Children's home run by Semi-independent House Limited

Inspection report children’s home: 1259551 1 Registered provider: Semi-Independent House 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

A private organisation runs this home. It provides care and accommodation for up to five children who have experienced trauma that has left them vulnerable.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager was registered with Ofsted in June 2017.

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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: 20 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: 1259551 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

20/11/2018 Full Requires improvement to be good 11/01/2018 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: 1259551 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

within 48 hours of the use of a measure of control, discipline or restraint, 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)(b)(i)(ii)(c)) 12/08/2019

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that an independent person visits the children’s home at least once each month.

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Requirement Due date

When the independent person is carrying out a visit, the registered person must help the independent person—

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Requirement Due date

if they consent, to interview in private such of the children, their parents, relatives and persons working at the home as the independent person requires. (Regulation 44(1)(2)(a)) 31/08/2019

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Recommendations

 The use of external agency staff can be a positive choice to complement the skills and experiences of the permanent workforce. Any external agency staff should meet the requirements in regulation 32(4) regarding mandatory qualifications and the registered person should consider their skills, qualifications and any induction necessary before they commence work in the home. The use of agency staff should be carefully monitored and reviewed to ensure children receive continuity of care. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 54, paragraph 10.16) Inspection report children’s home: 1259551 4

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The manager and staff demonstrate a clear and detailed awareness and understanding of the children’s complex needs and the plans for their care and support. Staff consistently spoke of wanting the best for the children. It is apparent that staff take time to form good relationships with children and to lead by example. A child said, ‘I am really happy living here. I am supported well by all the staff and I am so much healthier.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children relate and respond to staff positively because of the special relationships forged. These relationships empower and support the children to communicate with the staff to bring about a clear understanding of their wishes and feelings.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children who previously refused education now attend school. Those children who had fragmented attendance now attend consistently. One child has his entire education and work life planned for his future. He attends army cadets and has applied to the army college with the hope of joining the infantry or the royal marines. This demonstrates that some children are starting to realise that their life chances can be improved through their education.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

When appropriate, the staff facilitate safe, managed contact between children and their friends and family, which helps children to develop relationships that will sustain them into adulthood. Staff understand family dynamics and build relationships with families and use these experiences to enhance children’s outcomes.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Care and support planning are well organised, detailed and helpful. Records contain good information and provide a unique picture of each child. The staff understand the children well and use their knowledge carefully to think about what events and behaviours mean to help children make progress. Due to the staff team’s hard work and commitment, a child is returning to foster care, which originally was not deemed possible.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children grow in confidence because they are encouraged to take part in fun holidays and activities, which include rugby, pool, climbing and trips to theme and holiday parks. The children make and build friendships at the home and in the community. This gives them a chance to try different experiences and develop new skills.

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

The children spoke about their safety with confidence and understanding. They learn how to understand risks and how their behaviour can increase or reduce risks. Although children do not always agree with the procedures that the staff put in place to protect them, they understand that these arrangements are to keep them safe. One child gave examples of their previous and current behaviours, how they have reduced the risks that they took and the impact of their actions. Inspection report children’s home: 1259551 5 Safeguarding issues are promptly investigated, recorded and resolved in a timely manner. All the staff attend safeguarding training. They know what to do if they have a concern about a child’s well-being. Sound recruitment procedures mean that all of the necessary background checks are carried out before a member of staff commences work. This helps to ensure that only suitable adults are employed to work with the

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

children. However, one agency staff recruitment file showed two different addresses that had not been fully investigated. This particular member of staff only covered one shift at the home. However, full checks are required on all staff.

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

Individual placement plans, behaviour plans and risk assessments are of good quality. Records give a clear and vivid description of the work undertaken to meet children’s behavioural and care needs. Any potential risks are swiftly identified and plans are updated.

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

There have been no incidents of children going missing from the home. The use of sanctions is minimal and proportionate to the behaviour. However, some of the records of sanctions are incomplete. Children’s and staff members’ views are not always sought following incidents. This does not enable good oversight. Restraint is only used as a last resort to keep children and staff safe, hence only one restraint has been used since the last inspection.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Strong, effective and consistent leadership is provided by an experienced manager. The manager has been in post for two years and brings a wealth of expertise and knowledge to this role. She is respected and valued by staff, who benefit from her supportive leadership. The manager leads by example through her involvement in all aspects of the day-to-day running of the home. She cares for the children in the same way that any good parent would.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff spoken with during this inspection reported high levels of satisfaction in their roles and in the support that they receive from the manager. One member of staff said, ‘The manager manages everything perfectly. She always has time for everybody. She is a great support, amazing and patient. I absolutely love my job.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

All staff are competent in their roles. They are supported by the organisation’s mandatory training in core areas, which include safeguarding, physical intervention and first aid. In addition, the staff undertake more specific or targeted training as agreed with the manager. Specific training has included preventing child exploitation, understanding gang affiliation, county lines and radicalisation. This training ensures that the staff have the skills that they need to meet the children’s individual needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Monitoring visits by independent visitors are of a good standard. The visitors’ reports include recommendations to drive improvement. However, the views of children, parents and professional are not always sought.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has met the four requirements and two recommendations raised at the last Inspection report children’s home: 1259551 6 inspection to good effect.

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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: 1259551 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Semi-Independent House Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 51 Ploverly, Peterborough PE4 6HZ

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Inspector

Cathy Russell, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: 1259551 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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