Children's home run by Utopia Children’s Services Ltd

Inspection report children’s home: 1269072 1 Registered provider: Utopia Children’s 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

This home is owned by a private company that cares for up to three children, who have experienced adverse childhood experiences that have led to associated trauma and presenting complex behaviours.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager was registered with Ofsted in June 2018 and holds her level 5 diploma in leadership and management.

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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 outstanding

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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: 25 February 2019

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: sustained effectiveness

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: 1269072 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

25/02/2019 Interim Sustained effectiveness 26/06/2018 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: 1269072 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children make good progress from their starting points. For example, one child is now attending full-time school after a lengthy time of non-attendance. Another child is developing his independence skills and a third child no longer goes missing from care.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff help children to celebrate their beliefs. For example, children are able to follow their religious and spiritual faith.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s views are listened to and acted on. For example, children’s requests to do varied activities and their choice of holidays have all been honoured. The inspector heard fun stories of a recent visit to see a Christmas lorry. The children were giggling about this experience and were happy to share this new childhood memory.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Parents and professionals talk about the family feel to the home. One parent told the inspector that she felt supported by the staff and how the home is like ‘one big family’. The parent reflected on how being invited to the home for their child’s birthday tea had meant so much to her personally and for their child.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are an important part of the community in which they live. For example, they support neighbours in carrying out day-to-day jobs and check on them to ensure that they are safe and well.

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

The main strength of this home is that staff are extremely child-focused in their approach to care. As a result, children feel confident that they can share information with staff, even when they may have broken a house rule. One child told the inspector that she felt able to tell the staff ‘anything’. This open communication is helping children to stay safe.

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

Staff manage children’s behaviour effectively. This is because they understand the individual needs of each child. Staff can predict when behaviours are likely to escalate, and put in place strategies to help minimise the risk.

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

Excellent partnership working with professionals, such as the police, has helped to keep all children safe. Furthermore, staff are knowledgeable about who to contact when they have concerns regarding radicalisation and child sexual exploitation.

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

Safe recruitment practice helps to ensure that new members of staff are safely employed and that their fitness to work with children is confirmed. Inspection report children’s home: 1269072 4

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager has high expectations for children and her staff team. She is creative and drives continuous improvement in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Inspired by the registered manager, staff are consistently thinking of new ways to support the children in their care and to make a difference to the children’s lives. There is a clear culture of reflection and professional challenge. This has helped to drive and improve practice. A social worker told the inspector that his child ‘has made significant progress… and I feel that this is due to the excellent, consistent care that he receives.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff are well trained and receive bespoke training packages to help them to have a comprehensive understanding of each child’s risk factors and of how to keep them safe.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager and staff are inspirational, confident and ambitious for children, and they are influential in changing the lives of those in their care. For example, concerns are escalated, and the registered manager does not stop until she gets the desired outcome for the children in her care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Partnership working is highly effective. Information-sharing has been fundamental in keeping children safe.

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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: 1269072 5

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Utopia Children’s Services Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Hazlewoods, Windsor House, Bayshill Road, Cheltenham GL50 3AT

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Inspector

Louise Battersby, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: 1269072 6 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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