Children's Home run by Flourish Children’s Services Limited in Rotherham

Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: 2562678 1

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Flourish Children’s Services Limited

Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This is a privately run children’s home that can provide care and accommodation for up to four children and/or young people.

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Information about this children’s home

The home registered in January 2020 and has not yet had a full inspection.

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This monitoring visit

This visit was undertaken to address specific concerns and allegations received by Ofsted in relation to the matching of children and young people, the suitability of the property, restraint practice and the staffing levels. Due to the restrictions in place as a result of the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic, a combination of on-site and off- site activity was used to gather the information required.

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This monitoring visit

Children in the home benefit from having positive relationships with staff. Staff are able to build relationships quickly. Children feel comfortable about sharing their worries and concerns, which enables staff to put measures in place that will help to protect the children more effectively.

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This monitoring visit

The home is a welcoming environment and all children have their own rooms, which are personalised to their taste. The changes needed to make the home suitable for a fourth child have been made. This means that four children can live comfortably in the home and have a sense of belonging.

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This monitoring visit

The manager does not always fully consider the needs and risks of a child moving into the home, and the impact they may have on others. For one child there was an increase in his risk-taking behaviour and his placement ended abruptly. However, other children who have moved into the home have been well considered.

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This monitoring visit

Care plans for children contain some out-of-date information and contain grammatical errors. They do not always show the care and support that children Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: 2562678 2 require. However, staff know the children well and are fully aware of their needs. They recognise and support each child’s culture.

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This monitoring visit

Risk management plans for children lack detail and guidance for staff to follow to reduce risks. This is not good practice. However, strategy plans are used, and staff are fully aware of how to support children. As a result, this shortfall has not had a negative impact on the children.

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This monitoring visit

Restraints are used as a last resort and are fully documented. However, the manager and deputy manager have not always ensured that debriefs take place. This has not yet impacted on the evaluation of incidents. However, this shortfall is not in line with regulations and could have a detrimental effect on future practice.

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This monitoring visit

Staff respond appropriately to children who go missing from home and display negative behaviour. This has reduced the length of time that children are missing or in distress. Following any incidents, staff ensure that children have the opportunity to voice their feelings. These discussions are used to inform the staff’s responses to any future incidents. This has helped to reduce the number and intensity of incidents.

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This monitoring visit

Staffing levels at the home are appropriate for the needs of the children, and are constantly reviewed. There is minimal use of agency staff and, when needed, the responsible individual has worked at the home. All children are able to benefit from having time with individual staff as well as engaging as a group. This enables them to pursue their own interests and develop their relationships with their peers. Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: 2562678 3

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person 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 must comply within the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

within 48 hours of the use of the measure, the registered person, or a person who is authorised by the registered person to do so (“the authorised person”)—

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Requirement Due date

has spoken to the user about the measure. (Regulation 35 (3)(b)(i))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, all staff involved in a restraint must receive a debrief. 15 March 2021

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that children are encouraged by staff to see the home’s records as ‘living documents’ supporting them to view and contribute to the record in a way that reflects their voice on a regular basis. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 58, paragraph 11.9) In particular, care plans should be accurate and up to date. Risk management plans should be concise and up to date, and should provide staff with clear actions to follow or directly refer to the strategy plans in place.  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

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Information about this inspection

The purpose of this visit was to investigate information received which suggests there may be a breach of regulations.

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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: 2562678 4

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Inspector

Debra Boldy, Social Care Regulatory Inspector Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: 2562678 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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Inspector

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Inspector

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