Children's Home run by Castle Homes Care Limited in Telford and Wrekin

Inspection report children‟s home: SC020545 1 SC020545 Registered provider: Castle Homes Care 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

The home is part of a large private organisation. It offers care for up to five children or young people. The home has an experienced registered manager.

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Information about this children’s home

Inspection dates: 26 to 27 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

Date of last inspection: 19 November 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: SC020545 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

19/11/2018 Full Good 23/11/2017 Full Outstanding 31/01/2017 Interim Improved effectiveness 10/05/2016 Full Good Inspection report children‟s home: SC020545 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 ensure that any limitation placed on a child’s privacy or access to any area of the home’s premises is necessary and proportionate. (Regulation 21 (c)(ii)) 27/12/2019

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Requirement Due date

A person may only manage a children’s home if; having regard to the size of the home, its statement of purpose, and the number and needs (including any needs arising from any disability) of the children, the person has the appropriate experience, qualification and skills to manage the home effectively and lead the care of children.

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Requirement Due date

For the purposes of paragraph (1)(b)(i), a person has the appropriate experience and qualification if the person has by the relevant date, attained the Level 5 Diploma in Leadership and Management for Residential Childcare (England) (“the Level 5 Diploma”). (Regulation 28 (1)(b)(i)(2)(c)(i)) 04/05/2020

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children living in this home are settled, happy and making progress. Staff are skilled at supporting children to manage their emotions and this has a positive impact on children’s behaviour. Children learn to appropriately respond to different situations and challenges that they face. Some children return to live with their families due to the positive support that they receive from staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

All children attend full-time education. They have good attendance and engage in lessons when they are there. Some children are now able to travel on their own to and from school because they have developed their independence skills.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support children’s health needs. Children attend all primary health appointments and are generally in good health. Staff support and encourage children to have a healthy lifestyle, and promote healthy eating.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff carry out regular keywork sessions with children. These are interactive and child- Inspection report children‟s home: SC020545 4 focused, and help children to reflect on their life experiences. Staff prepare children for the future; they talk about new experiences and the challenges that children may face in life. Staff talk to children about important subjects including racism, puberty, gender identity and self-injurious behaviour. This supports children to understand important issues and make good progress.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s bedrooms are personalised and nicely decorated. Communal areas are homely and comfortable. The registered manager also has a plan to refurbish other areas of the home. Children have access to all areas of the home with minimal restrictions. However, children have alarms on their bedroom doors at night. This is standard practice regardless of the needs of the individual child. The registered manager has not considered whether these can be removed as children make progress and their risks decrease.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The registered manager ensures that children know what to expect before they move into the home. If they cannot visit before moving in, children are sent a children’s guide that tells them about the home. One child told the inspector that this was helpful.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Since the last full inspection, two children have moved out of the home. One move was planned and the other unplanned. Overall, the home is settled. Therefore, children build positive relationships with each other.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have positive experiences. They attend a range of activities and go on holiday. They also develop positive and trusting relationships with staff.

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

Children are safe and feel safe. Children do not go missing. However, staff know what to do should this occur, and clear protocols are in place.

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

The registered manager and staff act swiftly whenever there are safeguarding concerns. The registered manager completes investigations thoroughly. She assesses the evidence gathered until she is satisfied that any potential risks have been reduced. This keeps children safe.

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

Staff are skilled and are trained to recognise and reduce the risks of self-injurious behaviours. Staff understand children’s needs and support them well. Consequently, there has been a reduction in the severity and frequency of incidents when children harm themselves.

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

Staff proactively discuss bullying. The home has two staff members who are ‘bully busters’. They regularly talk to children about bullying and whether they are experiencing bullying inside or out of the home. This allows any issues to be identified before they escalate. Children know who they can talk to and feel confident that they will be supported.

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

Staff only use physical interventions as a last resort, and to keep children and staff safe. Inspection report children‟s home: SC020545 5 The registered manager has a good overview of any restraints that do take place. The registered manager holds debriefs with staff and children to reflect on incidents. This reduces the likelihood of these incidents happening again.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has been registered with Ofsted since October 2019. She is an experienced registered manager and is in the process of completing the required qualification. This has taken longer than expected and therefore she has not completed it within the required three-year time frame. This does not detract from her excellent management skills.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager knows the children well and understands the children’s starting points. She is very proud of the children and the progress that they make. The registered manager has a relatively stable staff team. There is little use of agency staff. This provides children with consistent care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager is supportive of the staff team. Staff have regular supervision and yearly appraisals. This helps them feel supported and promotes their development and practice. Staff are positive about the home and the registered manager. Staff told the inspector that they feel ‘part of a family’.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff training is good and up to date. The registered manager has sent staff to external training on attachment and trauma. This is because the registered manager recognises the importance of staff having this knowledge in order to help them meet the children’s needs and provide a nurturing and caring environment.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager has developed excellent relationships with children’s families and with professionals. She regularly shares information and ensures that everyone works together to provide children with consistent and positive messages. The registered manager is a good advocate for children and continually champions what is in their best interests.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager’s monitoring systems are effective. She appropriately delegates tasks to staff so that they understand how the home runs. The registered manager has excellent oversight of the home and understands the strengths and areas for development.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager regularly consults with children to gain their views, and takes them into account. Children know how to complain, and any complaints are appropriately reviewed. As such, children feel listened to and valued.

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Information about this inspection

Inspection report children‟s home: SC020545 6 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’.

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Children’s home details

Inspection report children‟s home: SC020545 7 Unique reference number: SC020545

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Castle Homes Care Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Fifth Floor, 80 Hammersmith Road, London W14 8UD

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Inspector

Lisa O’Donovan, social care inspector Inspection report children‟s home: SC020545 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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