Children's Home run by Ivory Cottage Limited in Warwickshire

Inspection report children's home: 2586067 1 Registered provider: Ivory Cottage Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The home registered in April 2020 and provides care for up to four children with emotional and behavioural difficulties.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The recently appointed manager has submitted her application to be registered with Ofsted.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

Due to COVID-19 (coronavirus), at the request of the Secretary of State, we suspended all routine inspections of social care providers on 17 March 2020.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

We last visited this setting on 8 March 2021 to carry out a monitoring visit. The report is published on our website.

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

p.1

requires improvement to be good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

p.1

requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

p.1

requires improvement to be good

The children’s home is not yet delivering good help and care for children and young people. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

p.1

requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable

p.1

requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: On 23 and 24 September 2020, Ofsted completed an assurance visit. Concerns were raised during this visit relating to the safeguarding of children. Inspection report children's home: 2586067 2 On 21 December 2020, Ofsted completed a monitoring visit due to concerns received. It was found that little progress had been made to meet the previous shortfalls identified in respect of the safeguarding of children. As a result, a compliance notice was raised.

p.1

requires improvement to be good

On 26 January 2021, Ofsted completed a further monitoring visit. The visit concluded that insufficient progress had been made to meet the steps outlined in the compliance notice. As a result, a compliance notice was reissued.

p.2

requires improvement to be good

On 8 March 2021, Ofsted completed a further monitoring visit. The visit concluded that sufficient progress had been made. As a result, the compliance notice was met.

p.2

improvement to be good

At the time of the inspection, two children were living in the home. Another child had recently moved on due to a period of unsettled behaviour. The inspection found shortfalls in the planning of this child’s admission. For example, the child had a range of complex needs and had difficulties living alongside other children prior to her admission. Despite this, the responsible individual admitted the child. Unfortunately, the child did not settle and failed to invest in the home. Poor matching affected the experiences of the children already living in the home who were exposed to the child’s challenging behaviours.

p.2

improvement to be good

Some children do not always receive good-quality care or support that reflects their individual needs and enhances their day-to-day and overall experiences. Staff create internal care plans that highlight children’s risks and vulnerabilities. However, they do not consistently implement these plans. For example, staff provide limited one- to-one support for some children. This is a missed opportunity to support children to understand and take ownership of their behaviours. These shortfalls are in part due to the home not having a manager in post in recent months. As a result, staff have lacked oversight and guidance to provide children with confident and consistent care.

p.2

improvement to be good

The overall progress and experiences of children who live in the home are mixed. For example, one child has not consistently attended education for a significant period. Staff’s efforts to address this issue have been largely ineffective. In addition, staff do not consistently provide the child with alternative educational activities when she is not in school. Staff appear to be resigned to not being able to engage the child effectively in education or other structured direct work. The responsible individual plans to meet with the child’s social worker imminently to explore the current education impasse. Inspection report children's home: 2586067 3 The child is making good progress in other areas. For example, she is a talented athlete and is a member of a local running club. Staff support the child to develop aspirations. During the inspection, staff supported her to deliver copies of her curriculum vitae to local businesses. The child enjoys cooking with staff and taking

p.2

improvement to be good

part in a range of other enjoyable activities. Staff understand the importance of the child’s culture and identity and ensure that she can express this.

p.3

improvement to be good

The other child who currently lives at the home is settled. He has formed trusted and secure relationships with staff. As a result, he has made good progress from his starting point. Staff provide him with good quality and individualised care to meet his needs. The child attends school and has excellent attendance. He has recently completed exams and has secured a college place.

p.3

improvement to be good

Staff understand the importance of children spending time with those who matter the most to them. This is a considerable strength of the home and means that children are not isolated from their families. For example, one child is planning to move to a foster placement to live alongside his sibling. Staff support the child to build relationships with his new carer. He has benefitted from a well-planned transition plan.

p.3

improvement to be good

Staff support children to develop their independent living skills. Children have been supported to manage their own personal care needs and learn valuable life skills. These opportunities help children to develop and achieve.

p.3

improvement to be good

Children engage in a range of positive activities outside of the home, where they can develop sporting talents and individual abilities. This provides them with opportunities for fun and enjoyment, and the acknowledgement given to their significant achievements builds children’s self-esteem.

p.3

improvement to be good

Staff provide children with opportunities to express their views and take these into account when planning their care. For example, children work alongside staff to review their care plans and levels of risk. This helps children to understand their care and take ownership of it.

p.3

improvement to be good

Children’s health needs are promoted and met. Staff support children to become healthier, both physically and emotionally. They are supported to attend health appointments. Staff provide children with healthy and nutritious meals. One child enjoys keeping fit and plans to join a local gym.

p.3

How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Overall, children have individualised plans and risk assessments which reflect their needs. Regular reviews of these plans enable staff to keep up to date with the agreed measures to help reduce risk and keep children safe. On one occasion, the manager had not updated a child’s risk assessment. This recording shortfall did not have an impact on the child’s welfare or safety. Inspection report children's home: 2586067 4 One child has spent considerable time at her boyfriend’s address. The responsible individual worked hard to escalate her concerns about this arrangement. As a result, a detailed safety plan was put in place to keep the child safe. This included staff visiting the address regularly to complete welfare checks. In addition, staff built a positive relationship with the family of the child’s boyfriend. Furthermore, staff worked closely with the child’s social worker and the police to continually review the

p.3

How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

safety plan. This integrated approach helped to keep the child safe.

p.4

How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

The child went missing from the home on two occasions. Staff provided a robust response to locate the child and return her safely. For example, they searched all known areas and maintained contact with the child’s family and associates. Staff reported the child missing to the police in a timely manner. On one occasion, staff travelled a considerable distance to collect the child and return her safely. This dedicated and robust practice helps to keep children safe.

p.4

How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Children say they feel safe in the home. Children say they are able to identify a staff member they can talk to if they are concerned or upset. A child told the inspector, ‘I can talk to staff. I feel safe here.’

p.4

How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

The responsible individual adheres to robust internal staff recruitment policies and procedures. All staff are subject to employment checks and vetting processes before they start to work directly with children in the home. This ensures that staff are suitable to help and support children.

p.4

How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Staff understand the risks associated with children’s online activity. For example, they followed safety plans to monitor one child when he was online. Staff worked alongside the child and his social worker to review the safety plan. As a result, staff reduced their level of monitoring in line with the child’s needs and level of risk. This means that children are supported to take appropriate risks as part of their development.

p.4

How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

On rare occasions, staff use restraint to keep children safe when they become distressed and unsettled. This practice is appropriate and proportionate. Staff benefit from good-quality debrief sessions to identify learning and to improve practice.

p.4

How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Partnership working arrangements between staff and external specialist agencies, such as the police and social workers, are good. When children are missing from the home, staff liaise with the local authority, the placing authority and local police teams, and work with children’s families.

p.4

good

A new manager has been appointed, and she started her induction during the week of the inspection. The manager has the skills and experience necessary to embed stability and leadership to the home. She has a clear vision for the home. This Inspection report children's home: 2586067 5 includes providing children with consistent and nurturing care. However, the manager has not yet been in post long enough to embed this vision.

p.4

good

The responsible individual and manager are aware of the strengths and areas of development in the home. For example, some staff lack confidence and provide children with inconsistent care. Staff told the inspector that some shifts lack organisation and planning. Despite these shortfalls, staff know children well and genuinely care about them. Staff are committed and are keen to improve the care they provide to children. A member of staff told the inspector ‘I love coming to work. Since the manager arrived, I feel we have more structure. I really think she will help us to improve.’

p.5

good

Staff receive regular, good-quality supervision that helps them to reflect on and develop their practice. Staff speak highly about the support that they receive from the responsible individual and senior staff.

p.5

good

Staff have either completed their level 3 diploma or are in the process of completing this qualification. The staff team has a good mix of experiences and skills. For example, some staff have a background in teaching while another is a dance instructor. The recently appointed manager plans to encourage staff to utilise these skills in their day-to-day practice. A mixture of planned face-to-face and online training supports staff to develop their knowledge and skills. The responsible individual has a plan for the further development of the workforce.

p.5

good

Staff keep children’s plans under review. However, recording is not clear, and the quality of recording is variable. Shortfalls in maintaining records mean that children’s journeys may be misunderstood. Despite these recording shortfalls, staff understand children’s plans and can articulate them clearly. Staff work proactively with agencies and families to review children’s plans. As a result, children have clear plans in place for their future. Inspection report children's home: 2586067 6

p.5

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.

p.6

Requirement Due date

The education standard is that children make measurable progress towards achieving their educational potential and are helped to do so.

p.6

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure —

p.6

Requirement Due date

that staff — help each child to achieve the child’s education and training targets, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans;

p.6

Requirement Due date

support each child’s learning and development, including helping the child to develop independent study skills and, where appropriate, helping the child to complete independent study;

p.6

Requirement Due date

understand the barriers to learning that each child may face and take appropriate action to help the child to overcome any such barriers;

p.6

Requirement Due date

help each child to understand the importance and value of education, learning, training and employment;

p.6

Requirement Due date

promote opportunities for each child to learn informally;

p.6

Requirement Due date

help each child to attend education or training in accordance with the expectations in the child’s relevant plans. (Regulation 8 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(x))

p.6

Requirement Due date

This relates to staff supporting children’s education to ensure that they achieve their potential and do not fall behind their peers. 26 July 2021

p.6

Requirement Due date

The positive relationships standard is that children are helped to develop, and to benefit from, relationships based on —

p.6

Requirement Due date

mutual respect and trust; 26 July 2021 Inspection report children's home: 2586067 7 an understanding about acceptable behaviour; and

p.6

Requirement Due date

positive responses to other children and adults.

p.7

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure —

p.7

Requirement Due date

meet each child’s behavioural and emotional needs, as set out in the child’s relevant plans;

p.7

Requirement Due date

help each child to develop socially aware behaviour;

p.7

Requirement Due date

encourage each child to take responsibility for the child’s behaviour, in accordance with the child’s age and understanding;

p.7

Requirement Due date

communicate to each child expectations about the child’s behaviour and ensure that the child understands those expectations in accordance with the child’s age and understanding;

p.7

Requirement Due date

help each child to understand, in a way that is appropriate according to the child’s age and understanding, personal, sexual and social relationships, and how those relationships can be supportive or harmful. (Regulation 11 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(v)(vi))

p.7

Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the need for staff to provide children with regular and good-quality one-to-one support in line with their needs.

p.7

Requirement Due date

The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that—

p.7

Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

p.7

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

p.7

Requirement Due date

lead and manage the home in a way that is consistent with the approach and ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set out in the home’s statement of purpose; 26 July 2021 Inspection report children's home: 2586067 8 ensure that staff work as a team where appropriate;

p.7

Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child;

p.8

Requirement Due date

ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(c)(e))

p.8

Requirement Due date

This relates to the need for staff to receive oversight and guidance in order to provide children with confident and consistent care.

p.8

Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children—

p.8

Requirement Due date

receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home. (Regulation 14 (1)(a))

p.8

Requirement Due date

This relates to the need for children to receive well-planned transitions into the home. 26 July 2021

p.8

Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain records ("case records") for each child which—

p.8

Requirement Due date

include the information and documents listed in Schedule 3 in relation to each child;

p.8

Requirement Due date

are kept up to date. (Regulation 36 (1)(a)(b))

p.8

Requirement Due date

This relates to the need for staff to use good-quality recording that accurately represents children’s progress. 26 July 2021

p.8

Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure staff continually and actively assess the risks to each child and the arrangements in place to protect them. In addition, children’s risk assessments should be kept up to date. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 42, paragraph 9.5)

p.8

Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people, using the ‘Social care common inspection framework’. This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000 to assess the effectiveness of the service, how it meets the core functions of the service as set out in legislation, and to consider how well it complies with the Children’s Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the ‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’. Inspection report children's home: 2586067 9

p.8

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Ivory Cottage Limited

p.9

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: C/O Sky Tax Accounting, 37th Floor, 1 Canada Square, Canary Wharf, London E14 5AA

p.9

Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Caroline Wigmore

p.9

Inspector

Gareth Leckey, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children's home: 2586067 10 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.

p.9

Inspector

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.10

Inspector

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.10

Inspector

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

p.10