Children's home run by Time-Out Children’s Homes Limited in Calderdale

Inspection report for children’s home: SC378407 1 SC378407 Registered provider: Time-Out Childrens Homes Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home provides support for children who have experienced early childhood attachment disruptions, which may have a negative effect on their behaviour.

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Information about this children’s home

If required, children can access the organisation’s school and therapy department.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in May 2020.

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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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outstanding

How well children and young people are helped and protected outstanding

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outstanding

The effectiveness of leaders and managers outstanding

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outstanding

The children’s home provides highly effective services that consistently exceed the standards of good. The actions of the children’s home contribute to significantly improved outcomes and positive experiences for children and young people who need help, protection and care.

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outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC378407 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

28/08/2019 Full Good 31/05/2018 Full Outstanding 31/07/2017 Full Good 14/02/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report for children’s home: SC378407 3

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outstanding

Children are exceptionally well cared for. They form strong and positive relationships with staff and feel safe and secure. A child said: ‘I like everything about living here.’

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outstanding

Children’s progress from their starting points is excellent. Staff have very high aspirations for children and support their engagement in education. The staff have regular meetings with school staff to ensure that education is adapted to meet their specific needs. As a result, school attendance and engagement are high, with children making excellent progress with their learning.

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outstanding

A teacher was highly complimentary about how staff keep in touch with the school. The teacher said: ‘[Name of child] is really settled and engages well with his education. His attendance is 100%.’

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outstanding

Staff communicate effectively with each other and are reliable in their approach to caring for the children. There is a strong emphasis on using a ‘secure base’ model of care. Staff implement this in a consistent way that provides good boundaries and clear routines. This provides children with a sense of safety and stability.

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outstanding

Positive behaviour is encouraged. Individually tailored and realistic incentives, which are agreed with children, are in place. Children are helped to understand that they have something positive to aim for on a daily and longer-term basis. As a result, they achieve better outcomes.

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outstanding

Staff place a strong emphasis on providing children with opportunities which expand their life experiences. Children have access to a wide variety of different educational and fun activities in the home. In addition to home-based activities, children are encouraged to attend local activities, such as swimming, gymnastics, street dance, going to church and Scouts. The new opportunities that children are offered have helped them to develop their social skills. Developing these skills will help them communicate and improve their relationships with their peers and adults.

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outstanding

Staff offer warmth and acceptance to the children in their care. Because of this, children choose to spend time with staff and enjoy that time having fun. Children have developed attachments to staff, which has helped to increase their feelings of confidence and self-worth.

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outstanding

Children feel safe and valued. Staff provide children with opportunities to develop their resilience and to manage their emotions and feelings better. This provides a platform for making better choices about their future as well as helping them prepare for the next stage of their lives. Inspection report for children’s home: SC378407 4 Planning for preparing children to move in or out of the home is robust. A great deal of time and energy goes into to supporting children to move in and out of the home successfully. Children are fully involved in all stages of care planning, which has increased their positivity about moving to the next stage of their lives.

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outstanding

The home has recently been redecorated and is furnished to a high standard. Bedrooms are highly personalised to reflect each child’s individual taste. Communal areas are adorned with photos of the children and staff spending time together taking part in fun and exciting activities. A significant amount of care and attention has been taken to make this a warm, calm and welcoming home with a family feel.

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outstanding

Children are kept safe. The staff understand the children in their care very well. There are detailed and dynamic risk assessments which are regularly updated to reflect changes for the children. The risk assessments capture all the known risks and identify strategies for staff to follow that are effective in reducing risks. Staff take an educational and supportive approach to helping children understand and better manage their behaviours, risks and vulnerabilities. Overall, children are making better choices and taking increasing responsibility for their own safety. As a result, the need for physical restraint has significantly reduced for these complex and traumatised children.

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outstanding

Children receive high-quality, individualised care. Each child has a highly detailed plan and visual ‘game of life’ chart displayed on the wall to support their behaviour and development. Children can refer to their chart each day, see their achievements and measure their own success. This allows them to find a positive note to end every day and builds their confidence, encouraging a sense of accomplishment and well-being.

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outstanding

Managers and staff have a detailed and well-researched understanding of child development and the effects of early life experiences. The model of care provides children with a sense of family membership and belonging. When necessary, other therapeutic approaches are researched and used creatively to meet the known and emerging needs of each child.

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outstanding

Staff have a comprehensive understanding of each child that enables them to identify and respond to changes in behaviour and ensures that children’s emotional needs are met. This has meant that there have been no incidents of children going missing from home or being at risk of exploitation. Staff work alongside therapists to understand what the children need individually and put measures in place to support their positive behaviours. Children have regular access to therapeutic support, which builds their self-esteem and helps them manage their feelings.

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outstanding

Staff make extremely good use of models of therapy to help them understand the children and their behaviour. Responses to children are measured and consistent across the staff team. Staff provide a safe and secure environment and children are Inspection report for children’s home: SC378407 5 clear about their boundaries. Children learn how to manage their emotions and behaviour and get positive responses from people in the outside world, which builds their confidence.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager is passionate about providing an environment which is akin to a supportive and caring family home. The manager knows the children and the staff team extremely well. He is aware of the home’s strengths and weaknesses and uses highly effective monitoring systems to identify when change or improvement is needed. Children thrive in this environment and are extremely well supported.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff have access to regular, reflective supervision with the manager or senior staff member. They also have access to biannual appraisals to support them to identify any learning needs or development opportunities. The organisation supports staff development with a structured career pathway. Having this in place motivates staff, keeps them engaged and helps them to remain enthusiastic. Staff speak very positively about their manager. They feel that he is a calm and present leader who is supportive, structured and consistent. Staff have access to regular therapeutic consultations which assist them to offer thoughtful, intelligent and informed care to the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The children’s home has a stable staff team. There is a small number of regular bank staff to support staffing arrangements when needed. Staff trust the manager and feel secure in their role and in the excellent quality of care they are offering the children. Children know the staff who are caring for them extremely well and are aware who is going to be there for them all of the time. The stable staffing arrangements and consistent rota system provide a predictable environment and help children feel safe and secure.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Leaders and managers have excellent working relationships with partner agencies, schools and family members. This ensures the very best possible experience and futures for the children in their care. The inspector spoke with a parent who was happy about the support they were receiving to have contact with their child. She said: ‘I can always speak to [name of staff member]. He keeps in touch and lets me know how [name of child] is.’ Promoting positive family contact helps the children to maintain a sense of self and maintain close family bonds.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Safer recruitment practices are in place. However, some interview notes and safety checks are handwritten and are difficult to read. Inspection report for children’s home: SC378407 6

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that recruitment records are accessible and legible. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations, including the quality standards’, page 60, paragraph 14.2)

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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: SC378407 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Time-Out Childrens Homes Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Unit 2, Mill Fold, Ripponden, Sowerby Bridge HX6 4DH

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Dominic Macauley

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Inspector

Cathy Wilkins, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC378407 8 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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