Children's Home run by Nottingham City Council in Nottingham

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC034969 1 SC034969

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Nottingham City Council

Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is owned by a local authority. It is registered to provide short-term care for up to four children who may have emotional, social and behavioural difficulties. Children are referred on an emergency basis and stay for up to 12 weeks. However, due to exceptional circumstances, one child is being cared for for longer than 12 weeks.

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Information about this children’s home

The home is led by an experienced registered manager.

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This monitoring visit

At the last inspection, two compliance notices were set by Ofsted. This was because of serious concerns relating to the protection of children, the reporting of incidents and the leadership of the home.

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This monitoring visit

The manager and responsible individual took the concerns very seriously. They have worked hard to address shortfalls identified at the inspection. Since the last inspection, two children have had planned transitions to new placements. The staff have invested their time and resources into supporting the one remaining child living at the home.

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This monitoring visit

The manager has supported staff to implement and enforce boundaries to ensure that children are safe. This has led to the residing child having a reduction in concerning behavioural incidents. In turn, the child is making progress. For example, they have started to attend education and are slowly building trusting relationships with staff. This is a significant achievement.

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This monitoring visit

Staff’s awareness of what constitutes bullying has improved. The manager and responsible individual delivered training on the topic and updated paperwork to Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC034969 2 make it more robust. When children raise concerns, these are now documented and responded to more effectively. However, there has not yet been a learning exercise completed regarding the bullying that happened previously in the home.

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This monitoring visit

The manager ensures that staff are maintaining professional standards, which in turn has improved staff morale. Where staff have been injured or involved in behavioural incidents, the manager is offering necessary support, guidance and overview. Staff are receiving regular supervision and the format has changed to ensure that staff have opportunities for reflection and to raise any practice concerns.

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This monitoring visit

The manager is now setting actions for staff to complete; however, these are not always specific. This is necessary so that progress for children can be better monitored and reviewed.

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This monitoring visit

The relationship between the manager and Ofsted has improved. There has been ongoing communication as regards progress made and incidents have been reported appropriately. The manager and responsible individual took swift and decisive action to meet the compliance notices and most statutory requirements raised at the last inspection. However, further work and development are required to embed changes with management oversight, especially in relation to quality assurance, learning from complaints and feedback from children. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC034969 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

28/02/2022 Interim Declined in effectiveness 23/11/2021 Full Requires improvement to be good 26/02/2020 Interim Sustained effectiveness 29/10/2019 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC034969 4

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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 leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that— helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and promotes their welfare. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to— lead and manage the home in a way that is consistent with the approach and ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set out in the home’s statement of purpose; understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home; demonstrate that practice in the home is informed and improved by taking into account and acting on— research and developments in relation to the ways in which the needs of children are best met; and feedback on the experiences of children, including complaints

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Requirement Due date

received; and use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(f)(g)(i)(ii)(h)) 21 May 2022

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Information about this inspection

The purpose of this visit was to monitor the action taken and the progress made by the children’s home since its last Ofsted inspection.

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Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC034969 5

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Nottingham City Council

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Nottingham City Council, Loxley House, Station Street, Nottingham NG2 3NG

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Inspector

Andi Lilley-Tams, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC034969 6 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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