Children's Home run by United Children's Services Limited in Leicestershire

Inspection report children’s home: SC489036 1 SC489036 Registered provider: United Health Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This is a privately owned children’s home. It is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to four children and young people who have been assessed as presenting with emotional, behavioural or educational difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager has been registered since 2015.

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Information about this children’s home

Inspection dates: 11 to 12 February 2019

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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: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC489036 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

07/08/2017 Full Good 09/02/2017 Interim Improved effectiveness 17/10/2016 Full Good 14/12/2015 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: SC489036 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 registered person must ensure that a record is made of any complaint, the action taken in response, and the outcome of any investigation. (Regulation 39(3)) 15/03/2019

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure, where children are not participating in education for some reason, that they engage in suitable structured activities during the day. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 28, paragraph 5.15)  The registered person should evidence what they have done to achieve engagement with the placing authority when seeking missing documentation and information, including any actions taken to escalate concerns. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 11, paragraph 2.3) Inspection report children’s home: SC489036 4

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children receive individualised care and support. They regularly contribute to their care and have a clear understanding of their plans. Staff actively encourage them to read their files, to comment and to make suggestions. This increases their sense of being valued and of being central to the care provided to them by the staff team.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

There are positive working relationships between children, their placing authorities and those significant to them. Positive communication is reported to take place between the staff and those involved with children living in this home. Family members and significant others state how welcoming staff are when they visit the home. Placing social workers report good communication and information-sharing by staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children make good progress in relation to their general and emotional health and well- being. They have access to therapeutic services and weekly therapy sessions via the company-employed therapy service. Staff also receive consultation and support from the therapists. Staff support children to meet their general health needs, as well.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Most children have education or training provisions in place. For those who refuse to attend, there is a need for more structure to their day within the home. Staff encourage children to engage in education-based activities with limited success. Clearer timetables and plans would assist children in understanding the value of learning.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Consultation is a key strength in this home. Children’s views are regularly sought and acted upon by staff and managers. Children influence the care and support that they receive on many levels. The manager responds to any requests or issues raised by children in a timely manner. This promotes a sense of value and integration for children.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff work to support relevant children to prepare for their eventual move to independence. They support them to learn the necessary skills to make a successful transition. Children learn how to budget, make their own meals and meet their own personal care needs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported to keep in touch with people who are important to them. Staff support them with visits and enable them to maintain phone contact. Family members and significant others report feeling involved in children’s care and in being able to keep in touch.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children know how to make a complaint and use the complaints procedures. Records of complaints are not clear or sufficiently detailed. They do not contain a consistent or clear account of the nature of the complaint, the action taken or the outcomes, and are not clear about children’s views of the outcome of any complaint that they make. Inspection report children’s home: SC489036 5

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

Staff understand the actual and potential risks for children. They devise and implement detailed risk assessments and plans to meet needs. They monitor children’s behaviours and review and revise plans accordingly. The team therapists also receive all incident reports. This enables them to offer support and advice to the staff team on strategies.

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

There has been a positive reduction in the number of ‘missing’ incidents for children. One placing social worker spoke of their relief at the significant reduction in ‘missing’ incidents for one child. They stated: ‘I used to worry a lot about this child but, since they moved to this home, they have not been missing once.’ Staff follow ‘missing’ procedures and protocols to ensure the safe return of children. They ensure that return-home interviews are carried out to inform their learning and to further support children to reduce their ‘missing’ incidents.

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

Staff are well trained in relation to understanding exploitation, abuse and other key areas. They use their learning to support children and to work towards reducing concerning or risky behaviours. Direct work sessions with children further assist them in learning strategies to manage their behaviours in a safer way.

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

Children have clear behaviour management and support plans in place. Staff understand the actual or potential triggers for children to display concerning behaviours. Staff use de-escalation techniques wherever possible to diffuse situations. The use of physical restraint is only as a last resort and where there is an immediate risk of harm to children or others.

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

Staff recruitment procedures are robust and prevent unsuitable people from working with children and young people. The manager ensures that all checks are undertaken prior to confirming staff in post. Any gaps in employment histories are checked and references verified. There is positive evidence of safer recruitment processes.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has been in post for over three years. She has the necessary skills and experience for the role. Staff members speak highly of the support that they receive from the manager. They feel highly valued in their roles.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has good systems in place to monitor and oversee all aspects of the care provided to children. She understands the needs of each child and has clear plans in place to support them. Management monitoring systems enable the manager to see how each child is progressing and what their areas of need are. The manager undertakes monthly audits of each child’s case records. Staff then consider any recommendations made by the manager before the next audit.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive monthly formal supervisions and annual appraisals. They report satisfaction Inspection report children’s home: SC489036 6 with the support that they receive from managers. They feel that managers actively encourage them to develop their skills and take on new roles. Annual appraisals now include feedback from children. The recommendation made at the last inspection has been fully met.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager considers and acts on any recommendations made by the independent visitor following their monthly visits to the home. There is a detailed development plan in place for the home. This clearly sets out actions to further improve the services provided. It is regularly reviewed and updated as the requirements for improvement are met.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

For one child, the placing authority has failed to provide the manager with all relevant information relating to their care history. The manager has made attempts to obtain some of the missing documentation. There is need for her to make further attempts and to escalate her concerns, if the information is not provided in a timely manner. It is crucial that managers and staff have all necessary information about a child to inform their plans and care. Inspection report children’s home: SC489036 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 difference 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: SC489036 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: United Health Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Old Coach House, Gainsborough Road, Drinsey Nook, Lincoln LN1 2JJ

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Inspector(s)

Tracy Murty, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC489036 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(s)

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Inspector(s)

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Inspector(s)

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