Children's home run by Solace for Children Limited

Inspection report for children’s home: 2503710 1 Registered provider: Solace for Children Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This children’s home is owned by a private company. It is registered to provide care for up to four children aged between seven and 17 who have social and emotional health needs.

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Information about this children’s home

A new manager has recently been appointed and has submitted her registration application to Ofsted. The previous registered manager resigned on 14 February 2022 and is now the home’s responsible individual.

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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 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

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2503710 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

08/10/2019 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2503710 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The three children in this home have positive and trusting relationships with the adults who look after them. Children are helped to make good progress in many areas of their lives and to feel secure in the knowledge that this is their long-term home. The manager and staff understand the impact of loss and trauma on children, and they advocate to ensure that children receive the services and help that they need.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff know children well. They can describe their interests and likes and attend to their physical and emotional health needs. Children enjoy healthy, home-cooked food, and they participate in cooking and day-to-day tasks. Staff encourage children to have varied experiences and instil nurturing, caring routines in their day-to-day lives. Children enjoy walks, fishing and other outdoor activities, as well as caring for pets.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Before children moved into the home, their school attendance was, at best, sporadic. Now all three children attend school regularly, and their engagement has improved considerably. The team’s strong working relationships and involvement with the children’s school help the children navigate the inevitable bumps along the road so that they have the best opportunity to succeed.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

As a result of staff’s support, children’s relationships with their families have improved and, for some, considerably so. Staff do their utmost to make supervised family time feel as relaxed as possible, while ensuring that children are protected. Staff have also encouraged children to sustain these relationships independently and for the longer term, by helping them to gain confidence to travel independently to see family as well as providing transport.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Great importance is given to finding the best way to listen to and understand children’s wishes and feelings so that staff can meet children’s needs effectively. Placement plans are written for children and carefully explain what the home and others are doing to help them. Recording systems are transparently in order to allow children and their social workers to access them and for children to give their views. Children know their rights and are expertly helped to know what is written about them in their records and why decisions are made.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The manager understand the importance of children being helped to remember positive experiences. Staff are in the process of compiling memory books for children.

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

Staff understand the risks to children and their vulnerabilities, and they respond to these appropriately. Risk assessments are largely reflective of children’s safety needs Inspection report for children’s home: 2503710 4 and provide appropriate instruction to staff. However, a review of risk assessments would be beneficial in order to ensure that every risk is fully considered.

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

Children know what expectations and boundaries are in place to keep them safe. The team promotes equality and diversity. The manager and staff have honest and restorative conversations with children in order to identify their emotions, soothe them and develop strategies together to help keep them safe. At the heart of this approach, are the strong relationships that staff have developed with children, alongside staff’s commitment to children whatever happens. This supports children to learn positively from experiences. Staff seek help from appropriate services when necessary. Physical intervention is used by staff as a last resort. When allegations are made, these are taken seriously and investigated, and child protection procedures are applied appropriately. If children walk away from the home because they are upset, they are followed closely and brought home safely. They very rarely go missing, and

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

if they do, the right actions are taken to keep them safe.

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

Safe procedures are carefully applied for those children who take medication. Staff know why children need to take medication, and they ensure that regular medication reviews are held. Staff recruitment procedures are thorough in order to keep children safe.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and the manager are strong advocates for children and are proud of their achievements. They know what progress children make and what their long-term goals and plans are. The manager is a role model of warmth and kindness to children, alongside staff, who are unanimous in their positivity about caring for the children and enjoying working in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Supervision is prioritised and records show that reflective and comprehensive discussions take place. Staff feel well supervised and supported and have regular team meetings. Careful planning and induction enabled the change of manager to be a positive experience for the children and the staff team.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Management oversight of individual records is evident and there is considerable reflection, both with children and staff, when incidents or events happen. Learning from physical intervention and incidents is evident across children’s individual records. However, this evaluation could be strengthened further by collective analysis of any themes in order to build on learning that may result.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home is clean, well-presented and maintained to a good standard. Managers have identified that some furniture in children’s bedrooms needs replacing or repairing, but there has been a slight delay in doing so. The environment is homely, but managers wish to develop this further by revamping the office to create a more homely space. Inspection report for children’s home: 2503710 5 Without exception, social workers, the children’s school and a parent spoke highly of the home, the support given to children and the significant progress that children make. They commented on effective relationships with the team and excellent communication. Inspection report for children’s home: 2503710 6

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Recommendations

 The registered provider should ensure that the home is a nurturing and supportive environment that meets the needs of their children and is homely. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9)  The registered provider should ensure that staff continually and actively assess the risks to each child and the arrangements in place to protect them. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 42, paragraph 9.5).

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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: 2503710 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Solace for Children Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Attwoods, 90–92 High Street, Evesham, Worcestershire WR11 4EU

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Inspectors

Sarah Canto, Social Care Inspector Kendra Bell, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2503710 8 regulates and inspects 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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