Children's home run by Choices Home for Children Limited in Cheshire East

Inspection report children’s home: SC436559 1 SC436559 Registered provider: Choices Home For Children 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

This home is privately owned and run. It is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to five children who may have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The home has a new registered manager who was approved in October 2019.

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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 requires improvement to be good

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good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be 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: SC436559 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

09/10/2018 Full Good 01/08/2017 Full Good 02/03/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness 13/09/2016 Full Outstanding Inspection report children’s home: SC436559 3

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person 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 must comply within the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 applies to the home— (b) the registered person must ensure that the requirements of the Order and any regulations made under it, are complied with in respect of the home. (Regulation 25 (2)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, that the home implements risk management measures as outlined in the fire safety risk assessment. 23/10/2019

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety. The registered person may only employ an individual to work at the children’s home if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3). (Regulation 32(1)(2)(a)) 31/10/2019

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Requirement Due date

The education standard is that children make measurable progress towards achieving their educational potential and are helped to do so. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— that staff— help each child who is above compulsory school age to participate in further education, training or employment and to prepare for future care, education or employment and that each child has access to appropriate equipment, facilities and resources to support the child’s learning. (Regulation 8(1)(2)(a)(ix)(b)) 30/11/2019

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Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children— receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home. (Regulation 14 (1)(a))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, that children’s care plans are clear upon admission to the home. 30/11/2019 Inspection report children’s home: SC436559 4

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Recommendations

 A record of supervision should be kept for staff, including the manager. The record should provide evidence that supervision is being delivered in line with regulation 33(4)(b). (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.3)

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff forge positive and supportive relationships with young people and this underpins the progress that young people make. They value the time that staff spend with them and respond positively to the advice that is offered. Staff are described by young people as ‘sweet, nice, and awesome’.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff establish and maintain healthy routines and boundaries that young people respond to. This has helped young people to reintegrate back into education and value the role this plays in their lives.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

With the support from staff, young people learn how to reflect and discuss the issues that affect them. As a result, young people become more resilient, make positive choices and are less vulnerable to negative influences and situations that may harm them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff work well with young people’s families and the local authorities to promote contact. This ensures that young people’s identities are nurtured.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people are helped by staff to understand why decisions are made that they may not always agree with. One social worker described the staff success in this as ‘staff working their magic’.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Although staff actively promote educational attendance, young people do not have easy access in the home to a computer to support their learning.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Not all young people have an educational provision identified. Lack of clarity regarding one young person’s care plan upon their admission has resulted in them being without any formal education or training for almost two months.

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improvement to be good

Through living at the home, young people are safer. Staff understand the risks that young people’s behaviours can present and put measures in place to reduce those risks effectively. An independent reviewing officer, commenting on one young person’s progress, said: ‘She has become a completely different young person since living at the home. There has been such a turnaround in her safety.’ Inspection report children’s home: SC436559 5 Over time, young people respond positively to the routines, boundaries and structures that staff provide. The positive relationships that staff develop and sustain with young people help them to feel safe and cared about. One social worker commented: ‘They [staff] are able to move her forward as they understand things from her perspective and from that position she is more likely to engage with you.’

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improvement to be good

Physical intervention is rarely required or used by the staff. Staff understand how young people’s past experiences influence their behaviours and this understanding is used effectively to manage incidents.

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improvement to be good

Managers within the wider organisation have not always adhered to safe recruitment practices. Some staff with known convictions commenced work prior to managers completing risk assessments with regards to those convictions. In addition, the company’s recruitment policies are weak with regards to detailing at what point candidates can commence work when risks are identified.

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improvement to be good

A recent fire risk assessment was carried out on the property. This identified actions that were required. However, not all areas identified as a priority for being actioned have been completed within the recommended timescale.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The previous manager resigned their registration in January 2019, and the home’s new registered manager was approved in October 2019. However, the current manager did not make timely application for registration. The responsible individual has resigned her position with the company and written confirmation of a new postholder has yet to be received from the provider.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The manager offers both informal and formal support to staff. Staff meetings and supervisions are focused on young people’s needs and centre on improving the care offered to young people. This is further strengthened by regular reflective input from the home’s psychologist.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

There are weaknesses in the recording of supervision for the manager. This limits senior managerial oversight and fails to provide a written reference point for the manager in tracking agreed actions.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The managers and staff are dedicated to embedding the model of care adopted by the home and are enthusiastic about improving the life chances of young people. As a result, young people are making progress.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Staff care and input into young people’s lives are reflected in clear records. Young people’s views and feedback are regularly sought and acted on by staff. Professionals spoken to considered that the staff and manager act as strong advocates for young people.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

A lack of clarity regarding a young person’s care plan has led to delays in securing either Inspection report children’s home: SC436559 6 permanent or temporary educational input. The manager was unclear with regards to the longevity of the placement and had not sought regular meetings to mitigate this uncertainty.

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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: SC436559 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Choices Home For Children Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 31, Wellington Road, Nantwich, Cheshire CW5 7ED

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Inspector

Pauline Yates, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC436559 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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