Children's home run by Happy Group (UK) Limited

Inspection report children’s home: 1236625 1 Registered provider: Happy Group (UK) 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 and accommodation for up to three children who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The home is operated by a private provider.

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Information about this children’s home

Inspection dates: 18 to 19 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 requires improvement to be 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: 29 October 2019

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: inadequate

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: None Inspection report children’s home: 1236625 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

29/10/2019 Full Inadequate 07/11/2018 Full Good 28/11/2017 Full Good 24/01/2017 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: 1236625 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 leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that—

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Requirement Due date

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—

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Requirement Due date

understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b)(2)(f)) 03/02/2020

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety. The registered person may only—

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Requirement Due date

employ an individual to work at the children’s home; or if an individual is employed by a person other than the registered person to work at the home in a position in which the individual may have regular contact with children, allow that individual to work at the home, if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3).

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Requirement Due date

the individual is of integrity and good character;

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Requirement Due date

the individual has the appropriate experience, qualification and skills for the work that the individual is to perform;

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Requirement Due date

the individual is mentally and physically fit for the purposes of the work that the individual is to perform; and 03/02/2020 Inspection report children’s home: 1236625 4 full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2. (Regulation 32 (1)(2)(a)(b)(3)(a)(b)(c)(d))

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improvement to be good

Ofsted inspected the home on 28 and 29 October and identified significant weaknesses in the management of risks to children. It was also identified that staff and managers were not adhering to child protection procedures and that there was poor oversight of practice by managers.

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improvement to be good

The home has now improved and is taking the necessary steps to achieve consistently good standards of care. There are better and more established routines for children. Staff use a range of tools, such as daily planners and incentives, to support good routines. A child has been helped to improve their sleep routines. Children are better supported to attend and participate in education.

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improvement to be good

Staff have improved the way they engage with children who have a part-time education timetable. A better and more structured range of activities is provided when children are not at school.

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improvement to be good

One child has been admitted to hospital since the last inspection and has not been resident in the home for a number of weeks prior to this inspection. There is a good outreach plan in place for this child, which means that staff are maintaining relationships with the child and are consulting daily with health staff about the child’s progress, needs and rights.

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improvement to be good

Practice is improving in relation to the way that staff listen to and respond to children’s views. Staff have carried out individual sessions with children to address specific issues. For example, staff have introduced strategies to support a child to manage their anxiety and to improve their sleep routines. Staff have found creative ways to ensure that children have opportunities to express any concerns. For example, one child has a ‘dialogue’ book for when they prefer to leave messages for staff rather than speak to them directly.

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improvement to be good

Staff have received additional training and supervision to address shortfalls in practice identified at the last inspection. They have also participated in discussions during team Inspection report children’s home: 1236625 5 meetings. As a result, staff have a better understanding of child protection procedures and policies.

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improvement to be good

Since the last inspection, there have been a small number of incidents during which children have gone missing, displayed challenging behaviours, or placed themselves at risk. Staff have managed these incidents well. They have carefully adhered to risk assessment and behaviour management plans.

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improvement to be good

There is also improved management oversight of safeguarding issues. Managers have reviewed all incidents to enable reflection and learning. Risk assessments and care plans have been amended appropriately following incidents.

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improvement to be good

Staff are now intervening more confidently to de-escalate concerning behaviours. This has prevented harm and prevented serious damage to the home. Improvement in this area has been supported by planned discussions between staff and managers as part of shift planning. Effective debrief sessions also allow staff to reflect on what has gone well and embed good practice.

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improvement to be good

Children’s views are consistently sought and listened to following any safeguarding incident. Concerns, complaints and allegations have been responded to appropriately and in line with child protection procedures. To embed improvements in safeguarding practice, the whole team is receiving training early in 2020 about the allegations process, the role of the local authority designated officer and safe care.

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improvement to be good

A review of recruitment records has identified a lack of rigour in respect of following up a gap in information about one member of staff. This is not attributable to the current home manager and is being addressed by senior managers.

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

A new home manager was appointed and had just started in post at the point of the previous inspection. This manager is applying to be the registered manager. He is experienced and is completing an appropriate management qualification.

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

All necessary steps are being taken to ensure that the quality of management reaches a good standard as quickly as possible. However, improvement is still required. A requirement set at the last inspection, relating to leaders’ understanding of the impact that the care provided in the home is having on the progress and experience of children, is still pertinent.

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

Since the previous inspection, there has been a review of quality assurance mechanisms. A new, experienced independent visitor has been appointed. There is rigorous management oversight of safeguarding concerns. This includes good consultation with placing social workers and with agencies such as the police and the youth offending service. Managers have informed Ofsted and other partner agencies appropriately of any notifiable events. Inspection report children’s home: 1236625 6 Managers have introduced daily and weekly checklists. These support them to monitor the quality of record-keeping. Records are now consistently reviewed by managers and any shortfalls are addressed.

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

The home manager has a realistic view of the home’s strengths and areas for development. He has demonstrated that he is aspirational for children. Expectations of the quality of children’s daily experiences are higher. This has led to improvements in children’s routines and better staff responses to health and education needs.

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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: 1236625 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Happy Group (UK) Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: West Walk House, 99 Princess Road East, Leicester LE1 7LF

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Inspector

Cathey Moriarty, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: 1236625 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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