Children's Home run by Unique Care Homes Support Limited in Lincolnshire

Inspection report children’s home: SC473699 1 SC473699 Registered provider: Unique Care Homes Support 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 children’s home is part of a small, privately owned organisation. It provides care for up to four children who have complex emotional needs. The manager was registered with Ofsted in August 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 good

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outstanding

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

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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: 12 December 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: SC473699 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

12/12/2017 Full Outstanding 20/02/2017 Interim Improved effectiveness 26/04/2016 Full Good 12/01/2016 Interim Declined in effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: SC473699 3

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Recommendations

 Ensure maintenance is carried out. This is with particular reference to maintaining the décor in the hall, stairs and landing area. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page15, paragraph 3.9)  The registered person should regularly scrutinise records of sanctions to ensure that they are fair, effective and that the principles for behaviour management are respected.  It is good practice for a note of the content of supervision to be recorded. This relates to the recording of progress during the induction period for staff. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.4)

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children have some amazing experiences and make excellent progress given their starting points. One child has met his extended family that, until recently, he did not know existed. This was because the manager was tenacious in seeking the child’s early birth history and care information which was missing from placement records. Not only has the child met his family members, he now has a better understanding of his identity. Children enjoy a number of activities that they previously had not experienced. These include activities to improve their physical fitness and community-based activities that enable children to improve their social skills. Children go to music concerts and theme parks. One child has taken part in a community quad bike project, learning how to maintain the bikes as well as racing them. Children have been on holiday with the staff. Staff recognise that, for one child in particular, the recent holiday was ‘a real turning

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

point’ for them in their engagement with others and improved behaviour. Children make excellent progress with their physical health and emotional well-being. Staff help children learn about their medication. As a result, one child is now able to self- medicate. Children feel at ease in their relationships with staff. This enables children to express their emotions and feelings to staff. One child is able to talk about bereavement and loss, which he was unable to discuss before. Children who previously self-harmed no longer do so. Children with a long history of non-attendance at school have improved their attendance. This is because staff think creatively about education, helping children recognise how important school is. The organisation operates a school. One of the teachers from the school also works in the home two or three times a week. This helps Inspection report children’s home: SC473699 4 build relationships and encourages the child to attend school.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children gain independence skills and improve their resilience, helping them move on from the home. One child has recently been able to return home. Staff have helped another child to ‘turn their life around’. The child is no longer involved with drugs or gangs and has moved on successfully. Children share their ideas on how to improve the home and the activities they would like to do. These are not always formal meetings because these are seen to be too institutionalised. As part of one child’s education plan, the staff and children designed a house newsletter as a way of sharing news and ideas. Staff provide excellent care, meeting the targets outlined in each child’s plan. One social worker said: ‘It is the best placement. They have managed his emotional well-being and mental health. He has really progressed and they understand his needs. He had many moves before, but this team is not giving up on him.’

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

Staff understand how to manage and reduce risks to young people. They encourage children to take age-appropriate risks so that children can learn and explore new activities. Staff implement firm, fair and consistent boundaries. This helps children to settle into the home after an initial period of anxiety. As children develop good relationships with staff and develop respect for the boundaries in place, their behaviour improves. There has been a significant decrease in the number of incidents and the use of restraint. One member of staff commented: ‘We have built good relationships, fun but with boundaries. I respect him and he respects me. His behaviour has improved so much, he has learned to remove himself from situations, to stop and think and talk to staff.’ Staff understand how to refer any allegations and how to report concerns. This addresses a recommendation made at the last inspection. Records of physical intervention had previously been of poor quality. The new manager

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

has been instrumental in the organisation’s complete revision of these records, leading to much clearer reporting. This means that the manager is able to evaluate any interventions well and improve practice. The home is in a rural location and provides a safe family environment. Most maintenance tasks are completed quickly but the décor in the hall, stairs and landing areas do not match the quality of décor in the rest of the home. A recommendation is made regarding the recording and management review of sanctions. This is to ensure that the progress of children in adapting their behaviours can be recognised by staff at the same time as setting high expectations.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager and deputy manager are both new to their roles, but have Inspection report children’s home: SC473699 5 worked in the home for a considerable time and are well respected by staff. They work in a very cohesive way, providing strong and inspiring leadership. There have been a number of staffing changes. The team now has a vibrant mix of skills, qualifications and experience. Agency staff have enjoyed working at the home so much that they have joined the permanent team. Staff value the support that they receive from the manager and their peers. Formal supervision covers a range of topics, including how staff are feeling. Supervision also identifies any additional development needs that staff may have. A recommendation is made to ensure that staff on the induction programme have their progress and learning recorded in the same detail. The manager uses a range of monitoring tools to continually improve the quality of care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager ensures that any learning is disseminated to the staff and that this improves practice. Good partnership work also improves practice. The manager works closely with a range of education and health professionals to ensure that children receive the care that they need. Positive engagement with the local police has improved children’s safety and welfare.

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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

Inspection report children’s home: SC473699 6 Unique reference number: SC473699

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Unique Care Homes Support Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: White House Business Centre, The White House, Greenalls Avenue, Warrington, Warrington WA4 6HL

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Inspector

Judith Longden, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC473699 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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