Children's home run by Happy Children Home Limited

Inspection report children’s home: 1258894 1 Registered provider: Happy Children Home Limited

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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 is privately owned. It provides care and accommodation for up to six children who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. There have been up to three children cared for in the home at any one time since the last inspection.

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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: 23 January 2018

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: outstanding

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

23/01/2018 Full Outstanding Inspection report children’s home: 1258894 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 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. The standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to— understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home; and use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13(1)(a)(b)(2)(f)(h)) 28/02/2019

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that, in line with their individual health plans and the ethos of the home, children are offered advice, support and guidance on health and well-being, to enhance and supplement that provided by their school. Staff should have the relevant skills and knowledge to be able to help children to understand and, where necessary, work to change negative behaviours in key areas of health and well-being. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 35, paragraph 7.18) This is with reference to reducing and preventing children smoking tobacco.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children receive good-quality care from experienced, committed staff. Staff know each child’s story well. They are skilled in communicating with children and are tenacious in Inspection report children’s home: 1258894 3 engaging them from the start. This supports children to build positive relationships with staff and peers, which helps them to settle. Staff ensure that there are good routines in place, providing structure, consistent boundaries and clear expectations. This is supported by weekly planners for each child. The planners include individual sessions with key staff, linked to goals identified in their placement plans. These key-work sessions are improving in quality and impact. Staff are using resources to inform children about healthy relationships and healthy lifestyle choices. Each session includes an evaluation and outcome. Staff promote and support safe contact arrangements with family and friends. Staff are

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

particularly skilled at developing and maintaining partnership working with each child’s significant family member. This has resulted in increased contact and improved relationships for children. There is up-to-date health information about each child’s health needs, including emotional and mental health needs. Staff ensure that the database alerts staff to health appointments and tracks outcomes. One child smokes tobacco. He has been referred to the GP and to a smoking cessation service. Staff report that his smoking has reduced, but responses from staff are not always consistent or robust. In addition to the risks to the young person’s health, there have been a few missing from home episodes associated with him leaving the home to smoke. There has also been some evidence of smoking in the home. A recommendation is made to review current strategies to reduce smoking and to ensure that there is consistent information for children from the start.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children contribute to weekly meetings and to their plans. There is evidence of children’s requests being responded to and children being included in decisions about their care and developments in the home. Daily incentive plans to reinforce positive behaviour and support progress are making a difference. Children report that they feel listened to and that they have positive relationships with staff. As a result, children invest in making progress. Staff promote the importance of education and training with each child from the point that they move into the home. One child has made exceptional progress from his starting point. His school attendance is very good, and he is engaging. This is supported by good routines and staff celebrating each achievement, including small steps. Staff are aspirational for children. One child has moved into the home during the recent school break as an emergency placement. The manager has ensured that there is a home tutor

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

providing education. This has been supported by education and recreational activities with staff while the placing local authority makes decisions about the longer-term care plan for the child. Staff and managers maintain a safe and comfortable home environment. There were some minor maintenance issues identified at the start of the inspection that were addressed immediately. The manager is reviewing the quality assurance of daily maintenance checks as part of the review of quality of care. Inspection report children’s home: 1258894 4

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

Staff have a good understanding of risks to children in the community. Staff are able to identify emerging risks and concerns about behaviours of the children that they are caring for. They have had safeguarding training, which includes risks associated with the use of digital technology. There are contracts with children and safeguards in place from the start to support children to understand and manage risks. Risk and behaviour management plans are up to date, accessible to all staff and are discussed and reviewed regularly. There have been some incidents relating to children influencing each other to leave the home without permission and influencing each other to misuse substances. Staff followed appropriate child protection procedures. Children were referred to relevant substance misuse services. Staff proactively look for children prior to reporting them missing and return interviews and visits by the police are undertaken.

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

Currently, there is no substance misuse by children, although for one child there has been an increase in incidents of missing and being absent without authorisation. Managers have requested missing from home strategy meetings, and risk and behaviour management plans have been updated. Staff, along with the social worker, are closely monitoring this behaviour. The child has been referred to a voluntary organisation that provides specialist support to prevent missing from home behaviours. There are very few incidents of the use of physical restraint. Staff are trained and successfully use positive relationships and distraction techniques to de-escalate challenging behaviours. Children contribute to return home interviews and reviews following any incidents of being missing from the home. Children also contribute to their risk and behaviour management plans. If they are reluctant to engage initially, staff will revisit this with

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

them. In this way, children have shared information about what works in helping them to manage their behaviours and keep themselves safe. A requirement is made for managers to review the impact of short-term placements and whether the impact risk assessment tool that they use to make decisions about admissions is fit for purpose. The combination of needs and risks has, at times, been problematic. There have been instances of children being involved in risk-taking behaviours, having been influenced by other children. This has resulted in the decision to end placements for two children. There are also lessons to be learned regarding the information shared about children prior to their admission. This is being addressed by the manager. Excellent partnership working with social workers and the police has enabled staff to assess and manage risks. Inspection report children’s home: 1258894 5

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is an experienced residential care manager and a qualified social worker. He is currently completing a relevant qualification in management. All staff are experienced in residential care and in working with children in a range of settings. There have been some changes in staffing which have resulted in a low number of qualified staff currently in the team. However, staff are undertaking the relevant qualification and recent appointments have included qualified staff. This is an improving picture. Staff report that they are committed to the ethos of the home, in providing a nurturing environment where children feel at home and have opportunities to achieve. Staff feel supported by their manager and by colleagues. A member of staff reported that the manager supports development and encourages new ideas. There are regular team meetings. Staff have recently been consulted regarding shift patterns and, as a result,

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

shift times are changing in response to staff suggestions. The manager monitors staff performance and capability, and he addresses any shortfalls. Staff are supervised regularly, and safeguarding is covered in every supervision session. There are sufficient staff to meet the needs of children currently placed at the home. There is evidence of effective partnership working with families and professionals. Local police call in to meet any new residents. Children benefit from access to local resources and specialist support services, such as raising awareness regarding consequences of knife crime and anti-social behaviour. Several children have moved into the home on a time-limited emergency basis and short-term basis. The review of the quality of care and outcomes for children requires strengthening in order to accurately evaluate the impact of the combination of emergency and short-term care arrangements.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There is also a need to review the assessment tool that informs decisions about placements. The combination of needs and risks has led to increased risk-taking behaviours for some children. This requires careful analysis and review in consultation with placing local authorities.

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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 Inspection report children’s home: 1258894 6 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: 1258894 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Happy Children Home Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: West Walk House, 99 Princess Road East, Leicester LE1 7LF

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Inspector:

Cathey Moriarty, social care regulatory inspector Inspection report children’s home: 1258894 8 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector:

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Inspector:

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Inspector:

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