Children's home run by Smoothstone Care & Education Limited

Inspection report children’s home: 1278966 1 Registered provider: Smoothstone Care And Education 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

The home provides care for up to six young people aged between 11 and 19. The young people may have multiple complex needs, learning difficulties and associated mental health conditions. The home extends their leaving age to 19 when this will assist young people in their transition to independence.

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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

Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: 1278966 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 quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children;

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Requirement Due date

use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential.

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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

understand and apply the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

provide personalised care that meets each child’s needs, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans, taking account of the child’s background.

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Requirement Due date

Ensure that all employees receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience. (Regulation 33(4)(b)) 28/02/2019

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Recommendations

 Ensure that a record of supervision is kept for staff, including the manager. The records should provide evidence that supervision is being delivered in line with the regulation 33(4)(b). (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.3) Inspection report children’s home: 1278966 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home has been registered since 21 August 2018. The numbers of staff and young people are gradually increasing. This inevitably leads to young people having to cope with change. The impact on young people is minimised as much as possible because staff support children very well. This means that young people start to thrive from their first day.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The approach of staff is very nurturing. Staff cherish young people and celebrate each young person’s individuality. Young people know that staff care about them. One young person said: ‘Staff are good at caring.’ Another young person reported that they are happy around each staff member.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people make excellent progress in a very short space of time. Some have been particularly well supported with their personal hygiene. Young people feel better, look better and are developing good self-care skills. Improved communication gives young people a strong voice in their own care. They become happier because they can make choices and express their views and wishes.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

This home has its own school on site. Although young people had previously refused to attend education, they have gone to school every day since admission. Young people make excellent progress from their starting points. A highly creative approach makes education interesting and challenging. Young people are very pleased with their progress and have grown in confidence and self-esteem.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Care planning documents do not reflect all care needs. Some health and emotional well- being needs are not recorded. There is the potential that some care needs will be overlooked if recording is not improved.

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

Staff are fully aware of the added vulnerability of disabled young people in residential care. Their knowledge is extensive. They are fully conversant with the home’s safeguarding procedures to protect young people.

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

Young people become increasingly safe. Very positive relationships between them and staff have enabled young people to feel comfortable and happy. Young people’s risk- taking behaviours, such as self-harm, have decreased in a very short space of time. Young people learn about how to stay safe.

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

Staff are good at managing young people’s complex behaviours. They know that behaviour is the only form of communication for some young people. Staff analyse behaviour so that they can get an insight into how young people feel. They make sure that they offer care and support accordingly. Inspection report children’s home: 1278966 4 Recently, there has been one instance where a potential safeguarding issue was not passed to the local authority. Although there was no impact on the safety of young people, the manager has learned lessons that can be applied to future practice.

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

Young people’s risks are considered very well. Staff know what they need to do to protect young people. Disabled young people have the same access to higher-risk activities as non-disabled young people. A carefully thought-out individual approach ensures that risks are well considered. This means that young people can live an enjoyable and fulfilling life.

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

Risk assessment documents do not reflect the good practice in this area. Key risks are not well recorded. There is a risk that staff may miss important information when they refer to young people’s risk assessment documentation.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager is experienced and is currently reviewing his own professional development to make sure that he remains suitably qualified.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Young people, parents and social workers speak highly of the registered manager. One young person showed the inspector a ‘smiley face’ when asked about the manager.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managers set high standards. Staff know that they are expected to deliver high-quality care. The extensive training package reflects these expectations. Training provides staff with the knowledge and skills they need to meet the complex needs of each young person.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff are enthused and excited about working in this new provision. This shows in their practice. They are fully conversant with the home’s policies, procedures and ethos. Everyone is working to the same goal, and young people’s progress has already been very positively affected.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff feel well supported. The manager and his deputy work alongside them. Managers model good practice. They know about the strengths and weaknesses in the home. However, formal individual staff supervision meetings do not take place as they should, and the records of these meetings are not sufficient. This is a missed opportunity to monitor and improve staff practice at this early stage.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Young people are at the centre of decision-making. Their views and feelings are fully respected. Important personal touches are organised for young people. For example, one young person likes tractors so the manager has provided a life-size wooden tractor for them to play on in the garden. This was in place on the young person’s arrival and really helped the young person with their transition. For another young person, alternative methods have been devised so that she can write down her feelings to staff instead of talking about them. This young person told the inspector that she has found Inspection report children’s home: 1278966 5 this very helpful.

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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: 1278966 6

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Children’s home details

Provision sub-type: Residential special school

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Smoothstone Care And Education Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Datum House, Electra Way, Crewe, Cheshire CW1 6ZF

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Inspector(s)

Caroline Brailsford, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: 1278966 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(s)

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Inspector(s)

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Inspector(s)

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