Children's home run by Happy Group (UK) Limited

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2589537 1

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Happy Group (UK) 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 owned and managed children’s home. It was registered in June 2020 to provide care for up to three children who may have social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager has been absent from the home since March 2021. There is an acting manager in post.

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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.

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Information about this children’s home

A full inspection was completed at this setting on 5 May 2021. We, subsequently, visited the setting on 15 June 2021 to carry out a monitoring visit. Both reports are published on the Ofsted website.

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This monitoring visit

At the full inspection on 5 May 2021, the inspectors found serious and widespread concerns in several areas of practice relating to the care and the support that children receive. As a result, children were found to be at risk of harm.

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This monitoring visit

Ofsted issued two compliance notices under section 22 of the Care Standards Act 2000. These were in relation to regulation 12, the protection of children standard and regulation 13, the leadership and management standard. In addition, a condition was imposed that restricts the number of children living at the home.

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This monitoring visit

A monitoring visit was completed on 15 June 2021. During the visit, the managers failed to evidence that they had made sufficient progress to meet the action plans set out in the compliance notices. As a result, the two compliance notices were unmet and were reissued. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2589537 2 This inspection visit occurred to assess the provider’s response to addressing the two compliance notices. The provider has acknowledged the significant failings that were identified previously and has put in place an action plan to rectify these. This means that the compliance notices have been met and the restriction of accommodation has been lifted.

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This monitoring visit

During this visit, the acting manager provided the inspector with supplementary information, to show what progress has been made in response to the two compliance notices. Consequently, the provider was able to demonstrate that sufficient progress has been made.

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This monitoring visit

Managers have introduced a new shift leader system into the home. There is now a designated decision maker in the absence of the manager. Regular staff supervision and team meetings are now in place. As a result, staff have a better understanding of their safeguarding responsibilities.

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This monitoring visit

Managers have made improvements in how staff are supported day-to-day. Detailed plans and risk assessments help staff to develop and to maintain the knowledge and the skills needed to reduce the risk of harm to children.

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This monitoring visit

Managers have in place quality assurance systems to help them evaluate the strengths and the development needs of the home. This demonstrates that managers have improved their monitoring of the quality of care provided to children.

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This monitoring visit

The independent visitor talks to the child about her experience of living at the home. A report is submitted to the regulator each month in line with the regulations. However, such events as key-work sessions or behavioural incidents are copied into the report from the provider’s records. The independent visitor’s reports lack curiosity, analysis and evaluation. This does not reassure the regulator that the independent visitor is rigorously scrutinising the quality of care provided to the child.

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This monitoring visit

The progress the provider has made and the impact of this on the quality of care provided for children will be assessed at the next inspection. The additional requirements raised at the last inspection have not been reviewed at this visit. These will be explored at the next inspection.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 05/05/2021 Full Inadequate Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2589537 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, 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 quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children; and

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Requirement Due date

use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential.

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

provide personalised care that meets each child’s needs, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans, taking account of the child’s background;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand and manage the impact of any experience of abuse or neglect; and

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Requirement Due date

help each child to develop resilience and skills that prepare the child to return home, to live in a new placement or to live independently as an adult.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(b)(iv)(v)(vi))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to adapting how staff work and support children based on their individual needs. 13 June 2021

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Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children—

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Requirement Due date

have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— 13 June 2021 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2589537 4 that arrangements are in place to—

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Requirement Due date

plan for, and help, each child to prepare to leave the home or to move into adult care in a way that is consistent with arrangements agreed with the child’s placing authority;

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Requirement Due date

that the child’s placing authority is contacted, and a review of that child’s relevant plans is requested, if—

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Requirement Due date

the registered person considers that the child is at risk of harm or has concerns that the care provided for the child is inadequate to meet the child’s needs.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 14 (1)(b) (2)(b)(iii)(e)(i))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to disruption meetings taking place prior to decisions to end placements for children.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must compile in relation to the children’s home a statement ("the statement of purpose") which covers the matters listed in Schedule 1.

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Requirement Due date

keep the statement of purpose under review and, where appropriate, revise it; and

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Requirement Due date

notify HMCI of any revisions and send HMCI a copy of the revised statement within 28 days of the revision.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 16 (1) (3)(a)(b)) 15 August 2021

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Requirement Due date

within 24 hours of the use of a measure of control, discipline or restraint in relation to a child in the home, a record is made which includes—

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Requirement Due date

details of the child’s behaviour leading to the use of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

the date, time and location of the use of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

a description of the measure and its duration; 13 June 2021 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2589537 5 details of any methods used or steps taken to avoid the need to use the measure;

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Requirement Due date

the name of the person who used the measure ("the user"), and of any other person present when the measure was used;

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Requirement Due date

the effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the measure; and

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Requirement Due date

a description of any injury to the child or any other person, and any medical treatment administered, as a result of the measure;

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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; and

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Requirement Due date

has signed the record to confirm it is accurate; and

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Requirement Due date

within five days of the use of the measure, the registered person or the authorised person adds to the record confirmation that they have spoken to the child about the measure.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 35 (3)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(viii)(b)(i)(ii)(c))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if—

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Requirement Due date

a child is involved in or subject to, or is suspected of being involved in or subject to, sexual exploitation;

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Requirement Due date

an incident requiring police involvement occurs in relation to a child which the registered person considers to be serious;

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Requirement Due date

there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there;

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Requirement Due date

a child protection enquiry involving a child —

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Requirement Due date

concludes (in which case, the notification must include the 13 June 2021 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2589537 6 outcome of the child protection enquiry); or

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Requirement Due date

there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 40 (4)(a)(b)(c)(d)(i)(ii)(e))

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Requirement Due date

If the person who is in day-to-day charge of the children’s home proposes to be absent from the home for a continuous period of 28 days or more, the registered person must give notice in writing to HMCI of the proposed absence.

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Requirement Due date

Except in the case of an emergency or unforeseen absence, a notice under paragraph (1) must—

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Requirement Due date

specify with respect to the proposed absence—

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Requirement Due date

in the case of the absence of the registered manager, the arrangements that have been, or are proposed to be, made for appointing another person to manage the home during the absence, including the proposed date by which the appointment is to be made.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 48 (1) (2)(b)(v)) 13 June 2021

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that an independent person visits the children’s home at least once each month.

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Requirement Due date

When the independent person is carrying out a visit, the registered person must help the independent person—

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Requirement Due date

if they consent, to interview in private such of the children, their parents, relatives and persons working at the home as the independent person requires; and

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Requirement Due date

to inspect the premises of the home and such of the home’s records (except for a child’s case records, unless the child and the child’s placing authority consent) as the independent person requires.

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Requirement Due date

A visit by the independent person to the home may be unannounced.

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to visits being undertaken at the home and obtaining the views of parents and other 13 June 2021 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2589537 7 appropriate professionals.

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure full recruitment and verification checks are completed, including the reason for leaving previous role if this was working with children or vulnerable adults. Staff are to receive regular supervision and performance management of staff safeguards of children and minimise potential risks for children. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.1)  The registered person must have systems in place so that all staff, including the manager, receive supervision of their practice from an appropriately qualified and experienced professional, which allows them to reflect on their practice and the needs of the children assigned to their care. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.2)

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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.

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Happy Group (UK) Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: West Walk House, 99 Princess Road East, Leicester, Leicestershire LE1 7LF

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Inspector

Aaron Mcloughlin, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2589537 8 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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