Children's Home run by The Place Young People’s Company in Leicestershire

Inspection report children’s home: 1241261 1 Registered provider: The Place Young People’s Company Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This two-bedded home aims to provide children with care in a structured and nurturing environment. The manager has been registered since 2017. He is completing the required level 5 qualification.

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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: 6 February 2018

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: sustained effectiveness

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

06/02/2018 Interim Sustained effectiveness 09/05/2017 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: 1241261 2

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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

The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety. The registered person may only— employ an individual to work at the children’s home; or if an individual is employed by a person other than the registered person to work at the home in a position in which the individual may have regular contact with children, allow that individual to work at the home, if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3).

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Requirement Due date

The requirements are that— the individual is of integrity and good character;

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Requirement Due date

the individual has the appropriate experience, qualification and skills for the work that the individual is to perform;

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Requirement Due date

the individual is mentally and physically fit for the purposes of the work that the individual is to perform; and

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Requirement Due date

full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2. (Regulation 32 (1)(2)(a)(b)(3)(a)(b)(c)(d)) 24/12/2018

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Recommendations

 The registered person is responsible for ensuring that each child’s day-to-day health and well-being needs are met. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 33, paragraph 7.3) In particular, ensure that any updates are reflected in the child’s plans.  Staff should be familiar with the home’s policies on record-keeping and understand the importance of careful, objective and clear recording. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4) In particular, ensure that any matters recorded are appropriately followed up and the outcome noted. Inspection report children’s home: 1241261 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The same two children have lived at the home long term. For both children, this is their longest placement. The children say that they are settled, safe, happy and well cared for. The relationship between the children is like that of siblings. They get on, they fall out and then they make friends again.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Both children have recently made the transition from primary to secondary school. They attend different schools. One child moved from a small village primary school to a large high school. Staff have supported and prepared both children for the changes and have enabled smooth transitions. Both children continue to have excellent school attendance. One of the children has received an award for the grades that she achieved in her exams. The children’s achievement is particularly striking given the levels of trauma and chaos experienced in their early lives.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

A social worker praised the staff team’s commitment to the children. She highlighted how the staff team’s encouragement has helped the children to engage in therapy to address their past experiences. A child described her initial reluctance to attend the sessions. She said that since she started the sessions she can now understand how the sessions can help her. The manager recognises that the children find attending therapy challenging. He ensures, where possible, that the same staff members accompany the children. This provides them with consistent support.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children are engaged in several extra-curricular activities. Their activities include football, cheerleading, gymnastics and rugby. Attending these activities has increased the children’s fitness levels and has enabled them to develop wider friendship groups.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff have good relationships with the families, professionals and other significant people in the children’s lives. Staff ensure that the children’s experiences are like those of their peers. The children spoke with excitement about the activities that they were doing during the half-term holiday. All of the weeks’ activities have been skilfully interspersed with pre-arranged family visits.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children are reluctant to have formal house meetings. They share their views about their home through informal chats and through key-work sessions.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff are enthusiastic, and they enjoy their work. They are proud of the children and their achievements and use the therapeutic model of care to look beyond the children’s presenting behaviours. They work hard to ensure that the children’s needs are met and that the children achieve their full potential.

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

The children are extremely settled and are not involved in any negative risk-taking Inspection report children’s home: 1241261 4 behaviour. A social worker spoke positively about how the children are permitted to take measured risks, as they would if they lived with their birth families. The children have not gone missing from the home. Staff are familiar with the protocols to follow should this ever occur. There has been a significant reduction in the use of physical intervention to manage behaviour. The manager is of the view that the child involved has matured and found other ways to regulate his emotions.

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

The children’s plans are comprehensive and reflect any known or potential risks. These are updated as and when new issues arise. The issue raised in the previous report relating to the recording of the children’s medication has been addressed and there is now a more robust process. However, a child’s health plan and their essential information has not been updated to reflect recent information. This omission prevents staff from working with current information.

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

There has been a reduction in the number of significant events. However, recording of significant incidents is unclear in respect of the nature of some incidents and the outcome. This lack of clarity prevents staff from demonstrating that they have taken the appropriate actions, followed up issues or learned from events. This is not in keeping with much of the recording in the home. Records demonstrate that events and sessions are analysed by the team using the therapeutic approach that underpins their work. This analysis ensures that staff can identify children’s triggers, any patterns of behaviour and develop alternate strategies.

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

There have been significant improvements to the physical environment in the house. In addition to creating a safer fire exit from the kitchen, these works have improved the overall feel of the home. These improvements address the other shortfall raised at the last inspection.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has been in post for just over a year. He is currently undertaking the required level 5 qualification. He has a clear understanding of the children’s progress. He has introduced ‘Team Around the Child’ meetings. These sessions enable the team to collectively develop the children’s plans and develop group approaches to their behaviours. This joint approach provides children with consistent responses.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff are positive about their manager and his approach. They say that he is approachable and is successful in balancing the role of working with the children and managing the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff turnover has settled over the past few months. The team members are at varying stages of completing their level 3 qualifications. The staff training matrix is up to date. Staff are booked on to the relevant refresher training at the earliest possibility. Staff are complimentary about the quality of their training and the range of topics covered.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff supervision takes place regularly and staff say that they find their supervision sessions helpful. They describe being able to have lots of informal supervision Inspection report children’s home: 1241261 5 discussions too.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The recruitment checks conducted for a new member of staff were insufficient. A requirement has been made to address this.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The new monthly visitor’s reports are comprehensive. These now meet the required standard. The manager is now able to use these reports, alongside his audits, to enhance the service provided.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has introduced several changes to the paperwork and processes. Some of these changes are very recent, so their effectiveness is yet to be assessed. Recent improvements to files include children’s rewards, where there are examples of excellent practice and personalised care. Handover sheets have been introduced for staff. This process enables information to be shared between staff, such as reminders about appointments and how the child’s day has been. Staff are also encouraged to be evaluative and reflective in their recording. These changes have been implemented in conjunction with staff. This collaborative approach promotes continual reflection and improvement.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager appropriately challenges other professionals if he feels that decisions are not appropriate. This is managed in a way that maintains professional working relationships.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Equality is incorporated into all of the work with the children. This includes an awareness of the children’s experiences and the frustrations that they may experience being in the minority in school and/or the local area.

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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: 1241261 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: The Place Young People’s Company

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 7 Jericho Lane, Barkestone, Nottingham, Leicestershire NG13 0HF

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Inspector

Sonia Hay: social care regulatory inspector Inspection report children’s home: 1241261 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

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Inspector

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Inspector

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