Children's home run by Essex County Council in Chelmsford

Inspection report children’s home: SC068929 1 SC068929 Registered provider: Essex County Council

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home, which is run by the local authority, provides short breaks and respite care for up to eight children. The aim of the short-break service is to provide support for families so that their children can remain with the family.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager was registered with Ofsted on 27 July 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 outstanding

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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: 29 November 2018

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: sustained effectiveness

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC068929 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

29/11/2018 Interim Sustained effectiveness 25/04/2018 Full Good 16/08/2017 Full Requires improvement to be good 22/02/2017 Interim Improved effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: SC068929 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

For the purposes of paragraph (3)(b), an individual who works in the home in a care role has the appropriate qualification if, by the relevant date, the individual has attained—

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Requirement Due date

the Level 3 Diploma for Residential Childcare (England) (‘the Level 3 Diploma’); or

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Requirement Due date

a qualification which the registered person considers to be equivalent to the Level 3 Diploma.

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Requirement Due date

in the case of an individual who starts working in a care role in a home after 1 April 2014, the date which falls 2 years after the date on which the individual started working in a care role in a home; or

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Requirement Due date

in the case of an individual who was working in a care role in a home on 1 April 2014, 1 April 2016. (Regulation 32 (4)(a)(b)(5)(a)(b)) 31/01/2020

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The staff manage short breaks carefully. During the inspection, observations of children arriving for their overnight stays showed that staff manage the children sensitively. They gave the children a warm welcome and helped them to settle. Staff helped the children to put personal items away in their bedrooms so that children have a sense of belonging. The children were excited, smiling and joyful. A parent said, ‘He is happy coming here and if he is happy, we are happy.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children benefit from the child-centred caring ethos. The staff are insightful to, and well equipped to meet, the children’s needs. The manager and the staff team consistently focus on the emotions behind the children’s behaviours and not on the specific Inspection report children’s home: SC068929 4 behaviours themselves. This approach enables successful behaviour management.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff work very hard to establish trusting relationships with the children. This is achieved through patience, consistent responses and a genuine warmth. As a result, children experience fewer incidents of distress and they learn to manage their emotions in more positive ways. Consequently, children access community-based activities that previously would not have been considered possible. The activities have included a river boat trip down the River Stort, a trip to a safari park and visits to Pets Corner. Children benefit from these new life experiences that bring them great enjoyment and an awareness of the world around them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Well-structured routines and support plans help some children to learn to manage their behaviours and to communicate what they are feeling and thinking in a range of different ways. The staff have a good understanding of children’s strengths and needs, and how to help them progress. The staff continually reassess what children are doing, in order to understand them better and help them further. Some children have progressed in their social and independence skills, which means that they are better prepared for adulthood.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children benefit from a home that is pleasantly decorated and furnished throughout to meet their complex needs. The staff have worked hard, and show an ongoing commitment, to add warmth and special touches to the decor. The gardens have an abundance of activity and play equipment to enhance the children’s fun, learning and development. The introduction of artificial grass to one of the play areas has added texture for children to roll around, touch and play on, giving hours of fun.

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

The staff have a good understanding of effective safeguarding practice. They are fully aware of their responsibility to protect the children from abuse and they confidently described reporting procedures. The staff are fully aware of the roles of external agencies and know the organisation’s whistleblowing policy. Safeguarding issues are promptly investigated, recorded and resolved in a timely manner.

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

The staff understand the children’s vulnerabilities and more specific individual risks. The staff manage formal risk assessment procedures well. Regular reviews of risk assessments and strategies ensure that risk management remains current and proactive and enable the children to develop and grow in a safe environment.

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

Regularly reviewed behaviour management strategies reflect the children’s triggers and behaviours. The staff know how to manage these behaviours. The staff and children fully appreciate the impact of physical interventions. The staff spend time working with the children through timely debriefing and during support sessions. These have been successful in some instances and have resulted in a reduction in the number of incidents and episodes of restraint. There have only been two restraints since the last inspection.

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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 Inspection report children’s home: SC068929 5 sanctions is minimal and proportionate to the behaviour.

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

Staff give children clear and consistent boundaries which provide a sense of safety and enable them to develop trusting relationships with the staff. Some children learn, in time, to manage their emotional responses to situations in a more socially acceptable way. This prepares them for more demanding community-based activities and for adulthood.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Leadership and management arrangements are exceptional. The responsible individual, registered manager and deputy manager are highly effective. Their combined skills, knowledge and commitment ensure the smooth operation of the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager has high expectations of herself and of her staff team. She expects all the children to have the best experience, outcomes and futures.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Research informs some areas of practice. There is a commitment by managers to ensure that staff receive high-quality development opportunities. Learning is used to inform the care and support provided to children and there is clear evidence of how this improves their quality of life.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Partnership work is extensive. Effective multi-disciplinary work means that care plans are progressed and ensures that all those involved work in the best interests of the children. The registered manager has implemented a formal system of consultation with families and social workers. Regular formal and informal contact are ongoing. This includes coffee mornings and a monthly newsletter. Family members, placing social workers and health professionals all commented on the high quality of communication between themselves and the registered manager and the staff team.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The core staff training programme is closely monitored by the manager and deputy manager, who are aware of any shortfalls. Aligning research-based practice with the needs of the children has given the staff greater insight into why they work in a certain way.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Internal and external monitoring of the home is of a consistently high standard. Records are monitored regularly by the manager, who injects meaningful evaluation and comment. The manager is adept at taking on external observations, linking them with her own critical analysis and translating them into development plans and systems. These plans identify strengths and areas for improvement at the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager leads a committed, skilled, knowledgeable and enthusiastic staff team. The staff spoke highly of the manager. The staff said that they are very well supported. They have regular supervision and reflective practice sessions that enable them to discuss the care of the children as well as their own practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The staff access an excellent range of training opportunities including essential courses such as safeguarding and first aid. In addition, they undertake a range of courses that Inspection report children’s home: SC068929 6 are relevant to specific children’s needs, including health training. Staff clearly demonstrated how they use their training to inform their practice with children. The staff either have a relevant level 3 qualification or are undertaking one. However, one member of staff’s file awaits sign off. The staff benefit from thorough annual appraisals.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The quality of team meetings has significantly improved. Staff participate in regular team meetings to reflect on children’s progress, share important information about children’s plans and to discuss the running of the home. The manager has introduced further meetings that include reflection, debriefing on incidents and discussing research-based practice to enhance and enrich the care given to the children. These forums provide opportunities for staff to develop their skills and their understanding of legislation, policies and procedures. The staff’s contribution is an important feature in making sure that they understand their roles, support children consistently and work as a cohesive and effective team.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager has met the one requirement and two recommendations raised at the last 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: SC068929 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: County Hall, Chelmsford CM1 1QH

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Children’s home details

Registered manager: Osagioduwa Igbinovia

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Inspector

Cathy Russell, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC068929 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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