Children's Home run by Total Care Matters Limited in West Northamptonshire

Inspection report for children’s home: 1268530 1 Registered provider: Total Care Matters Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This privately run children’s home provides care for up to three children with emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. There was one child living at this home at the time of the inspection.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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requires improvement to be good

How well children and young people are helped and protected requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The children’s home is not yet delivering good help and care for children and young people. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: inadequate

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Enforcement action since last inspection:

A full inspection, carried out on 24 August 2021, identified several safeguarding concerns. As a result of this full inspection, Ofsted issued a restriction of accommodation notice. This meant that no more children could be admitted to the home.

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Enforcement action since last inspection:

The notice took immediate effect, running from 27 August 2021 to 19 November 2021 inclusive. Ofsted planned to return midway through this period to monitor the home’s progress. Inspection report for children’s home: 1268530 2 On 4 October 2021, Ofsted received a complaint. This complaint raised concerns about the staff’s capacity to safeguard children. Due to the concerns raised, Ofsted carried out a monitoring visit to the home on 5 October 2021.

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Enforcement action since last inspection:

Ofsted issued a cancellation of registration notice on 18 October 2021. This decision was based on the concerns identified at the monitoring visit and the recent inspection history of the provider, specifically, an inability to make or sustain improvement. Additionally, the home has not had a registered manager since March 2019. This full inspection was scheduled to review the operation of the home and the progress made against the identified shortfalls. Inspection report for children’s home: 1268530 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

24/08/2021 Full Inadequate 25/02/2020 Interim Sustained effectiveness 24/06/2019 Full Good 06/02/2019 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report for children’s home: 1268530 4

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improvement to be good

The home currently provides care and support to one child. The manager took the decision to end the placement of the other child who had lived at the home. This was due to the dynamics between the children and potential risk of harm.

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improvement to be good

The one child living at the home now is doing well. He is happy and he feels settled. He likes living on his own and enjoys staff attention.

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improvement to be good

The child is making progress. For example, his attainment at school has improved and he is now a member of the school council. Staff are working with the school to improve communication and develop a better, shared understanding of the child’s needs. The school confirmed that they can see improved care of the child and there is better partnership work between the home and school.

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improvement to be good

The child’s social worker said: ‘I can see progress. This is because of the improvement in his care.’

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improvement to be good

The child’s health needs are better promoted. He is benefiting from a healthy eating plan and he is attending a gym. Appointments with primary healthcare services are up to date and staff support the child with self-care.

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improvement to be good

Staff are communicating more effectively with the child. They support him in his use of non-verbal communication methods. This improved communication from staff supports children to learn and make choices and decisions about their day-to-day care.

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improvement to be good

There are still some basic care needs that are not yet being met. Concerns have been noted by the independent visitor and schools in relation to children not having suitable clothing and shoes. Further concerns had been identified about a child not having a suitable bed and bedding.

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improvement to be good

The child living at the home feels safe and he feels that staff keep him safe. The child’s social worker feels that he is safer in a placement where he is the only child.

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improvement to be good

There has been one safeguarding incident, when the two children living at the home at the time came into conflict. Staff were effective in de-escalating this situation. However, the incident occurred because staff had failed to understand the triggers for this potentially harmful behaviour. Inspection report for children’s home: 1268530 5 There has been a repeat incident when a child has been vulnerable to exploitation through using his mobile phone. The child did not suffer any harm. These incidents show that staff still do not understand children’s particular vulnerabilities.

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improvement to be good

Risk assessments are not continually and actively reviewed. Consequently, staff are not provided with clarity about risk and the best way to work with the child in response to new and emerging risks. Records relating to risks and incidents do not detail staff responses and whether staff took appropriate action to intervene and prevent potential harm.

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good

The home has a new manager who has an excellent history of managing children’s residential homes. He is suitably qualified. The application for registration with Ofsted has been submitted and an interview is pending. The home has been without a registered manager for a prolonged period of time.

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good

The last monitoring visit identified several areas of practice which needed further development. Since this time, the manager has addressed the nine requirements made at the last inspection. This demonstrates the manager’s capacity to deliver improvement in a short timeframe.

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good

Since the monitoring visit, leaders and managers have put in place new operational systems. A new staff team has also been created, consisting of staff deployed from other homes to support the child. Staff have a programme of training, which includes training that is specific to the child’s individual needs. However, supervision arrangements do not consistently ensure that staff have appropriate support and challenge.

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good

Partnership work arrangements have considerably improved for most stakeholders.

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good

Meticulous external quality assurance provides detailed analysis of the care provision. Leaders and managers have a clear understanding of the home’s strengths and weaknesses. They have development plans in place to promote continued improvement. Inspection report for children’s home: 1268530 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 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

provide to children living in the home the physical necessities they need in order to live there comfortably;

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Requirement Due date

provide to children personal items that are appropriate for their age. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(vii)(viii)

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, referring to age-appropriate beds, bedding, clothing and shoes. 30 January 2022

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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

Specifically, regarding staff recognising the indicators of a safeguarding risk, risk to children using mobile phones and triggers to child-on-child assault. 30 January 2022 Inspection report for children’s home: 1268530 7

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure staff continually and actively assess the risks to each child and the arrangements in place to protect them. Where there are safeguarding concerns for a child, their placement plan, agreed between the home and their placing authority, must include details of the steps the home will take to manage any assessed risks on a day-to-day basis. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations, including the quality standards’, page 42, paragraph 9.5)  The registered person should have systems in place so that all staff, including the manager, receive supervision of their practice from an appropriately qualified and experienced professional, which allows 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: 1268530 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Total Care Matters Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 230 Bathley Street, The Meadows, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire NG2 2ER

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Inspector

Amanda Ellis, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 1268530 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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