Children's home run by Mutual Care Limited

Inspection report children’s home: 2528486 1 Registered provider: Mutual Care Ltd Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This children’s home provides care for up to three children who may have social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

A new manager started in August 2021 and registered with Ofsted on 9 December 2021.

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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

Date of last inspection: 14 September 2021

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: inadequate

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Enforcement action since last inspection:

The suspension notice issued by Ofsted on 15 September 2021 was lifted following the monitoring visit that took place on 20 October 2021. Inspection report children’s home: 2528486 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

14/09/2021 Full Inadequate 26/02/2020 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report children’s home: 2528486 3

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improvement to be good

One child is currently living in the home. The child did not wish to visit the home before moving in. However, communication was creative to support his move. This included child-friendly videos of the home and staff members, and an updated children’s guide.

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improvement to be good

A homely environment has been created following considerable redecoration in the home. One child’s bedroom is currently in use. This is clean, newly furnished and meets the child’s needs. Since the last inspection, expectations for children to live in a warm and safe home environment have improved. This includes regular checks of bedrooms to ensure that they are well maintained.

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improvement to be good

The inspector observed staff members treating the child with dignity and respect. The child told the inspector that he feels that the adults in the home listen to him and respond to him when needed. The inspector observed care that is sensitive and responsive to his needs. This will support him to develop a positive self-view.

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improvement to be good

The child has lived in the home for a short time. He has enjoyed some activities with staff members but is not yet accessing regular activities that promote his social, health and educational development. He has not attended an education provision or been provided with structured learning since moving in to the home. Liaison between the home and virtual school has been effective and, as a result, imminent plans are now in place for the child to start at a new school. However, there has been a lack of daily routine and structure to support the child to prepare for school over this period.

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improvement to be good

Significant events are recorded in a way that are meaningful for the child’s life story. Despite children previously moving on from the home in an unplanned way, they were provided with journals that reflected positive experiences and memories.

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improvement to be good

Future care planning is not yet determined for the child currently living in the home. However, messages about permanence are being given and taken onboard by the child. The child needs to be supported to understand the processes and decisions that are being made about his future care. This will ensure that his views are fairly represented at each stage. This will also help him to develop a clear narrative of his life story.

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improvement to be good

Leaders and managers have spent time reviewing and updating recording systems since the last inspection. Assessments and plans are clear and succinct. They Inspection report children’s home: 2528486 4 provide staff members with clear direction and strategies to respond to the child in the home. This includes actions to be taken if a child is missing from home.

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improvement to be good

There have been no significant incidents since the last inspection. The child feels safe and cared for, and this is supporting him to settle in his new home and respond to the care provided. However, plans to ensure that risk is managed effectively need to be strengthened. This includes greater consultation with professionals involved with the child’s care to agree strategies in response to self-harm incidents.

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improvement to be good

In addition, the child can spend long periods of time out of the home with friends. These arrangements lack robust oversight and potential risks have not been fully explored. The child’s daily care arrangements are not clearly defined. This limits opportunities to provide the child with nurture and care, and to establish age- appropriate routines in line with the placement plan. For instance, the expectation for the child to be in the home for mealtimes or to return home after school before meeting with friends is not yet established.

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improvement to be good

Staff training is up to date. Additional training has been completed to increase knowledge and skills across the staff team in response to some of the child’s specific needs. Further training is planned to ensure that staff members feel confident and equipped to meet the complex needs of children in the future. This includes training that supports the therapeutic model of care used in the home and to ensure conflict is managed effectively.

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improvement to be good

The requirement made at the last inspection relating to fire safety is not yet met. A commissioned fire risk assessment concluded that fire regulations in the home were satisfactory. However, a subsequent fire service assessment did not agree with this. As a result, three recommendations have been made by the fire service.

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improvement to be good

Leaders have challenged the fire service assessment and a further inspection of the home is agreed to take place shortly by the fire service. A repeat requirement is therefore made to ensure the home’s fire risk assessment is updated and that there is adequate protection for children from the risks of fire in this interim period.

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good

Leaders and managers have made good progress to address the requirements from the previous inspection. The issues that led to the home’s suspension notice have been carefully considered and analysed, and a meaningful action plan has been implemented to support the home’s development. During this inspection, the inspector observed a notable improvement in the home’s environment, interactions between staff members, and reflection about practice.

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good

The newly registered manager is developing her role and, during this inspection, presented as efficient and assertive in her decision-making. In particular, the registered manager has strengthened the matching process, learning from previous difficulties in the home. Inspection report children’s home: 2528486 5 Since the last inspection, there have been changes made to the staff team. This has not impacted the child’s care due to changes being made prior to the child moving in to the home. Checks that are required to ensure the safe recruitment of staff members are in place and are being progressed for new starters. This is in preparation for a second child joining the home and to increase management support in home. Furthermore, the responsible individual is leaving the home and cover will be provided by the home’s operational director until successful recruitment is made for this role.

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good

This has been a turbulent period for the staff team. However, staff members feel supported and are receiving good-quality supervision. Leaders and staff members are confident in the registered manager’s abilities, including continuing efforts to make improvements so that the home is managed effectively. Leaders are realistic about the time needed to embed changes and measure progress. A change to the regulation 44 independent visitor has also been made, to increase scrutiny and challenge of practice in the home. Inspection report children’s home: 2528486 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 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

assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child’s relevant plans, and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand how to keep safe;

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Requirement Due date

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm;

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Requirement Due date

understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person;

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Requirement Due date

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare; and

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Requirement Due date

are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies;

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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;

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Requirement Due date

that the effectiveness of the home’s child protection policies is monitored regularly. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(v)(vi)(vii)(b)(e))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person should ensure that risks posed to the child in the community are fully understood and 28 February 2022 Inspection report children’s home: 2528486 7 inform decisions about the day-to-day arrangements for the child.

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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

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

make decisions about the day-to-day arrangements for each child, in accordance with the child’s relevant plans, which give the child an appropriate degree of freedom and choice. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(b)(ii)(iv)(v)(ix))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person should ensure that sufficient action is taken, linking with the placing authority, to ensure that future care planning provides clear direction and expectations in line with the child’s needs. 28 February 2022

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Requirement Due date

If the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005(a) applies to the home—

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Requirement Due date

the registered person must ensure that the requirements of that Order and any regulations made under it, except for article 23 (duties of employees), are complied with in respect of the home. (Regulation 25 (2)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, this relates to ensuring the home’s fire risk assessment is updated following consultation with the fire service. This should detail actions taken to ensure that there is adequate protection for children from the risks of fire. 31 January 2022 Inspection report children’s home: 2528486 8

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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: 2528486 9

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Northams, St. Marys Road, Portishead, Bristol, Avon BS20 6QP

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Inspector

Louise Bacon, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children’s home: 2528486 10 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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