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

Inspection report children‟s home: SC481015 1 SC481015 Registered provider: Unique Care Homes Support Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home, which is run by a private organisation, provides care for up to six children who are likely to be considered as vulnerable. The home‟s overall aim and ethos is to put children at the centre of everything that it does. The registered manager has been registered at this home since December 2015.

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Information about this children’s home

Inspection dates: 11 to 12 December 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 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: 7 November 2017

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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: SC481015 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

07/11/2017 Full Good 11/10/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness 08/06/2016 Full Good 17/12/2015 Interim Improved effectiveness Inspection report children‟s home: SC481015 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—

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Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and promotes their welfare.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b)(2)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that the registered manager and deputy manager receive training in all aspects of safeguarding children. 28/02/2019

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Requirement Due date

For the purposes of paragraph (3)(b), an individual who works in the home in a care role has the appropriate qualification if, by the relevant date, the individual has attained—

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Requirement Due date

the Level 3 Diploma for Residential Childcare (England) (“the Level 3 Diploma”); or

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Requirement Due date

a qualification which the registered person considers to be equivalent to the Level 3 Diploma.

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Requirement Due date

in the case of an individual who starts working in a care role in a home after 1st April 2014, the date which falls 2 years after the date on which the individual started working in a care role in a home; or

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Requirement Due date

in the case of an individual who was working in a care role in a home on 1st April 2014, 1st April 2016. 28/02/2019 Inspection report children‟s home: SC481015 4 The registered person may defer the relevant date if the individual—

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Requirement Due date

does not work, or has not worked, in a care role in a home for a prolonged period; or

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Requirement Due date

works, or has worked, in a care role in a home on a part-time basis. (Regulation 32 (4)(a)(b)(5)(a)(b)(6)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

ensure that each employee completes an appropriate induction; and

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Requirement Due date

ensure that each permanent appointment of an employee is subject to the satisfactory completion of a period of probation. (Regulation 33 (1)(a)(b)) 31/01/2019

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Requirement Due date

within 48 hours of the use of a measure of control, discipline or restraint, the registered person, or a person who is authorised by the registered person to do so (“the authorised person”)—

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Requirement Due date

has spoken to the user about the measure; and

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Requirement Due date

has signed the record to confirm it is accurate; and

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Requirement Due date

within 5 days of the use of the measure, the registered person or the authorised person adds to the record confirmation that they have spoken to the child about the measure. (Regulation 35 (3)(b)(i)(ii)(c)) 31/01/2019

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Most of the children enjoy a sustained and prolonged period of stability because of living at this home. They have benefited greatly from the close and supportive family environment that the staff provide.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff are skilled at building trusting and supportive relationships with children, which enable the children to make good, and in some cases outstanding, progress. Staff speak affectionately of all children and genuinely want them to succeed. Children acknowledge and feel this and speak kindly of the staff, confirming that they can rely on staff for Inspection report children‟s home: SC481015 5 support. One child said, „This is the best place that I have ever lived in.‟ Another child said, „I love living here. It‟s the best. The staff are really good to me.‟

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Managers and staff communicate well with families and placing social workers. The staff are strong advocates for the children, ensuring that children‟s views are heard. Staff support children to see their families and friends. They understand the importance of enabling children to maintain these relationships. Staff ensure that family meetings are safe and of good quality, so that children‟s well-being is promoted.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

All of the children are invested in their home and gain a sense of belonging. Education attendance has significantly improved. Staff work with education staff and placing authorities to ensure that children have the right level of education for their needs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff explore children‟s interests and hobbies. They want children to have different experiences, to have fun and to make happy memories of their time living at the home. Staff respect the children and are open and honest with them. The staff are good role models. They show children how to respect others and how to show compassion. An example of this is the children taking turns to care for Barney, the home‟s cat, who has recently injured his leg. During the inspection, all of the children were observed cuddling him and attending to his needs, showing real affection and kindness.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is decorated to a high standard. It is a warm, comfortable environment that resembles a family home. There are photographs of the children displayed throughout the home on fun activities and holidays shared together. This atmosphere helps children to feel nurtured and cared about.

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

The staff understand the children‟s vulnerabilities and individual needs. Individual care plans, behaviour plans and risk assessments are of good quality. Documentation gives a clear and vivid description of the work undertaken towards meeting behavioural and care needs. Any potential risks are swiftly identified and plans are updated.

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

Safeguarding issues are promptly investigated, recorded and resolved. The staff have undertaken safeguarding training and demonstrate that they know what to do if they have a concern about a child‟s well-being. However, the registered manager and deputy manager have not received up-to-date safeguarding training. This lack of training has not had an impact on the safety of children, but it is an area for improvement to ensure that managers have current knowledge.

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

Staff manage children‟s challenging behaviour well. They provide clear and consistent boundaries and respond confidently and effectively to children‟s rising anxieties. Physical intervention is only used as a last resort to keep children or others safe. When physical intervention has been used, suitably qualified staff apply techniques appropriately. However, the manager has not recorded or evidenced that a review of the records has been undertaken. Consequently, opportunities to learn from incidents may be missed. Inspection report children‟s home: SC481015 6 Staff are proactive in preventing children from going missing. There has been only one incident of a child going missing since the last full inspection. The home‟s protocols and records are updated and monitored effectively.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager and deputy manager lead by example. They put the children first and have aspirations for them to achieve, to enjoy life and to make good progress. The managers ensure that the service operates in line with the statement of purpose. They understand the home‟s strengths and weaknesses because of their active communication with the children, staff and external professionals. As a result, children continue to receive a very good standard of care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Monthly staff meetings provide a forum for staff to discuss children‟s progress and any practice issues. Staff receive regular supervision and training. However, one member of staff has not achieved a relevant level 3 qualification within the required timescale.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

All new staff undertake induction training during the probationary period. The staff familiarise themselves with policies and procedures and practice at the home. However, the manager has not ensured that all documents have been fully completed to evidence this.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Monitoring visits by an independent visitor have significantly improved since the last inspection. The visitor supplies their reports as required and the reports are submitted to Ofsted. The reports include actions for improvement. The manager updates the development plan each month, so that there is a focus on progress.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has met to good effect all three recommendations made at the last inspection.

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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 Inspection report children‟s home: SC481015 7 children‟s homes regulations including the quality standards‟. Inspection report children‟s home: SC481015 8

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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 WA4 6HL

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Inspector

Cathy Russell: social care inspector Inspection report children‟s home: SC481015 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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Inspector

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