Children's Home run by Care Haven (UK) Limited in Stockport

Inspection report children’s home: SC483828 1 SC483828 Registered provider: Care Haven (UK) Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is registered to provide care for up to five young people who may have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. The home is privately run and managed.

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Information about this children’s home

Inspection dates: 28 to 30 November 2018

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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 outstanding

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good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers outstanding

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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: 31 January 2018

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: improved effectiveness

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC483828 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

31/01/2018 Interim Improved effectiveness 03/05/2017 Full Good 22/02/2017 Interim Improved effectiveness 07/09/2016 Full Requires improvement Inspection report children’s home: SC483828 3

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Recommendations

 Ensure that children are in full-time education whilst they are of compulsory school age, unless their personal education plan contained within the care plan or other relevant plan states otherwise. The home must aim to support full-time attendance at school unless the child’s relevant plan indicates that this is not in their best interests. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 28, paragraph 5.14)  The registered person should only accept placements for children where they are satisfied that the home can respond effectively to the child’s assessed needs as recorded in the child’s relevant plans and where they have fully considered the impact that the placement will have on the existing group of children. The statement of purpose is an important document in the process of care planning as it sets out the needs of children the home is set up and equipped to care for.

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Recommendations

(‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 56, paragraph 11.4)  Ensure that relevant plans are in place for young people. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 14, paragraph 3.1) This relates specifically to obtaining updated relevant plans for those young people who require them.  Staff should seek to meet the child’s basic needs in the way that a good parent would, recognising that many children in residential care have experienced environments where these needs have not been consistently met – doing so is an important aspect of demonstrating that the staff care for the child and value them as an individual. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.7) This relates specifically to replacing and/or upgrading the young people’s washing facilities.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people that have left the home since the last inspection have moved on to alternative care provision, such as foster care and semi-independent living. One young person moved on to a therapeutic placement that was better suited to meeting their specific needs. Young people’s transitions were managed well, and their endings were well supported and positive. There are now three young people living at the home who have settled in quickly and have been made to feel welcome by staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The registered manager completes a risk impact assessment prior to a young person’s Inspection report children’s home: SC483828 4 admission to the home. However, the assessments lack the registered manager’s decision making and analysis as to how the needs of young people already living at the home have been considered, to ensure that young people placed are appropriately matched. One young person requires updated plans to reflect their changing needs and personal circumstances.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people make significant progress in relation to their individual starting points. They benefit from continuity of care and have consistency and stability in their lives. Young people enjoy exceptionally good relationships with staff and they get along well with each other. They benefit from well-planned, highly individualised care that promotes their needs effectively and contributes to continuing change and improvement in their lives.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people reported, ‘It’s good. The staff are nice. We do nice stuff all the time. It’s homely and a nice environment. I used to go missing like every night but since being here I haven’t been doing that. It’s better here than any other places I’ve been. It’s just a good place to be and everyone gets on well.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff maintain positive and constructive partnerships with the families of young people. They promote and facilitate contact to ensure that young people can sustain their close relationships with the people who are most important to them. A parent reported, ‘She’s had a few different placements. However, since she’s been at [the home] I’ve never had so much contact. There’s been less [going] missing from home. She’s got a brilliant relationship with the people there. There are many positives.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people regularly attend school or alternative educational provision, with good support and encouragement from staff. The home works positively with the providers of young people’s education to promote their progress and learning. Staff support young people when school becomes difficult. They work closely with young people’s schools to promote their educational achievements. However, one young person is temporarily excluded and is currently being home tutored. Two young people are not currently attending education on a full-time basis, which needs addressing. However, young people are making good progress in relation to their starting points.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people are registered with a doctor, a dentist and an optician and have access to these services when they need them. The home works closely with health professionals to ensure that young people’s specific health needs are consistently met. Staff provide good advice and support on key health issues and encourage young people to live and lead a healthy and active lifestyle. As a result, young people are encouraged to take responsibility for their own well-being and good health. Medical consent is in place and staff are clear about the types of health decisions and responsibilities that are charged and delegated to them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people benefit from positive activities at the home and in the wider community. Staff actively promote and encourage young people’s specific interests and hobbies. Young people enjoy a diverse range of activities, such as visiting theme parks, going to the cinema, fishing, boxing and army cadets. Young people are involved in key decisions, Inspection report children’s home: SC483828 5 so that they can influence and make a positive contribution to the running of their home. Staff ensure that young people are involved in all aspects of care planning and daily living. As a result, young people feel valued and involved.

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

The safety of young people is consistently at the centre of staff’s practice, irrespective of the challenges that this presents. Young people become increasingly safer because of the actions that staff take to support and protect them. Staff have an excellent understanding of young people’s specific needs and emerging vulnerabilities and take appropriate action to address them. Young people are kept safe and have a strong sense of personal safety.

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

Young people are protected from abuse and all other forms of significant harm. Staff are trained in child protection and have a good understanding of their responsibilities and safeguarding roles. They are trained to deal with allegations and know how to report suspected abuse. Staff are alert to the risk of harm, such as radicalisation and grooming, and know how to identify the signs and symptoms of abuse.

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

Significant incidents are reported to the appropriate authorities. This ensures that the right action is taken by the right professional agencies to protect young people from harm. The home maintains highly effective partnerships with the police and all other safeguarding agencies to promote the safety and well-being of young people.

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

Mostly, the home provides young people with a welcoming, comfortable and homely environment. However, there are plans to further improve the accommodation provided, in relation to upgrading young people’s washing facilities and creating a big brother-type diary room for young people to share their thoughts, feelings and views. Health and safety matters are managed effectively, and this ensures that a safe environment is consistently maintained for young people, staff and visitors to the home.

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

Staff maintain consistently high expectations of behaviour. They promote young people’s positive behaviour and make good use of targeted incentives and rewards. Consequences to address negative behaviours are fair and most sanctions used are proportionate and restorative in nature. There has been one restraint since the last inspection. The use of restraint is extremely rare and, if used at all, it is a last resort to protect young people from harm. All staff are trained to use restraint and the behaviours of young people are managed safely and effectively by staff.

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

The frequency with which young people go missing has decreased significantly in relation to their individual starting points. When young people have gone missing, staff actively look for them and follow the home’s procedures to locate young people quickly and to promote their safe return.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Young people benefit from a home that is managed efficiently and effectively. The Inspection report children’s home: SC483828 6 registered manager demonstrates strong and effective leadership of the operation of the home. He ensures that the needs of young people are consistently met and staff are well managed, supported and led. He has high expectations of staff and consistently high aspirations for young people. The registered manager ensures that the needs of young people are championed effectively.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager actively stimulates staff’s enthusiasm and he channels their efforts effectively. He provides staff with a clear sense of purpose and direction. The registered manager is an enthusiastic and ambitious leader who is well supported by a deputy manager and well-qualified, trained and experienced staff.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The training needs of staff are well identified and met. Staff benefit from relevant training that enables them to meet the specific needs of the young people. This includes training around radicalisation, child sexual exploitation, attachment and county lines. Face-to-face training is now delivered more often for staff and this is something that the registered manager is keen to progress to support staff with their development and learning.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff collectively share and implement the home’s ethos, approach and philosophy in caring for young people. They meet the aims and objectives as set out in the home’s statement of purpose. They deliver a high-quality service for young people and can evidence and demonstrate the positive difference and impact that they have made to young people’s lives. Staff prioritise the needs of young people effectively. They strive to achieve the best outcomes possible for young people.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff work in close collaboration with each other to meet the specific needs of the young people. They are passionate about their work and young people respond positively to their care, help and effective, high-quality support. Staff provide young people with consistent boundaries and genuine warmth and affection. As a result, young people know that staff care about them.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff maintain highly effective partnerships with the families of young people, school staff, social workers and all other professional agencies to ensure that young people benefit from the best possible help and all-round support. Feedback received about the service is consistently positive.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The home is visited each month by an independent professional who scrutinises the performance of the home and the arrangements it makes to safeguard young people and to promote their safety and well-being. Following each monitoring visit, a report is prepared for the manager of the home. The reports are detailed and identify areas for improvement. Prompt action is taken to address any shortfalls. The registered manager makes excellent use of the home’s internal and external monitoring activities, including stakeholder feedback to secure continuous improvement. Inspection report children’s home: SC483828 7

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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: SC483828 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Care Haven (UK) Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: c/o Stephen Glicher & Co, Eden Point, Three Acres Lane, Cheadle, Cheshire SK8 6RL

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Patricia Swallow

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Inspector

Anthony Kyem: social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC483828 9 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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