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Inspection report children’s home: SC428599 1 SC428599 Registered provider: Courtyard Care Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is owned and managed by a private company. The home provides care and support to five children who can no longer live at home.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in August 2014.

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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: 4 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: SC428599 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

04/09/2019 Full Outstanding 02/10/2018 Full Outstanding 21/11/2017 Full Good 23/01/2017 Interim Improved effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: SC428599 3

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outstanding

Children live in an exceptionally nurturing and supportive home where they get the help that they need to recover from trauma and harmful experiences, and to grow. An independent reviewing officer said, ‘It is amazing what support, nurturing care and opportunities can do in the right environment. This child has excelled beyond all expectations.’ A child said, ‘It is a lovely home with great staff. I would recommend this home to the world.’

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outstanding

The staff team gives children the stability, structure and continuity of care that they need to feel safe. The reliable and consistently excellent quality of care helps children to build trusting relationships with the adults who are caring for them. Children said that staff are approachable, always there for them and show that they care. This means that children feel safe to accept help, engage in therapy and talk about difficult experiences. As a result, children have a strong sense of belonging and safety.

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outstanding

Children have an active voice, and its impact can be seen at all levels of the home. Staff are committed to listening to children and ensuring that the home is an empowering place for them to grow up in. As a result, staff know the children extremely well and understand what is important in each child’s life. They consistently follow in-depth and well-informed plans that are tailored to meet each child’s personal needs. Staff work effectively with therapists and social workers to check on children’s progress and to make sure that children continue to get the right support.

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outstanding

Throughout the COVID-19 restrictions, staff made sure that the children continued with their daily routines. These included completing home schooling. As a result, children received awards from their schools for excellent participation and results. They have received excellent exam grades. Two children gained seven GCSEs with pleasing results. Therefore, they were able to secure their chosen college placements. One of these children continued to complete three A levels and has applied for university. Another child said, ‘The most important thing for me is to do well at college and to go to university and follow my dream.’

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outstanding

Children’s health and emotional well-being continue to improve. Staff have an excellent understanding of children’s specific health and emotional needs. They make sure that children are healthy, and that they always get the medical advice, treatment and psychological support that they need. As a result, there has been a significant reduction in children using self-injurious behaviour to express their emotions. Further to this, a child said that due to the focus on healthy eating and exercise at the home, she no longer requires medication for an ailment. Inspection report children’s home: SC428599 4 Staff have made sure that children have all the necessary items that they need to be able to follow their faith and religion. One child said that she had not been practising her religion for some time but wished to explore it again. Staff purchased an interact tool to help her learn the necessary prayers. As a result, the child said that she felt

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outstanding

valued and that her choices were respected.

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outstanding

Staff support children to develop greater emotional resilience and stability. This has enabled the home to work on children’s transitions back to family, to other identified placements or into semi-independence. The staff take a very active role in this process. They invite providers to meetings and they work with families to support the transition. Staff work closely with education providers to ensure that the child’s education will not be disrupted in the transition. Further to this, staff continue to offer support after the child moves out of the home.

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outstanding

Children live in a homely environment. Their bedrooms have been decorated and furnished to a high standard and to suit their interests and personal needs.

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outstanding

Children thrive due to the calm, nurturing approach, positive role modelling and the strong importance and emphasis given to their positive behaviour. They respond to frequent praise and to the incentives put in place to help them achieve and succeed. For example, children have received extra money, trips to football matches and visits to theme parks in celebration of their achievements.

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outstanding

The manager and staff have created an open and transparent culture that protects children from harm. They listen to children and respond appropriately to their worries. A child said, ‘If you asked me two years ago, I would not be giving this account. I had no idea and no hope. Now the future looks great.’

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outstanding

Staff provide children with a suitable level of supervision and they are alert to any signs of harm. The manager and staff take prompt and effective action in line with the guidance when they have concerns about children’s safety. Staff identify and understand the risks for each child, including risks associated with previous trauma, attachment difficulties and emotional development. They have a clear insight into the reasons behind children’s behaviour. Staff work positively and confidently with children to find the best ways for them to express their emotions and moderate their behaviour when they are upset.

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outstanding

Staff have received thorough training in safeguarding and positive behaviour management. They demonstrate a clear understanding of policies and procedures within the home. They are able to identify all the support networks outside of the home that can help to keep children safe. Inspection report children’s home: SC428599 5 Staff go to great lengths to understand how a child’s life experience affects their behaviour. They manage negative behaviour in a way that is proportionate and sensitive to the complex factors that influence children’s behaviour. Staff encourage positive behaviour through clear and consistent boundaries. They involve children in the development of the home and help them to develop empathy towards other people. For example, children write to other children who are due to move into the home. They give them a clear view of what it is like to live here and share some of their worries from when they first came. This serves to reassure the new arrivals

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outstanding

Staff’s calm approach helps them to support children when they are having a difficult time. They use well-planned strategies that help children reduce and manage their unsafe behaviour. As a result, children have not been reported missing from the home for a significant time. Staff follow the agreed plans for intervention and use the least intrusive way possible to support the children. The manager thoroughly reviews each incident, identifies effective practice and responds promptly to emerging issues or concerns.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager is very experienced and is suitably qualified. She is a highly effective, inspirational and confident leader. She has created an extremely positive and aspirational culture that is improving the lives of children with complex needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager has an extremely accurate understanding of the progress each child is making and the priorities for their care. She is quick to identify when children are struggling. An effective therapeutic approach is thoroughly embedded in the running of the home and professional practice. Staff and therapists work closely together to understand children’s needs and to provide them with the best possible support.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Leaders and managers provide each member of staff with excellent support, guidance and encouragement. Staff use practice-related supervision, team meetings and consultation with therapists extremely well to reflect on children’s progress and ways of improving the support they give to children. These are also important opportunities to develop staff’s skills and knowledge and to consider the emotional impact of their work.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Highly effective staffing arrangements ensure that there are always enough knowledgeable, experienced, well-trained and qualified staff available to meet children’s needs. The staff team works together cohesively, and the day-to-day care of children is exceptionally well planned, to provide them with the best possible support and supervision.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Leaders and managers use very thorough and evaluative monitoring systems to understand the quality of care that children receive. They take effective action to make necessary improvements that benefit children. The manager challenges other Inspection report children’s home: SC428599 6 providers when services are slow. For example, she ensures that they have children’s pathway plans and personal education plans so that they have all the information to inform the next steps in the child’s care. However, children have numerous files that contain repetitive or out-of-date information. This does not ensure that the children and staff have the most up-to-date information.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager and staff’s highly effective relationships with social workers, independ- ent reviewing officers, education providers and therapists mean that children receive well-planned care that promotes improved outcomes across all aspects of their lives. Feedback from stakeholders, at this inspection, was extremely positive. One social worker said, ‘The encouragement and praise given to her is brilliant. All homes should be like this.’ Another said, ‘I would recommend this home to anyone and I would not hesitate to place another child here. They go above and beyond.’ Inspection report children’s home: SC428599 7

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Recommendation

 The registered provider should ensure that the home’s records on each child represent a significant contribution to their life history.

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Recommendation

In particular, ensure that young people’s files are in a good order.

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Recommendation

(‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.5) In particular, ensure that young people’s files are in a good order.

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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: SC428599 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Courtyard Care Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Siskin Drive, Middlemarch Business Park, Coventry CV3 4FJ

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Inspector

Pam Nuckley, Social Care Regulatory Inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC428599 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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