Horsebridge House

Inspection report children's home: SC452713 1 SC452713 Registered provider: Greenfields Adolescent Development Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is operated by a private organisation and provides care for up to three children, aged up to 18 years, with social and/or emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager is in the process of registering with Ofsted.

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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 2 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: 14 January 2020

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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: SC452713 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

14/01/2020 Full Good 12/03/2019 Interim Sustained effectiveness 27/11/2018 Full Good 07/03/2018 Interim Declined in effectiveness Inspection report children's home: SC452713 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children at this home receive care from a nurturing and dedicated staff team. Staff ensure they provide personalised care to children based on their understanding of children’s past trauma and individual needs. Children make progress with their social skills, confidence and general well-being because of the dedication of staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The manager and staff team recognise the importance of children keeping in touch with their families, previous carers and friends. Staff advocate for children to spend time with those who matter to them. For example, carers visit the house to celebrate with children, and staff regularly take children to see their parents and siblings where possible.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s care plans include aims and objectives about how to help them make progress with their education, behaviour and overall development. However, one child’s use of computer games was not specified in his plans, nor how staff are to motivate him to reduce the amount of time spent on this. Children’s files are not easily accessible; this is because some information is not accurate and is spread across several files. Some information within plans was not relevant, dated or signed.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff encourage children to enjoy a range of activities and interests to help them relax. For example, children enjoy camping holidays, trips to the cinema, bowling with friends, attending youth club, gardening and cooking. Staff recognise important milestones and provide children with memories of such celebrations. For example, staff prepared balloons, gifts and a takeaway for a child’s sixteenth birthday. During this inspection, staff were preparing a prom for a child who had missed the opportunity because of the pandemic. Staff hired a marquee, bought children new clothes, dressed formally and made a buffet.

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

Since the assurance visit, there have been no allegations or significant safeguarding concerns for children. During this inspection, social workers shared with the inspector, that they did not have any concerns with the care that is provided to children at this home.

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

Staff use physical restraint as a last resort and help reassure and calm children before their aggressive behaviours escalate. Staff use a range of behavioural approaches, with the oversight of a behaviour therapist, to help children manage and express their emotions.

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

All staff receive training about how to safeguard children and the manager ensures this is regularly reviewed. However, during this inspection some staff did not have a good enough understanding of statutory child protection procedures. For example, Inspection report children's home: SC452713 4 staff were not clear about other referral processes, aside from informing the manager, when a concern arises for a child This could place children at risk if staff responsibilities are not understood and followed.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff enjoy working at this home. Staff speak highly of the new manager and her dedication to the care of children. Staff shared with the inspector that she is readily available to support them when needed. The deputy manager is very experienced and nurturing in her approach.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive regular, recorded supervision that helps them to reflect on their practice, training needs and future development. The manager has completed an evaluative review of the quality of care provided in the home. This focuses on the opinions of children about the care they receive and helps to improve the quality of care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff benefit from regular team meetings and discuss issues such as children’s routines, relationships in the home and any practice concerns. Staff are up to date with mandatory training and receive additional training about autism spectrum condition, attachment and trauma, child sexual exploitation and child protection for disabled children. This means that staff have the knowledge and skills to respond to children in their care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Professionals speak positively about the effective communication and care provided to children at this home. A social worker shared with the inspector: ‘Staff members have an excellent understanding of the child’s care plan, as well as his evolving needs, and work tirelessly to support the child’s need for family-time contact. The child speaks very positively about the staff at the home and has even told me that they ‘are like family to me.’ Inspection report children's home: SC452713 5

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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 protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(v))

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Requirement Due date

This relates to staff ensuring they are familiar with statutory safeguarding procedures. This includes knowledge of the host authority, the designated officer and the emergency duty team. 20 August 2021

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

an understanding about acceptable behaviour; and

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Requirement Due date

positive responses to other children and adults.

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

meet each child’s behavioural and emotional needs, as set out in the child’s relevant plans. (Regulation 11 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(i))

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Requirement Due date

This relates to behaviour plans including clearer guidelines for staff about how to manage children’s computer game use 27 August 2021 Inspection report children's home: SC452713 6 and how to motivate children to enjoy other activities more regularly.

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

are signed and dated by the author of each entry. (Regulation 36 (1)(a)(b)(c))

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Requirement Due date

This relates to the manager ensuring that children’s care plans, and behaviour management and risk management plans, contain the most up-to-date and accurate information that is dated and signed. 30 September

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that the following items, which may be kept in electronic form, are kept in an accessible manner—

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Requirement Due date

children’s case records (see regulation 36). (Regulation 38 (i))

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Requirement Due date

This relates to the manager ensuring that records are better organised to make it easier for staff to access in caring for children. 30 September

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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: SC452713 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Greenfields Adolescent Development Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Caretech Community Service Ltd, Metropolitan House, 3 Darkes Lane, Potters Bar, Hertfordshire EN6 1AG

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Inspectors

Anna Gravelle, Her Majesty’s Inspector Katie Ratcliffe, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children's home: SC452713 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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

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