Children's home run by Potensial Limited

Inspection report children’s home: SC489820 1 SC489820 Registered provider: Potensial 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 an independent national company. The home provides care for up to four children who may have learning disabilities.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in February 2019.

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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 7 and 8 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

Date of last inspection: 15 January 2020

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: improved effectiveness

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC489820 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

15/01/2020 Interim Improved effectiveness 25/04/2019 Full Requires improvement to be good 09/01/2019 Interim Sustained effectiveness 10/07/2018 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report children’s home: SC489820 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children continue to say that they are very happy living in the home and that the staff are lovely and caring. Staff develop positive relationships with children and place children at the centre of their care. At this inspection, the inspector observed staff providing children with genuine care and support along with reassuring hugs and praise.

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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, including visits to local attractions, theme parks, local parks, beaches and shops. Children’s memory/scrapbooks contain photos of these visits and visits to their families. One child gave ‘10 out of 10’ for how much they enjoy the activities.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

As a result of living in this home, children’s confidence and independence skills improve. This includes children learning to cook, shop, budget and take part in the household chores. This helps to prepare children for later life. In addition, children’s views about the running of the home are regularly sought and acted on.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff ensure that children’s health needs are met. Children receive additional support in relation to understanding their emotions and feelings. Children are positive about the support that they receive. Staff work in partnership with a wide range of health professionals to ensure positive outcomes for children.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Since the assurance visit, a child has moved to alternative accommodation. When children move home, this is done with sensitivity and with the full involvement of the child. Children are not forgotten when they move. The registered manager has kept in contact with the child’s placing authority to ascertain how well the child is settling into their new home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support and encourage children to attend school. When there are challenges in the children’s educational needs being met, leaders and managers work in partnership with other professionals to improve children’s outcomes. As a result, children receive bespoke education services. However, for one child who is not in full-time education, staff are not recording how they are providing them with opportunities for meaningful education.

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

Children are safe at this home and say that they feel safe. This is echoed by children’s social workers and an independent reviewing officer who say that they do not have any concerns in relation to the children’s safety and well-being. Children say that they would speak to staff, their social worker and family if they are worried or upset. Inspection report children’s home: SC489820 4 Since the assurance visit, there has not been any referrals to children’s services or to the designated officer for allegations. Staff have a thorough understanding of safeguarding processes.

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

Children are supported effectively to manage their emotions and feelings. At this inspection, the inspector observed staff providing excellent support to children when they became upset. In addition, children are provided with a good range of support materials that assist them to understand their feelings and the planning of their day.

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

As a result of this positive support, children learn how to manage their feelings well. The registered manager regularly reviews and evaluates incidents and the use of intervention in the home. Intervention is used as a last resort. Most interventions are low-level guides. However, some staff who have been involved in an intervention have engaged in discussions with children following the incident.

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

Staff have a good awareness of children’s risks and are guided with detailed risk assessments, behaviour support plans and intervention plans. These are regularly reviewed and updated.

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

Children rarely go missing from this home. However, if this occurs, staff take effective action to ensure that children return home safely.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

This home is managed effectively. The registered manager has a good understanding of the home’s strengths and where further improvement is needed. He responds effectively to recommendations made by the independent person. He has recently completed a detailed review of the quality of care provided. However, this review does not include the opinions and views of the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff have a clear understanding of the needs of the children. The registered manager ensures that children’s plans are regularly reviewed and updated.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Although staff receive regular support and supervision, staff spoken to as part of this inspection spoke highly of the support and guidance that they receive from the registered manager. In addition, the registered manager ensures that staff receive mandatory training and specific training to meet the needs of the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager has produced a detailed development plan for the home. This includes refurbishment and redecoration of the first floor, and improvements to communal space, the exterior of the property and the home’s Wi-Fi. At the time of this inspection, extensive refurbishment to the upstairs accommodation was ongoing.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

At this inspection, discussions took place with the registered manager and area manager in relation to the adequacy of communal space for children. As a result, they are considering reviewing the registration of the home. In particular, Inspection report children’s home: SC489820 5 consideration is being given to reducing the number of children who can be accommodated at the home from four to three.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Feedback from social workers about the quality of care is extremely positive. Social workers say that children enjoy living at the home, that they are learning new skills and maturing. Social workers say that communication and partnership working with staff are good, which results in positive outcomes for children. Inspection report children’s home: SC489820 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, 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 education standard is that children make measurable progress towards achieving their educational potential and are helped to do so.

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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

maintain regular contact with each child’s education and training provider, including engaging with the provider and the placing authority to support the child’s education and training and to maximise the child’s achievement. (Regulation 8 (1) (2)(a)(vi))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that staff record how they are providing meaningful opportunities for education while children are not in full-time education. 30 September

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Requirement Due date

within 5 days of the use of the measure, the registered person or the authorised person adds to the record confirmation that they have spoken to the child about the measure. (Regulation 35 (3)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that discussions held with children following an intervention are not undertaken by staff who took part in the intervention. 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— 30 December Inspection report children’s home: SC489820 7 the feedback and opinions of children about the children’s home, its facilities and the quality of care they receive in it (Regulation 45 (1) (2)(b))

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that the planned refurbishment, redecoration, and improvements to the exterior of the home and the home’s Wi-Fi continue to progress so that the homely environment is further enhanced. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.10)

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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: SC489820 8

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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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Inspector

David Kidner, Ofsted Inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC489820 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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