Children's Home run by Kisimul Group Limited in Nottinghamshire

Inspection report children’s home: 1277726 1 Registered provider: Kisimul Group 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 privately run home offers care and accommodation for up to six young people with severe learning disabilities. The home was registered in July 2018.

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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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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

06/03/2019 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: 1277726 2

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Recommendations

 As outlined in 10.1, the registered person should plan staffing levels to ensure that they meet the needs of children and can respond flexibly to unexpected events or opportunities. Staffing structures should promote continuity of care from the child’s perspective. If children complain, or give a view on how the staffing structure could be improved to promote the best care for them, appropriate action should be taken. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 54, paragraph 10.15)  The registered person must have systems in place so that all staff, including the manager, receive supervision of their practice from an appropriately qualified and experienced professional, which allows them to reflect on their practice and the needs of the children assigned to their care. Professionally qualified staff employed by the home, e.g. teachers or social workers, should be provided with relevant professional

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Recommendations

or clinical supervision by an appropriately qualified and experienced professional. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.2)

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Since the last inspection, the home has experienced a significant amount of change in relation to staffing and management. Despite this, young people have continued to make progress from their starting points and are receiving good-quality, nurturing care.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is very well presented. It is a large building that has been designed well. There is plenty of space inside and outside for young people. The grounds are equipped with swings and a trampoline. The bedrooms are beautifully decorated, and each young person has an en-suite bathroom. This environment contributes to improved outcomes for young people.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people are supported to make progress in relation to their social and emotional health and well-being, and associated risk factors are reduced. Young people can experience new, positive activities. One young person has started to have regular visits and overnight stays with her parents in a hotel, to visit her brother at university. In addition, young people go out to restaurants and have other positive experiences in the community. In some instances, young people have not experienced these activities for a long time. Young people are supported sensitively to integrate and eventually enjoy and benefit from social experiences. Inspection report children’s home: 1277726 3 Young people have been reintroduced into full-time education, having had significant difficulties in their previous education placements. The home benefits from close and consistent working arrangements with education. This supports young people’s

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

education, while ensuring that the care element of the home is less structured for young people, is fun and relaxed.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff work hard to ensure that young people’s care is individualised, and staff avoid institutionalised care practices. There is evidence of this around the home and within young people’s communication plans. In addition, there is clear information about each young person’s communication style, and regular key-work sessions take place to support children to progress their communication. A staff member said: ‘My key aim is enabling these young people to be able to indicate yes or no, which gives them the avenue to make choices.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff have developed their practice in relation to celebrating diversity. This is now an integral and meaningful part of life for young people. Staff have sought the views of parents and have devised a yearly plan of recognising what is important for all young people. This ranges from music days, to family celebrations, to cultural and religious celebrations. This is person-centred and meaningful to the young people.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The service has struggled with staff stability and consistency. Staff have been required to work at another setting owned by the organisation and, consequently, young people have not always received continuity of care. Key, experienced staff at the home have worked hard to minimise the impact of this on the young people. However, the service is aware that it should seek to provide continuity of care.

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

Young people’s individual risks and needs are well understood. Staff know the young people’s triggers and there is detailed information regarding young people to help reduce risks. Staff support young people to take safe, well-managed risks. This is based on a good understanding of their individual needs, balanced with promoting young people’s integration and social development. The risk assessment process is now more succinct and there is clear information on known behaviours and what staff can do to reduce risks.

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

When safeguarding incidents occur, the manager has a good oversight of the actions taken. There is a whole staff team reflection, with clear lessons learned and actions identified moving forwards. Incidents of self-harm have reduced significantly for some young people.

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

Staff understand the importance of recognising young people’s trauma and past experiences. The manager is looking to source specialist therapeutic support to meet the needs of some young people at the home.

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

Staff understand safeguarding processes and report appropriately to other safeguarding agencies. Feedback from other agencies is that the acting manager has worked well with Inspection report children’s home: 1277726 4 other agencies in relation to safeguarding matters. There have been incidents that have led to thorough and detailed investigations by the provider.

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

Physical interventions are used infrequently within the home. This is due to the positive and established relationships that staff have with young people and a good level of understanding of their needs. When physical interventions do take place, there is appropriate management oversight. Physical interventions have reduced significantly for young people from their starting points.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The new acting manager has been in post for several months. She is experienced and knowledgeable. The manager has the appropriate qualifications and care experience to undertake her role and she has been proactive in identifying existing shortfalls within the service. She has driven change in a timely manner. The shortfalls identified at the last inspection have been addressed.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The acting manager has been proactive in engaging with the staff team and getting staff on board with driving the service forward. This has included workshops in which staff have been able to reflect on where the service has been and where they want to get to. There has been honest dialogue about staff morale. This is improving. The manager has gained the trust of the staff. A staff member said: ‘She is brilliant, a breath of fresh air.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has sought to secure additional staffing to enable the home to run smoothly and to be able to accommodate for contingency planning. This has seen an increase in staffing for the service. The acting manager is passionate about improving outcomes for young people in her care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The team leaders are very experienced and knowledgeable and are promoting a great deal of consistency and continuity for the young people. They are a key strength at this home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The recently appointed acting manager advocates well for young people and understands the importance of stability for them. The acting manager advocated well for a young person who was at risk of placement breakdown. Other agencies reported that she did all she could do to ensure stability for the young person. This has maintained the placement and the young person continues to make good progress.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Stakeholder feedback is positive. One parent said: ‘I am very well communicated with. My son is doing amazingly well and staff are really knowledgeable.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff reported feeling well supported and that they are able to report any issues of concern to the manager. Training has been strengthened, and staff receive regular training opportunities. There continues to be a focus on safeguarding and whistleblowing processes.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Due to the staff shortages, not all staff have received regular formal supervision. This Inspection report children’s home: 1277726 5 was particularly concerning, as one staff member had been involved in a significant incident.

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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: 1277726 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Kisimul School, The Old Vicarage High Street, Swinderby, Lincoln, Lincolnshire LN6 9LU

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Inspector

Bev Allison, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: 1277726 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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