Children's Home run by Flourish Children’s Services Limited in Rotherham

Inspection report for children’s home: 2562678 1 Registered provider: Flourish Children’s Services Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This is a privately owned and run children’s home that provides care for up to four children. The purpose of the home is to support children to be ready for the next step in their life, either moving to foster carers, back to family or to independence.

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Information about this children’s home

The home registered in January 2020. The registered manager left in January 2022. The deputy manager registered as manager in February 2022.

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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 20 January 2021 to carry out a monitoring visit. 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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outstanding

How well children and young people are helped and protected outstanding

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outstanding

The effectiveness of leaders and managers outstanding

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outstanding

The children’s home provides highly effective services that consistently exceed the standards of good. The actions of the children’s home contribute to significantly improved outcomes and positive experiences for children and young people who need help, protection and care.

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outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable Inspection report for children’s home: 2562678 2 Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2562678 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

Not previously inspected Inspection report for children’s home: 2562678 4

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outstanding

Children are making exceptional progress from their starting points. The staff treat the children with love and nurture. This provides them with a secure base where they have trusting relationships. As a result, children have the stability and care that they need.

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outstanding

Staff help children to overcome barriers to learning and work with educational providers to put plans in place. Children are engaging and achieving in education. For a child who has now left, they were able to gain qualifications despite the significant disruption in other parts of their life. Children have the skills, qualifications and ability to pursue their interests and career choices.

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outstanding

Children take part in numerous activities. The staff team wants children to have as many positive experiences as they can and the team is proactive in putting plans in place. Children have had opportunities to develop their interests and knowledge of the world around them. This helps to build the children’s confidence and self- esteem.

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outstanding

Memory boxes and memory books capture the children’s journey and the progress they have made. They capture each individual child and the experiences they have had since living at the home. Staff are proud of the children’s achievements and this sense of pride is evident throughout the home.

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outstanding

Children know about different cultures and events in the world. They have developed an understanding and acceptance of different cultures. Staff make every effort to celebrate all cultural events, such as Eid and Christmas. Children understand their own culture and are proud of who they are. For one child, their documentation is in their native language to ensure that they understand and can make informed decisions.

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outstanding

The manager recognises the stigma that can be attached to children’s homes and has worked hard to build positive links within the community. Children choose to take part in events in the community such as litter picking and charity walks. This helps the children to feel a part of the community and want to help others.

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outstanding

Children’s self-esteem and confidence have grown because of the support, love and nurture they receive. Children can communicate their views with others due to the reassurance and support staff give them. They are happy to call this their home despite their desire to live with their own biological family.

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outstanding

Staff teach children independence skills. For example, younger children take ownership of their belongings, while older children learn to cook and use public Inspection report for children’s home: 2562678 5 transport. Staff consulted with a dietician for one child to help them learn how to cook healthy and nutritious meals on a budget.

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outstanding

The staff team advocates for children to have time with their family and people that are important to them. Staff help children to understand the reasons for any restrictions on family time and are creative in how to manage these so that children have a positive time. Staff have positive relationships with the children’s family and work together to provide a consistent response to children.

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outstanding

Children generally only move out when it is part of their long-term plan. Staff have supported the children to move positively, and worked extensively with other professionals and carers to provide them with the understanding and knowledge of how to support the child. This has reduced the impact on children of moving in and provided them with a consistent approach. The staff team attempts to keep in touch with all children. Staff value the relationships they have with the children and want children to know that they care for them.

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outstanding

This is the children’s home, and the staff want them to know this. Photos and decorations adorn the home as they would in any family environment. It is a warm, loving environment and children are thriving .

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outstanding

Children are looked after by a caring, nurturing staff team that knows and understands the home’s model of care. Staff support children to learn and understand through compassion, natural consequences, and discussions with them. As a result of this approach, children’s risks and incidents have significantly reduced.

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outstanding

Staff understand the impact of the children’s trauma and that aggression is a way of communicating. Staff give children the skills to communicate when they need support. As a result, children can ask for help and incidents have reduced. Evaluation of incidents has identified trigger times, and plans are adapted to ensure that extra support is available while children continue to develop their skills.

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outstanding

Restraints are used as a last resort, for the right reasons. The manager reviews any restraints and speaks to children to ensure that they understand why these have happened. Other children are spoken to so that they understand what happened, while also asking their opinion about how they could respond differently. This approach reassures children and supports learning for the future.

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outstanding

Staff manage incidents of missing episodes well. They work with children to maintain contact. Staff help children to feel confident to share details of who they are with, so that plans can be made to have time out of the home in a safer way. As a result of the proactive and reactive way in which staff respond, missing episodes have significantly decreased. This also reduces the associated risk of exploitation and county lines. Clear plans are in place in case the current children go missing, despite this not being a risk. Inspection report for children’s home: 2562678 6 The staff work restoratively with the children, rarely use the police, and avoid criminalising children whenever possible. Staff help children to take accountability in other ways. They help children to learn how to rebuild relationships and make amends. This helps children to learn that there are natural consequences without feeling shame or rejection.

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outstanding

A decision to lock the porch door on an evening is in place following requests from some of the children and social workers. The impact of this on older children is well managed to ensure that this does not restrict their freedom. The manager keeps this under regular review to ensure that it remains relevant for all children.

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outstanding

The staff understand that children need to be able to take risks like their peers, such as walking to the shop on their own. This is balanced with the children’s individual needs, and plans are in place to support them to be able to take appropriate risks. As a result, children are developing their skills to keep themselves safe.

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outstanding

Staff know their safeguarding responsibilities. Risk assessments give staff clear guidance as to how to respond to children. On-call systems give further support should this be needed. Staff are empowered to support the children and adapt to their individual needs.

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outstanding

Staff do not give up on children. They are committed to helping children to achieve the best possible outcomes and to understand that, at times, they may be challenged. All options are explored to mitigate safeguarding concerns.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The deputy manager has recently taken over the role as registered manager. He has been a part of the home’s management structure since it opened and has been integral to how the home has run.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager has always had strong relationships with the children and knows them well. This has enabled him to transition to be the manager and for staff and children to accept this. The previous manager has helped the children to understand the reasons she has left, including those children that no longer live at the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The home’s model of care is embedded into how the home operates. It is evident that staff know this and apply it naturally as opposed to it being forced. Children respond well to this approach.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager is ambitious and strives for the best for children. He has made links with other managers external to the company to share good practice and continue to learn and develop. He is confident in his own abilities and will challenge advice from professionals if it is not in keeping with the ethos of the home, while embracing advice that will help the children. Inspection report for children’s home: 2562678 7 The manager has excellent oversight of the home. He reviews documents and seeks feedback from staff and other professionals to identify further learning points. This enables him to adapt the approaches and address any areas of improvement.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff have regular, detailed supervision which supports their development as well as ensuring a consistent approach. The manager addresses any areas of improvement in a supportive way. Support is in place for staff because the manager values and understands the importance of their role in helping the children. This ensures that staff have the skills, confidence and commitment to look after the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager is confident in challenging and advocating for children’s wishes and needs. For one child, the therapist has adapted their way of working in response to feedback and the child is now benefiting from the support that the therapist can provide.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Team meetings support staff to discuss and come up with new ideas, and provide learning and sharing of information to ensure that staff work consistently. Staff respect each other’s views and use their individual skill sets to meet the needs of the children while working towards the same goals.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Regulation 45 reports have not consistently met regulations. The manager recognises that this is an area for development. There has been no impact on the children due to the level of oversight, evaluation and learning the management team has had since the home opened. Inspection report for children’s home: 2562678 8

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Recommendations

 The registered manager should ensure that the processes of regulation 45, including consulting with others, enable them to analyse and evaluate the quality of care and experiences of the children living at the home. The report should identify strengths and weaknesses as well as any actions required for the next six months and how these will be addressed. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 65, paragraph 15.4)

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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: 2562678 9

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Flourish Children’s Services Limited

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Inspector

Debra Boldy, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2562678 10 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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