Children's Home run by Care Focus Limited in Essex

Inspection report children's home: SC477900 1 SC477900 Registered provider: Care Focus Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This privately run home is one of a small group. This home provides care for up to four girls aged 11 to 17 years who cannot live in a family setting. The home has an education provision on site.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in December 2020.

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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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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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outstanding

How well children and young people are helped and protected outstanding

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outstanding

The effectiveness of leaders and managers outstanding

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outstanding

The children’s home provides highly effective services that consistently exceed the standards of good. The actions of the children’s home contribute to significantly improved outcomes and positive experiences for children and young people who need help, protection and care.

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outstanding

Date of last inspection: 12 September 2019

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outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: outstanding

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outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children's home: SC477900 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

12/09/2019 Full Outstanding 14/08/2018 Full Good 21/11/2017 Full Good 19/01/2017 Full Outstanding Inspection report children's home: SC477900 3

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outstanding

Children’s progress is outstanding. Children benefit from secure, positive relationships with a highly skilled and dedicated staff team. Staff have high aspirations for children. This leads to children having high expectations of themselves.

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outstanding

Staff and children show genuine warmth and love towards each other. The home is full of laughter and hugs. Children said that they are happy at the home because the staff love and care for them as if they were their own children. One child said, ‘I love living here because we are all like a family and this is a home.’ Children feel valued and cherished.

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outstanding

The highly effective staff work cohesively to help children to confront, understand and manage their past traumas. Children make exceptional progress in learning to take responsibility for their own actions and behaviours. This enables children to move on with their lives positively.

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outstanding

Children fully engage with specialist therapeutic support. There is excellent communication between the staff and therapists. These close working relationships with the therapists help staff to provide well-informed, ongoing support to children between the therapy sessions.

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outstanding

Children’s attendance in education and their academic progress are excellent. Children had not been engaged in education for some time prior to moving to the home. The attendance rate in education is 100%. Three children sat their GCSEs this year. They passed all their subjects and the results included merits and distinctions. During the COVID-19 pandemic, children were able to continue with their education. Staff understand the importance of education and proactively support children with homework and extra studying. Staff celebrated children’s achievements with a prom and graduation party. This shows children that staff are proud of their success.

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outstanding

Children receive excellent support to help them prepare for leaving the home. Staff teach children many valuable independence skills to prepare them for adulthood. This has recently led to a child successfully moving into a more independent family placement.

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outstanding

The staff make personalised photograph albums with individual messages and memory boxes of the children’s time at the home. These keepsakes are given to children when they leave. These mementos provide children with an excellent record of positive memories of their time at the home. Inspection report children's home: SC477900 4 Children are involved in voluntary work in the community. Volunteering includes children working in a charity shop, a hairdresser’s shop and doggy day care. A child spoke with pride about how she works at the shop and is trusted by staff to behave appropriately.

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outstanding

Children raise money for charities that are meaningful to them. Children have developed an understanding of others’ needs and show empathy and care for people in the wider community.

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outstanding

The children who live at this home have previously experienced a high level of trauma and risky behaviours. Staff implement high-quality risk assessments and behaviour management plans to ensure that children are safe. Risks are discussed with children in therapy and key-work sessions. This supports them to understand and process their past experiences. Since moving to the home, children’s risky behaviours have dramatically reduced or ceased.

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outstanding

Children do not go missing from the home. The staff are extremely vigilant. Individual missing-from-care protocols are in place to guide the staff’s actions should a child go missing from the home.

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outstanding

The manager works closely with two local police officers who visit the home each month and have developed good relationships with the children. This is significant for children who previously may have regarded the police with fear or suspicion.

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outstanding

Staff are confident in and knowledgeable about safeguarding these very vulnerable children. Staff know how to report concerns and they follow the home’s safeguarding policies. This means that children are kept safe.

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outstanding

Staff work exceptionally well with children to help them to understand exploitation and its associated risks. Children have a strong and trusting bond with staff. Children have been able to discuss and understand their past experiences. This has helped them to understand what healthy relationships are and how they can experience these.

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outstanding

A child said that she feels safe at the home because there are always staff around to talk to if she is worried about anything. She said that the staff show that they really care about her.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager is passionate about her work and strives for continuous improvement. She actively researches new and effective approaches to support this. Research findings are used to underpin new strategies that support good working practices to help children to progress. Recently, the manager’s research has led to children being Inspection report children's home: SC477900 5 taken out of their comfort zone to try new experiences. This has developed children’s trust with staff and encouraged a sense of pride and self-awareness.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager has developed a highly positive ethos and culture that permeate the staff team. Together, the staff provide the safe and nurturing environment which they understand is crucial for these children to thrive.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff understand that children need to have good emotional and mental health to develop the resilience that they need to address past traumas and overcome them. The manager looks at each child’s individual needs to ensure that their care gives them the best possible opportunity to move into adulthood successfully.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Children are clearly at the centre of practice at this home. The manager has excellent communication with social workers and other professionals. A joined-up working approach means that she has been able to successfully challenge actions or proposed actions that are not in the best interest of the child.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff attend regular meetings that support their work. The home’s therapist said that she has attended staff meetings to discuss concerns and strategies to support the children. This information-sharing keeps the staff fully updated about each child and ensures that children receive excellent care and support from trusted adults who are fully aware of their diverse and changing needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Children are consulted during regular house meetings. These meetings are led by children, who are supported to take minutes. The manager responds to children’s wishes, feelings and views. Children are fully involved in personalising their bedrooms and the decoration and furnishing of the home. This gives them a strong sense of belonging.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The exceptional manager’s and exemplary staff’s practice ensure that the children consistently progress and lead happy and fulfilled lives. Inspection report children's home: SC477900 6

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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: SC477900 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Third Floor, 24 Chiswell Street, Islington, London EC1Y 4YX

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Inspector

Trish Palmer, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children's home: SC477900 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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