Children's home run by Good Foundations Limited

Inspection report children’s home: SC063318 1 SC063318 Registered provider: Good 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 by a private company. The home’s statement of purpose states that it provides care for up to four children who experience emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in July 2011.

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Information about this children’s home

Due to COVID-19, at the request of the Secretary of State, we suspended all routine inspections of social care providers carried out under the social care common inspection framework (SCCIF) on 17 March 2020. We returned to routine SCCIF inspections on 12 April 2021.

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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: 29 October 2019

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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: SC063318 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

29/10/2019 Full Good 19/12/2018 Full Good 25/10/2017 Full Good 15/02/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: SC063318 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

There are four children living at this home. Two children, who had lived at the home for some time, recently moved out. These children had positive experiences during their time at the home and both have successfully moved on to new chapters in their lives.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children live in a warm and nurturing environment. The home is furnished to a high standard with bright, tasteful decor. Children are encouraged to personalise their bedrooms with photos and display all their belongings. Staff have good relationships with the children, which creates a friendly and relaxed atmosphere and gives the children a sense of belonging. A professional said, ‘It is a welcoming and comfortable home where [name of child] feels at ease, and he has developed a good bond with staff.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

One child, who has recently moved into the home, said that she is very settled. She is complimentary about the staff and the other children. She spoke warmly about the others and said that they are like family.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are well supported with their education. All children are in full-time education and they make very good progress. There have been occasions when there have been concerns about a child’s behaviours in school. In these situations, the manager has liaised with a range of professionals, such as virtual schools and social workers, to ensure that children have access to a curriculum that meets their needs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children contribute to their plans, and the daily records completed by staff are child- centred. This helps children to feel that they are listened to and gives them the opportunity to share their views. Monthly consultation takes place between children and their key workers. Staff discuss the children’s progress with them and the positive things they have done.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff help children to develop their independence skills. One child said, ‘Staff have been good. I have learned how to cook. They have helped me manage my money and helped me look after my clothes.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are given opportunities to experience a good range of activities inside and outside the home. Staff promote a family environment through the use of cinema nights, board games and trips out in the local community. Children’s individual interests are also celebrated. One child enjoys spending time at his local cadet group and recently achieved a first-aid qualification. Other children enjoy taking part in music lessons. These activities promote children’s sense of achievement.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children benefit from access to all routine healthcare services. All children have up- to-date health assessments in place. Staff have recently sourced specialist support Inspection report children’s home: SC063318 4 from other agencies, such as child and adolescent mental health services and outreach services, to support children’s emotional well-being.

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

Staff are committed to maintaining the safety and well-being of children. Individual risk assessments are regularly reviewed and updated. Consequently, the risk assessments are seen as live documents. Information is shared within the team to ensure that all staff understand all children’s known risks.

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

There are clear plans for staff to follow when a child goes missing from the home. Staff understand what the procedures are. There have been a few occasions when some children have not been provided with an independent return home interview. This means that children do not always get the opportunity to discuss safeguarding concerns with someone who is independent of the home. A recommendation has been made to address this.

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

Staff and managers demonstrate a good understanding of children’s behaviour. There are clear behaviour support strategies in place to help when children are struggling with their emotions. The children have also contributed to these plans. As a result, children are supported to manage their own feelings and responses effectively.

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

Children have a good daily routine that supports them with positive behaviour. Staff are consistent in their approach. Incentives are used to support these routines, where children can earn vouchers for things they wish to purchase.

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

There are good health and safety practices in the home. When children move into the home, they are shown the home’s fire procedures. Staff are all trained in fire safety and ensure that children take part in fire-evacuation drills. Therefore, children understand how to leave the home in an emergency.

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

Safer recruitment procedures are in place, and robust checks are carried out on all staff prior to them commencing work at the home. These checks ensure that only suitable adults are employed.

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

Staff spend quality time with children. They carry out direct work with children, using key-work sessions. Important discussions take place to help children understand how to stay safe, the importance of recognising discrimination and how to manage their emotions. As a result, children say that they feel safe and supported. Children know how to make a complaint and raise any concerns they may have.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There is a suitably qualified registered manager in the home who has led the team for some time. She is committed and child focused. The registered manager is supported by a deputy manager, who is new to the role. Inspection report children’s home: SC063318 5 Staff say that both managers are approachable and are always available to support them when needed. The registered manager leads the team well. She ensures that there is a positive culture in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff have received a range of training, including training in attention deficit hyperactive disorder and child sexual exploitation. However, staff have not yet received training in the ‘Prevent’ duty. This means that staff do not yet have the necessary skills to work with children who are at risk of radicalisation.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager has not ensured that there are effective systems to monitor online training. There is not a clear system in place to ensure that staff have received all required training.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There is not currently a rigorous system for ensuring that all incidents are recorded by staff. This impedes good management oversight as the manager is not clear that every incident is recorded and therefore evaluated. Consequently, this makes it more difficult to identify patterns and act quickly.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff benefit from regular supervision and team meetings. However, the registered manager does not have detailed discussions with staff to help them to develop their practice. Staff do not always have opportunities to reflect on their practice and what they have learned through training and their work with children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There is external scrutiny of the home by an independent visitor each month. However, the reports lack evaluation, and the independent visitor is not consistently consulting with children, parents and stakeholders to gain feedback on the quality of care provided in the home. This does not help the registered manager to develop the service and improve practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Children’s needs are prioritised. They are cared for by a stable and experienced staff team that knows and understands them well. Feedback from professionals and family members is very positive. They recognise the good-quality care that the team provides. Professionals say that communication from the home is excellent. A social worker said that managers and staff are proactive and very accommodating. Inspection report children’s home: SC063318 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 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

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

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Requirement Due date

understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of the care provided in the home;

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Requirement Due date

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1) (2)(f)(h))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered manager must ensure that clear records are maintained of all online training completed, and of training required, such as ‘Prevent’ duty training. This requirement is also made to ensure that all incidents are clearly recorded, with full management evaluation. 10 December

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that an independent person visits the children’s home at least once each month.

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Requirement Due date

When the independent person is carrying out a visit, the registered person must help the independent person—

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Requirement Due date

if they consent, to interview in private such of the children, their parents, relatives and persons working at the home as the independent person requires; and 10 December Inspection report children’s home: SC063318 7 to inspect the premises of the home and such of the home’s records (except for a child’s case records, unless the child and the child’s placing authority consent) as the independent person requires.

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Requirement Due date

A visit by the independent person to the home may be unannounced.

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Requirement Due date

The independent person must produce a report about a visit (“the independent person’s report”) which sets out, in particular, the independent person’s opinion as to whether—

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Requirement Due date

children are effectively safeguarded; and

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Requirement Due date

the conduct of the home promotes children’s well-being. (Regulation 44 (1) (2)(a)(b) (3) (4)(a)(b))

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that when a child returns to the home after being missing from care or away from the home without permission, they are given an opportunity to take part in an independent return home interview. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 45, paragraph 15.5)

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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: SC063318 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Good Foundations Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 6 Tower Quays, Tower Road, Birkenhead Merseyside CH41 1BP

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Inspectors

Judith Birchall, Social Care Inspector Rose Maddocks, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC063318 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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