Children's Home run by The Place Young People’s Company in Leicestershire

Inspection report for children's home: 1241261 1 Registered provider: The Place Young People’s Company Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This privately owned children’s home can provide care for up to two children with social, emotional and behavioural difficulties.

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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

We last visited this setting on 9 August 2021 to carry out a monitoring visit. The purpose of the monitoring visit was to assess the suitability of the home to start operating again following a period of temporary closure. The home was judged to be ready and able to admit children. The report is published on the Ofsted website.

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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: 4 February 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 for children's home: 1241261 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

04/02/2020 Full Good 24/10/2018 Full Good 06/02/2018 Interim Sustained effectiveness 09/05/2017 Full Good Inspection report for children's home: 1241261 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

There is currently one child living at the home. The child is receiving positive and nurturing care. There are strong and stable relationships between staff and the child. These relationships have been established in a relatively short period of time. Before moving to the home, the child had a series of placements. Now the child is experiencing a period of stability. A social worker said, ‘This is the most settled [name] has been in a long time. The staff are really supporting him in the best way they can. [Name] says he is genuinely happy.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The strong relationships with staff have positively influenced the progress made by the child. The child is supported to manage and improve their emotional health and well-being. The child has started to engage in positive experiences in the community. At the same time, behavioural incidents have reduced.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child has been supported to engage in education. This demonstrates significant progress from when the child moved to the home. The manager advocated for the child to ensure an appropriate education plan was put in place. Staff are supporting the school by staying in school with the child to offer support if required. All efforts are being made to make this school place a success. The education, health and care plan (EHC plan) is out of date and requires updating. Staff should be aware of the targets that are set in this plan.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff carry out direct work with the child during regular key-working sessions. The child has several ways in which to share their views. Staff record these views clearly. The child feels listened to. There has been a creative approach to seeking the child’s views. As a result, the child’s wishes are known and acted on by staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child is being supported to see people who matter to them. This has been sensitively progressed for the child since being at the home. Staff understand the importance of the child keeping in touch with their family. This is managed sensitively and in accordance with the child’s agreed plans.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child has been supported with a 12-week assessment by the clinical support team. The assessment and consequent support plan is yet to be achieved. This is failing to adhere to the home’s statement of purpose.

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

The child has been supported to understand risk and how to stay safe. Staff identify early indications of risk or vulnerability and act quickly to keep the child safe. Staff understand the need for the child to become independent and cope with social situations. Staff have supported the child to manage their behaviours and regulate responses. The staff maintain clear and consistent behavioural boundaries. These expectations are communicated to the child daily by staff. Inspection report for children's home: 1241261 4 The child is now more settled. There has been a significant reduction in behavioural incidents, including damage to property. The manager has systems and processes in place to track incidents. The manager works well with external agencies. The manager provides them with up-to-date and relevant information on where progress has been made. There have been no missing-from-care incidents. This demonstrates

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

that the child is more settled, content and making progress.

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

Staff are experienced in managing challenging behaviour. They have a positive and nurturing relationship with the child. Staff have clear expectations that have helped the child to reduce difficult behaviour. Physical interventions are only used as a last resort to keep the child safe. When these have been necessary, there has been good management oversight.

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

The manager ensures that the recruitment of new staff is undertaken in line with safer recruitment protocols. There are clear and effective processes in place to ensure that staff working in the home are safe to do so.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is experienced and qualified. He leads by example, modelling caring and nurturing practice. Staff care about the child. All the staff, without exception, agree that the child needs to know they are genuinely cared for and that the staff are always there for them.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is a strong advocate for the child. Stakeholder feedback is positive. A social worker said, ‘The manager has advocated well for the child.’ The manager is passionate about securing the appropriate services for the child. For example, he has secured an individualised education package that meets the child’s needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has introduced several systems and processes to drive the home on its improvement journey. The manager is hands on and he knows the child’s needs very well. The manager has developed a good relationship with the child. This has helped both him and the staff to have a good and in-depth knowledge of the child.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff offer continuity of care. Despite some changes in staffing, the child receives consistency in care arrangements. This has helped the child by providing a secure and stable base.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive regular supervision, appraisals and training opportunities. Also, the manager is creative in developing the skills of the team. However, there is a gap in the provision of more specialist training for staff in relation to the specific needs of the child.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff say they feel well supported and have good relationships with the manager. Staff have trust and confidence in the manager and trainee manager. There is positive regard for each other and the child. A staff member said, ‘We all really care for [name] and want the best for them.’ Inspection report for children's home: 1241261 5 Some recording, including the consistency of management oversight, could be improved. There were a few records where management oversight has been missed. Staff training records are not up to date, despite the training having been completed. The shortfalls in recording did not have an impact on the quality of care that the child was receiving. Inspection report for children's home: 1241261 6

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that staff are aware of whether a child has an EHC plan and the information in it. An EHC plan details the education, health and social care support that is to be provided to a child or young person who has special educational needs or a disability. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 26, paragraph 5.4)  The registered person should ensure that each child’s day-to-day health and well- being needs are met. Staff should work to make the children’s home an environment that supports children’s physical, mental and emotional health, in line with the approach set out in the home’s statement of purpose. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 33, paragraph 7.3)  The registered person should ensure that staff are familiar with the home’s policies on record-keeping and understand the importance of careful, objective

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Recommendations

and clear recording. Staff should record information on individual children in a non-stigmatising way that distinguishes between fact, opinion and third-party information. Information about the child must always be recorded in a way that will be helpful to the child. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4)  The registered person should ensure that staff have the relevant skills and knowledge to be able to: respond to the health needs of children; administer basic first aid and minor illness treatment; help children to manage long-term conditions and where necessary meet specific individual health needs arising from a disability, chronic condition or other complex needs. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 34, paragraph 7.12)

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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: 1241261 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: The Place Young People’s Company Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 2 Lymevale Court, Lyme Drive, Parklands, Stoke- on-Trent ST4 6NW

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Inspector

Bev Allison, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: 1241261 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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