Children's home run by Potensial Limited in Wirral

Inspection report children's home: 1221437 1 Registered provider: Potensial Ltd Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This short-break home is operated by a large independent national provider. The home provides a short-break care and accommodation service for up to five children at any one time. Children who stay at this home may have a learning disability/and or physical disability. The manager registered with Ofsted in March 2016. 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 20 and 21 October 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

Overall judgement at last inspection: Inadequate

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: This children’s home was judged inadequate at the full inspection on 17 to 18 July 2019. At the subsequent monitoring visit on 27 August 2019, Ofsted made a new full inspection judgement in line with its inspection framework. At that time the children’s home’s new full inspection judgement was requires improvement to be good. Inspection report children's home: 1221437 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

17/07/2019 Full Inadequate 19/12/2018 Full Good 11/05/2017 Full Good 23/01/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report children's home: 1221437 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children enjoy coming to stay at this home. This was confirmed by two children who told the inspector that they like staying here. Parents are unanimous that their children receive good-quality care and support. At this inspection, the inspector observed staff providing children with genuine warmth and nurturing care. Staff build positive relationships with children and they know the children well.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children thoroughly enjoy a wide range of social and leisure opportunities. Photos of children’s activities and days out are displayed around the home and saved in memory and scrap books. At this inspection, a parent told the inspector that their child has more opportunities to experience new activities with the home than they are able to provide.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

As a result of coming to stay at the home, children’s independence skills improve. This is echoed by parents. This is because staff work together with parents and other professionals to set targets and ensure positive outcomes for children. Children are rewarded with praise and certificates when they reach their targets and achieve new goals. Staff are able to identify the progress that children make.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The registered manager works effectively with children, parents and professionals when a child first comes to stay. Detailed assessments of children’s needs are completed to ensure that their needs can be met. Before children stay here, and based on their individual needs, children visit for tea and stay overnight. This ensures a smooth, positive and welcoming experience for children and their families.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff have a good awareness and understanding of the use of alternative methods of communication. They use these skills to promote children’s communication and to offer children choices. Some staff have recently received specific training in relation to augmented communication. However, following this training, the manager has not devised an action plan to implement the new skills and learning.

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

Children are safe at this home. Parents say that they do not have any concerns about the safety and well-being of their children. This is echoed by social workers. Staff have a good awareness of safeguarding protocols. Since the assurance visit, no referrals have been made to the designated officer or to children’s services.

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

The registered manager has a good oversight of incidents. She reviews incidents and holds discussions with staff to establish if there are any lessons to be learned. However, it is not always recorded that parents have been informed of an incident. At the time of this inspection, the inspector observed staff supporting children to manage their emotions well. Staff are patient and place the needs of the child at the centre of their practice. Inspection report children's home: 1221437 4 Staff complete body maps to record bruises or injuries in order to safeguard children. The registered manager reviews these and sends copies of the body maps to social workers. At the time of this inspection, the registered manager reviewed the body map document to ensure the quality of the record. In particular, that records are sufficiently detailed and to confirm if there are any safeguarding concerns.

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

Staff have a good understanding of children’s risks. The registered manager ensures that children’s risk assessments are regularly reviewed and updated.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home is managed effectively. The registered manager places the needs of the children at the centre of her practice. She has a good understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the home and has developed a detailed and realistic plan to make further improvements.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Parents and social workers speak well of the good communication and quality of care that the children receive. This demonstrates good partnership working to ensure positive outcomes for children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager has recently undertaken a detailed review of the quality of care provided. However, the review does not include the opinions and views of children. In addition, it does not include the evaluation of incidents and the outcome of the use of children’s body maps.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager responds effectively to recommendations made by the independent person. However, the independent person’s report does not always include detail their observations of children and the views of children. In addition, visits do not always take place when children are staying at the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff speak highly of the support and guidance that they receive from the registered manager. The registered manager ensures that staff receive regular and effective supervision.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The two recommendations made at the assurance visit in October 2020 have been met. Inspection report children's home: 1221437 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 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. (Regulation 44 (1) (2)(a))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that the report includes a detailed account of the independent person’s observations and discussions held with children, and that they visit the home when children are staying. 30 September

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must complete a review of the quality of care provided for children (“a quality of care review”) at least once every 6 months.

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Requirement Due date

In order to complete a quality of care review the registered person must establish and maintain a system for monitoring, reviewing and evaluating—

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Requirement Due date

the feedback and opinions of children about the children’s home, its facilities and the quality of care they receive in it.

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Requirement Due date

After completing a quality of care review, the registered person must produce a written report about the quality of care review and the actions which the registered person intends to take as a result of the quality of care review (“the quality of care review report”). (Regulation 45 (1) (2)(b) (3))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, this should include an evaluation of the incidents and children’s body maps. 30 September Inspection report children's home: 1221437 6

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that an action plan is developed to implement the new learning and skills following staff attending the recent training in augmentative communication. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 22, paragraph 4.10)  The registered person must ensure that parents are notified if their child has been involved in an incident when staying at the home. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 11, paragraph 2.5)

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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: 1221437 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Potens, 68 Grange Road West, Birkenhead CH41 4DB

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Bettina Jeppesen

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Inspectors

David Kidner, Social Care Ofsted Inspector Inspection report children's home: 1221437 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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