Children's Home run by Kisimul Group Limited in Nottinghamshire

Inspection report children’s home: 1277726 1 Registered provider: Kisimul Group Ltd Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This privately run home offers care and accommodation for up to six young people with severe learning disabilities. The home was registered in July 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: This is the home’s first full inspection.

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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: 1277726 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 protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare. (Regulation 12(1), (2)(a)(vi)) 09/03/2019

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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

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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

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13(1)(a)(b), (2)(h)) 08/04/2019

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Recommendations

 Staff should be familiar with the home’s policies on record keeping and understand the importance of careful, objective, and clear recording. Staff should record information on individual children in a non-stigmatising way that distinguishes between fact, opinion and third-party information. Information about the child must always be recorded in a way that will be helpful to the child. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4)  Children should be able to maintain and develop their cultural or religious beliefs Inspection report children’s home: 1277726 3 as far as practicable and where appropriate, through participation and instruction, and by observing religious requirements including dress and diet. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 17, paragraph 3.22) Inspection report children’s home: 1277726 4

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people are making good progress. Staff understand young people’s needs well. They provide nurturing and empathetic care. A parent said: ‘The staff are very caring and are clearly very fond of my daughter. Staff are brilliant; I can’t sing their praises enough.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff advocate well for young people. Staff continually assess young people’s progress and access support from external services to meet young people’s changing needs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people are helped to make significant changes in their lives. For most young people, social interactions in the community are very difficult. However, young people are sensitively supported to enjoy and benefit from social experiences. A parent said: ‘She is using transport, playing on outdoor equipment and even went into the supermarket, things she hasn’t done in a long time.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

All young people have been reintroduced to full-time education, having had significant difficulties in their previous education placements. The home has close working arrangements with teachers that support children’s education. Care plans are linked to educational plans. Staff ensure that young people’s care experiences are fun, relaxed and informal. Records of the care plans for the home should reflect this and be less education led.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is beautiful, and there are exceptional standards of cleanliness, hygiene and comfort for young people. Any wear and tear is immediately dealt with, providing young people with high-quality accommodation.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people are consulted. Staff work hard to understand individual communication needs. This, combined with the fact that staff know young people so well, ensures that young people’s views are generally understood and respected. However, the home is yet to fully act on the diverse cultural and religious preferences of all young people.

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

Risks associated with individual young people are well understood. Staff have specific behaviour management strategies for each young person. These strategies are based on a clear understanding of each young person’s likes and dislikes. Staff are able to steer young people away from situations that are likely to cause them stress or anxiety.

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

The manager reflects on all safeguarding incidents and ensures that systems are in place to address any potential shortfalls. There has been learning from safeguarding incidents. Stakeholders have reported that communication systems have improved.

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

Young people are supported to take safe risks. This supports work around promoting social integration and social opportunities. However, some risk assessments are bulky Inspection report children’s home: 1277726 5 and difficult to read.

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

The manager ensures that staff receive up-to-date support, guidance and training in relation to safeguarding matters. Physical interventions are rare and are appropriately recorded. Staff are trained and use an applied model of practice.

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

A requirement is made in relation to the recording and reporting of incidents. Following one incident that raised concerns about staff practice, there was an unnecessary delay in reporting it to the appropriate safeguarding agencies. In addition, there were gaps and inaccuracies in staff’s records of the incident.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager has been in post since the home opened. She is passionate about delivering positive outcomes for children. She sets high standards for staff. This ensures that the quality of care is good. The manager is well supported by equally committed team leaders. Team leaders have a wealth of experience and share the manager’s determination to provide the best possible care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has ensured that young people move into the home in a very organised way. Planning for admissions is good. This ensures that staff have a clear understanding of each young person’s needs and how to meet these needs. Good planning also ensures that staff know how to help young people to make progress. Targets are well understood by all staff. One parent said: ‘Communication is good and regular. My son is getting out and about, and this is a real positive. He accesses school now, which is a vast improvement.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Some good management systems are in place. These include direct management observation of practice through night checks and other spot checks. Managers go to great lengths to ensure that staff have a comprehensive understanding of safeguarding. Safeguarding scenarios are regularly explored and procedures are regularly tested. However, there is not yet strong management oversight in some areas, including ensuring that there is clarity about staffing ratios and fire evacuation procedures.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff report feeling well supported. They say that the registered manager is supportive and approachable but also sets high standards. This approach is valued. Staff receive regular, good-quality supervision. They are also provided with regular training. As well as mandatory training, staff receive bespoke training based on the specific needs of children and safeguarding issues. Inspection report children’s home: 1277726 6

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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: 1277726 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Kisimul School, The Old Vicarage, High Street, Swinderby, Lincoln, Lincolnshire LN6 9LU

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Donna Varley-Turner

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Inspector(s)

Bev Allison, social care inspector Cathey Moriarty, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: 1277726 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 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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