Children's Home, Residential special school run by Kisimul Group Limited in Lincolnshire

Inspection report children’s home: SC044562 1 SC044562

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This privately owned service is registered as a children’s home but is also a residential special school. The setting currently cares for 21 disabled children and young people. The manager has been in post since July 2020.

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Information about this children’s home

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

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Information about this children’s home

We last visited this setting on 15 December 2020 to carry out an assurance visit. The report is published on the Ofsted website.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

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good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

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good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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good

Date of last inspection: 26 November 2019

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC044562 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

26/11/2019 Full Good 26/02/2019 Full Good 24/10/2017 Full Outstanding 16/02/2017 Interim Improved effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: SC044562 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are very complimentary about the home. One child said that she loves the staff, that they make her happy and that they look after her well. The nurturing relationships between the staff and children are a key strength of the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported to enjoy shared activities with their peers. As a result, children develop better social skills. Staff spend quality time engaging with children to make sure that they have fun and learn new skills.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children benefit from a well-planned transition into this home. Regular and effective communication with families and partner agencies helps children to settle quickly into the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

During the COVID-19 pandemic, additional staff have been employed. This has enabled the home to maintain children’s routines. Sometimes, this has meant the use of temporary and agency staff. The same agency staff are used consistently whenever possible. This ensures that they know the children’s routines well and can meet their complex needs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are encouraged to share their views and make choices. Access to advocacy services has particularly helped young people who are preparing to move from the home into adult services. Information for children is displayed around the home in a format that they can understand. Some staff use sign language and finger spelling. However, staff do not use these communication systems on a regular basis with all children. This means that there are missed opportunities to help children to improve their communication skills.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Not all children have a varied, balanced diet. Staff have not done enough to help children to try new foods. This means that children may not have the opportunity to adapt to new textures, tastes and sensory experiences.

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

Children’s care plans and risk assessments are detailed and regularly reviewed by a manager. They identify children’s vulnerabilities, any potential risks and the measures in place to keep children safe.

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

Staff know how to raise any safeguarding concerns to managers. They are confident that managers will respond to these concerns quickly and appropriately. Independent investigators are appointed to ensure transparency and impartiality in the management of any investigations. Whistle-blowing systems are understood by staff who say that they are confident to use them. Inspection report children’s home: SC044562 4 There is a good level of scrutiny by managers when reviewing restraints. Less restrictive measures are always tried before children are restrained. Managers have implemented successful restraint minimisation strategies. For example, when a more restrictive measure has not been used with a child for 12 months, this is removed from their behaviour support plan as an approved holding technique.

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

Recruitment practice is generally good. However, some agency staff work histories have not received the same scrutiny as directly employed staff. This shortfall has not impacted on the safety of children. However, it has the potential to reduce the overall effectiveness of safe recruitment systems.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is well supported by an efficient deputy manager, a night manager and a senior staff team. The home has a development plan which includes a proposal to recruit an additional manager so that there is even better management oversight of staff practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There is now a whole-team approach to development and improvement. Since the last inspection, the manager has encouraged staff to share their views about the quality of care. Improvements have been made as a result of this initiative. Staff rooms and offices now provide better space for confidential meetings. Staff are now given more information about the findings of quality assurance audits. This helps them to understand shortfalls and to contribute to the development of improvement strategies.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff are well trained and are provided with regular, effective supervision. New staff are provided with a thorough induction. This includes a mentor to support them through the initial stages of their employment.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Health and safety arrangements are good. A manager oversees regular safety audits that take account of children’s particular vulnerabilities. As a result, the environment is safe and secure. Inspection report children’s home: SC044562 5

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that each child is provided with support (appropriate to their age and understanding) to communicate their views, wishes and feelings and participate as fully as possible in all aspects of their care planning and daily care. This may include the use of and support to use communication aids, equipment and/or any necessary language support. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 22, paragraph 4.6)  The registered person should ensure that each child’s day-to-day health and well- being needs are met, particularly in relation to providing a varied diet to children. (‘Guide to children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 33, paragraph 7.3)  The registered person should ensure that recruitment practice, particularly relating to the scrutiny of agency staff members’ work history, safeguards children and minimises potential risk to them. (‘Guide to children’s homes regulations

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Recommendations

including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.1)

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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: SC044562 6

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Children’s home details

Provision sub-type: Residential special school

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Kisimul School, The Old Vicarage High Street, Swinderby, Lincoln, Lincolnshire LN6 9LU

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Inspectors

Simon Hunter, Social Care Inspector Zoey Lee, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC044562 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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