Children's home run by Semi-independent House Limited

Inspection report children’s home: 2510315 1 Registered provider: Semi-Independent House 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

A private organisation runs this home, which provides care for up to three children who have experienced trauma that has left them vulnerable. The manager has been registered with Ofsted since June 2019. This inspection is the first since the home’s registration in June 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: not applicable

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Good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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Recent inspection history

This was the first inspection of the home. Inspection report children’s home: 2510315 2

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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— helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and promotes their welfare. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to— ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child. (Regulation 13(1)(a)(b)(2)(c)) 06/03/2020

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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— 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). The requirements are that— 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)(d)) 31/01/2020

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Recommendations

 For children’s homes to be nurturing and supportive environments that meet the needs of their children, they will, in most cases, be homely, domestic environments. (‘Guide to children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9) Inspection report children’s home: 2510315 3 In particular, ensure that the children’s bedrooms are personalised and the communal area carpet is cleaned or replaced.  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. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.2) In particular, ensure that agency staff receive supervision in line with the home’s policy.

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Recommendations

 Regulation 45 sets out requirements for the registered person to have a system in place which allows them to monitor the matters set out in the regulation at least once every six months. (‘Guide to children’s homes regulations including quality standards’, page 64, paragraph 15.2)

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

This recently opened home provides care and support to children who have experienced trauma that has left them vulnerable. The staff have made sure that the children have a positive experience from the start of their stay. The children enjoy a diverse range of activities together. These include accessing the gym, ice skating, visiting trampoline parks and trips to museums and laser tag. These opportunities help the children to develop their friendships and extend their interests and hobbies. The staff have natural and warm interactions with the children, which help the children to feel at ease. The children regularly engage in household tasks and contribute to house meetings and key-worker sessions. As a result, the children begin to enhance their reflection and independence skills, which improves their self-esteem. The staff support the children to meet their education targets. Through effective communication, the staff work closely with schools and implement individual incentives

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

to support the children to return at times of behavioural difficulties. One child is increasing their engagement with a home tutor. Other children, who have experienced gaps in their education, have improved their attendance and attainment in education. When appropriate, the staff facilitate safe, managed contact between children and their families, which helps the children to develop relationships that will sustain them into adulthood. The staff understand family dynamics and build relationships with families, and use these experiences to enhance the children’s outcomes The home is spacious and well appointed to meet children’s recreational and leisure interests. However, the children’s bedrooms lack individualisation, colour and warmth and the carpet in the lounge is unkempt. This detracts from what is otherwise a welcoming and homely setting. Inspection report children’s home: 2510315 4

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

Risks have reduced significantly for the children. Children who were previously involved in risk-taking behaviours in the community and were subject to exploitation are now safer. Clear, individualised risk assessments are actively followed by staff. One child, who was previously involved in criminal activity, is no longer offending. Behaviour support strategies focus on positive reinforcement. The staff work proactively with children to engage in a programme of meaningful activities, reflection opportunities and independence building tasks. Individualised incentives and proportionate sanctions are used effectively. As a result, children who are at risk of engaging in high-risk anti- social behaviour have started to make progress from their starting points. Difficult incidents between children have been managed well. Effective reparation meetings have been implemented, which have enabled children to resolve their

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

differences. This helps the children to develop their understanding of other people’s emotions and improve their relationships with each other. There are clear safeguarding procedures in the home. An allegation made against a staff member was appropriately referred and is currently being investigated. Staff are aware of whistle-blowing procedures. The staff follow clear missing from home protocols. There has been one short episode of a child going missing since the home opened. The recruitment processes for permanent and agency staff do not meet requirements consistently. Necessary information is not clearly obtained or monitored. As a result, the processes do not sufficiently reduce the potential for unsuitable people to gain employment at the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The dedicated registered manager is committed to achieving positive outcomes for the children. She has the necessary experience in social care and arrangements are in place for her to undertake the required management qualification. Managerial monitoring is of good quality. The children’s records provide clear and detailed evidence of their participation and progress. The manager has clear oversight and produces comprehensive weekly reports to demonstrate this progress. The management team has established effective relationships with parents and professionals, who provided consistently good feedback about the strong lines of communication and their confidence in the positive impact that the home is having on the children. The staff said that they feel supported. There are regular, practice-based supervisions and detailed records for full-time staff. However, despite agency staff consistently working at the home, they do not receive the same level of support. This has not been

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

identified in the home’s workforce development plan. As a result, these staff members do not have the opportunity to develop and reflect on their practice. Not all staff have undertaken the training that the organisation has offered. Important Inspection report children’s home: 2510315 5 training such as safeguarding was not attained in a timely way by the staff. Furthermore, shortfalls in training such as understanding gang affiliation and county lines, and knife crime awareness, have not been fully attended. Given the children’s individual complex needs and the inexperience of some of the staff, this training deficit does not ensure that all staff have the necessary skills to understand the children’s increased vulnerabilities. External monitoring visits by an independent person provide a sufficient level of challenge to enhance practice. However, systems are not yet in place to undertake an internal quality of care review, despite the required time passing. This undermines the

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

manager’s ability to understand the strengths and areas of development of the home.

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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: 2510315 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Semi-Independent House Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 51 Ploverly, Peterborough PE4 6HZ

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Inspector

Mark Anderton, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: 2510315 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 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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