Children's Home run by Unity Residential Care Services Limited in Staffordshire

Assurance visit report: SC447645 1 SC447645

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Information about this children’s home

A private provider runs this home and provides care and accommodation for up to four children who have experienced childhood instability, resulting in trauma and associated complex behaviours.

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Information about this children’s home

There has been no registered manager since February 2020. A new manager is in post and is currently registering with Ofsted.

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Information about this children’s home

On 23 July 2020, a monitoring visit was undertaken in response to information shared with Ofsted about the home. This visit raised concerns about the safety of children and the ability of staff to manage children’s complex needs.

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Information about this children’s home

As a result of that visit, Ofsted issued a notice of restriction of accommodation on 27 July 2020. This notice is due to expire on 18 October 2020. Further, Ofsted issued compliance notices under regulation 12 (The protection of children standard) and regulation 13 (The leadership and management standard).

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Information about this children’s home

On 3 August 2020, a second monitoring visit was undertaken. Ofsted assessed that the two compliance notices had been met. The notice of restriction of accommodation remained in place.

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Information about this children’s home

Previous inspection date: 29 October 2019

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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). Assurance visit report: SC447645 2 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.

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The care of children

Children say that they get on well with the staff and each other. Staff say that children are respectful and helpful. For example, one child did an act of kindness by giving tickets that she had won at an arcade to another child.

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The care of children

Staff have kept children occupied during lockdown. This has included activities such as baking and cooking. As a result, young people have enjoyed their time with staff and have developed new independence skills.

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The care of children

Children give feedback about the care they receive, and staff try and meet any requests that children make. Written response is provided to ensure that children know their views are important. Current themes and topics are openly discussed during key working and monthly meetings.

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The care of children

Children understand how to keep themselves safe during the COVID-19 pandemic. Staff ensure that prompt action is taken to seek medical attention if children show any signs or symptoms of COVID.

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The care of children

Staff have not always ensured that children have contact with their loved ones in line with care plans. Further, staff have not proactively liaised with children’s social workers to consider alternative arrangements for children to have contact with their families. The impact that this has had on children is not clear.

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The care of children

Staff work collaboratively with each other. However, in one instance, poor recording and communication between staff resulted in a child’s return to school in September being delayed by a day. Assurance visit report: SC447645 3 Children have access to the complaints procedure but have not made any complaints. However, the manager is currently investigating a complaint from an external source. The investigation is ongoing and has yet to conclude.

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The safety of children

Two children are currently living in the home. Due to staff vacancies, there is not yet enough staff to safely care for any other children. The notice of restriction of accommodation is still in place.

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The safety of children

Those children who currently live in the home appear to be safe. Staff take the right steps to protect children from harm.

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The safety of children

Staff have attended training to improve their skill and knowledge on how to manage children’s behaviours effectively. Further, staff have completed training on how to recognise and act on incidents of bullying. The manager has reviewed behaviour management plans to give staff clear guidance on how to look after children and keep them safe.

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The safety of children

Staff are increasingly becoming consistent with their approach to managing behaviour. Staff encourage children’s positive behaviour by using rewards and praise. Because of this, children follow the home’s rules and boundaries.

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The safety of children

Since the monitoring visit in August, children’s behaviours have been settled. This means that there have been no instances of children going missing or staff needing to use physical restraint.

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Leaders and managers

A new manager has been appointed and has been in post since 21 July 2020. She is suitably qualified and experienced. The manager has applied to Ofsted to be the registered manager.

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Leaders and managers

Monitoring of the home has improved and the manager has met all the requirements made at the last visit.

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Leaders and managers

Feedback from parents, young people and external professionals has been positive. They say that the new manager has embedded rules and boundaries so that children experience a stable and settled home environment. Assurance visit report: SC447645 4

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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

(a) helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and (b) 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

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b)(c)(d)) 16/10/20

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Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children—

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Requirement Due date

receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home; that, subject to regulation 22 (contact and access to communications), contact between each child and the child’s parents, relatives and friends, is promoted in accordance with the child’s relevant plans. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(d)) 16/10/2020

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Recommendations

 Ensure that staff are familiar with the home’s policies on record keeping and understand the importance of careful, objective, and clear recording. Staff should record information on individual children in a non-stigmatising way that distinguishes between fact, opinion and third-party information. Information about the child must always be recorded in a way that will be helpful to the child. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4) Assurance visit report: SC447645 5

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Unity Residential Care Services Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Belvoir Farmhouse, Woolsthorpe Road, Redmile, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire NG13 0GN

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Inspector

Michelle Spruce, Social Care Inspector Assurance visit report: SC447645 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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