Children's Home run by United Children's Services Limited in Leicestershire

Assurance visit report: SC489036 1 SC489036

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Information about this children’s home

This is a privately owned children’s home. It is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to six children and young people who have emotional, behavioural and social difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

There is an experienced manager leading this home who is not yet registered with Ofsted.

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Information about this children’s home

Previous inspection date: 6 January 2020

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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:  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: SC489036 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 receive nurturing and well-planned care from staff who understand the children’s needs well. The home is beautifully decorated and comfortable. Children enjoy their home and are proud to live there.

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The care of children

The manager and staff promote children’s education. Children attend school regularly and they are making progress. Staff use incentives to good effect in promoting education because they know how important this is for the children’s future. The manager has developed a positive and educationally focused culture where educational attendance and attainment are fundamentally important.

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The care of children

Staff complete key-work sessions with children that are purposeful and engaging and focus on important issues in children’s lives.

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The care of children

Children are helped to develop caring and fun relationships with each other. There is an atmosphere of warmth, understanding and encouragement. Staff demonstrate an authentic commitment to children, which helps children feel safe, secure and develops good bonds between them and staff.

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The care of children

The manager has challenged some entrenched care practices in the staff team and implemented the changes required to provide children with more consistent care. Staff have responded positively to this fresh approach. Staff present as motivated and they enjoy spending time with children and helping them make good progress.

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The safety of children

Children have not always had their safety ensured during video conversations with family members. Children have been exposed to risk because staff have not always been aware when and where conversations have taken place. Managers and staff need to exercise greater oversight to ensure that children are safeguarded during these conversations.

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The safety of children

Children have become safer through the care they receive in the home. For example, some children at risk of going missing have reduced this behaviour significantly since being at the home.

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The safety of children

The manager and staff remain vigilant about risks arising from the location of the home. They have a good understanding of risk to young people in the surrounding area and act swiftly when needed to safeguard children.

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The safety of children

Staff have had training in safeguarding children, such as child sexual exploitation. This has given them the knowledge, skills and confidence to take effective action to Assurance visit report: SC489036 3 manage and reduce risk. Staff knowledge and skills would be further enhanced with training in child criminal exploitation.

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The safety of children

Children benefit from a warm family atmosphere and being able to confide and develop trusting relationships with staff. This has led to staff being able to de- escalate potentially aggressive situations quickly, effectively and sensitively without the need to restrain children.

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Leaders and managers

The manager is not yet registered with Ofsted. She has been in her position since May 2020, and therefore has taken too long to progress her registration. This is a serious shortfall. The manager is enrolled on the required qualification for residential managers.

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Leaders and managers

The manager and staff team are relatively new and there has been a high turnover of staff. The manager has not implemented an effective workforce development plan to retain and enhance the staff team.

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Leaders and managers

The manager ensures that complaints made by children are acted on quickly and resolved. Additionally, the manager undertakes disciplinary action and follows procedures effectively when staff behaviour has fallen below acceptable standards.

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Leaders and managers

Children benefit from good staffing levels and there is now a low reliance on temporary staff. The manager is well supported by senior managers. Indeed, senior managers are visible and have developed meaningful relationships with children. Managers are aspirational for children and believe in children’s abilities to fulfil their potential.

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Leaders and managers

Staff report that they are well supported by management. Staff are motivated and focused to provide good care. Staff are well trained and have regular supervision. The manager values and promotes diversity and individuality in relation to the staff team. She knows that this provides children with a richer care experience and helps challenge some entrenched stereotypical views. Assurance visit report: SC489036 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 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

(b) that the home’s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm. (Regulation 12 (2)(1)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement relates to staff being aware of children’s safety when communicating with family and friends through video calls, via mobile phones. 18/11/2020

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Requirement Due date

The registered provider must appoint a person to manage the children’s home if—

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Requirement Due date

there is no registered manager in respect of the home. (Regulation 27(1)(a))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement is made to ensure that the manager seeks registration without delay. 18/11/2020

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Recommendations

 10.8 The registered person should have a workforce plan which can fulfil the workforce related requirements of regulation 16, schedule 1 (paragraphs 19 and 20) The plan should:  detail the necessary management and staffing structure, (including any staff commissioned to provide health and education), the experience and qualifications of staff currently working within the setting structure and any further training required for those staff, to enable the delivery of the home’s Statement of Purpose;  detail the processes and agreed timescales for staff to achieve induction, probation and any core training (such as safeguarding, health and safety and mandatory qualifications); Assurance visit report: SC489036 5  detail the process for managing and improving poor performance;  detail the process and timescales for supervision of practice (see regulation 33(4)(b)) and keep appropriate records for staff in the home.

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Recommendations

The plan should be updated to include any new training and qualifications completed by staff while working at the home, and used to record the ongoing training and continuing professional development needs of staff –including the home’s manager. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 53, paragraph 10.8)

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: United Children’s Services Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: The Old Coach House, Drinsey Nook, Lincoln, Lincolnshire LN1 2JJ

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Inspectors

Phillip Morris, Social Care Inspector Andi Lilley-Tams, Social Care Inspector Assurance visit report: SC489036 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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

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