Children's home run by Quantum Care UK Limited in North Northamptonshire

Inspection report children‟s home: SC417371 1 SC417371 Registered provider: Quantum Care UK Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home can accommodate up to five children who have emotional and behavioural problems. The manager was registered with Ofsted in August 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

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children‟s home: SC417371 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

20/06/2018 Full Good 30/01/2018 Full Good 20/02/2017 Full Outstanding 29/06/2016 Interim Improved effectiveness Inspection report children‟s home: SC417371 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 quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who— understand the children‟s home‟s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children; use this understanding to deliver care that meets children‟s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to— ensure that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed and furnished so as to— meet the needs of each child; and enable each child to participate in the daily life of the home. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b)(2)(c)(i)(ii))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that all parts of the home are well maintained and homely. 31/07/2019

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain records (“case records”) for each child which— include the information and documents listed in Schedule 3 in relation to each child; are kept up to date; and are signed and dated by the author of each entry.

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Requirement Due date

Case records must be kept— if the child dies before attaining the age of 18, for 15 years from the date of the child‟s death; in cases not falling within sub-paragraph (a), for 75 years from the child‟s date of birth; securely in the children‟s home during the period when the child to whom the case records relate is accommodated there; and in a secure place after the child has ceased to be accommodated in the home. (Regulation 36 (1)(a)(b)(c)(2)(a)(b)(c)(d)) 31/07/2019 Inspection report children‟s home: SC417371 4 In particular, ensure that records such as key-work session records include the detail needed and that other records are accurate and filed correctly.

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Recommendations

 It is good practice for a note of the content and/or outcomes of supervision sessions to be kept and to ensure that both the person giving the supervision and staff member have a copy of the record. („Guide to the children‟s homes regulations including the quality standards‟, page 61, paragraph 13.4)

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

A tenacious group of caring staff provide well thought through support to the children. They have developed a good understanding of each child‟s needs and this has helped to establish strong and trusting relationships. Consequently, children have confidence in the adults who care for them and this gives them a sense of security. This has provided a secure base for them to make significant progress in all areas of their lives. One child said, „They‟ve become like a family to me.‟

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are confident in expressing their views and feel that their caregivers listen to them and take them seriously. There have been no formal complaints made by children since the last inspection in June 2018. This is indicative of the trust, good open communication and that any issues can be dealt with informally and at an early stage.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Attendance at school is embedded in the daily routine. Carers know what support each child needs in order to get to school and their attendance and achievement are good, especially when taking into consideration their previous experiences. Teaching staff comment very positively about communication with members of staff at this home. A headteacher said, „I can‟t praise them highly enough. They show really good parental support.‟

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children‟s emotional well-being is promoted to a very good standard. Staff advocate strongly on behalf of them to ensure that they receive therapeutic services. This means that children‟s carers are aware of their emotional challenges and what strategies they need to use to help them work through these.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Carers‟ knowledge of each child‟s strengths and vulnerabilities means that they support them to develop resilience and to increase their ability to regulate their emotions. As a result, incidents of distress and challenge have lessened considerably. Inspection report children‟s home: SC417371 5 Carers have high expectations of the children and encourage them to achieve and to broaden their experiences. Success is celebrated and enjoyed, and this helps the children to feel valued and to know that the adults are genuinely concerned about their futures and progress.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Transition planning is good. A particularly good example was seen during the inspection. This involved careful planning for a young child‟s move. The whole process was paced at a rate in line with his understanding and ability to cope with change. Importantly, it involved his family as well as professionals involved in his planning and future care. Members of staff ensured that he received support from them in the process of moving him on to his next home. This was achieved to a high standard and has raised the chances of success for the child.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Some areas of the home are stark and in need of redecoration or to be made to look homelier. A rolling program of refurbishment has not yet addressed all the shortfalls successfully.

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

Risks are identified, understood and managed well by staff. This helps to keep children safe. A good example of this is staff understanding the risks associated with one of the children wanting to stay away overnight at a friend‟s house. With relationships built on trust, and the relevant control measures in place, this has been managed well. Staff are not risk averse and encourage children to broaden their experiences and activities in a sensibly planned manner.

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

Episodes of going missing are rare. Clear strategies and protocols guide staff on how to manage these episodes and how to support the children. On the occasions when children have gone missing, the response has been proactive and effective, minimising the risk to the children‟s welfare.

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

Staff manage behaviour with consistent boundaries, which reflect the information and strategies outlined in the children‟s behaviour management plans. De-escalation is used effectively and the strong relationships that exist allow for methods such as the use of appropriate humour to reduce tensions well. One of the children spoken to during the inspection highlighted this as a real strength of the home. „They [staff] get me. [They] know what makes me tick‟, he said.

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

Children report that they feel safe and listened to. The positive quality of the warm and supportive relationships between children and staff has been observed during this inspection. Children also report that they feel valued and cared for and that staff show a genuine fondness for them.

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

Staff understand their roles and responsibilities in relation to safeguarding. Robust protocols promote the welfare of children. A strong working relationship exists with the local authority designated officer and any concerns are acted on appropriately. Safer Inspection report children‟s home: SC417371 6 recruitment principles are followed to ensure, as far as possible, that staff employed to work with children are safe and of good character.

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

The quality of the recording of restraints has improved since the last inspection. No shortfalls in this area were found on this inspection.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers have high expectations of the children and staff. This is particularly reflected in children‟s successes and progress made, especially in the areas of education and their development of successful behavioural strategies. This encourages children to take more responsibility for their actions and to take pride in their progress.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff induction and ongoing training are appropriate. Training packages give staff a sound foundation to build on with regards to their knowledge and practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Supervision is frequent and reflective. Sessions are used to discuss areas for development and there are clear action plans, which are used to develop and improve practice and to address areas of concern. Records of supervision sessions are not routinely given to staff. This means that the staff are not able to use them to refer back to and to reflect on after their individual sessions.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers know the home‟s strengths and weaknesses. In most cases, shortfalls are addressed, and effective action is taken. However, there are inconsistencies in record-keeping and filing. Progress in this area has been made but improvements are yet to be embedded and sustained.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Continued efforts to recruit additional staff are ongoing. In the meantime, the staff team is depleted. There has been a reliance on using staff from other homes run by the organisation. Children are complimentary about the staff used and say that they are familiar and comfortable with them. This has led to the home operating on a reduced occupancy level. Leaders and managers have identified that they are currently unable to offer care for any more children than are currently in placement. This has enabled consistency and stability for the children living there and avoids the disruption that a new admission may cause. Inspection report children‟s home: SC417371 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 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: SC417371 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Quantum Care UK Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Fifth Floor, 80 Hammersmith Road, London W14 8UD

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Inspector

Paul Taylor: social care inspector Inspection report children‟s home: SC417371 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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