Children's Home run by Prestige Adolescent Care and Education Limited in Staffordshire

Assurance visit report: SC420876 1 SC420876

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Information about this children’s home

A small private provider runs this four-bedded children’s home. The home provides care for young people who have social and emotional difficulties and who may also have a learning disability. The company has its own therapeutic team.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager is suitably qualified and registered with Ofsted.

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Information about this children’s home

Previous inspection date: 11 February 2019

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Information about this children’s home

Previous inspection judgement: Outstanding

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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.

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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: SC420876 2

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The care of children

Staff support children to register with local health professionals when they move into the home and they ensure that children’s health needs are well met. For example, one child moved into the home during the COVID-19 national lockdown, but despite this the child has continued to receive appropriate medical treatment to enable them to maintain good health. Children lead active lifestyles and have regular discussions with the home’s therapist. As a result, children’s physical and emotional health needs are promoted.

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The care of children

All children continue to make progress with their learning. The manager works with local authorities and schools to support children’s education plans, taking into account children’s individual vulnerabilities to COVID-19. One child who has a health condition continued to learn from home with remote support from their teachers during the national lockdown. Staff understand the importance of education and relay this to the children. They encourage children to attend school and for one child this has led to an increase in his attendance to full time. Furthermore, this child is exceeding his education targets. Because of good staff support, children make measurable progress.

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The care of children

Staff help children to keep in touch with people who are important to them. During the COVID-19 pandemic, children have used technology to talk to and see their families. As government restrictions eased, children returned to seeing their families and friends face to face.

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The care of children

Children develop positive relationships with the staff and their peers. One young person who is preparing to leave said, ‘I will miss the staff and children.’ Positive relationships help children to build the foundations they need to be able to take their next steps.

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The safety of children

Staff support children to understand risks. The children have a good understanding of COVID-19 and know how to keep themselves safe when out in the community. In addition, they have developed good personal hygiene routines. As a result, the risk of contracting and spreading the virus is reduced.

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The safety of children

The manager ensures that children’s written plans provide staff with guidance on how to manage children’s behaviour effectively. Staff use the strategies outlined in these plans well. Occasionally, staff use physical intervention to prevent children from hurting themselves or other people. Physical intervention records lack clarity and detail, which makes it difficult to understand if the measure used was proportionate and safe. This is an area identified for improvement.

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The safety of children

Staff encourage children to engage in positive activities at home and in the community. Because children are happy at the home and motivated by the activities they do, they rarely go missing from the home. When such incidents happen, staff Assurance visit report: SC420876 3 know what to do to locate children and return them safely to the home. This reduces the risk of children coming to harm.

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The safety of children

Staff raise concerns appropriately when children are victims of discrimination. On one occasion, staff contacted a child’s school to challenge racial abuse. Action was taken by the teachers and the child’s experience improved. Children’s differences are celebrated by managers and staff and this helps children to develop a positive self- image.

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Leaders and managers

The manager has a clear vision for the home which is understood by staff, who work well together. Staff receive regular supervision. This provides them with the opportunity to discuss the children, reflect on practice, review development needs and raise any personal issues. This makes staff feel valued and helps them to provide consistent care to children.

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Leaders and managers

The children get on well together and are a good match. However, there was no evidence in the impact risk assessment of how the manager took matching considerations into account when new children came to live at the home. While there is no direct impact on children living at the home now, not fully considering how new children are likely to live alongside those already resident has the potential to unsettle the group dynamics in the future.

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Leaders and managers

The manager ensures that staff complete the training and qualifications relevant to their role. In addition, staff meetings take place on a regular basis and this promotes effective communication and a consistent approach to children’s care. Children are cared for by an experienced and knowledgeable staff team.

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Leaders and managers

Independent visitors maintained some external oversight of the home during the national lockdown that was imposed because of COVID-19. They did this by undertaking activities remotely, with the use of technology. Following the easing of restrictions, visits to the home are being reintroduced.

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Leaders and managers

The manager regularly reviews the COVID-19 risk assessment and ensures that this is implemented by staff. Visitors are required to complete a COVID-19 questionnaire, agree to sharing track and trace details, sanitise their hands and wear a face covering while in the home. This reduces the risk of staff, children and visitors contracting or spreading the virus.

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Recommendations

 Records of restraint must be kept and should enable the registered person and staff to review the use of control, discipline and restraint to identify effective practice and respond promptly where any issues or trends of concern emerge. The review should provide the opportunity for amending practice to ensure it Assurance visit report: SC420876 4 meets the needs of each child. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 49, paragraph 9.59)  The registered person should only accept placements for children where they are satisfied that the home can respond effectively to the child’s assessed needs as recorded in the child’s relevant plans and where they have fully considered the impact that the placement will have on the existing group of children. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 56, paragraph 11.4’)

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Prestige Adolescent Care and Education Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 90 King Street, Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire ST5 1JB

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Inspector

Helen Malanaphy, Social Care Inspector Assurance visit report: SC420876 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.

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Inspector

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