Children's home run by Utopia Children’s Services Ltd

Inspection report children’s home: 1256639 1 Registered provider: Utopia Children’s 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 children’s home is owned by a private company that also owns two other children’s homes in an adjoining region. The home is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to four children who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager has been registered with Ofsted since 2018.

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Information about this children’s home

Inspection dates: 18 to 19 September 2018

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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requires improvement to be good

How well children and young people are helped and protected requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

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requires improvement to be good

The children’s home is not yet delivering good help and care for children and young people. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

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requires improvement to be good

Date of last inspection: 8 February 2018

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: 1256639 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

08/02/2018 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: 1256639 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

5: Engaging with the wider system to ensure children’s needs are met

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Requirement Due date

In meeting the quality standards, if the registered person considers, or staff consider, a placing authority’s or relevant person’s performance or response to be inadequate in relation to their role, challenge the placing authority or the relevant person to seek to ensure that each child’s needs are met in accordance with the child’s relevant plans. In particular, escalate concerns that return home interviews are not being completed. 1/11/2018

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Requirement Due date

The health and wellbeing standard is that children receive advice, services and support in relation to their health and well- being. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— that staff help each to access such dental, medical, nursing, psychiatric and psychological advice, treatment and other services as the child may require. In particular, ensure that children are provided with support from substance misuse services. 1/11/2018

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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— mutual respect and trust, an understanding about acceptable behaviour; and positive responses to other children and adults. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— that staff— encourage each child to take responsibility for the child’s behaviour, in accordance with the child’s age and 1/11/2018 Inspection report children’s home: 1256639 4 understanding. In particular, ensure that sanctions used are effective.

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improvement to be good

The overall experiences and progress of children is variable and requires improvement to be good. In recent months, children’s health, well-being and educational attendance has declined because all children are misusing illegal substances regularly while spending time with friends in the community.

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improvement to be good

Children openly talk to staff about this behaviour and staff try to help them to understand the associated dangers. However, neither leaders, managers nor staff have obtained specialist substance misuse support for the children, and sanctions for poor behaviour are not always effective or always restorative. As a result, children are not learning from or taking responsibility for their behaviour as well as they could.

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improvement to be good

Some children frequently return to the home late and in recent months there have been three occasions when one child has stayed out overnight without permission. The whereabouts of this child during these episodes remain unknown. Police have completed welfare checks, and one-to-one work has been undertaken with children. However, independent return home interviews have not always taken place.

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improvement to be good

All four children attend an education provision. Their attendance, positive engagement and attainment have been variable. One child’s attendance at school has declined significantly. The manager and staff are working with the child, the school and the parents to try to resolve this concern.

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improvement to be good

Despite these poor outcomes, some children are making progress in other areas. One child has appropriately lost weight and is now eating healthily and regularly engaging in physical exercise. A second child is developing his numeracy and literacy skills and is now able to read signs and follow instructions when travelling independently to see his parents. This same child has a personal interest in mechanics and staff helped him to obtain work experience at a local garage. His employer has reported that he is a hard worker, professional and talented. Incidents of self-injury have reduced significantly for a third child.

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improvement to be good

Children are offered a wide range of activities and have enjoyed day trips out with staff, attending the gym and shopping. Despite these opportunities, children say that they prefer to spend time with their friends in the local community.

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improvement to be good

Children’s relationships with the staff team are positive. The quality of these relationships has helped two children to develop positive strategies to regulate their frustrations, emotions and feelings. One child said, ‘I don’t get as angry now. Staff give Inspection report children’s home: 1256639 5 me a hug and I can cry.’ Another child has identified that messaging a member of staff about how she is feeling has helped to reduce incidents of self-injury. Records about these behaviours are well maintained and demonstrate how staff support the children.

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improvement to be good

Three social workers who contributed to this inspection were unanimously pleased and complimentary about the services provided to their child. They said that the safeguarding arrangements are good and the quality of nurturing care provided to children is exceptional. All three social workers identified progress that their child has made since living at this home. They praised the staff team for its resilience with managing the high-risk and complex needs of the children in its care. They confirmed that their child’s care plan aims and objectives are being met.

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improvement to be good

The approach to managing risk requires improvement to be good. Despite knowing the children in his care regularly misuse illegal substances, the manager has not sought the support, intervention and resources of specialist substance misuse services. This limits the opportunities to help the children to reduce these behaviours.

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improvement to be good

Missing from home incidents increased during the summer holiday period. However, incidents of some children going missing have decreased overall. Records show that staff always follow the missing from home protocols appropriately. They search in areas that children are known to frequent. Police welfare checks are completed, and one-to-one sessions take place between the staff and children. Despite these opportunities, children are not always provided with an independent return home interview. Although requested, the manger has not escalated his concerns about this lack of provision to senior leaders in the local authority.

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improvement to be good

Risk assessments, care plans and behaviour management plans have been reviewed, and align well with the local authority care plans. Staff are provided with clear instructions about how to manage children’s behaviour. Despite these plans, children continue to engage in behaviours such as misusing illegal substances, causing damage and going missing from the home.

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improvement to be good

Aside from the lack of substance misuse support, overall, the manager’s approach to multi-agency working is strong. Multi-agency risk management meetings take place frequently. When illegal substances are found or extensive damage occurs, the manager will appropriately liaise with the police. In addition, when children refuse to attend school, the manager will request and attend all absence management meetings. The manager’s approach to recruiting new staff is good. As a result, children are looked after by adults whose suitability has been assessed and verified. Recruitment records are well maintained. Inspection report children’s home: 1256639 6

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Since the last inspection in February 2018, a new manager has been appointed and is registered with Ofsted. He works tenaciously for the children in his care and is suitably experienced and qualified for the role.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager and staff team have established good working relationships with safeguarding agencies, schools, social workers and parents. Feedback from all of these stakeholders is positive. They praise the staff for their resilience and steadfastness at working with children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The atmosphere within the home is vibrant; staff morale is good, and the staff team works well together. Children are provided with consistency and continuity of care. Staff show children affection, nurture them well and praise their achievements. All of the children can identify a member of staff whom they enjoy spending time with and trust.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff are provided with good training opportunities that include bespoke specialist training courses. A member of staff described a recent training course as the best she has ever attended. She said she has already used the learning from this training in practice. These training opportunities enhance staff’s knowledge, skills and practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Team meetings are well attended; discussions focus on the children’s needs and behaviours, and the management of risk. Staff are empowered to reflect on their practice and learn from others. Staff are provided with regular formal supervisions. A member of staff confirmed that he values these meetings and the support provided by the management team.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Monitoring of the home’s records is good. The manager and independent visitor’s monitoring of records is effective. Action is taken when omissions are identified.

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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: 1256639 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Utopia Children’s Services Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Hazlewoods, Windsor House, Bayshill Road, Cheltenham GL50 3AT

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Louis Stuart-Kelso

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Inspector

Sharron Escott, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: 1256639 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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