Children's home run by Total Care Matters Limited

Inspection report children's home: 2541993 1 Registered provider: Total Care Matters Ltd Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children's home

This privately run children’s home provides care for up to four children with emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. There were two children living at this home at the time of the inspection.

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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

We last visited this setting on 23 February 2021 to carry out a monitoring visit. The report is published on our 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 outstanding

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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: This is the first full inspection since registration on 25 September 2019.

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: Not applicable

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children's home: 2541993 2

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children thrive in this home and make good progress. The skilled staff team supports children to reach their individual potential. One child said: ‘It’s nice here, staff are good and understand me.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Education for children is a priority. Staff understand children’s learning needs and their education plans. Children are supported to engage in their education, and they make good progress. Homework is part of the children’s daily routine. A child’s teacher said: ‘This is the best care home I have worked with.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children benefit from therapeutic support. The provider’s therapist works with the children. They can also access support from therapists who are external to the home. The integration of therapy into daily life promotes and improves the children’s emotional and psychological well-being.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff take children’s views seriously and act to resolve issues where they can. One child complained about the quality of the internet connection. This resulted in an upgrade in the broadband provision. This empowered the child to express himself and helped him to see that his views are important.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff have managed to provide children with positive recreational activities, in line with COVID-19 government guidelines. Children continued to enjoy a range of activities through periods of lockdown. Over the summer holidays, children have a programme of stimulating activities and trips. This supports children’s social, physical and emotional development, and has also led to improved self-confidence.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff understand and support children’s identity needs. Recently, children organised their own PRIDE party to celebrate sexual and gender diversity. Children have opportunities to explore and celebrate issues that are important to them.

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

Children say that they feel safe. Social workers confirm that safeguarding incidents have significantly reduced for the children living at the home.

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

Staff talk to children about risks and vulnerabilities, and they teach children how to keep themselves safe. Staff and children work together to agree on strategies to reduce risk. Consequently, children enjoy greater levels of trust and freedom.

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

Behaviour management is good. Staff are highly skilled in supporting children to regulate their own behaviours. Physical interventions are rarely used in this home. They have only been used to prevent harm to children and/or staff. Inspection report children's home: 2541993 3 Children rarely go missing from the home. Clear protocols ensure that staff know what to do if a child goes missing, and staff understand their safeguarding responsibilities. A child who previously had a history of going missing has not been missing since moving into this home.

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

Staff understand the risks associated with the use of social media. Staff check children’s social media and mobile phone use. Early interventions prevent children from exposure to potential harm.

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

The designated officer for the local authority confirmed that staff’s safeguarding practice is effective. Managers have a thorough approach to managing concerns.

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

The home has a locality risk assessment in place. However, there is a lack of consultation with relevant agencies and a lack of reference to child-specific risks.

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

During the COVID-19 pandemic, most staff training has been provided online. Due to the nature of learning alone online, opportunities to test out the extent of staff’s knowledge and understanding have been limited. With the lifting of restrictions, a programme of face-to-face training is in place. This will support staff to have a more meaningful, interactive training experience.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Leadership and management arrangements are excellent. The leadership and management team has secured significantly improved outcomes for the children living at this home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager has a clear vision and passion for her role. She is an excellent role model for the staff team. Consequently, staff have worked together more cohesively, and they strive to do their best.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff benefit from high levels of management support. They receive meaningful supervision, and their professional development is mapped through their personal development plans. Managers are conscientious in their efforts to develop staff knowledge and skills. This ensures that children receive a very high standard of care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

All staff, including the newest staff members, are skilled in working with children. Staff show both sensitivity and expertise in managing complex and challenging situations.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Partnership work is excellent. Social workers and professionals are unanimous in their praise for this home and the quality of communication.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Meticulous internal and external quality assurance systems provide detailed analysis of the care provided. Leaders and managers have a clear understanding of the home’s strengths and areas for development and improvement. Inspection report children's home: 2541993 4 Managers have development plans in place. These plans demonstrate a commitment to the home’s continual improvement and positive outcomes for children. Inspection report children's home: 2541993 5

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that staff have the knowledge and skills to recognise behaviours or practice that might indicate that a child could be at risk of harm. Specifically, there is a need to test out staff’s learning and understanding following online safeguarding training. ('Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards', page 43, paragraph 9.12)

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that all risks related to the location of the home are understood and there is a strategy in place to manage those risks. There should be reference, under regulation 46, to the following non-statutory advice about the location assessment process: Children's homes regulation amendments 2014: Advice for children's homes providers on new duties under regulations that came in to effect in January and April 2014. ('Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards', page 64, paragraph 15.1)

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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: 2541993 6

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Children's home details

Registered provider: Total Care Matters Ltd

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Children's home details

Registered provider address: 230 Bathley Street, The Meadows, Nottingham NG2 2ER

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Inspector

Amanda Ellis, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children's home: 2541993 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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