Children's Home run by Social Care Services (Clayton) Limited in Manchester

Inspection report children’s home: SC381339 1 SC381339 Registered provider: Social Care Services (Clayton) Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The provider states in its statement of purpose that it provides care for up to four children with EBD (social and emotional difficulties). The manager registered with Ofsted in July 2020. The home is currently contracted to provide services for a single local authority.

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Information about this children’s home

Due to COVID-19 (coronavirus), at the request of the Secretary of State, Ofsted 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 10 November 2020 to carry out a monitoring 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

Overall judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC381339 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

08/05/2019 Full Requires improvement to be good 06/12/2018 Full Good 07/12/2017 Full Good 14/02/2017 Interim Declined in effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: SC381339 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have adults that they trust and who care about them. Children feel a sense of permanence and belonging and, as a result, they are making progress in a number of areas. Clear, child-focused plans are written with the children and reviewed regularly. One child said, ‘It’s decent here. I can speak to the staff about how I feel. They support me with school and seeing my family.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children enjoy going to school. Education is central to the culture and expectations in the home. The manager and staff work closely with education providers, to ensure that appropriate, individualised support is given to each child. Children have been supported with additional tutoring and an educational psychologist has worked with staff when there have been periods of absence. As a result, children are excelling in school.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Support networks have been strengthened. Staff work closely with families sharing all information, including celebrations and times where there have been difficulties. Due to the support given by staff, assessments are being completed with the possibility of children returning to the family home. One parent said, ‘Staff do a lot in the best interests of the children.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children enjoy a number of activities including boxing, cinema, going on holidays and walking. Staff encourage children to contribute ideas to the plans for each week. All children have invested in this and enjoy building on their own skills and interests. One child has completed a leadership qualification increasing opportunities for his future.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported with additional services when required. Good working relationships with specialist teams mean that children have been able to access further support for their mental health. This has led to a reduction in some risk- taking behaviour, including self-harm.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home itself looks very institutional. Staff have made attempts to improve the home environment using soft furnishings; however, bars across the windows are not suitable. Locks on internal doors also mean that the home feels less homely and that children do not have free access to all areas of their home.

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

Children are supported to keep safe. Staff follow risk management plans to ensure that all are consistent in their approach. Staff complete direct work to educate and help children reflect on risk-taking behaviour. Staff are respectful when having these discussions. As a result, children are emotionally intelligent and able to discuss their feelings and any worries they have. Inspection report children’s home: SC381339 4 Physical intervention is used as a last resort. When it has been necessary for staff to intervene, the records demonstrate that holds are approved and proportionate. The manager evaluates each incident record to ensure that staff practice has been safe. The manager is proactive in following up with necessary actions.

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

Managers carefully consider the potential changes in the home when deciding which children will move into the home. Multi-agency working has been effective in identifying the potential risks and implementing strategies to reduce them. One social worker said, ‘This is the most settled I have seen [Name of child] in a long time.’

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

Staff make huge efforts to ensure that children’s whereabouts are known. If children are at risk by leaving the home, staff follow them and encourage them to return. Staff are creative in engaging children at this point; one example of this is a staff member quickly taking a football with him. Children have been at reduced risk as a result.

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

Staff have completed fire training; however, it is not sufficient. Staff have responded appropriately when one child has set fire to items in the home. Communication has been shared with parents and the fire service. A risk assessment completed also suggests a number of improvements that would reduce the impact of a fire in the home. These improvements have not yet been completed.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is child-focused and leads the staff team well. She is qualified and experienced and has implemented a number of improvements for children since being registered. Her inclusive approach has improved communication both in the home and with external professionals and families.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Regular communication through supervision, handovers and team meetings means that all staff are aware of the events in each child’s life. Staff feel supported. One staff member said, ‘From the top down, they all care. I could phone anyone at head office, and they are so personable and helpful. The manager is amazing, she will sometimes message me just to check I am ok.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff have received training that helps them meet the needs of the children currently living in the home. External professionals are welcomed to the home. One charity worker said, ‘I think it is the best home I work with. They are really accommodating and supportive to the visits.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

New staff have received a thorough induction and increased support through mentoring and additional supervision. However, gaps in employment have not been recorded and fully explored. This has not had a direct impact on the children, but does have the potential to do so.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Previous requirements and recommendations have been met. Effort is made to seek the opinions of others in the lives of the children using surveys. Clear auditing Inspection report children’s home: SC381339 5 systems mean that information is easily accessible and shared quickly with those who need it. Inspection report children’s home: SC381339 6

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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, the 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;

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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

ensure that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed and furnished so as to—

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Requirement Due date

enable each child to participate in the daily life of the home. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c)(i)(ii))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to making the home environment being less institutional, including the removal of internal locks and excessive security measures. 31 October 2021

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children's safety.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person may only employ an individual to work at the children's home; if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3).

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Requirement Due date

The requirements are that full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 32 (1) (2)(a)(d)) 31 October 2021 Inspection report children’s home: SC381339 7 This specifically relates to manager's ensuring that all gaps in employment have been recorded and explored. If the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005(a) applies to the home—

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Requirement Due date

the registered person must ensure that the requirements of that Order and any regulations made under it, except for article 23 (duties of employees), are complied with in respect of the home. (Regulation 25 (2)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to staff completing appropriate fire training where there is increased risk. This also relates to managers escalating the need for home improvements where they are needed to reduce the risk of fire. 31 October 2021

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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: SC381339 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Social Care Services (Clayton) Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Social Care Services Group, 31 Shaw Road, Stockport SK4 4AG

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Annabella Foulkes

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Inspector

Sylvia Eboigbe, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC381339 9 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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