Children's home run by Unity Residential Care Services Limited in Newcastle-under-Lyme

Inspection report children’s home: SC412385 1 SC412385 Registered provider: Unity Residential Care 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

A private provider operates this home. The home provides care and accommodation for up to three children and young people who have experienced childhood instability, resulting in trauma and associated complex behaviours.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager was registered with Ofsted in October 2014.

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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: 20 February 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: SC412385 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

20/02/2018 Full Good 07/03/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness 08/11/2016 Full Outstanding 03/03/2016 Interim Improved effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: SC412385 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

The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and promotes their welfare. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure that staff work as a team where appropriate. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b)(2)(b)) This relates specifically to communication between members of the staff team. 28/12/2018

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people benefit from warm and trusting relationships with the staff. The staff team is small, and this maintains consistent care for the young people. Staff have a good understanding of young people’s needs. This is demonstrated in the young people’s detailed individual care plans. They make progress from their starting points because of the warmth and care that they receive from the team. For example, staff have supported one young person to talk about his worries, which has resulted in a reduction of angry outbursts. A young person told the inspector, ‘It’s nice here. I like it. The staff are the best.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people’s files are well organised, and placement plans clearly identify the aims and objectives set to enable progress. This helps staff and young people to work towards longer-term placement aims. The registered manager has a strong focus on the achievements of young people as well as their positive attributes. This helps young people to develop their self-esteem and to improve their behaviours. Statutory documents are up to date and are signed, where necessary.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff encourage young people’s education attendance and ensure that young people attend meetings about their education. This helps young people to understand the importance of education and assists them in improving their confidence. When young people refuse to attend education, staff liaise with education providers and look at ways Inspection report children’s home: SC412385 4 to engage and support young people back into education.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support young people to participate in day-to-day decision-making about the running of the home. For example, young people help to create menus and choose activities. Young people are encouraged to express their wishes and to make requests for things that are important to them. For example, one young person said that he wanted chickens. Staff listened to this request and supported the young person to undertake a project about keeping chickens. When this had been thoroughly researched, staff purchased chickens for the home. This means that young people feel that their views are important within the home and that staff respond to their queries. When appropriate, staff support young people to access an independent advocate to provide advice and guidance. The young people also know how to complain. This open and transparent culture helps young people to feel safe.

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

Numbers of incidents of physical restraint are low. This is because staff have open and trusting relationships with the young people. In addition, staff are experienced in using distraction techniques and other approaches to ensure that situations do not escalate into aggression. Staff respond appropriately to the young people and help them to develop suitable responses to others. When physical restraint is used, it is a last resort.

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

Incidents of young people going missing from the home are managed competently. When young people go missing, staff respond well. They follow procedures, by looking for the young people and liaising with the police. Staff also make sure that they complete regular safe and well checks when young people have unplanned stays with friends. The registered manager makes sure that return home interviews are completed. Staff have strong links within the local community and stay in touch with the young people when they leave the home. This helps them to ensure that the young people return home promptly. This activity promotes young people’s safety and demonstrates that staff care about them and want them to return home safely.

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

The registered manager and staff have strong working relationships with partner agencies, including specialist voluntary agencies, social workers, independent reviewing officers and the police. This enables the best possible care and experiences to be provided to young people. An independent reviewing officer told the inspector, ‘The home is warm and friendly. The managers and staff are quick to take action to safeguard young people.’

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

Safe recruitment practices ensure that all potential new employees are properly vetted. This protects young people from unsafe adults.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers ensure that the staff team has a balance of skills, experience and knowledge. Inspection report children’s home: SC412385 5 Staff told the inspector that they feel supported by the registered manager. Staff receive regular and reflective supervision which provides them with the opportunity to review their own professional development and the care of the young people. Records of staff supervision are detailed and provide clear action plans. This helps to improve staff practice. A member of staff told the inspector, ‘The manager is amazing; she genuinely wants to make a difference. She is a super listener and always wants to do the right thing for young people.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The responsible individual provides thorough and effective supervision to the management team. She provides an effective balance of support and challenge. Her knowledge of attachment issues is cascaded through the staff team and ensures that staff understand young people’s complex behaviours. Staff are supported to develop strategies to manage young people’s behaviours.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff communication is not always consistent. This means that when staff are starting their shift they do not have up-to-date and accurate information about the young people and incidents that have occurred in the home. A grandparent told the inspector, ‘Sometimes when staff bring [name of young person] to see me they are not able to update me.’ This results in those who are involved with young people not having key information.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager ensures that plans for each young person identify and support their needs. When necessary, the registered manager will challenge local authorities to ensure that their care plans reflect the needs of the young person.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive support to develop their skills and understanding through specialist training. Regular manager and staff reflective learning groups supplement this learning. As a result, the young people receive care from knowledgeable staff and continue to make progress in many aspects of their lives.

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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: SC412385 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Unity Residential Care Services Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 98 Lancaster Road, Newcastle Under Lyme ST5 1DS

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Inspector

Annemarie Parker, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC412385 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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