Children's Home run by Total Care Matters Limited in North Northamptonshire

Inspection report children’s home: 1232200 1 Registered provider: Total Care Matters Ltd

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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. It provides care and accommodation for three young people who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

Inspection dates: 18 to 19 November 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 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

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

15/05/2018 Full Good 14/03/2018 Interim Improved effectiveness 18/04/2017 Full Good 23/11/2016 Full Requires improvement Inspection report children’s home: 1232200 2

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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 care planning standard is that children receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home; and have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

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Requirement Due date

that children are admitted to the home only if their needs are within the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the home is to provide care and accommodation, as set out in the home’s statement of purpose. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b)(2)(a))

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Requirement Due date

This is with reference to ensuring that sufficient information is obtained as part of the referral process to ensure appropriate decision-making about the admission of children. 31/12/2019

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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.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure that staff—

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Requirement Due date

understand the barriers to learning that each child may face and take appropriate action to help the child to overcome any such barriers;

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Requirement Due date

help a child who is excluded from school, or who is of compulsory school age but not attending school, to access educational and training support throughout the period of exclusion or non-attendance and to return to school as soon as possible. (Regulation 8 (1)(2)(a)(iii)(viii)) 31/12/2019

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Requirement Due date

The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe. 31/12/2019 Inspection report children’s home: 1232200 3 In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure ─

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Requirement Due date

understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person; and

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Requirement Due date

are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies. (Regulation 12 (1)(2)(a)(v)(vii))

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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 28 days of the revision. (Regulation 16 (3)(a)(b)) 31/12/2019 Inspection report children’s home: 1232200 4

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people receive good-quality care and make good progress. They are happy and settled. This is because staff have provided a safe and secure environment for young people to live in.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people have positive and trusting relationships with staff. They know that staff care about them and will not give up on them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people are central to decision-making about their lives and the running of the home. They know that staff listen to them. This helps them to feel valued.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people participate in a range of fun and educational activities. They are given opportunities to try new activities. This helps them to improve their practical and social skills. Staff support young people who are participating in competitions. A young person commented, ‘This is a first for me and I really like the support staff give me.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff work hard to ensure that young people receive the right education and training. Some young people have made good progress in education. However, other young people’s education has been interrupted due to delays in decision-making by the placing authority. As a result, one young person has not received any formal education since the start of this new school year. The registered manager has had to challenge and make a formal complaint to the placing authority to speed up the decision-making process. However, staff have not provided enough structure during the day for this young person. This has the potential to make it more difficult for the young person to readjust to attending school and new routines.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support young people to maintain and, in some instances, rebuild their relationships with their families. Staff provide both practical and emotional support to young people.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Admission practices are generally good. The registered manager gives careful consideration to new referrals to ensure that staff can meet young people’s needs. A compatibility risk assessment is carried out to ensure appropriate matching of all young people’s needs. However, the admission of a young person earlier in the year identified the need to improve information gathering in order to ensure that decisions are based on comprehensive, up-to-date information.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people’s care records are reviewed regularly. Young people are involved in reviewing their daily living plans and it is evident that their views are considered. However, daily living plans do not always include important information. Although this information is recorded in other documents, this may lead to confusion for new staff. Inspection report children’s home: 1232200 5

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

Young people become safer over time. This is because staff are committed to ensuring that young people can learn how to keep themselves safe. Staff work closely with a range of professionals to keep young people safe.

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

Risk management strategies are effective in helping young people to take age- appropriate risks in a safe and nurturing environment. Young people develop skills to keep themselves safe. Young people also learn how to use the internet safely. A young person said, ‘I have had loads of key-work sessions on using it correctly and safely.’

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

Staff are good at managing young people’s behaviours. Staff are well trained and have a very good understanding of why young people behave the way they do. The number of incidents involving the use of physical intervention reduce over time.

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

Staff follow procedures and work closely with partner agencies when a young person goes missing.

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

Staff receive a range of safeguarding training and there are clear child protection procedures. However, on one occasion staff failed to follow safeguarding procedures because an incident was not reported promptly to managers. Once the registered manager became aware of the incident, she took appropriate action immediately.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager has many years’ experience of working with children and young people and is suitably qualified. She provides clear leadership and direction.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Young people are cared for by a committed and skilled staff team. Staff work hard to ensure that young people can flourish and reach their full potential.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff feel valued and listened to because of the registered manager’s inclusive management style. Staff say she is approachable and always available for support. Staff receive regular supervision.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There is a commitment to staff training. Six staff hold the level 3 qualification, and one member of staff is enrolled on the course. Two staff need to undertake additional modules appropriate to working with children and young people. Staff receive the required mandatory training as well as training on current issues.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There are a range of management monitoring systems which help to ensure that young people receive the care they need. These systems also contribute to the workforce development plan. This plan reflects the commitment of the team to constantly improving the care provided. Inspection report children’s home: 1232200 6 There is a commitment to partnership working. The registered manager challenges professionals, when appropriate, to ensure that young people receive the services they need.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home’s statement of purpose contains all the required details and is reviewed when necessary. However, revised copies of the statement of purpose are not always sent to Ofsted.

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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: 1232200 7

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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, The Meadows, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire NG2 2ER

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Inspector(s)

Katarina Djordjevic, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: 1232200 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(s)

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Inspector(s)

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Inspector(s)

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