Children's home run by Care Haven (UK) Limited in Stockport

Assurance visit report: SC483828 1 SC483828

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Information about this children’s home

The home is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to five children who may have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. The home is privately run and managed.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in May 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:

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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: SC483828 2

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The care of children

Young people develop positive and trusting relationships with the staff. Young people said they felt that they could talk to the staff about anything and that they would help them. Staff take the time to get to know young people who are new to the home and help them to feel settled.

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The care of children

During the visit, one young person who has recently left the home to move in with family, rang to speak to the staff and young people. Staff were delighted to talk to them, and the young person insisted on speaking with everyone to tell them what was happening. This positive move was well supported by the home staff, working closely with the social worker, the young person and their family.

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The care of children

Young people’s education is supported well. The staff are very aware of the barriers to young people’s learning, especially for those who have been out of school for some considerable time. Staff work in partnership with schools to secure the right timetable for each young person.

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The care of children

There have been concerns for some young people around their emotional health and well-being during the pandemic. Staff worked well with healthcare professionals to ensure that all young people received the right help and support. One young person said that it had been hard for them, but that they were ‘ok’ now.

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The care of children

Young people have been able to keep in touch with those friends and family who are important to them. This has reassured them that their families are safe. Staff said that the young people have struggled with the restrictions, but in general terms have adhered to them.

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The safety of children

Young people confirm that they feel safe and are able to speak with staff about their worries and fears. Staff help young people to learn about aspects of personal safety through regular direct work. Young people are safer due to the care and support they receive.

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The safety of children

Staff are well versed in the risks associated with each young person and take steps to reduce these. However, this is not recorded effectively in the young people’s plans.

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The safety of children

Young people are occasionally reported as being missing from the home, but these events are generally late returns. Staff talk to the young people about these incidents and what they can do to support them. Careful adjustments to curfew timings mean that young people comply and feel involved in setting their boundaries. Assurance visit report: SC483828 3 Staff understand young people’s behaviours and why these might occur. The skill of staff in de-escalating challenging situations is demonstrated by the reduction in the number of physical interventions.

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The safety of children

The home has again sustained substantial damage. The manager and staff work hard to ensure that the repairs and decorating are carried out quickly. However, this is detracting from the homely environment that staff are striving to maintain.

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Leaders and managers

The home is led by a qualified manager, who took up the post in March 2020. He has been absent for a few months and the home’s area manager is overseeing the home. The manager had begun to look at the changes needed in the home following the last inspection, however, this progress has been hindered by the COVID-19 pandemic and his unforeseen absence.

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Leaders and managers

Records and documentation do not reflect the diverse needs of the young people and are not routinely updated following specific incidents. This relates to risk assessments, care plans and health care plans, which means that some recorded data is out of date. However, the impact of this on young people is reduced, as staff have a good understanding of each young person’s needs and the plans in place to support them.

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Leaders and managers

The home was overseen by suitable temporary management cover during the registered manager’s absence. While this arrangement supported the day-to-day practice in the home, there were some slight gaps in the monitoring of young people’s records. This shortfall is not having a negative impact on the young people’s progress.

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Leaders and managers

Professionals are complimentary about the home and staff practice. Staff are well supported by the manager and area manager and have addressed some challenges in the last months during the COVID-pandemic. Staff training and support are consistent and the team is clear regarding the steps required to move the home forward.

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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 registered person must maintain records ("case records") for each child which— 18/12/2020 Assurance visit report: SC483828 4 include the information and documents listed in Schedule 3 in relation to each child; are kept up to date; and are signed and dated by the author of each entry. (Regulation 36 (1)(a)(b)(c)) With particular reference to health care plans and risk management records relating to the care, protection and safety of the child.

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Recommendations

 For children’s homes to be nurturing and supportive environments that meet the needs of their children, they will, in most cases, be homely, domestic environments. Children’s homes must comply with relevant health and safety legislation and should seek as far as possible to maintain a domestic rather than ‘institutional’ impression. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9). In particular, that the home is maintained to a good standard.  Staff should be familiar with the home’s policies on record keeping and understand the importance of careful, objective and clear recording. Information about the child should always be recorded in a way that will be helpful to the child. The home’s records represent a significant contribution to their life history. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraphs 14.4, 14.5)

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Care Haven (UK) Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Westminster House, 10 Westminster Road, Macclesfield, Cheshire SK10 1BX

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Patricia Swallow

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Inspector

Chris Scully, Social Care Inspector Assurance visit report: SC483828 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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