Children's Home run by Capstone Care Provider Limited in Nottinghamshire

Assurance visit report: SC392712 1 SC392712

p.1

Information about this children’s home

This home offers care for up to three children and young people with social and emotional difficulties. The home is owned by a private company.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The registered manager has been in post since 2012 and is appropriately qualified.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

Previous inspection date: 4 February 2020

p.1

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).

p.1

Information about this visit

At these visits, inspectors evaluate the extent to which:

p.1

Information about this visit

 children are well cared for  children are safe  leaders and managers are exercising strong leadership. This visit was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000, following the published guidance for assurance visits.

p.1

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.

p.1

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: SC392712 2

p.1

The care of children

Staff provide consistent and nurturing care and clearly understand the needs of individual young people. Staff and young people have formed strong relationships, and young people get on well with each other.

p.2

The care of children

Several improvements to the decoration in the home mean that the home now provides a nurturing, calm environment. This is respected and valued by young people, resulting in a significant decrease in damage.

p.2

The care of children

Young people have continued to make progress with their education despite lockdown restrictions. One young person has spent several months completing a range of online training courses, such as safeguarding, first aid, mental health and food hygiene. This helps her in applying for work experience and jobs as she prepares for independence and moving into her own accommodation. The manager has worked closely with a local school to ensure that a young person receives additional support, for example peer mentoring. This has enabled him to return to school.

p.2

The care of children

Young people continue to keep in touch with their families. Staff have enabled families, especially siblings, to communicate during times of lockdown and social distancing. Young people have enjoyed meeting some family members for the very first time, and others have enjoyed spending a night with family.

p.2

The care of children

Staff ensure that young people attend health appointments. They continue to seek professional advice from the child and adolescent mental health team. Staff also support young people to express their feelings and talk through any issues. This has been particularly effective in reducing anxiety for one young person preparing to move on from the home.

p.2

The safety of children

Staff understand how to manage risk to keep young people as safe as possible. They work with young people to help them understand how to keep themselves safe.

p.2

The safety of children

There has been a significant decrease in incidents of young people going missing from the home. Excellent multi-agency work, sharing of intelligence, staff training, and proactive work with young people, has not only reduced the number of incidents, but resulted in a decrease of the associated risks of child sexual exploitation. Stakeholders referred to staff as ‘never giving up’ when it comes to keeping young people safe.

p.2

The safety of children

Staff provide a consistent approach to managing poor behaviour. This is reinforced through regular debriefs, team-based scenarios and team meetings. As a result, incidents such as aggression and damage have reduced. Assurance visit report: SC392712 3

p.2

Leaders and managers

The registered manager has been in post for several years. He provides strong leadership to a committed staff team. Staff clearly understand their roles and responsibilities, and increasingly make appropriate decisions without needing to defer to the manager.

p.3

Leaders and managers

The manager has effectively steered the home through the recent pandemic and restrictions imposed. As restrictions continue to change, he ensures all decision- making is with the best interests of young people at its heart.

p.3

Leaders and managers

Staff and leaders work effectively in partnership with a range of agencies. As a result, young people are safer and make progress in all areas of their lives.

p.3

Leaders and managers

Staff feel supported. They continually review their practice through team meetings and individual supervision. They access a wide range of training to help them meet the needs of young people and keep them safe.

p.3

Leaders and managers

The monitoring of the home by the manager includes reference to the mechanisms used to ascertain the views and feelings of young people and their families. However, it lacks any detail of impact this has on improving the quality of care. This is a repeated requirement. The independent visitor does not always speak with young people or stakeholders and therefore it is difficult to understand the views of others about the home and care provided. The home has undergone significant decoration and maintence. This was a recommendation at the last inspection.

p.3

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.

p.3

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—

p.3

Requirement Due date

the quality of care provided for children;

p.3

Requirement Due date

the feedback and opinions of children about the children’s home, its facilities and the quality of care they receive in it; and 30/11/2020 Assurance visit report: SC392712 4 The system referred to in paragraph (2) must provide for ascertaining and considering the opinions of children, their parents, placing authorities and staff.

p.3

Recommendations

 The independent person must make a rigorous assessment of the home’s arrangements. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations including the quality standards’, page 65, paragraph 15.5) This should include regularly seeking the views of young people and other stakeholders.

p.4

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Capstone Care Provider Limited

p.4

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: The Renewal Trust Business Centre, 3 Hawksworth Street, Nottingham NG3 2EG

p.4

Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Trevor Edinborough

p.4

Inspector

Judith Longden, Social Care Inspector Assurance visit report: SC392712 5 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.

p.4

Inspector

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.5

Inspector

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.5

Inspector

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.5

Inspector

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.5