Children's home run by Connect Care Solutions Limited

Inspection report children’s home: 2642400 1 Registered provider: Connect Care Solutions Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This privately owned home provides care for one child who can no longer live at home.

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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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Information about this children’s home

This is the home’s first inspection since it registered in July 2021. The inspector discussed the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic with the provider and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted on 23 July 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: not applicable

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: 2642400 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

Not previously inspected Inspection report children’s home: 2642400 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

This home provides emergency, respite and bridging placements for one child. The aim of this home is to provide short placements to allow the local authority time to make decisions on the most appropriate future long-term needs of a child.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

When a child moves into or out of the home, a good transition is planned. An impact risk assessment shows that the home considers the child’s history and behaviour. However, the manager has not considered all potential risks in the local community within her safer area report, such as the location of bridges, bodies of water and railway lines. Therefore, she has not considered these in the impact risk assessment and whether these would have any bearing on the suitability of the placement.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

A child said that his views, wishes and feelings are taken seriously. For example, he said that the manager has got him an advocate to help him to express his wishes to his social worker and the local authority. He continued to say that he has opportunities to talk to staff, and he is encouraged to comment on all aspects of his care.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children live in a caring, friendly and supportive home. Staff give children the help that they need to grow, by being patient and understanding. A child said that they are happy and safe and enjoy living at this home. The child said, ‘I would like to stay here, it is brilliant.’ A social worker said, ‘The staff are extremely proactive, and he (the child) is making fantastic progress. I could not wish for anymore.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported to regularly attend and engage in education. Children have been home schooled throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. The manager works closely with educational professionals and secures all the necessary documents. However, the manager has not carried over information from these documents to the home’s education plan, such as the child’s academic level. This is important because the current child has a tutor who visits the home, and staff provide additional support. Therefore, staff need to know what level the child is working towards, to support him well.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported well with their individual health needs and have good access to local services when they need them. When children need additional help with their emotional health or with risk-taking behaviour, specialist help is sourced quickly.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Good arrangements are made so that children can see their family. Staff make this an enjoyable time with activities and refreshments. For example, parents visit the home and stay for tea. This helps to build and/or improve their relationships. Inspection report children’s home: 2642400 4 Generally, records that are kept in the home show the progress that children make. However, there is little information on how this progress is achieved. Therefore, this does not show a child’s journey throughout their stay at the home.

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

Safeguarding practice at the home is good and it keeps the children safe from harm. The children understand that safeguards are needed to keep them safe, such as two-to-one staffing. The child said that he feels very safe and that staff do their very best to safeguard him.

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

Some children who have lived at this home have been vulnerable to exploitation. Staff work with a range of agencies to secure the support children need. In addition, children recently took part in a presentation by an outside company on knife crime. A social worker said, ‘He has learned so much and he is taking this information on board. This is evident in his change of attitude and behaviour.’

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

There have been no safeguarding concerns to report to safeguarding agencies. Physical intervention has not been required and there have been no missing-from- home incidents. All staff have received safeguarding training and additional supportive training, such as in child criminal exploitation, county lines and substance misuse.

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

Risks to children are quickly identified and acted on. Staff demonstrate that they understand their role in protecting children from harm. Staff contribute to risk assessments and help to formulate plans to reduce risk. However, the children’s risk assessments do not give staff clear information on the action to take if an incident occurs. This may impact on the consistency of the response given to the children.

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

Staff understand what they need to do to de-escalate negative behaviours. This promotes a positive and non-confrontational culture. Positive behaviour is continually promoted and rewarded at the home.

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

Safe recruitment and health and safety practices at the home ensure that only the most suitable staff work at the home. Records show that children, staff and visitors are taken through the emergency evacuation procedure.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home is led by a suitably qualified manager who has the experience to undertake her role. She is supported by two team leaders. There is a clear management structure. They work together to support one another and complement their skill sets, which has a positive impact on the staff team and the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The staff have regular supervision and attend regular team meetings. This provides opportunities for staff to share examples of good practice, training and development information to aid their learning. As a result, staff say that they are supported, valued and motivated. Inspection report children’s home: 2642400 5 Managers regularly advocate for the children and often challenge other agencies to make sure that children receive the best care and support. Relationships with partner agencies, families and children are strong.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home’s statement of purpose, development plan and workforce plan are up to date. Monitoring and review systems at the home help the manager to identify the home’s strengths and weaknesses. Inspection report children’s home: 2642400 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

understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(v))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, ensure that staff have clear guidance on the actions to take if an incident occurs. 29 April 2022

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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

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)(b))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, identify all known risks in the local community within the safer area report. Further to this, ensure that this information is used to make an informed decision about whether the area is safe for a child to live in. 29 April 2022 Inspection report children’s home: 2642400 7

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that the home’s records on each child represent a significant contribution to their life history. Specifically, ensure that the steps taken by staff, to secure good progress and outcomes, are clearly recorded within the young person’s documents. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.5)  The registered person should ensure that staff have the knowledge to understand each child’s education targets and academic level. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 27, paragraph 5.11)

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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: 2642400 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Connect Care Solutions Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Connect Care Solutions, 17 Victoria Road East, Thornton-Cleveleys FY5 5HT

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Inspector

Pam Nuckley, Social Care Regulatory Inspector Inspection report children’s home: 2642400 9 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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