Children's home run by Future In Mind Limited in Staffordshire

Inspection report children's home: 2507393 1 Registered provider: Future in Mind Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is operated by a private provider. The home provides care for up to two children who have experienced childhood instability, resulting in trauma and associated complex emotional and social difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager is suitably qualified and has been in post since the home opened in September 2019.

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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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good

How well children and young people are helped and protected requires improvement to be 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: 13 January 2020

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children's home: 2507393 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

13/01/2020 Full Good Inspection report children's home: 2507393 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

One child lives in this home, and they have only recently moved in. The child is making steady progress from his starting point.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff help children to prepare for moving out of the home and for this to be a success. One child’s transition was well planned to help them move to a new family. In this situation, staff worked closely with the placing authority. This ensured that this child’s plans supported them practically and emotionally.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

When it has been difficult for children to attend school, the registered manager has stepped in to help promote the children’s education. For instance, the registered manager escalated her concerns with the placing local authority and education services regarding one child who had previously experienced difficulties with education attendance. As a result, there has been a multi-agency approach to re- engaging the child back into education.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff recognise the importance of the children’s family relationships and spending quality time with family members; these events are promoted well. This means that the child is supported to maintain their sense of identity and emotional well-being.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Some staff have started to build positive relationships with this child. Staff are forming a better understanding of the child’s complex behaviours and vulnerabilities. They show patience and resilience, and this helps children begin to develop more trusting relationships. However, the home has experienced a high turnover of agency staff. This has the potential to leave the child struggling to build up the same level of positive relationships with different members of staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff communicate well with the relevant professionals and agencies to ensure that recommendations raised at statutory reviews are acted on. Children receive individualised care, and staff understand children’s care plans. Because of this, children’s needs are kept under regular review, and this helps children to progress.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support children to maintain healthy lifestyles and improve their well-being. Children are supported and encouraged to attend all routine and specialist medical health appointments. However, staff do not currently understand all of the barriers when children do not attend health appointments.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Most areas of the home are welcoming, comfortable, and well furnished. However, some aspects of the home require attention to bring them up to a consistently good standard. The registered manager has identified areas that require further development, such as the garden and ongoing repairs throughout the home. She took some action during the inspection to address the shortfalls. Inspection report children's home: 2507393 4 Children’s records are not always regularly reviewed and updated. For example, a document recording children’s daily activities does not always contain the relevant information. This means that staff are not always able to measure children’s progress or know what support they may need.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff do not always ensure that children have structured daily activities and routines or support children to fulfil their potential. Not all staff have a good understanding of the home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children. For example, staff do not ensure that one child has a daily routine to occupy his time and engage him in constructive activities. Consequently, these are missed opportunities for staff to meaningfully engage this child.

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improvement to be good

The registered manager and staff do not always fully consider and minimise potential risks to children. Each child has an individual risk assessment. However, these documents are not always comprehensive and regularly updated. This means staff are unclear on the guidance and do not have a consistent approach to keeping children safe.

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improvement to be good

Risk assessments are not always clear and do not contain relevant and accurate information to help staff protect children. Staff do not always show enough professional curiosity and vigilance about risk. For example, one child’s risk assessment failed to give guidance and rationale as to why the child’s social media and internet activity are not monitored, despite the child’s vulnerabilities. This has the potential to expose the child to further risk of harm.

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improvement to be good

Children have important conversations with staff who give time and attention to discuss a range of topics, including education, therapy, healthy lifestyle, and personal hygiene. However, staff did not have in-depth discussions with one child about internet safety and socially acceptable behaviour. Furthermore, when concerns arose, it was not explained to the child how he was at risk of exploitation. Consequently, this did not support the child in understanding how to keep himself safe.

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improvement to be good

Incidents of restraint are few and are always a last resort. The registered manager and staff implement strategies well to de-escalate children’s behaviours. Staff have a good understanding of their behavioural management policies. Children benefit from this approach and it contributes to their positive experiences.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager has recently returned to manage the home after a period of absence. During the registered manager’s absence, the home was managed by other registered managers within the organisation. Inspection report children's home: 2507393 5 Managers are passionate about providing a good quality of care to the children. They work closely with external professionals, and feedback is generally positive. These partnerships mean that children can feel secure and know that everyone has their best interests at the forefront of their thinking.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managers have been responsive to feedback and advice from the regulatory body. They have taken action to meet the requirements raised at the last inspection.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff provide positive feedback and confirm they are well supported by managers. They benefit from regular supervision and team meetings. This enables staff to reflect on their practice and on their developmental needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managers have raised their concerns with the independent visitor when children have not been consulted during their visits. . Senior managers have plans to address more recent concerns raised by this inspection.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There are positive partnerships with other agencies, such as the local authority, the health service, the police and the school. This ensures that children benefit from tailored support to enable them to stay safe and make good progress.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Despite the good progress, not all staff who work in the home have the necessary qualifications to meet children’s needs. One out of four staff members has not completed their required level 3 qualification within the specified timescale. Consequently, not all the staff are suitably qualified to care for children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Restrictions imposed due to the COVID-19 pandemic had a negative impact on face- to-face training for staff. Managers have not ensured that all staff continued to receive refresher training during this time. In addition, new staff do not always have all the required mandatory training to care for children. This means that staff do not always have sufficient knowledge and skills when providing care to children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Due to the impact of the pandemic, children have not always received consistent care. The home continues to have a high staff turnover. In the past 12 months, different agency staff have worked in the home. Senior managers have plans for a recruitment campaign.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager does not always use monitoring and review systems well enough to help her to have a good level of oversight of the home. For example, the children’s risk assessments are not up to date. This oversight has the potential to place children at risk of harm. Managers acknowledged this shortfall. Inspection report children's home: 2507393 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

understand and apply the home’s statement of purpose;

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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. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(i)(iv)) 18 February 2022

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Requirement Due date

The positive relationships standard is that children are helped to develop, and to benefit from, relationships based on—

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Requirement Due date

an understanding about acceptable behaviour; and

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Requirement Due date

positive responses to other children and adults.

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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

help each child to develop socially aware behaviour; 18 February 2022 Inspection report children's home: 2507393 7 encourage each child to take responsibility for the child’s behaviour, in accordance with the child’s age and understanding;

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Requirement Due date

communicate to each child expectations about the child’s behaviour and ensure that the child understands those expectations in accordance with the child’s age and understanding;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to develop the understanding and skills to recognise or withdraw from a damaging, exploitative or harmful relationship. (Regulation (11)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(ii)(iii)(v)(vii))

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Requirement Due date

This particularly refers to staff supporting children to develop socially acceptable behaviour’s, explore their emotions and build positive relationships.

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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

that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed, furnished and maintained so as to protect each child from avoidable hazards to the child’s health. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(v)(d))

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Requirement Due date

This particularly refers to staff ensuring that risk assessments are reviewed and kept up to date. 18 February 2022 Inspection report children's home: 2507393 8 It also relates to ensuring that all aspects of the home are welcoming.

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Requirement Due date

The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that—

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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

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child;

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Requirement Due date

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(b) (2)(c)(e)(h))

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Requirement Due date

This particularly refers to the registered manager ensuring that all staff receive refresher mandatory training.

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Requirement Due date

It also relates to the registered manager ensuring that they have sufficient staff to provide consistent care to the children.

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Requirement Due date

It also relates to the registered manager ensuring they use internal monitoring systems more effectively. 18 February 2022

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety.

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Requirement Due date

employ an individual to work at the children’s home; or

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Requirement Due date

if an individual is employed by a person other than the registered person to work at the home in a position in which the individual may have regular contact with children, allow that individual to work at the home,

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Requirement Due date

if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3).

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Requirement Due date

The requirements are that— 18 February 2022 Inspection report children's home: 2507393 9 the individual has the appropriate experience, qualification and skills for the work that the individual is to perform;

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Requirement Due date

full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2.

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Requirement Due date

For the purposes of paragraph (3)(b), an individual who works in the home in a care role has the appropriate qualification if, by the relevant date, the individual has attained—

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Requirement Due date

the Level 3 Diploma for Residential Childcare (England) ("the Level 3 Diploma"); or

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Requirement Due date

a qualification which the registered person considers to be equivalent to the Level 3 Diploma.

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Requirement Due date

in the case of an individual who starts working in a care role in a home after 1st April 2014, the date which falls 2 years after the date on which the individual started working in a care role in a home; or

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Requirement Due date

in the case of an individual who was working in a care role in a home on 1st April 2014, 1st April 2016. (Regulation 32 (1) (2)(a)(b) (3)(b)(d) (4)(a)(b) (5)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the registered manager ensuring that all staff have completed the relevant qualification in residential childcare.

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Requirement Due date

It also relates to the registered manager ensuring that thorough checks are made for agency staff.

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that children’s case records are kept up to date. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations, including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.3)  The registered person should ensure that the independent person undertakes a rigorous and impartial assessment of the home’s arrangements for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of the children. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations, including the quality standards’, page 65, paragraph 15.5) Inspection report children's home: 2507393 10  The registered person should ensure that children’s day-to-day health and well- being needs are met. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations, including the quality standards’, page 33, paragraph 7.3)

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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: 2507393 11

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 65 Market Street, Hednesford, Cannock, Staffordshire WS12 1AD

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Inspector

Patrick McIntosh, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children's home: 2507393 12 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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