Children's Home run by The Partnership of Care Today in Stoke-on-Trent

Inspection report for children's home: SC008269 1 SC008269 Registered provider: Care Today Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is registered to provide care for up to three children with social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The home is led by a qualified manager who was registered with Ofsted in September 2015.

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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 28 October 2020 to carry out an assurance 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: 5 February 2020

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children's home: SC008269 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

05/02/2020 Full Requires improvement to be good 17/10/2018 Full Outstanding 09/01/2018 Full Good 07/02/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report for children's home: SC008269 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported to make good progress in important areas of their lives. Staff understand the starting points for children and support them to develop their strengths. Children are able to reflect on the progress they have made and how staff have supported them through listening to their views and making them feel valued. Consequently, children’s experiences in the home are positive.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are in full-time education and they are making good progress. Staff ensure that they advocate for children when they are experiencing difficulties in their education setting. Any barriers to children making good progress are explored and addressed collaboratively with their school and social worker. As a result, children are cared for by adults who care about their future and who have aspirations for them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children enjoy a wide range of activities in the local community. For example, one child has joined a local boxing club. Another child participates in activities that interest them and develop their natural talents. As a result, children are supported to develop their confidence and their abilities are nurtured by staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff interact with children in a lovely and caring manner. Children say that they have good relationships with staff and that they have trusted adults that they can speak to if they have any worries. This means that children feel safe in their home and have developed positive relationships with adults who care for them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported to have family time with the people who are important to them. Staff advocate for children to see important people in their lives when safe to do so. Children enjoy seeing their family and friends and staff support them to ensure that this is meaningful for them. Consequently, children continue to maintain relationships with the people they love and care about.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff ensure that the home environment is homely and welcoming. Children have been involved in the decoration of the home and one child’s artwork is featured on the walls. This means that children feel that this is their home and take pride in their environment.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff do not consistently prepare children when other children move into the home. Staff do not understand the impact this may have on children already living in the home and they are not able to manage the children’s presenting behaviours effectively. This has resulted in some children experiencing negative endings and decisions made about children moving on are not always child focused. Inspection report for children's home: SC008269 4

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

Staff ensure that they respond well to risks to children who go missing. For example, staff work collaboratively with local taxi companies to manage some of the risks to children effectively. Staff ensure that they reinforce safety plans if these are not followed. This ensures that there is a proactive response to minimise risks to children.

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

Staff ensure that children are supported to access specialist help. For example, children who are at risk of exploitation are referred to services to develop their understanding of criminal exploitation and reduce their risks. Consequently, harm to children has reduced and they are able to reflect on their increased insight into grooming and exploitation.

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

Staff ensure that any risks associated with children offending are managed safely and restoratively. For example, children who commit offences are supported in a sensitive way to understand their actions and the impact on others. Staff have good communication with the local police to ensure that children are not criminalised and are supported to understand their behaviour. As a result, children view the police positively and are motivated to make better choices.

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

Staff mostly respond to children with clear boundaries, and they often use effective de-escalation methods to assist children to manage their emotions. Children are supported to talk about their feelings and feel listened to by staff. As a result, sanctions are rare, and a reward system is in place to encourage positive behaviour.

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

Staff ensure that children are supported in their use of the internet and regular mobile phone checks are completed by staff in line with children’s individual risk assessments. This means that when children have been at risk online, concerns have been addressed immediately and effectively.

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

The registered manager does not ensure that appropriate procedures are followed when responding to allegations about staff. For example, the registered manager did not ensure that the designated officer or the regulator was informed when a practice issue was identified. The concerns were substantiated following an investigation. As a result, allegations against staff and the outcome of any investigations are not reviewed by appropriate agencies to ensure that children are supported and protected.

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

Staff use physical restraints rarely. However, when a restraint takes place, the recording is inconsistent and there is conflicting information on children’s records. Consequently, children’s experiences are not clear, and the record does not help them understand why a specific measure was used to reduce the risks to them and others. Inspection report for children's home: SC008269 5

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager ensures that plans for children are comprehensive and consider the local authority’s care plan. The care plans for children are regularly reviewed and address emerging risks and how these will be managed. As a result, plans for children are effective in managing their needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager ensures that the home is suitably staffed. The majority of the staff have relevant qualifications and new members of staff have been enrolled onto the required level 3 diploma. The new members of staff are supported by a more experienced colleague when working with children. This means that staff are supported to develop their knowledge, skills and experience, while children continue to have the support of staff who are knowledgeable, suitably experienced and who understand their needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff work proactively and positively with other agencies and professionals. Professionals have commented positively on the care provided by staff. Social workers state that there are effective working relationships and positive outcomes for children are promoted on most occasions. Consequently, children make good progress in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff ensure that case records reflect children’s everyday lives. For example, key- working sessions take place regularly, and they focus on the children’s presenting needs at the time. Children are encouraged to keep appropriate memorabilia of the time spent at the home and significant life events. However, some records lack detail and objectivity, and do not distinguish between fact and opinion. As a result, information is not consistently recorded in a way that will be helpful to children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager ensures that team meetings are focused on children’s experiences and the professional development of staff. This ensures that practice continues to be reflective and focuses on achieving positive outcomes for children. As a result, staff have a safe space to discuss any practice issues and good practice is promoted.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager does not consistently make child-centred decisions about the matching of children coming to live at the home, including considering the needs of the children already living there. This has resulted in unplanned endings for children due to their behaviour becoming unsettled. Consequently, the outcomes for children are not child centred and lack recognition of the positive progress that they have made with the support of staff.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager does not ensure that the review of the quality of care for children fully considers the developmental needs of the home and actions to be taken to address these. As a result, actions are not outcome focused and do not fully consider the continuous improvement of the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The staff receive regular supervision. However, the quality of this is inconsistent. Supervision records do not consistently demonstrate that practice-related Inspection report for children's home: SC008269 6 discussions are taking place and that they fully consider the developmental needs of staff. Inspection report for children's home: SC008269 7

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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 quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children;

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Requirement Due date

use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential.

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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 and apply the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

understand and apply the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

protect and promote each child’s welfare;

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Requirement Due date

provide personalised care that meets each child’s needs, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans, taking account of the child’s background;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand and manage the impact of any experience of abuse or neglect;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to develop resilience and skills that prepare the child to return home, to live in a new placement or to live independently as an adult;

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Requirement Due date

provide to children personal items that are appropriate for their age and understanding. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(i)(ii)(iv)(v)(vi)(viii))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered manager should ensure that decisions are child focused and consider the impact on 11 January 2022 Inspection report for children's home: SC008269 8 children. In addition, decisions about children should achieve the overall aims and objectives of the home.

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Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children—

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Requirement Due date

receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home; and

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Requirement Due date

have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home.

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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 each child’s relevant plans are followed. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered manager should ensure that the matching risk assessments consider the impact on all children. In addition, the registered manager should ensure that children have a positive experience of moving on from the home. 11 January 2022

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if—

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Requirement Due date

there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there;

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Requirement Due date

there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious.

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Requirement Due date

A notification made under this regulation—

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Requirement Due date

the other persons, bodies or organisations (if any) who or which have been notified; and

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Requirement Due date

any actions taken by the registered person as a result of the matter;

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Requirement Due date

must be made or confirmed in writing. (Regulation 40 (4)(c)(e) (5)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(b)) 11 January 2022 Inspection report for children's home: SC008269 9

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that the record of restraint is accurate and is used to review practice. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations, including the quality standards’, page 49, paragraph 9.59)  The registered person should ensure that they undertake a review that focuses on the quality of care provided by the home, the experiences of children living there and the impact the care is having on outcomes and improvements for children. The review should identify any actions required and how those actions will be addressed. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations, including the quality standards’, page 65, paragraph 15.4)  The registered person should ensure that staff record information clearly and objectively. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations, including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4)  The registered person should ensure that staff receive supervision that enables

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Recommendations

them to reflect on their practice and the needs of the children assigned to their care. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations, including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.2)

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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 for children's home: SC008269 10

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Lansdowne House, 85 Buxton Road, Stockport, Cheshire SK2 6LR

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Inspector

Mazviita Makiyi, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: SC008269 11 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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