Children's home run by Happy Group (UK) Limited

Inspection report children’s home: 1270393 1 Registered provider: Happy Group (UK) Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

A private company operates this home. The home provides care for up to three children who may have social and emotional difficulties and whose plan is to live in a medium- to long-term residential setting.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The home opened in March 2018. There are currently two children living at the home.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The manager was registered with Ofsted on 25 June 2021 and is suitably qualified, holding a level 5 diploma in leadership and management.

p.1

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.

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

p.1

good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

p.1

good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

p.1

good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

p.1

good

Date of last inspection: 11 February 2020

p.1

good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

p.1

good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: 1270393 2

p.1

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

11/02/2020 Full Good 26/02/2019 Interim Improved effectiveness 18/06/2018 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: 1270393 3

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are receiving consistently good quality care from individuals that have worked at the home since it opened. Children benefit from stability and security and can rely on continuity of care from a well-established staff team. This helps the children to build meaningful relationships with staff.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The nurturing relationships that develop between the children and the staff team is a key strength of the home. They play an important role in supporting the children to understand and manage their emotions, worries and fears. Staff do not impose themselves on the children; it is a natural process done at the child’s pace. Children are then able to learn to trust the adults that look after them.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are encouraged to participate in activities of their choosing, both in the home and in the local community. Activities such as boxing, day trips to the coast, visits to theme parks and country walks have been enjoyed by all. Staff have also used these opportunities to engage with the children on a one-to-one basis. For children new to the home, this approach has been effective in helping them settle into the home quickly.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support children to safely maintain relationships with individuals that are significant to them. For most of the children, spending time with their families is of great importance. Staff are sensitive to the children’s conflicting emotions and loyalties and support the children to have positive experiences both in the home and in the community. This helps to nurture and repair family relationships.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The physical and emotional health needs of the children are well documented and continue to be well met. Early intervention, alongside specialist consultation and support, means that children access the right intervention at the right time. Staff are made aware of the children’s specific health conditions, so that their day-to-day care is tailored to meet individual needs.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The manager and the staff encourage the children to have aspirations for their future. They make concerted efforts to secure individualised learning opportunities to meet children’s specific education, employment and training needs.

p.3

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

Children have made good progress relative to their starting points and time in the home. In particular, risk-taking behaviour has reduced significantly. As a result, one child has successfully returned home, and another is no longer spending long periods out of the home. This is because the staff are vigilant and are proactive in their safeguarding role. Inspection report children’s home: 1270393 4 There has been a significant decline in the frequency of children going missing from home. A combination of agencies working together, regular exchanges of information and the relationships that are built with the children are key factors. Children are safer and better protected as a result.

p.3

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

Children have a positive experience of moving in and out of the home. This is achieved through careful and individualised planning. Children are well supported by child-centred visual and pictorial plans that offer a flexible approach. Each child’s introduction to the home is individualised to help lessen their anxieties and to ensure minimal disruption.

p.4

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

Children’s individual risks and vulnerabilities are well known and captured in their much-improved risk assessments and behaviour support plans. Children are protected by good staffing levels underpinned by safeguarding procedures that inform effective staff practice.

p.4

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

Key-working sessions with the children have helped them to understand some of the risks associated with their behaviour. Educating the children on the different forms of exploitation, and helping them to understand how their childhood experiences affect their behaviour, has helped them to make better lifestyle choices.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is recently registered but has a sound knowledge base and is supported by a motivated and competent deputy manager. She knows the children and the staff team very well. The manager’s hands-on approach in her management style continues to ensure that the children enjoy good standards of care.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff retention is a key strength of the home, with most staff having worked at the home since it first registered. The members of the staff team work together, support each other and offer a range of skills and experience. This promotes a consistent approach and enhances better outcomes for the children.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff morale is good, and this promotes a cheerful and homely environment. The home is well furnished, warm and welcoming. Children are involved in how they want their home to look, for example in the choice of decor and furnishings. One child recently helped to design a gaming area and now spends far less time in his room.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff say that they are offered a range of training courses relevant to children’s specific needs. In addition, the manager and her deputy encourage the staff in their professional development by giving them opportunities to develop their practice in areas such as care planning, therapeutic parenting and independence work. Consequently, staff are more attuned in meeting the children’s wide-ranging needs.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive regular supervision that supports them both professionally and personally. Staff describe the manager and the deputy as ‘go-to’ people who offer Inspection report children’s home: 1270393 5 regular support and guidance. This promotes a healthy atmosphere and contributes to the smooth running of the home.

p.4

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: 1270393 6

p.5

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Happy Group (UK) Limited

p.6

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: West Walk House, 99 Princess Road East, Leicester LE1 7LF

p.6

Inspector:

Cath Sikakana, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children’s home: 1270393 7 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.

p.6

Inspector:

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.7

Inspector:

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.7

Inspector:

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

p.7