accessible and approachable.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers:

The registered manager ensures that she is up to date with recent research and implements findings from research when they are appropriate. This includes research into county lines that will help to protect young people from gangs and criminal exploitation.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers:

Staff have access to a good training programme that includes team development days. Training ensures that staff are very well equipped to meet the needs of young people. Inspection report children’s home: SC358046 5 Staff induction is robust, and it is commendable that new starters have a comprehensive period shadowing experienced staff before working alone with young people.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers:

Staff feel very well supported by their team and managers. Team meetings enable staff to reflect on a multitude of issues including discussions about safeguarding matters. Staff are happy in their work. They appear committed and highly motivated to provide an outstanding service for 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 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: SC358046 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: The Senad Group Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: The Senad Group Ltd, 1 St. Georges House, Vernon Gate, Derby DE1 1UQ

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Inspectors

Joanne Vyas, social care inspector Bev Allison, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC358046 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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