Children's home run by Total Care Matters Limited in Nottingham

Inspection report children’s home: SC378600 1 SC378600 Registered provider: Total Care Matters Limited

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is run by an independent provider. It is registered with Ofsted to provide care and accommodation for up to four children and young people between the ages of seven and 17 who may have social, emotional and behavioural difficulties.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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requires improvement to be good

How well children and young people are helped and protected requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers inadequate

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requires improvement to be good

The children’s home is not yet delivering good help and care for children and young people. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC378600 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

04/06/2018 Full Good 23/01/2018 Interim Sustained effectiveness 19/07/2017 Full Good 11/01/2017 Interim Improved effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: SC378600 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—

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Requirement Due date

understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children; and

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Requirement Due date

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—

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed and furnished so as to—

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Requirement Due date

enable each child to participate in the daily life of the home.

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Requirement Due date

This is with reference to ensuring that repairs and maintenance are carried out in a timely manner. 31/07/2019

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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

lead and manage the home in a way that is consistent with the 30/09/2019 Inspection report children’s home: SC378600 4 approach and ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set out in the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child; and

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child.

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Requirement Due date

keep the statement of purpose under review and, where appropriate, revise it; and

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Requirement Due date

notify HMCI of any revisions and send HMCI a copy of the revised statement within in 28 days of the revision.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if—

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Requirement Due date

there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 40 (4)(c)) 07/07/2019 Inspection report children’s home: SC378600 5

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improvement to be good

The home has gone through some unsettled periods since the last inspection. In the main, this can be attributed to some young people’s behaviours. Young people’s experiences and progress have been variable. Some young people’s behaviours have hindered their progress, but other young people have continued to make good progress.

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improvement to be good

A relatively high number of young people have been admitted to the home, and have left the home, since the last inspection. The admission of some young people affected the stability of the home. Some of the referral information was inaccurate, which in some cases meant that staff were unable to meet young people’s needs. The manager has now improved the systems used for assessing new referrals.

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improvement to be good

Young people have good relationships with staff and know that staff care about them. Young people feel listened to, which helps them to feel valued. Their self-esteem and confidence improve.

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improvement to be good

Young people receive education based on their individual needs. Young people who have lived at the home for some time are making good progress.

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improvement to be good

Staff ensure that young people are well supported to pursue their hobbies and interests. Some young people are members of local sports teams, which helps them to make friends outside of the home.

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improvement to be good

Young people receive good support from staff to remain in contact with family, friends and people who are important to them.

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improvement to be good

Since the last inspection, staff have been unable to manage some young people’s behaviours. This has resulted in staff using a high level of physical intervention, increased police involvement, complaints from the local neighbourhood and notice being served on some young people’s placements.

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improvement to be good

A lot of damage has been caused to the home. However, there are significant delays in repairs and maintenance in the home. This means that young people do not always live in a pleasant and comfortable environment. Additionally, both young people and staff were smoking in front of the home, leaving cigarette ends. This led to concerns being raised by neighbours. Clear guidelines have now been implemented about where young people and staff can smoke.

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improvement to be good

The home is currently settled, and the lessons learned from previous admissions are informing the admission process. Boundaries with regard to acceptable behaviour have Inspection report children’s home: SC378600 6 been reinforced and young people now know what is expected of them. However, in implementing these boundaries, there has been a rise in the number of physical interventions for some young people. The manager and staff are confident that the need to use physical intervention will reduce.

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improvement to be good

Young people feel safe and they say that they can raise any concerns with staff.

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improvement to be good

Young people’s risk assessments are easy to follow and up to date. This has addressed the previous requirement made.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The registered manager resigned at the end of October 2018 and the deputy manager was quickly appointed as the new home’s manager. However, there have been significant delays in the new manager successfully submitting a complete application to register with Ofsted. This has resulted in the inadequate judgement.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The manager has many years’ experience of working in children’s homes. He is currently studying for the level 5 qualification.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

There has been a high turnover of staff since the last inspection. Although a small core team of staff has remained in post, continued high staff turnover has the potential to affect the continuity of care. Some of the recently appointed staff either do not have experience of working with children or have not worked in children’s homes before.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Staff are provided with a range of mandatory training. However, only three staff out of 13 hold a level 3 qualification. Two members of staff are currently undertaking the level 3 qualification. New staff confirmed that they have completed a range of training and are receiving supervision.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The home’s statement of purpose is not updated and reviewed to reflect changes.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The manager and team are committed to improving the lives of young people. There are a range of management monitoring systems that help to identify shortfalls. The manager is currently developing new recording systems to help young people and staff track their progress and achievements.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Partnership working is good. Relevant agencies are notified of any significant incidents. However, Ofsted has not always been notified of incidents when young people have made allegations against staff working at the home.

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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 Inspection report children’s home: SC378600 7 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: SC378600 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Total Care Matters Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 230 Bathley Street, Nottingham NG2 2ER

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Inspector:

Katarina Djordjevic, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC378600 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector:

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Inspector:

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Inspector:

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: http://www.gov.uk/ofsted

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