Children's Home run by Young Foundations Limited in Darlington

Inspection report children’s home: SC061439 1 SC061439 Registered provider: Young Foundations 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. It provides care for up to five children who may have social, emotional and/or behavioural difficulties and/or learning disabilities and/or mental disorders. The manager registered with Ofsted on 18 November 2020.

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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 20th January 2021 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: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC061439 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

27/08/2019 Full Good 31/07/2018 Full Outstanding 11/07/2017 Full Good 04/11/2016 Interim Declined in effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: SC061439 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children like living here and feel supported. One child said, ‘It is the best placement ever.’ Children have good relationships with staff who help them to understand how their actions and behaviours may have an impact on themselves and others. These behaviours include instances of bullying. Staff deal swiftly with these incidents and encourage children to reflect on their actions. This approach reduces the likelihood of further incidents.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s views are important. Weekly children’s meetings take place where children influence the weekly menu and activities. One child talked about the ‘many adventures’ they go on. Children also help to write their care plans as part of their monthly key-worker sessions. This ensures that children’s opinions are valued.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s complaints are taken seriously, and urgent action is taken where required. This means children feel listened to and are safeguarded.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff advocate for children. For example, when one child was discriminated against by another agency this was challenged. The child’s parent believes that the support and intervention given by staff lessened the negative impact for the child. This also strengthened the child’s confidence in adults.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

There are clear and appropriate boundaries in place to protect children. The children are also supported to take part in age-appropriate activities to develop their independence. This results in children making progress with their social skills and relationship building. One professional commented that a child ‘has made some great relationships and is making excellent progress’.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Most children make progress with their educational attendance and attainment. One child recently achieved several good GCSE grades. However, one child has only been attending school sporadically since the beginning of the school year. To date, this is not being properly addressed by staff. As a result, the child has missed out on some learning and the opportunity to settle into a new class.

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

Children’s risks are identified and comprehensive plans are in place to manage those risks. One social worker said, ‘The plans are amazing, easy to read and up to date.’ Staff understand individual children’s triggers. They use a variety of de-escalation techniques to avoid physical restraint. Where physical restraint does take place, this is a last resort to protect the child and those around them.

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

Staff work with services involved with each child and this results in a coordinated and consistent approach to meeting children’s needs. Services are informed of Inspection report children’s home: SC061439 4 significant events without delay, which means children receive good help at times of crisis.

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

When children require additional support within the home, for example due to self- harming behaviours, this is provided. Staffing levels are increased and intervention from the provider’s clinical psychologist is sought to advise staff on what action to take. This results in immediate protection for children and in care plans which reflect their current needs.

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

When children go missing from the home, staff know the actions which are required for each child. This means that they take an individualised approach which is an appropriate response for the child. However, these individualised approaches are not written down. Therefore, mistakes could be made by newer members of staff who do not yet know the children well.

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

Health and safety measures are in place around the home. However, despite a recommendation from an external source for an additional smoke alarm in the dining area some weeks ago, this has not been actioned. This could place children at risk of harm in the event of a fire.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager is committed to providing an inviting, comfortable and well- equipped home for the children who live here. After listening to the children, she has decorated and furnished it internally and externally to a high standard. There are also photos of the children throughout. This helps children to feel that they are important and belong here.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager has good monitoring systems in place. She is able to see any patterns in the children’s behaviours and therefore determine progress. She then amends risk assessments and plans and puts in place any necessary actions. This means that children are helped according to their fluctuating needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Professionals value the communication they receive from staff, which one described as ‘incredibly effective’. Social workers receive a weekly report that tells them what has been going well and what has not been going so well. This ensures that children’s achievements are acknowledged and children can be congratulated by their social workers.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Although there has been a high turnover of staff, new staff have been recruited safely and are supported well through their introduction and probationary period. Children are cared for by a mix of staff, some of whom hold the required childcare qualification. Staff’s development is supported and training is provided so that they can meet the individual needs of the children. This includes self-harm and physical intervention training. Inspection report children’s home: SC061439 5 Staff are helped by a knowledgeable management team that is either present in the home or, as one member of staff said, ‘on the end of the phone when needed’. Ad- ditional support is provided through one-to-one discussions and ongoing supervision. However, the management team has missed an opportunity to develop the practice of some of their long-standing members of staff because they have not conducted their annual appraisals. When these have taken place, they have been of

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

good quality, offering staff feedback and reflection, and have set targets for staff to continue to improve their practice. Inspection report children’s home: SC061439 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

understand the barriers to learning that each child may face and take appropriate action to help the child to overcome any such barriers;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to attend education or training in accordance with the expectations in the child’s relevant plans. (Regulation 8 (1) (2)(a)(iii)(x)) 10 November 2021

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Requirement Due date

The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

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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

that the home’s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the children’s missing-from-home action plans. 10 November 2021

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Requirement Due date

The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

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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

that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed, furnished and maintained so as to protect each 10 November 2021 Inspection report children’s home: SC061439 7 child from avoidable hazards to the child’s health. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(d))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees—

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Requirement Due date

have their performance and fitness to perform their roles appraised at least once every year. (Regulation 33 (4)(c)) 10 November 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: SC061439 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Young Foundations Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Beresford Adams Commercial Limited, 7 Grosvenor Street, Chester CH1 2DD

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Inspector

Emma Ridley, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC061439 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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