Children's home run by Unity Residential Care Services Limited in Newcastle-under-Lyme

Inspection report children’s home: SC469761 1 SC469761 Registered provider: Unity Residential Care Services 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

The home is registered to provide care for up to three children who present with complex behaviours because of their early childhood experiences. The home is operated by a private provider.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager resigned from the home in July 2019. A new manager has been appointed. He is suitably qualified and his application to register with Ofsted is being processed.

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Information about this children’s home

Inspection dates: 10 to 11 December 2019

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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requires improvement to be good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

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requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The children’s home is not yet delivering good help and care for children and young people. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

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requires improvement to be good

Date of last inspection: 20 November 2018

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC469761 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

20/11/2018 Full Good 28/02/2018 Full Good 01/02/2017 Interim Improved effectiveness 12/07/2016 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: SC469761 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 quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children and use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to understand and apply the home’s statement of purpose; ensure that staff protect and promote each child’s welfare; provide personalised care that meets each child’s needs, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans, taking account of the child’s background. (Regulation 6(1)(a)(b)(2)(a)(b)(ii)(iv)) 31/01/2020

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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 help each child to achieve the child’s education and training targets, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans and that each child has access to appropriate equipment, facilities and resources to support the child’s learning. (Regulation 8(1)(2)(a)(b)) 31/01/2020

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Requirement Due date

The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and promotes their welfare.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to lead and manage the home in a way that is consistent with the approach and ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set out in the home’s statement of purpose. (Regulation 13(1)(a)(b)(2)(a)) 31/01/2020

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there. A notification made under 31/01/2020 Inspection report children’s home: SC469761 4 this regulation must include any actions taken by the registered person as a result of the matter and must be made or confirmed in writing. (Regulation 40(4)(c)(5)(a)(iii)(b))

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Recommendations

 Ensure that young people live in an environment which meets their basic day to day needs. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.7)

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Recommendations

In particular, ensure that children’s bedrooms and the flooring in the bathrooms are suitable and create a homely, nurturing environment.

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improvement to be good

Children are beginning to build relationships with staff. They receive affectionate and nurturing care. This helps children to settle and develop a sense of belonging. As a result, children make progress in some areas. Staff have not consistently offered the necessary support to enable children to thrive educationally. For example, school staff informed the inspector that children have on occasions been late for school. Additionally, children have attended school without the necessary equipment. This is improving, and staff are now ensuring that children have a structured routine in the morning and that they are adequately prepared for the school day. On a more positive note, the manager has successfully advocated for one child to have a modified timetable. His efforts have ensured that a child who is struggling with school has a bespoke education package to better meet her individual needs. Staff encourage and facilitate contact between children and their families, so children do

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improvement to be good

not feel isolated. Staff understand the impact and anxiety that visits to see family can cause children. They ensure that appropriate support is in place during these times. On occasions, professionals have raised concerns about how staff support children to maintain good hygiene. A social worker told the inspector, ‘We have had concerns about basic care. This is beginning to improve but needs to be maintained.’ Since the last inspection, there has been a complete change in the staff and management team. This high staff turnover has been unsettling for children and has had an impact on the quality of individualised care that they receive. Some areas of the home environment require improvement. Children’s bedrooms look tired, and some furniture is broken. This does not reflect a good quality of care and does not help children to invest in their home or feel valued. Inspection report children’s home: SC469761 5

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improvement to be good

Staff ensure that children are supported to participate in some positive activities. For example, children have enjoyed a holiday to Wales, been to the beach and been on walks. Children have also been involved in celebrations in the home.

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

Children feel safe and do not go missing. Staff have managed minor incidents of bullying sensitively, and effective work is undertaken with children. This helps children to learn about what behaviour is acceptable and what is not. The manager and staff are clear about their roles and responsibilities to safeguard children. They work in partnership with other agencies. When necessary, the manager will advocate on a child’s behalf and challenge others to ensure that children receive the services that they need. During times of crisis, children have made allegations against members of staff. These have been investigated promptly and strategies put in place to keep children and staff safe. Managers regularly review and update children’s risk assessments. These documents help staff to recognise triggers to children’s behaviours. They provide staff with clear guidance about how to reduce the risk of children harming themselves or others. Staff

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

encourage children to identify their own strategies to help them to manage their behaviours and frustrations. Consequently, children start to understand their emotions and make better choices about their behaviour. Staff sometimes need to use restraint to manage children’s aggressive, challenging or harmful behaviours. Managers have undertaken a thorough review of the home’s behaviour management practice. The learning from this review is starting to have a positive impact on children and has led to fewer incidents in the home.

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

The manager has not always ensured that care is being delivered as detailed within the home’s statement of purpose. In particular, staff are not consistently ensuring that children’s basic needs are met. The manager is new to the role and has concentrated his efforts on improving children’s safety. However, this has at times compromised his focus on the quality of basic care that children receive. Staff have positive working relationships with some other professionals. These relationships result in a coordinated approach which helps children to make progress. However, feedback from professionals is not consistently positive. Senior managers within the organisation have not always updated the regulator about the outcome of investigations. This prevents Ofsted from having up-to-date and accurate information about the home. Staff feel well supported by the manager and receive regular supervision. Staff are either

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

appropriately qualified or are in the process of becoming qualified. They are motivated Inspection report children’s home: SC469761 6 by the manager, who is looking at ways to develop their skills and improve children’s outcomes.

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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: SC469761 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Unity Residential Care Services Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 98 Lancaster Road, Newcastle Under Lyme ST5 1DS

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Inspector

Annemarie Parker, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC469761 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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