Children's home run by Good News Nwk Ltd

Inspection report for children's home: 1248509 1 Registered provider: Good News Nwk Ltd Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is registered to provide care for up to two children who have learning disabilities.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager is suitably qualified and experienced.

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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

Date of last inspection: 23 December 2019

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: sustained effectiveness

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children's home: 1248509 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

23/12/2019 Interim Sustained effectiveness 08/05/2019 Full Good 07/11/2018 Full Requires improvement to be good 07/11/2017 Full Good Inspection report for children's home: 1248509 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are thriving. They have made good progress in all areas of their development. This includes improvements in their verbal communication. Staff are committed and try to focus on helping children to develop and fulfil their potential. For example, staff help children to develop their personal care needs. These skills have improved the children’s confidence and self-esteem.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The staff agree on a shared approach to meeting children’s individual needs. This has helped children to make progress in and out of the home. A professional said, ‘Since being at the home, he is content, improved his communication, had less incidents and has improved family contact.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The manager and staff set children realistic targets to achieve. These are broken down into smaller goals, so progress is tracked and monitored. As a result, staff, involved professionals and families understand the progress made by children.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are fully included in various aspects of decision-making. This extends to matters such as menus, activities and the decor of their bedrooms. Children’s choices are often made using pictorial schedules and visual aids. These are also used during key-work sessions to enable them to share their opinions and views.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children have a good rapport with staff. The staff know them well and use their relationships to set behavioural boundaries and expectations. The team is adaptive to the children’s differing communication styles. This aids in developing the relationships between the children and the staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

There has been a significant delay in one child commencing school. The child has engaged well with a tutor while a school is identified. The manager and staff have chased and escalated their concerns over the delay in a school being identified. A school place has now been found. The team has been effective in negotiating with the school for an earlier start date than was proposed. The strength of this advocacy is admirable and prevented the child missing out on school.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported and encouraged by staff to attend routine medical checks. Staff use social stories and other communication methods to prepare children for appointments. This has ensured that any health needs are promptly identified and addressed. Staff work creatively and thoughtfully to reduce children’s anxieties. For example, a child had a fear of the barbers. His first haircut with the team was achieved over a period of five hours. This period has greatly reduced as the child becomes more used to the process. His recent trims are now completed in under 30 minutes. This is good progress that enhances a child’s life.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children move into and out of the home in a planned way. These transitions are bespoke and can be over an extended period. This ensures that moves are well managed and minimise any negative impact on the children. Inspection report for children's home: 1248509 4

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

Children are supported to be safer. Staff understand the children’s vulnerabilities. They work hard to help children overcome these areas of risk. For example, the staff helped a child who was involved in risk-taking behaviour. They helped her to recognise the danger she was placing herself in. Over time, she changed her friendship group. She developed a more positive view of her life. She left the home recently and wrote a thank you letter to staff. She stated, ‘You have helped me be a better person. I was not the same person I am today. All the staff have taught me to be kind to myself and others, and taught me right from wrong.’ The child’s parents were very complimentary about the team and the positive changes achieved. The manager spoke about the child with pride. The child sees the staff as extended family.

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

Children are supported to build their confidence when they are out in the community. For one child, when living at home with his family, he would often go missing. Staff have gradually built up the amount of time they spend taking him out. He is now able to be out and about with staff for longer periods and never attempts to leave them.

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

Children have left the home without staff authorisation. These incidents stopped following some children moving out and are not currently a concern. Staff complete missing-from-home protocols for each child. They are aware of the process to follow should a child go missing.

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

The manager has liaised with the local police and key external professionals in relation to any safeguarding matters. This ensures transparency and accountability. Staff rarely use physical intervention to manage children’s behaviour. Staff de-escalate potentially confrontational situations well. The staff redirect children. They use their extensive knowledge of the children to prevent situations escalating. As a result, incidents have reduced. Children’s ability to communicate has improved and helped them regulate their emotions. Children are now able to express themselves. As a result, they are less frustrated. They express themselves and feel listened to.

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

The manager monitors staff training to ensure it remains current and meets the needs of the children. This includes safeguarding and exploitation. The staff training covers all the required areas of children’s care. This means that the staff have the knowledge and skills to care for the children well.

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

There have been no complaints. The manager has made efforts to address concerns raised by neighbours. The manager understands the importance of good and positive relationships with those who live close by.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is dedicated and committed to the children. He and his team are ambitious for them. He continually reviews how the work of the team assists children’s progress.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The staff share the manager’s drive and determination. The culture and ethos of the home are developing and they continue to improve. The manager and team advocate Inspection report for children's home: 1248509 5 for the children. They are clear that the children deserve and should receive high-quality care. The manager and the team have a clear understanding of the children’s needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff described the manager as ‘amazing, understanding, inclusive and supportive’. His care and patience are enabling staff to develop into senior roles. Staff are becoming more confident. Supervision is now occurring in line with the organisation’s policy. Supervision dates are scheduled in advance. However, the supervision schedule is not amended to reflect when sessions have not occurred.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The organisation has strengthened the team by employing experienced staff. This is showing in all aspects of their work. The team is more balanced in relation to ethnicity, age and experience. This ensures children’s cultures and differing needs are acknowledged and incorporated into all aspects of their care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has a good awareness of the home’s strengths. His development plan addresses the areas he feels could be strengthened further. The staff team will pursue local authorities for any missing documents. This ensures that the staff have the required information about children. Should staff have concerns over the responses from local authorities, these are escalated in a timely way. This minimises any negative impact on the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The electronic recording system is easy to navigate. The children’s plans and information are recorded in a child-centred way. The new one-page profile summarises each child’s needs and preferences. They enable staff to gain a quick overview of essential information.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The children have regular visits to and from their families. Family members describe the home as an extension of their families. Family members and professionals were full of praise about the team’s work. Each commended the level of communication and quality of reports received. These interactions assist partnership working and keep everyone informed and involved. An advocate’s feedback to a child read, ‘I am really pleased you have settled in so well. It is great to see how much you have grown in yourself since you have been living there.’ Inspection report for children's home: 1248509 6

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that the supervision schedule details when sessions have not occurred. This ensures there is clarity about how frequently staff receive supervision. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.3)

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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 for children's home: 1248509 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: D M O Accountants, 25 Sanders Road, Finedon Road Industrial Estate, Wellingborough NN8 4NL

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Nokuthula Mangwendeza

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Inspector

Sonia Hay, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: 1248509 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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