Children's Home run by Oracle Care Limited in Central Bedfordshire

Inspection report children’s home: SC421531 1 SC421531 Registered provider: Oracle Care Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is owned by a private company. It is registered for three children who require care, education and clinical support. The manager has been registered since March 2018.

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Information about this children’s home

Inspection dates: 27 to 28 November 2019

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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outstanding

How well children and young people are helped and protected outstanding

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outstanding

The effectiveness of leaders and managers outstanding

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outstanding

The children’s home provides highly effective services that consistently exceed the standards of good. The actions of the children’s home contribute to significantly improved outcomes and positive experiences for children and young people who need help, protection and care.

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outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC421531 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

04/07/2018 Full Good 24/01/2018 Interim Declined in effectiveness 03/05/2017 Full Good 21/11/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: SC421531 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The children make excellent progress. A nurturing staff team has created a homely environment in which the children feel very settled and can be themselves. Children who have experienced significant trauma gradually learn to trust and build positive relationships with the staff and one another.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The children have extremely good education attendance and make significant academic progress. Children either attend the provider’s education provision or the local college. One child achieved eight GCSE qualifications and another child is studying for an A level. The staff proactively support and encourage the children with their studies. One child said, ‘I want to achieve, and they have encouraged me to do that here.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The staff are highly attuned to the needs of the children. Research-informed practice is embedded in the daily running of the home. Individual key-work sessions are meaningful. They reflect on the children’s past experiences, present worries and future aims. Regular therapeutic guidance from a clinical team enhances the staff’s practice. This planned and reflective approach supports the children to develop a positive self- view and increases their emotional resilience.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The manager is imaginative in her ideas and committed to helping the children build a greater sense of belonging. One of the children, accompanied by the staff, completed a charity London to Brighton bicycle ride. The child’s passion for charity work has been supported and he now works voluntarily at a community charity shop. This innovative practice supports the children’s inclusion in the community and helps to develop an awareness of some of the issues affecting wider society.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children enjoy an extensive range of activities as well as events held at the home. Memorable moments are captured by the staff and recorded in memory books for the children to keep. Photographs of the children and achievement certificates are displayed in prominent positions around the home. The children recognise that their efforts are valued, and they know that their well-being is of paramount importance to the staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The house is warm and inviting. The children said that they are very happy, and all refer to it as their home. Children’s bedrooms are highly personalised. Each child showed their room to the inspector with a sense of pride. Little touches, such as the children and the staff wearing their slippers when inside the house, add to the homely environment. The children have a strong sense of belonging and permanence .

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

The staff are skilled and creative in their approach to safety. Consequently, the children engage exceptionally well with the staff about all aspects of their safety. The theoretical model incorporated into the staff’s practice helps the children to form positive, healthy relationships. These trusting relationships have resulted in the children acquiring the Inspection report children’s home: SC421531 4 skills to reflect on their behaviours and make safer choices.

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

High-quality risk assessments provide the staff with the necessary strategies to minimise potential dangers and protect the children. The children take an active part in helping the staff to understand what works best for them when they are feeling distressed. Recently, the children’s opinions were added to the home’s location risk assessment. This inclusive approach helps the children to understand risks and enables them to recognise potential dangers.

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

The children have extremely good daily routines that provide structure to their lives. Rewards and incentives are used to optimum effect. These encourage the children to work towards achieving their goals. The staff openly praise and congratulate the children, which helps them to feel secure and valued.

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

Physical intervention is used rarely and only as a last resort. When incidents do arise, the staff use their detailed knowledge of the child to help defuse and de-escalate the situation effectively. Incidents are followed up with a key-work session to help the child reflect and find better ways of managing their thoughts and feelings.

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

Since the last inspection, there has been only one incident of a child going missing from the home. This incident was well managed, and the child was found quickly. Reflective conversations with the child reinforce the importance of making good and safe decisions. The children routinely keep in touch with staff when they are out in the community, reducing the likelihood of the children coming to preventable harm.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager is extremely dedicated to her work and is an inspirational leader. She is highly experienced, has a degree in psychology, holds a relevant level 4 qualification and is currently undertaking a level 5 diploma. The staff described the manager as amazing, having extremely high standards and very supportive to both the staff and the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The home is exceptionally well organised. This environment enables the staff to work consistently together to prioritise the day-to-day needs of the children. The staff continually seek the children’s views informally, in key-work sessions and during house meetings. The children flourish in their surroundings knowing that their wishes and feelings are heard, supported and respected.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager strives for continuous improvement and researches effective approaches to support this. Research findings are used to underpin the practice at the home. The staff embrace this knowledge and implement strategies to help the children achieve their full potential.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Regular staff meetings, clinical meetings and training sessions support the staff’s work. The children’s individual needs are fully discussed and documented. The staff receive regular, formal supervision with the knowledgeable manager offering practice advice and guidance. This provides continuity for the children and support for the staff. Inspection report children’s home: SC421531 5 The manager has built excellent communication with social workers and other professionals. One social worker said, ‘Communication is amazing. Out of all the homes that I work with this is the most impressive regarding putting the children first and being on the ball.’ This high level of partnership working enables all the professionals around the children to recognise and meet their needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager reviews the home’s statement of purpose and updates it promptly with any changes. The children make contributions and their views are included. The staff are very knowledgeable about the home’s objectives. They take pride in their work and are very proud to help the children to achieve their goals.

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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: SC421531 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Oracle Care Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Unit 54 Wrest Park, Silsoe, Bedford MK45 4HS

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Inspector

Lynne Drage: social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC421531 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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