Children's home run by Unity Residential Care Services Limited

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2590342 1

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Unity Residential Care Services Limited

Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is operated by a private organisation and provides care and accommodation for up to three children or young people who may have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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This monitoring visit

This visit took place due to an increase in safeguarding notifications submitted to Ofsted. The purpose of the visit was to ensure that there are no serious and/or widespread failures in the protection and safeguarding of young people.

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This monitoring visit

The visit was a mixture of on-site and off-site activity. The inspector was able to speak to two young people during the visit. Professional feedback was obtained from social workers.

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This monitoring visit

The home provides a clean and tastefully decorated environment for young people to live comfortably. Young people said that they enjoy living at the home. They particularly like the hearty meals and their personalised bedrooms.

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This monitoring visit

Admissions to the home have been a combination of planned and emergency admissions. Some young people found this transition ‘scary’ and said how difficult it was to talk to complete strangers when they first arrived. Young people are now more able to build positive relationships with staff. Young people are now able to identify key staff members whom they can turn to if they are worried about something.

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This monitoring visit

Since opening in June, the home has seen several young people arrive and leave the home. Emergency placements have meant insufficient ‘settling-in’ time between admissions to the home. Lack of referral information from placing authorities at the point of referral, and additional scrutiny by the manager, has contributed to Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2590342 2 placements breaking down and ending for young people. Impact risk assessments are completed. However, bullying incidents have occurred due to inappropriate matching of some young people. A requirement has been made to address care planning and matching of placements.

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This monitoring visit

Not all notifications have been submitted to Ofsted within a reasonable timescale. The home is required to complete notifications of serious incidents to HMCI in a timely manner. A requirement has been made to address this matter.

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This monitoring visit

Staff follow their missing-from-care protocols and liaise with multi-agency safeguarding networks to ensure the safe return of young people. However, there is a lack of robust planning on how to keep young people safe. Young people do not fully understand the risk factors and/or have a clear understanding of how to keep safe.

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This monitoring visit

Young people are supported to explore their identity. However, in one young person’s case file there is confusion in recording of, and differentiation of, reference to he/she. The inspector felt it was difficult for professionals to interpret, and inevitably would have been difficult for the young person to feel confident and supported. A recommendation has been made to address recordings around identity and for the staff to be child centred in their approach.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2590342 3

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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, the 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 notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if— an incident requiring police involvement occurs in relation to a child which the registered person considers to be serious; there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there; a child protection enquiry involving a child — is instigated; or concludes (in which case, the notification must include the outcome of the child protection enquiry); or there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40 (4)(b)(c)(d)(i)(ii)(e)) 31 January 2021

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Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children— receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home; and have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— 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; that arrangements are in place to— ensure the effective induction of each child into the home; manage and review the placement of each child in the home; and that each child’s relevant plans are followed. 31 January 2021 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2590342 4 Receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home. (Regulation 14 (1)(a) (2)(a)(b)(i)(ii)(c)) This specifically relates to impact assessments, and effective

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Requirement Due date

care planning for those children who are frequently missing from the home. The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— that staff— assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child’s relevant plans, and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child; manage relationships between children to prevent them from harming each other; understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person; are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies; 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 (1) (2)(a)(i)(iv)(v)(vii)(b))

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Requirement Due date

The positive relationships standard is that children are helped to develop, and to benefit from, relationships based on— mutual respect and trust; an understanding about acceptable behaviour; and positive responses to other children and adults. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— that staff— encourage each child to take responsibility for the child’s behaviour, in accordance with the child’s age and understanding; 31 January 2021 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2590342 5 help each child to develop the understanding and skills to recognise or withdraw from a damaging, exploitative or harmful relationship; and that each child is encouraged to build and maintain positive relationships with others. (Regulation 11 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(iii)(vii)(b))

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that young people are consulted about their choice of sexual identity which is then agreed and reflected in their case records. (‘Guide to the children’s home regulations including the standards’, page 16, paragraph 3.12)

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Information about this inspection

The purpose of this visit was to monitor the action taken and the progress made by the children’s home since its last Ofsted inspection.

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Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2590342 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Unity Residential Care Services Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Belvoir Farmhouse, Woolsthorpe Road, Redmile, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire NG13 0GN

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Inspector

Kamal Bhamra, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2590342 7 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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Inspector

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