Children's home run by Time-Out Children’s Homes Limited in Calderdale

Inspection report children’s home: SC062263 1 SC062263 Registered provider: Time-Out Children’s Home 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 operated by a private organisation. The home is registered to provide care and accommodation for one young person. The organisation has a therapy department as well as primary and secondary education provisions, which young people can access if appropriate. The registered manager commenced her role at the home on 2 October 2017. She is experienced and is currently working towards her level 5 qualification in leadership and management.

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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: 22 January 2018

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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: SC062263 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

22/01/2018 Full Good 27/09/2017 Interim Improved effectiveness 30/01/2017 Interim Not judged 07/09/2016 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: SC062263 3

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person 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 must comply within the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that the employment of any person on a temporary basis at the children’s home does not prevent children from receiving such continuity of care as is reasonable to meet their needs. (Regulation 31(1)) 30/11/2018

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must prepare and implement a policy which describes how and to whom staff are to report, without delay, any concern about abuse or neglect of a child. (Regulation 34(1)(2)(f)) In particular relation to e-safety. 30/11/2018

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40(4)(e)) 30/11/2018

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Recommendation

 As well as longer-term support for children to move on from the home effectively (regulation 6(2)(b)(vi)), the home has an important role in supporting each child leaving the home in the period immediately before their departure. The registered person should work with the placing authority to ensure that each child’s transition is planned and help each child to prepare for leaving both practically and emotionally. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 57, paragraph 11.9)

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

From the start of her accommodation in the home, the young person’s experiences are positive. The staff and the young person have meaningful relationships through open and honest communication. The young person is making good progress. She benefits from staff who care about her well-being and they ensure that her needs are met. Inspection report children’s home: SC062263 4 The young person engages in regular therapy sessions. The staff follow the guidance provided by a qualified therapist. Staff are particularly good at ensuring that the young person attends all her health appointments. As a result, the young person’s emotional and physical health needs are met. Medication is safely managed, and the staff are first- aid trained. There is strong evidence that education is highly valued and encouraged by the staff. Consequently, the young person sustains excellent attendance at school and she has made continuous improvement in her education. Staff acknowledge and celebrate the

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

young person’s achievements. The young person is encouraged to pursue her hobbies and talents by engaging in a wide range of activities. In the home, there are many exhibits of the arts and crafts and restored furniture which the young person has made. The young person enjoys horse riding, girl guides and going on holidays and this further expands her life experiences. The young person’s records are kept electronically. Plans are thorough, and they follow most of the local authorities’ agreements. Transition arrangements agreed at the young person’s looked after review are in place. However, a detailed plan for the young person’s next move is not in place. As a result, a recommendation is made. This is to ensure that a transition plan is in place that identifies who will be responsible for ensuring that the young person’s practical and emotional needs are met. The staff encourage the young person’s contact with her family and friends. Transport

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

and supervision arrangements are in place. This allows the young person to maintain relationships with people who are important to her, even when those people live a long way from the home. The home provides a family style and nurturing environment, and this enables the young person to have a sense of belonging. The young person told the inspector, ‘I have made progress here. The staff are caring, and they [staff] listen to me.’

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

The staff act as any reasonable parent would do and they are good role models. They provide the right examples to enable the young person to keep herself safe and become more socially aware. Risks are recorded, understood by the staff and managed well. The young person told the inspector that she feels safe inside and outside of the home. Staff practice is underpinned by the company’s safeguarding policy and procedures. However, the safeguarding policy does not include a procedure on internet safety. As a result, a requirement is made. This is to ensure that the policy on safeguarding of children from abuse must include arrangements in relation for dealing with e-safety. The young person’s key worker, staff and the registered manager spend quality time with her. They demonstrate a positive approach to influencing behavioural change. This ensures that she understands the expectations and boundaries that are in place in the

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

home. There are no concerning behaviours and there have been no physical interventions since the young person’s placement started. Close staff supervision has ensured that the young person does not go missing from the Inspection report children’s home: SC062263 5 home. In the unlikely event that the young person should go missing, staff are aware of the procedures to follow and their roles in ensuring that she would safely return to the home. Safer recruitment practice helps to safeguard against unsafe adults working in the home. Thorough procedures that include obtaining and verifying references from previous employers and a check with the Disclosure and Barring Service are part of this process. The home is well maintained, and all relevant health and safety checks are in place. All equipment is regularly maintained and, where necessary, serviced or replaced. Staff are trained in fire safety and the records show that fire drills take place.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager has been in post since October 2017. She is experienced and is working towards her level 5 qualification in leadership and management. The registered manager is responsible for another home in the organisation. She has until recently been supported by a senior worker in this home, but this person has now left, leaving a senior post vacant in the home. There are sufficient numbers of staff working at the home. However, most of the staff work across the two homes which the registered manager is responsible for. The young person acknowledged that she knows all her staff, but she says that staff working in the home have not always been consistent. Because of this, a requirement is made. This is to ensure that children receive such continuity of care as is reasonable to meet their needs. During the inspection, the staff said that they enjoy their work and feel that they are well supported by the registered manager. They receive regular supervision,

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

performance reviews and attend team meetings. This keeps them up to date on emerging information. The organisation provides good opportunities for training and staff regularly attend. Most of the staff are suitably qualified, with one staff member currently working towards her qualification. The registered manager and staff maintain effective partnerships with the young person’s teachers, social worker and other professional agencies. It is evident in the well-presented young person’s journey files and memory books that she has made significant progress in the home. Internal and independent monitoring systems support the overall care of the young person. The registered manager is good at recognising the progress that the young person has made and is making. The staff endeavour to keep the young person safe from harm in a homely and supportive environment. However, following one safeguarding concern in relation to the young person, the staff

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

failed to notify Ofsted. As a result, a requirement is made. This is to ensure that the regulator is kept informed and has oversight of the actions taken by the staff, to safeguard the young person The requirement and recommendations from the last inspection have been addressed. As a result, all relevant documents are now within the young person’s case file, and Inspection report children’s home: SC062263 6 agreed aims and goals are included in the key-worker sessions that the young person engages in. The staff have completed training in working with children and young people who display sexualised behaviours. There are now clear procedures in place for the disposal of medication when it is no longer 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: SC062263 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Time-Out Children’s Home Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Unit 2, Mill Fold, Ripponden, Sowerby Bridge, Yorkshire HX6 4DH

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Dominic Macauley

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Inspector

Mark Kersh, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC062263 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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Inspector

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