Children's home run by I.M.P.A.C.T Children's Residential Care Limited

Inspection report children’s home: 2624855 1 Registered provider: I.M.P.A.C.T Children’s Residential Care Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This privately run home provides care for up to four children with emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The home and the manager registered with Ofsted on 12 August 2021.

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Information about this children’s home

There were three children living in the home at the time of this inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

This inspection was conducted on site and involved meetings with children, staff and managers. Email and telephone contact took place with family members and placing authority social workers.

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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

Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: 2624855 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

Not previously inspected Inspection report children’s home: 2624855 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children enjoy positive and trusting relationships with staff. This enables children to talk to staff openly about issues that are worrying them and provides stability for children. One child said, ‘I do not run away because of my key workers, they help me.’ Consequently, no children have been missing from the home overnight.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported to actively participate in their care planning. For the first time, one child has begun to attend meetings with professionals and share his views. As a result, the placing authority is now providing alternative education, in line with the child’s wishes and feelings.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children engage in education. One child is now attending school for the first time in over a year. Leaders and managers keep in regular contact with the child’s school to support the child. This helps the professional network to understand what is happening for the child and to offer appropriate additional support as required.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support children to engage in their healthcare appointments. One child recently attended a health appointment for the first time in over three years. The support provided to another child by staff has resulted in the child gaining the confidence to request a referral to a specialist service to address specific health-related issues. This demonstrates that staff proactively support children to help them to learn and develop important life skills to meet their needs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The COVID-19 pandemic has had minimal impact on the children since they have lived in this home. One child tested positive for the virus and received appropriate support from staff during the isolation period.

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improvement to be good

Safeguarding practice is not consistent. On one occasion, leaders and managers failed to take appropriate action in response to an incident involving two children. Although staff were able to de-escalate the situation, one child was harmed and this was not reported to the police.

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improvement to be good

Children’s risk assessments are not regularly updated following incidents. Existing risk assessments outline the known risks to children and give clear guidance to staff about the action they should take to manage risks. However, when children’s risks change, new risks are not always reflected in children’s plans. This means that there is an inconsistent response to managing risk.

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improvement to be good

Staff do not conduct bedroom searches in line with children’s plans. Although bedroom searches are being carried out frequently, they are not taking place daily, as required. This prevents sufficient safeguards being in place to protect children. Inspection report children’s home: 2624855 4 Not all staff are aware of whistle-blowing policies and procedures. Staff spoken to during the inspection understand how to respond to a concern. However, the lack of knowledge about the policy and procedure limits staff’s understanding of how to raise a whistle-blowing concern. This compromises safeguarding practice.

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improvement to be good

Staff work with children to address all known risks. Key-work sessions and workshops facilitated by staff help children to understand how to keep themselves safe. Positive relationships between staff and children allow key-work sessions to be meaningful and beneficial for children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The management structure of the home has improved. The registered manager is now supported by an experienced operations manager. Leaders and managers are open and honest. They recognise their strengths and weaknesses. The operations manager has identified shortfalls in recording and is making improvements.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers are well informed and have a clear understanding of the progress children make. Leaders and managers recognise when children are struggling and if the care provided is not meeting their needs. They work with the professional network to ensure that alternative plans are in place for children when necessary. This helps children to get the support that they need and provides stability in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive regular and effective supervision. Supervision focuses on children’s needs, experiences and their plans. Safeguarding issues are discussed, as well as staff development needs. This ensures that management oversight of the progress children are making and staff practice issues is effective.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff are offered a wide range of training opportunities that are specific to the needs of children in their care. However, not all staff have completed the required mandatory training. This limits staff’s ability to recognise key signs that children need additional support. Leaders and managers have begun to address this shortfall.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The physical environment is well maintained and safe for children. The home is warm and welcoming and has a family atmosphere. This helps children to feel comfortable in their home. Inspection report children’s home: 2624855 5

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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

manage relationships between children to prevent them from harming each other;

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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

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)(a)(iv)(v)(vi)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, leaders and managers must ensure that children are safeguarded effectively. Risk assessments must include all known risks and be up to date to help staff to manage risks effectively. 4 March 2022

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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

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to— 1 April 2022 Inspection report children’s home: 2624855 6 ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child. (Regulation 13 (1)(a) (2)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, leaders and managers must ensure that staff complete all training relevant to meet the needs of the children they care for.

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that staff are familiar with the home’s internal whistle-blowing procedures. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 53, paragraph 10.9)

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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: 2624855 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: I.M.P.A.C.T Children’s Residential Care Limited

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Inspector

Leanne Grant, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children’s home: 2624855 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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