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

Information about this children’s home

A private provider opened the children’s home in December 2019. The home provides care and accommodation for up to four children who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager, who opened the home, has now been promoted within the company and the post is, therefore, vacant. A new manager has been appointed, who has submitted his application for registration to Ofsted.

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Information about this children’s home

Previous inspection date: Not previously inspection

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Information about this children’s home

Previous inspection judgement: Not previously inspected

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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. Assurance visit report: 2562531 2

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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 live in a beautifully presented house and they have personalised their bedrooms. During COVID-19 lockdown and over the summer, the children enjoyed using the space within the large garden, particularly playing in the inflatable pool with slide.

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The care of children

The inspector observed children and staff interacting well. One parent confirmed this stating to the inspector, ‘It feels like we are all working together. He is 100% supported by staff.’ Staff encourage children by using motivational statements and humour to engage with them. Children talk with staff about the difficulties they are experiencing returning to school and planning family visits. This shows that children trust staff and understand that they will advocate for them.

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The care of children

Two children have returned to school this term, but they are finding the transition difficult. The children were attending meetings at school with staff during the inspection to discuss the challenges further. Schools confirm that staff work together with them to manage children’s behaviour and risk while also promoting the importance of education.

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The care of children

The manager ensures that staff provide good-quality care to meet children’s individual social, physical and mental health needs. This helps children to achieve their best possible outcomes. Children talk to staff about their difficulties and experiences. The manager has subsequently referred children to specialist services and the inspector observed one child engaging in an introductory session. This demonstrates how the manager considers children’s needs and explores the most appropriate resources available to help them.

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The care of children

Staff help children to maintain good physical and mental health by promoting a balanced diet, exercise, including trampolining and dog walking, and administration of prescribed medication. They take children to see medical practitioners when necessary and staff stayed overnight to support a child who was admitted to hospital.

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The care of children

Children have individual care plans which staff write, considering the principles of a therapeutic parenting model. These ensure children receive consistent and planned care. Staff use key-worker sessions to support children by exploring issues which are relevant to them, such as peer relationships. These help children to learn new skills to prevent escalation of their behaviour which may result in an incident or physical intervention.

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The care of children

The manager guides staff in managing challenging behaviour through natural consequences. One child shared her concern to the inspector that staff did not Assurance visit report: 2562531 3 sanction inappropriate behaviour. She expressed her disagreement that staff took children on activities which she viewed as a reward for inappropriate behaviour. The manager was unaware of this child’s concern as she has not previously questioned decisions made after an incident with staff. As a result, the manager has been unable to discuss the child’s complaint as it arose and provide her with reassurance that he is overseeing children’s individual care needs.

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The care of children

Staff use their skills to de-escalate, divert and then re-engage with children when possible. The inspector found evidence to confirm that staff address issues with children during key-worker sessions. Staff also update all relevant agencies, including the police, with a balanced report of the issue, how the child has turned their behaviour around and future areas of work.

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The care of children

The manager seeks additional services to improve opportunities, education and support for children. The fire safety officer is visiting the children at the home to complete fire safety work, following an incident during lockdown when they started a small fire on the drive.

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The care of children

Children are making progress from their starting points. One parent reported that her child is developing an understanding of his behaviour and calming down quicker. Children’s social workers reported children being more settled with less complaints and incidents than in previous placements.

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The safety of children

The manager has considered the needs of children already living in the home before new children have moved in. This has included seeking the views of children and one child helping staff to buy a welcome box for a new child.

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The safety of children

Despite this preparation, children have found it difficult to live alongside each other at times and their relationships with each other are not always positive. There has been one incident of bullying between children. The manager facilitated meetings following this incident with the children and their social workers. These helped to improve children’s understanding of each other and their relationship.

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The safety of children

In addition, children have been involved in physical and verbal altercations with each other when upset.

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The safety of children

At times, children have complained that they have been hurt when play fighting with each other. Staff have been unable to prevent children being hurt despite comprehensive risk assessments and guidance being in place.

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The safety of children

On occasion, children have also been aggressive towards staff and caused damage to property. Assurance visit report: 2562531 4 Support to staff from a psychotherapist, as outlined in the statement of purpose, is still being established. Staff receive internal debriefs but have not benefited from support from an appropriately qualified practitioner, which would help them to understand and manage the impact of caring for children with complex behaviours and emotions.

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The safety of children

Staff use their relationships with children to engage and de-escalate behaviour wherever possible. Staff, therefore, rarely hold children to keep themselves or others safe. Staff complete debriefs for children following a physical intervention. The debriefs are completed by staff rather than the manager, who, although he speaks to the child, does not record this in addition to the debrief. The manager, therefore, does not evidence that the child has had the opportunity to complain or speak with someone who has not been involved in the hold.

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The safety of children

The manager oversees comprehensive and dynamic risk assessments and monitors children’s safety. He meets with social workers to plan visits with family and friends as well as free time. These help children to stay safe. Social workers state that children are engaging in less risk-taking behaviours in the community and are, therefore, safer living in the home than they have been previously. The manager provides prompt and detailed information to the inspector when there are any concerns about children’s safety.

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Leaders and managers

The manager has worked in the home since it opened and has submitted his application for registration. The manager leads a full staff team and he is assisted by a trainee manager. Despite some staff changes in the initial months of operation, the staff provide consistent and child-focused care. This continued during the COVID-19 lockdown period and the manager has not had to employ agency workers in the home.

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Leaders and managers

The manager maintains high levels of oversight using tracking systems to monitor the care provided to children. He has written guides for staff, for example, to help them record key-worker sessions. This develops staff in their role and improves the quality of key-work sessions that children receive.

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Leaders and managers

The manager supports staff well and they receive regular supervision. The manager also facilitates team discussion following a significant event, such as a placement end. This helps staff reflect on the impact of the incident, evaluate lessons learned and improve their future practice. This will impact on the experience for children continuing to live in the home.

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Leaders and managers

The inspector spoke to police, social workers, schools and voluntary agencies, who all confirmed high levels of information sharing and communication from the manager. The manager maintains professional networks to help children stay safe and access the support that they need. Assurance visit report: 2562531 5 The manager has challenged placing local authorities when advocating for additional resources for children. This identifies how he re-assesses children’s individual needs when new and significant circumstances arise.

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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 positive relationships standard is that children are helped to develop, and to benefit from, relationships based on—

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Requirement Due date

an understanding about acceptable behaviour; and positive responses to other children and adults.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

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Requirement Due date

are provided with supervision and support to enable them to understand and manage their own feelings and responses to the behaviour and emotions of children, and to help children to do the same.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 11 (1)(a)(b)(c)(2)(x)) 09/10/2020

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Requirement Due date

The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

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Requirement Due date

manage relationships between children to prevent them from harming each other.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 12 (1)(2)(a)(iv)) 09/10/2020

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that— 09/10/2020 Assurance visit report: 2562531 6 within 48 hours of the use of the measure, the registered person, or a person who is authorised by the registered person to do so (“the authorised person”)—

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Requirement Due date

has spoken to the user about the measure; and

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Requirement Due date

within 5 days of the use of the measure, the registered person or the authorised person adds to the record confirmation that they have spoken to the child about the measure.

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Recommendations

 Staff should encourage children to share any concerns about their care or other matters as soon as they arise. Children must be able to take up issues or make a complaint with support and without any fear that this will result in any adverse consequences. Regulation 39 sets out the requirements on the registered person to have a complaints procedure. Children must be aware of this procedure and be reminded of it as necessary. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations including the quality standards’ April 2015, page 21, paragraph 4.3)

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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

Joanna Warburton, Social Care Inspector Assurance visit report: 2562531 7 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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