Children's Home run by Capstone Care Provider Limited in Nottinghamshire

Inspection report children's home: SC392712 1 SC392712 Registered provider: Capstone Care Provider Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is privately owned, providing care for up to three children with emotional, social and behavioural difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager has been in post since December 2021. The manager holds the relevant management qualification.

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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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Information about this children’s home

We last visited this setting on 21 April 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

Date of last inspection: 4 February 2020

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: A remote monitoring visit was carried out on 2 March 2021 due to concerns about an increased number of safeguarding incidents. Significant shortfalls were identified. As a result of these shortfalls, Ofsted Inspection report children's home: SC392712 2 issued a restriction notice and two compliance notices. A further monitoring visit was carried out on the 21 April 2021 when the compliance notices were found to have been met and the restriction notice was duly lifted. Inspection report children's home: SC392712 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

04/02/2020 Full Good 20/11/2019 Full Inadequate 30/08/2018 Full Good 06/09/2017 Full Good Inspection report children's home: SC392712 4

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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. There is a homely and comfortable feel. The manager has prioritised achieving a positive environment for children, so they can be proud of their home. Children receive good care from staff who know them well. There are strong and stable relationships between staff and children. One child said: ‘Staff have helped me to be in a better place. I would give them nine out of 10.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The good relationships between staff and children influence the progress that children make. Children receive the help and support they need to manage, and indeed improve, their emotional health and well-being. A social worker said: ‘[Name of child] has really come on. It’s great to see; his whole demeanour has improved.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are receiving continuity and consistency of care from a core group of staff. The staff team has been disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Staff turnover has been high. Despite this, staff have pulled together. Staff have worked hard to maintain consistency of care for children.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children use a variety of avenues to share their views over the care they receive. These views are recorded and acted on by staff when possible. The child is central in the records written about them. Children know how to complain if they are unhappy. Any complaint is taken seriously. Managers respond to children’s complaints in a timely manner. This means children know that staff listen to them and take their views seriously.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are being supported to engage in education. Children are making progress from when they first moved to the home. The staff are being proactive in working together with education colleagues. For example, one child has engaged regularly with a tutor and is now planning to complete GCSEs. This child now knows he can achieve his hopes and aspirations through educational engagement.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Celebrating equality and diversity is embedded into the staff’s care practice. Children are supported to develop their identities and individualities. This helps children to develop empathy and a deeper appreciation of the individuality and diversity of others.

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

Children are supported, by staff to keep safe. Staff use their knowledge of the children and their relationships with them to recognise potential risks and vulnerabilities. Staff take quick and effective action to safeguard children. There is a multi-agency safeguarding response to incidents of concern. Staff understand safeguarding procedures and their roles and responsibilities. Inspection report children's home: SC392712 5 Children are supported to reduce their risk and vulnerability. For one young person, this has led to a significant reduction in the risk of exploitation and worrying incidents, including leaving the home unauthorised. The child said: ‘Police used to come out to me a lot. This doesn’t happen now.’ The manager has systems and processes in place to track incidents and understand what needs to happen to keep children safe.

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

For some children there is an increased risk of leaving the home without agreement. These children are supported by robust multi-agency plans, to reduce missing-from- home behaviour and to keep them safe. Staff understand their roles and responsibilities in relation to incidents of children leaving the home and the appropriate protocols to follow.

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

Staff work well and in conjunction with a variety of agencies to support children. Staff are creative in how they get children to engage with agencies. For example, for one child, who would not engage with a drug and alcohol service, the staff invited the service into a team meeting and the child sat in on the meeting. For another child, a police youth worker has positively engaged with them as a mentor. This has led to the child engaging in community sport activities.

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

Positive relationships alongside clear expectations help young people to reduce challenging behaviours. There have been no physical interventions in the home, signifying a settled home in which children do well and make good progress.

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

Recruitment checks on prospective new staff are safe. The manager is confident that safe recruitment practices are implemented and staff who are working in the home are safe to do so. This is important in safeguarding children.

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

The manager ensures that when new children come to live at the home, staff can meet their needs safely. The manager considers the impact on other children and only agrees to new children moving in when confident the home can make a positive difference to the child’s life.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has been in the role for a year. She has demonstrated a commitment to promoting improved outcomes for children. Staff have trust and confidence in the manager. A staff member said: ‘From the previous monitoring visit, the manager took a hit; however, she has come back stronger.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

A robust action plan has helped the manager to get this home on the path to improvement. The manager met the compliance steps that were set at a previous monitoring visit to the home in April 2021. She has continued to embed further improvements. Communication between staff and other agencies has been strengthened. There is regular and effective communication between important agencies and staff relating to children’s plans. Inspection report children's home: SC392712 6 The manager has introduced new systems to monitor the quality of care provided. For example, she has introduced children’s journals to log communication with children on important matters and actions taken. Professionals involved are notified of incidents of concern immediately, and there is tracking of the actions taken in response. The manager benefits from monthly reports from an independent visitor and any recommendations are actioned.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive regular supervision and training opportunities are provided. The manager identifies appropriate training that may benefit staff and children. This has included, for example, sessions on Black History month, drug and alcohol services and the role of the police. The team have also discussed models of nurturing practice and how these can be implemented into staff care practice. Staff feel that this has improved their understanding of the impact of adverse childhood experiences on children. Inspection report children's home: SC392712 7

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Recommendation

 The registered person should challenge (under regulation 5(c)) any placing authority who asks them to accept a child in the absence of a complete and current relevant plan, as the expectation that a placement of a child without the necessary information would go ahead (in circumstances other than an emergency) is inadequate in relation to their role. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 56, paragraph 11.5)

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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: SC392712 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Capstone Care Provider Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: The Renewal Trust Business Centre, 3 Hawksworth Street, Nottingham NG3 2EG

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Trevor Edinborough

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Inspector

Bev Allison, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children's home: SC392712 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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