Children's home run by The Place Young People’s Company in Rushcliffe

Inspection report children’s home: SC480655 1 SC480655 Registered provider: The Place Young People’s Company Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This privately run home provides care and accommodation for up to four children who have a range of emotional and/or behavioural needs.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager was registered by Ofsted in February 2021.

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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 1 September 2020, to carry out an assurance visit. The report is published on our 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: 17 February 2020

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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: SC480655 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

17/02/2020 Full Good 21/11/2018 Full Outstanding 31/05/2017 Full Good 25/01/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: SC480655 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are receiving good-quality care from staff who know them well. There are strong relationships between staff and children. A child said, ‘This house is on point; you just can’t beat it.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is warm and welcoming. All areas of the home are well maintained and homely. Children’s bedrooms are personalised and decorated to a high standard. Any damage is quickly repaired.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children who have previously found it difficult to trust adults have been supported to develop strong relationships with staff. Children are supported to take part in enjoyable activities. Staff are enthusiastic and clearly enjoy spending time with the children. They are quick to celebrate children’s achievements.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff enable children to share their views in a variety of different ways. Key-worker sessions are completed regularly and cover a range of topics. Because children trust the staff, they are willing to share their feelings and to discuss sensitive topics in key-worker sessions.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are well supported to engage in education and are making clear progress. Education achievement is particularly evident in children who have previously had poor education experiences. Children develop higher expectations of themselves and become more aspirational as they achieve success.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

There has been a high turnover of staff at the home. This has led to periods of instability for children. For one child, the changes in staffing have at times led to an escalation in behaviours. Despite these challenges, children have maintained trusting and strong relationships with staff.

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

Staff have a clear understanding of children’s vulnerabilities. They use their knowledge and relationships with children to recognise and reduce potential risk. Children are supported to reduce their risk-taking behaviours.

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

There is a strong multi-agency safeguarding response to any incidents of concern. Staff have a good understanding of the home’s safeguarding procedures, and adhere fully to them.

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

Children rarely go missing from the home. If this does happen, staff are proactive in their responses. They follow each child’s missing-from-home protocol and share information with relevant agencies in a timely manner. Inspection report children’s home: SC480655 4 Staff implement behaviour management strategies effectively. Staff use their good relationships with children to set clear expectations that help children to behave well.

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

Recruitment processes protect children. Pre-employment vetting of staff is thorough and likely to deter unsuitable adults from seeking employment at the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager has addressed the shortfalls identified at the previous inspection, and has ensured that the home now functions well and provides a good standard of care. Children have very good relationships with the manager. Stakeholders’ feedback is very positive. Stakeholders recognise the positive impact the registered manager has had. A social worker said: ‘The manager has been really consistent; she leads in a caring, nurturing way.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has been well supported by senior managers to bring about significant improvement. Managers are aware of the strengths and weaknesses of the home. They are proactive in dealing with the key challenges faced by the home. For example, they have developed a clear strategy to address recruitment and retention difficulties.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has been a strong advocate for children, escalating issues of concern and challenging when it has been necessary to do so. This has enabled one child to resume education after a period of non-attendance. The manager has also identified a children’s rights adviser to advocate on behalf of the child.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Due to unforeseen circumstances, there have been periods when the registered manager has not been in work. The home does not currently have a deputy manager and management cover arrangements have not always ensured that the home runs smoothly in the manager’s absence.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff supervision meetings have not been regularly completed. As a result, development opportunities for staff have not been fully explored. The lack of formal supervision also reduces opportunities for managers to provide guidance for staff. Inspection report children’s home: SC480655 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 leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that—

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Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and promotes their welfare.

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c)(d)(e))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that sufficient qualified and experienced staff are deployed to provide continuity of care for children. 8 January 2022

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees—

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Requirement Due date

undertake appropriate continuing professional development;

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Requirement Due date

receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience; and

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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)(a)(b)) 8 November 2021 Inspection report children’s home: SC480655 6

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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: SC480655 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: The Place Young People’s Company Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 2 Lymevale Court, Lyme Drive, Parklands, Stoke- on-Trent ST4 6NW

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Inspector

Bev Allison, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC480655 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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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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