Children's Home run by Positive Outcomes Childcare Ltd in Dudley

Assurance visit report: SC483958 1 SC483958

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Information about this children’s home

A private company operates this home. It is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to three young people who may have social and/or emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager has been in post since December 2019.

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Information about this children’s home

Previous inspection judgement: Requires improvement to be good

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Information about this visit

Due to COVID-19 (coronavirus), Ofsted suspended all routine inspections in March 2020. As part of a phased return to routine inspection, we are undertaking assurance visits to children’s social care services that are inspected under the social care common inspection framework (SCCIF).

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Information about this visit

At these visits, inspectors evaluate the extent to which:

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Information about this visit

 children are well cared for  children are safe  leaders and managers are exercising strong leadership.

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Information about this visit

This visit was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000, following the published guidance for assurance visits.

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Information about this visit

Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education, Children’s Services and Skills is leading Ofsted’s work into how England’s social care system has delivered child-centred practice and care within the context of the restrictions placed on society during the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Findings from the visit

We did not identify any serious or widespread concerns in relation to the care or protection of children at this assurance visit. Assurance visit report: SC483958 2

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The care of children

Staff build positive relationships with young people. Young people feel supported and are settled in the home. Young people have their own pets.

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The care of children

The manager and staff have worked hard to support one young person back into mainstream schooling after several years in alternative provisions. Another young person is currently waiting for their educational provision to reopen. A third young person completed her barbering training at college, prior to leaving the home, to move on to semi-independence.

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The care of children

Young people have been supported by staff to understand the COVID-19 pandemic and the implications for them. Staff supported young people to keep in touch with family and friends when face-to-face visits could not take place due to restrictions.

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The care of children

Managers and staff understand the needs of the young people for whom they care. Young people like the staff team and are able to talk to staff.

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The care of children

One young person frequently declines meals at the home in favour of eating when visiting family. Managers and staff are not documenting when they offer the young person healthy meals. This means that staff do not know if the young person is eating enough food.

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The safety of children

Staff understand how to manage the young people’s risks. The two young people currently living in the home are settled and there are few incidents.

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The safety of children

Conflict between young people is addressed. Managers took proactive steps to move one young person on to semi-independent living, in a planned way, when the young person was having a negative impact on others living in the home.

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The safety of children

Risk assessments are in place and are up to date, and they provide staff with clear guidance on how to keep young people safe. Young people told the inspector that they feel safe.

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The safety of children

Staff understand the effects of being confined indoors during lockdown on young people’s behaviour. Staff have dealt effectively with the few incidents of challenging behaviour that have occurred.

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Leaders and managers

A core team of regular staff provides consistent care for young people. During the pandemic, staff worked additional shifts to ensure that they provided stability to the young people. Assurance visit report: SC483958 3 Staff feel supported by the managers and are passionate about their jobs and making a positive difference to young people in their care.

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Leaders and managers

Regular key working sessions take place. However, conversations are not linked to the young people’s care plans or key needs. This creates a missed opportunity for staff to have meaningful discussions with young people about their goals and targets.

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Leaders and managers

The quality of care review was not completed within timeframes and was not shared with Ofsted. This prevents Ofsted, as the regulator, from having an overview of the home.

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Leaders and managers

Two members of staff have not attained the level 3 diploma in residential childcare within timeframes. Staff have continued to complete work on this programme. However, there has been additional delay due to COVID-19 restrictions.

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Leaders and managers

Five requirements raised at the last inspection have been met. Two requirements were not met and have been reissued. One new requirement and one recommendation have been raised following this visit.

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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 health and well-being standard is that– the health and well-being needs of children are met;

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Requirement Due date

children receive advice, services and support in relation to their health and well-being; and

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Requirement Due date

children are helped to lead healthy lifestyles.

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Requirement Due date

This is in relation to ensuring that all young people are provided with a healthy and balanced diet. 11/11/2020

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Requirement Due date

For the purposes of paragraph (3)(b), an individual who works in the home in a care role has the appropriate qualification if, by the relevant date, the individual has attained the Level 3 Diploma for Residential Childcare (England) ("the Level 3 Diploma") 11/11/2020 Assurance visit report: SC483958 4 (Regulation 32 (4)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This is a repeated requirement. The registered person must complete a review of the quality of care provided for children ("a quality of care review") at least once every 6 months.

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Requirement Due date

In order to complete a quality of care review, the registered person must establish and maintain a system for monitoring, reviewing and evaluating–

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Requirement Due date

the quality of care provided for children the feedback and opinions of children about the children’s home, its facilities and the quality of care they receive in it; and any actions that the registered person considers necessary in order to improve or maintain the quality of care provided for children.

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Requirement Due date

After completing a quality of care review, the registered person must produce a written report about the quality of care review and the actions which the registered person intends to take as a result of the quality of care review ("the quality of care review report").

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must–supply to HMCI a copy of the quality of care review report within 28 days of the date on which the quality of care review is completed.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 45 (1)(2)(a)(b)(c)(3)(4)(a))

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Requirement Due date

This is a repeated requirement. 11/11/2020

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Recommendations

 Children should be encouraged by staff to see the home’s records as ‘living documents’ supporting them to view and contribute to the record in a way that reflects their voice on a regular basis. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 58, paragraph 11.19) Assurance visit report: SC483958 5

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Positive Outcomes Childcare Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Positive Outcomes Childcare Ltd, Suite 3 Churchill House Queen Street, Wellington, Telford, Shropshire TF1 1SN

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Inspector

Debbie Holder, Social Care Inspector Assurance visit report: SC483958 6 to 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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Inspector

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