Children's Home run by HAVEN CARE GROUP LIMITED in Staffordshire

Assurance visit report: SC474179 1 SC474179

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Information about this children’s home

This privately owned home is registered to provide care for up to four children aged from eight to 18 years who have social and/or emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

Previous inspection date: 23 October 2019

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Information about this children’s home

Previous inspection judgement: Declined in effectiveness

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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:  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: SC474179 2

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The care of children

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, staff have actively promoted young people’s quality of life. Young people have benefited from living in a homely environment and receiving individual care and support. This child-centred approach has enabled trusting relationships to blossom.

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The care of children

Staff have supported young people to stay in touch with their families. They have promoted positive indirect contact at the height of the national lockdown, and, as the restrictions have been eased, have helped young people to physically see their families. As a result, the young people have been able to remain connected to their families.

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The care of children

Young people are encouraged to participate in house meetings and key-work sessions. They are confident that staff do listen to their views and opinions about how the home is run. For example, young people have asked for football nets and bikes for the home in a meeting. Following this meeting, the manager and staff made plans for these items to be purchased.

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The care of children

Despite the challenges of COVID-19, staff have continued to maintain good partnership working with essential services to help ensure that young people’s holistic care needs continue to be met. For example, staff have stayed in touch with the nurse for looked after children, schools, the virtual school, young people’s social workers, and child and adolescent services.

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The care of children

Staff have continued to promote young people’s education during the COVID-19 pandemic. For example, staff have helped one young person who was not accessing education to build up enough confidence to attend college. As a result, all young people are being supported to achieve their full educational potential.

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The care of children

As restrictions imposed by COVID-19 have been lifted, young people have been supported in engaging in varied activities. This has included going go-karting, fishing, going to the gym and enjoying walks in the local community.

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The care of children

Young people have also been helped to stay occupied at home, especially when the national lockdown was in place. Young people have benefited from having a games room that includes the latest console games, table football, and a computer to promote learning.

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The safety of children

Staff follow informed risk assessments and behaviour management plans in their support of young people. These plans help to ensure that staff have a range of strategies to help to support young people in managing their emotional needs. As a result, the young people feel safe. Assurance visit report: SC474179 3 The staff have a good understanding of the home’s missing-from-care protocols. When young people go missing from the home, staff follow these protocols and work in partnership with other agencies to ensure young people’s safe return.

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The safety of children

During the COVID-19 pandemic, staff have continued to have access to in-house training. Despite this training being mainly online, staff have been able to complete a number of courses. This learning opportunity has enabled staff to increase their knowledge, skills and competence in the residential childcare roles.

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The safety of children

However, managers have not picked up on gaps in members of staffs’ learning in areas of safeguarding. Furthermore, staff are not always well equipped to meet the needs of young people who have more complex needs. This leaves staff without the essential knowledge and skills to improve their safeguarding practice and to meet young people’s more individualised needs.

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Leaders and managers

The acting manager is implementing new systems to help him to improve his management oversight of the home, the staff and the care of the young people. These are in their infancy and the impact is yet untested.

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Leaders and managers

The acting manager is accessible to his staff and the young people and is committed to providing child-centered care.

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Leaders and managers

Staff support has not been compromised despite the challenges faced by COVID-19. Daily handovers and monthly team meetings have all been maintained. This level of support has enabled staff to seek advice and agree actions. However, the acting manager has not always ensured that staff have access to regular supervision and appraisals. This leaves a missed opportunity to help staff to seek constructive feedback on their practice and performance.

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Leaders and managers

The acting manager, at times, will accept new young people’s moves into the home before determining whether the match with the other young people already living at the home is right. As a result, the staff are not always able to fully meet the complex needs of all young people, which leads to placement instability.

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Leaders and managers

The acting manager acknowledges that the information provided in the regulation 44 visit report is not always helping him to improve practice in the home and the outcomes for young people.

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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. Assurance visit report: SC474179 4

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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; and

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Requirement Due date

have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home.

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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

that children are admitted to the home only if their needs are within the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the home is to provide care and accommodation, as set out in the home’s statement of purpose. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b)(2)(a)) 19/12/2020

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees—

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Requirement Due date

receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that the staff are supervised regularly in line with the home’s statement of purpose. 19/12/2020

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Requirement Due date

The independent person must produce a report about a visit ("the independent person’s report") which sets out, in particular, the independent person’s opinion as to whether—

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Requirement Due date

children are effectively safeguarded; and

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Requirement Due date

the conduct of the home promotes children’s well-being.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that the independent visitor justifies the rationale for expressing the opinion as detailed above when reviewing information about potential safeguarding matters. 19/12/2020

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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

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Requirement Due date

promotes their welfare. 19/12/2020 Assurance visit report: SC474179 5 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))

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Haven Care Group Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Haven Care Group Limited, First Floor, Unit 3 Barberry Court, Parkway, Centrum One Hundred, Burton-on-Trent DE14 2UE

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Children’s home details

Registered manager: Vacant, Acting Manager James Leneve-Roff

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Inspector

Noel Cooper, Social Care Inspector Assurance visit report: SC474179 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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