Children's home run by Good News Nwk Ltd

Inspection report children’s home: 1248509 1 Registered provider: Good News Nwk Ltd 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 two children who have learning disabilities that fall within the autism spectrum. The manager has been registered since the home opened in April 2017 and possesses the required management qualification.

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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: 7 November 2018

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: 1248509 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

07/11/2018 Full Requires improvement to be good 07/11/2017 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: 1248509 3

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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. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4)

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Recommendations

In particular, ensure that case records, incident reports and body maps are completed fully, with attention to detail and accuracy. Inspection report children’s home: 1248509 4

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children experience stability at this home and make good progress.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Family members, professionals and staff speak enthusiastically about the positive changes that children have made since moving to this home. They praise the staff for being adaptive and responsive to the children’s needs. One social worker spoke about staff demonstrating acceptance and positivity, which are very significant for the child.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

To minimise any disruption to children’s education, staff have supported children to attend school at some distance from the home. Staff contributed to one child’s assessment. The extended days and long journeys continued for one of the children until this was deemed unsustainable. He is currently having home tuition while he awaits a place in a local school. The staff are actively requesting additional hours of tuition, as it is evident that the allocated hours are insufficient. The tutor and staff work well together to provide the child with a more structured and inclusive timetable. This equips the staff to continue with educational work when the tutor is not present.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s meetings and questionnaires are used to ascertain the children’s views. Children’s views are responded to, such as their requests for changes to the home and activities. The manager is seeking to incorporate the responses to children in the home’s electronic system to support better tracking.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Both children have settled into positive routines that have enabled them to attend their routine and specialist medical appointments. This ensures that their health needs are appropriately monitored and addressed.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff help children to prepare for independence by carrying out age-appropriate tasks from the start. This includes helping to tidy their rooms, baking and other household tasks that are seen as part of group living rather than as chores.

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

Children are clear about the boundaries and expectations that staff have in relation to their behaviour. The staff successfully use strategies such as rewards and incentives. The children use a ‘swear jar’ when they use expletives. This has the desired affect of positively adjusting the children’s language. Until they move out, children are unaware that staff actually add any money from this jar to children’s savings.

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

Staff supervise the children well. Children's going missing from home is not an issue. However, if a child were to run away from the home or from staff the staff would know how to respond, and they are aware of the protocol to be followed should a child go missing.

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

Children have regular key-work sessions, children’s meetings and ad hoc conversations Inspection report children’s home: 1248509 5 about the dangers of risky behaviour and risks from gangs. This is done in an age- appropriate way which ensures that the children understand what is being conveyed.

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

The home is reviewing the lone-working policy to ensure that staffing ratios are safe at all times and that staff can manage any unpredictable behaviour.

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

There have been no new allegations or safeguarding concerns. However, staff are confident about using the whistle-blowing process, should any arise.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is clear about his hopes and aspirations for the service, the children and the staff. Staff and professionals describe the manager as supportive and helpful, and this is echoed by the children. The manager acts as a positive role model for staff and children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager appropriately challenges professionals in seeking the right support and educational input for the children. This has already helped one child to move onto their next placement in a positive way.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home is using an electronic system that enables the use of company phones for case records. This has resulted in more detailed and relevant records. It is also reducing the need for staff to access a static computer/laptop.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is developing the staff team’s understanding and knowledge of the wider recording and administrative processes. He is open to suggestions from the team and others about ways in which this can be achieved. This openness enables administration tasks and templates to be revised to better reflect the service and developments. It is also helping staff to understand how their recording and other processes feed into the evaluation of the overall service that they are providing.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The five requirements made at the last inspection have been met. The recommendation has been restated, and it now relates to the accuracy of records. This shortfall arose during a busy period when staffing levels were low due to sickness, unavailability and recruitment. The situation has now settled, and there is a growing team of permanent staff and bank staff. Inspection report children’s home: 1248509 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: 1248509 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 5 Pippin Close, Wellingborough, Northamptonshire NN8 2DN

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Nokuthula Mangwendeza

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Inspector:

Sonia Hay, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: 1248509 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:

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Inspector:

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Inspector:

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