Children's Home run by Grace Care Limited in Nottingham

Inspection report children‟s home: SC436818 1 SC436818 Registered provider: Grace Care Limited 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 three children who have a learning disability, including those who have an autism spectrum disorder. The home provides care for children who require medium- to long-term, settled care. The registered manager has enrolled to undertake the relevant leadership and management qualification. However, she has recently taken maternity leave so alternative management arrangements are currently in place.

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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: SC436818 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

09/05/2018 Full Good 19/07/2017 Full Good 16/03/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness 28/11/2016 Full Outstanding Inspection report children‟s home: SC436818 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 recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children‟s safety. The registered person may only— employ an individual to work at the children‟s home; or if an individual is employed by a person other than the registered person to work at the home in a position in which the individual may have regular contact with children, allow that individual to work at the home, if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3).

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Requirement Due date

The requirements are that— the individual is of integrity and good character;

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Requirement Due date

the individual has the appropriate experience, qualification and skills for the work that the individual is to perform;

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Requirement Due date

the individual is mentally and physically fit for the purposes of the work that the individual is to perform; and

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Requirement Due date

full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2. (Regulation 32 (1)(2)(a)(b)(3)(a)(b)(c)(d))

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Requirement Due date

This relates to verifying the reason why an employee left any employment that involved children or vulnerable adults. 31/05/2019

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Requirement Due date

within 24 hours of the use of a measure of control, discipline or restraint in relation to a child in the home, a record is made which includes—

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Requirement Due date

details of the child‟s behaviour leading to the use of the measure; 31/05/2019 Inspection report children‟s home: SC436818 4 the date, time and location of the use of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

a description of the measure and its duration;

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Requirement Due date

details of any methods used or steps taken to avoid the need to use the measure;

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Requirement Due date

the name of the person who used the measure (“the user”), and of any other person present when the measure was used;

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Requirement Due date

the effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the measure; and

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Requirement Due date

a description of any injury to the child or any other person, and any medical treatment administered, as a result of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

within 48 hours of the use of the measure, 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)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(viii)(b)(i)(ii)(c)(iv))

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Recommendations

 Any sanctions used to address poor behaviour should be restorative in nature, to help children recognise the impact of their behaviour on themselves, other children, the staff caring for them and the wider community. („Guide to the children‟s homes regulations including the quality standards‟, page 46, paragraph 9.38)  The registered person must have systems in place so that all staff, including the manager, receive supervision of their practice from an appropriately qualified and experienced professional, which allows them to reflect on their practice and the needs of the children assigned to their care. („Guide to the children‟s homes regulations including the quality standards‟, page 61, paragraph 13.2)  The home‟s records on each child represent a significant contribution to their life history. („Guide to the children‟s homes regulations including the quality standards‟, page 62, paragraph 14.5)

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Recommendations

This relates to the streamlining of records to reduce duplication and to make Inspection report children‟s home: SC436818 5 them more accessible.  The design of the home should provide staff who sleep in the home overnight with appropriate accommodation and facilities to do so. („Guide to the children‟s homes regulations including the quality standards‟, page 17, paragraph 3.26)

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children in this home are making good progress and they are having positive experiences that improve the quality of their lives. Staff have a good understanding of children‟s individual needs and these are met well. Consequently, children make progress in all areas of their lives. They are happy, settled, stable and secure.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have excellent school and college attendance. They are making good educational progress as a result of staff support and good partnership working. A headteacher said: „We have a very positive and productive working relationship.‟ Staff also ensure that children can attend out of school activities such as bonfire night celebrations and discos. These activities enable them to feel a full part of the school community and support their friendship groups.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children‟s health needs are well met. Some children have made exceptional progress in terms of improved communication, sleep patterns and mobility because staff have worked with other professionals, advocated for the children and provided good support.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have good structures and routines. They are consulted regularly about what they would like to do, and this is incorporated into weekly planners. Children enjoy a variety of activities, such as swimming, football, music and trainspotting. They are supported to maintain relationships that are important to them. For example, staff facilitate and support family contact, and friends are invited to birthday celebrations.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children leave this home in a planned way. Staff work well with adult service providers to ensure that there is a well-planned, smooth transition and that children are equipped with the skills that they need for more independent living.

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

The children in this home are not engaging in risk-taking behaviour such as drug and alcohol misuse or going missing. However, their vulnerabilities are managed well because risk is identified, assessed, documented and reviewed through comprehensive written risk assessments. Staff implement these risk assessments well. Any bullying or disagreements between children in the home are always addressed well so that children can live together as harmoniously as possible.

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

Managers and staff understand their responsibilities to keep children safe from harm. They work with other safeguarding agencies to share information and follow agreed Inspection report children‟s home: SC436818 6 actions and plans.

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

Staff are trained in a particular behaviour management approach. There has been no use of physical intervention since the last inspection, which indicates that behaviour is generally managed well. However, on occasion, the use of financial reparation as a sanction has been inappropriate and therefore ineffective in addressing the underlying reasons for a behaviour. In addition, the record is incomplete and requires cross- referencing to other documents to obtain the relevant information. This makes managerial monitoring and oversight more difficult.

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

Information required to ensure that staff are recruited safely is incomplete. In one instance, a previous childcare employer was not contacted for verification of why the employment had ended. This is an additional safeguard to prevent unsuitable people having access to children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager and staff are child-focused and want the best for the children in their care. They work well in partnership with other professionals to ensure that communication is effective and that the care and support provided are consistent.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There have been improvements in the staffing situation since the last inspection. Vacancies have been filled. The team has a better gender mix and there is far less reliance on agency staff. This ensures that children receive more consistent care from people who they know and trust. There is a more robust system to ensure that staff undertake the required qualification once they have completed their probationary period successfully. Currently, half of the staff are qualified and the other half of the staff are either in their probationary period or have just enrolled on the course. Less experienced staff are always on shift with an experienced shift leader to ensure that they are supported.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff feel well supported by accessible managers, training, staff meetings and supervision. However, not all staff have received supervision at the required frequency. This is important so that any practice issues can be discussed and staff can be supported appropriately.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home has recently decided to have two members of staff on sleep-in duty during the night-time. However, one member of staff has to use a pull out bed in the lounge as there is only one staff bedroom. This is not an appropriate use of the children‟s accommodation and does not provide staff with the necessary facilities.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Information about children is recorded in a number of different places. This makes it difficult to access information quickly and coherently. If a child wanted to look at their records in the future, they may find it difficult to get an accurate picture of how they were cared for in this home.

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Information about this inspection

Inspection report children‟s home: SC436818 7 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: SC436818 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 27 Meadow Close, Nottingham NG2 3HZ

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Beverley Russell

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Inspector:

Ros Chapman: social care inspector Inspection report children‟s home: SC436818 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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