Children's Home run by Five Rivers Child Care Limited in Wiltshire

Inspection report children‟s home: SC059717 1 SC059717 Registered provider: Five Rivers Child Care 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 children’s home is operated by a national private organisation. It provides care and accommodation for six girls with emotional and behavioural difficulties who require medium to long-term therapeutic care and intervention.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has been registered since November 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

Date of last inspection: 24 October 2018

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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: SC059717 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

24/10/2018 Full Good 27/09/2017 Full Outstanding 07/03/2017 Interim Improved effectiveness 29/09/2016 Full Outstanding Inspection report children‟s home: SC059717 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 registered person must complete a review of the quality of care provided for children (“a quality of care review”) at least once every 6 months.

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Requirement Due date

In order to complete a quality of care review the registered person must establish and maintain a system for monitoring, reviewing and evaluating—

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Requirement Due date

the feedback and opinions of children about the children’s home, its facilities and the quality of care they receive in it.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children receive good-quality care and support. They are supported by staff who demonstrate genuine care for them. For example, the inspector observed children being given a hug by staff when seeking reassurance, and when they left to go to school. The atmosphere in the home is like that of a positive family. Children say that they are very happy living at the home. Some children have lived here for many years and consider this as their home. Staff have positive relationships with children. A child confirmed this and said, ‘All the staff are lovely and care about us a lot and it is a lovely place to live.’ Children make good progress at this home. This was echoed by a social worker who said, ‘Her social interactions and speech have improved, and she is learning to manage her pocket money. This has increased her confidence and self-esteem.’ Staff ensure that children access a wide range of leisure activities and pursue their

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

hobbies and interests. Children say that they like the activities and that they have fun. Children are healthy and are encouraged to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Children say that they feel that they can speak to any staff if they have any worries. Inspection report children‟s home: SC059717 4 Children know how to complain, complaints are taken seriously, and if they make a complaint they are listened to. Since the previous inspection, one child has moved into the home. She experienced a sensitive and well-planned move, and is settling in well and enjoying living at the home. The registered manager completed a comprehensive compatibility risk assessment to ensure that the home could meet the individual and collective needs of all the children. Staff support children who are due to leave the home effectively. A child is shortly due to move to live with foster parents. Staff continue to work closely with the placing authority

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

and the prospective foster parents to ensure a well-planned move. The child is fully involved in this and is looking forward to the move. All children are in full-time education and are doing well. Staff attend parents’ evenings and ensure that there is effective communication between the home and school. A strength of the home is supporting children to attend mainstream schools. In addition, an older child who is approaching her eighteenth birthday has a job and is thoroughly enjoying it.

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

The arrangements to safeguard children are good. Leaders and managers take effective action when safeguarding concerns arise. Staff receive regular safeguarding training and demonstrate a good awareness of safeguarding processes. Children are safe and say that they feel safe. Positive behaviour is promoted, and restraint is used as a last resort. The registered manager thoroughly scrutinises incident and restraint records and identifies where practice can be improved. Following an intervention, children’s views about the incident are discussed and recorded in detail. In addition, comprehensive discussions are held with staff to reflect on their practice. Staff are provided with comprehensive behaviour support plans and associated risk assessments to support children in managing their emotions. These are regularly reviewed and updated. In addition, children are encouraged to be involved in the writing

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

of their own behaviour support plans. Staff demonstrate a good awareness of the children’s individual support needs. At this inspection, the inspector observed staff sensitively and caringly assist children to manage their feelings when they became upset. Children are safeguarded by an effective recruitment and selection process. Leaders and managers ensure that children stay in a home that is well maintained and safe.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager has the experience, qualifications and skills to carry out her role effectively. Staff have high aspirations for children and are passionate that children have positive experiences and good outcomes. The registered manager has a good awareness of the strengths and weaknesses of the home and has undertaken a comprehensive review of the quality of care provided. She has identified realistic targets for improvement. However, the review does not include the views of the children. The registered manager responds effectively to recommendations Inspection report children‟s home: SC059717 5 made by the independent visitor. Staff are provided with comprehensive placement plans, risk assessments and children’s personal targets that give them clear guidance about how to meet the needs of the children. Leaders and managers say that they are in the process of reviewing how children’s targets are devised, which demonstrates the home’s commitment to

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

continually improve. Leaders and managers ensure that staff receive regular mandatory training and specialist training to support them in meeting the needs of the children. Staff say that they feel well supported. In addition, newly appointed staff receive a comprehensive induction. They say that the induction has prepared them well for their role. Social workers speak highly of the care and support that the children receive. They are unanimous that the communication between them and the home is good. They say that the staff are caring and approachable. A social worker said, ‘I receive timely reports, and these are informative and provide a good insight into the child’s life.’ Many soft furnishings and homely touches ensure that children stay in a very homely and family-type environment. The home is well presented and well maintained. Children say that they like their bedrooms and happily showed the inspector their rooms.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Children’s bedrooms reflect their individuality, likes and preferences. Children enjoy caring for the rabbits and guinea pigs that also live at the home. In addition, two children have their own pet hamsters.

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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: SC059717 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Five Rivers Child Care Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Five Rivers Child Care, 47 Bedwin Street, Salisbury SP1 3UT

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Inspector

David Kidner, social care inspector Inspection report children‟s home: SC059717 7 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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