Children's Home run by HAVEN CARE GROUP LIMITED in Staffordshire

Inspection report children's home: 1251947 1 Registered provider: Haven Care Group Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The home provides care for up to four young people who have complex emotional and/or behavioural needs. A private company operates this home.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The manager has recently been registered with Ofsted.

p.1

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.

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

p.1

requires improvement to be good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

p.1

requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

p.1

requires improvement to be good

The children’s home is not yet delivering good help and care for children and young people. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

p.1

requires improvement to be good

Date of last inspection: 24 October 2019

p.1

requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: declined in effectiveness

p.1

requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children's home: 1251947 2

p.1

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

24/10/2019 Interim Declined in effectiveness 12/09/2019 Full Good 04/09/2018 Interim Declined in effectiveness 12/04/2018 Full Good Inspection report children's home: 1251947 3

p.2

improvement to be good

Children’s experiences and progress are mixed. For example, some children have made good progress and benefit from well-planned transitions from the home. However, one child moved on from the home shortly after their arrival. The inspection found shortfalls in the planning of this child’s admission. For example, the child had significant difficulties living alongside other children prior to their admission. Despite this, the registered manager admitted the child. Unfortunately, the child did not settle and failed to invest in the home. Poor matching affected the experiences of the children already living at the home who were exposed to the child’s challenging behaviours.

p.3

improvement to be good

At the time of the inspection, four children were living at the home. Two of these children recently arrived at the home. The progress of these children is limited given that they are new to the home. However, they have settled well and spoke positively about their relationships with staff and their day-to-day experiences. Staff continue to support both children to attend their previous school.

p.3

improvement to be good

Unfortunately, the day-to-day experiences of the two other children living in the home are poor. These children do not always receive good-quality care or support that reflects their individual needs and enhances their overall experiences. Neither child has attended education on a consistent basis for a significant period. Staff’s efforts to address this issue have been largely unsuccessful. In addition, their efforts to support both children to complete education tasks consistently when they are not in school are ineffective. Furthermore, both children experience poor structure and routine. For example, some children do not wake up or leave their bedrooms until the early afternoon. During the inspection, the registered manager requested an urgent professionals meeting to discuss the lack of education progress for both children. In addition, the registered manager now plans to provide both children

p.3

improvement to be good

with additional incentives to encourage them to engage in a more productive daily routine.

p.3

improvement to be good

Despite these concerns there are some signs that these children are building more positive relationships with staff. This means that children feel increasingly able to discuss their difficult thoughts and emotions. In addition, one child is now attending school sporadically as part of a planned phased return. Furthermore, staff have worked hard to support a child to explore and feel confident in expressing his identity.

p.3

improvement to be good

In some respects, staff work hard to meet children’s needs. For example, they work alongside specialist agencies to provide children with well-informed support for their emotional health needs. However, the full extent of other children’s needs is unknown. Staff are working alongside a specialist agency to gather more information about a child’s needs. In the interim, the child does not engage fully with staff. Inspection report children's home: 1251947 4 Staff provide children with regular opportunities to express their views. For example, children complete monthly consultations and take part in regular children’s meetings. Staff support children to take part in their local authority meetings. This inclusive approach ensures that children feel respected and can take ownership of their care.

p.3

improvement to be good

Staff help children to access a number of activities. For example, children enjoy trips to local theme parks and the zoo. Children also enjoy attending a local health club. These experiences bring children a sense of enjoyment.

p.4

improvement to be good

Aspects of the home’s environment appear tired and are in need of redecoration. For example, external plaster is peeling away on the front of the home. The garden is weedy and the grass is overgrown. Some internal walls are marked and need repainting. There is mould on the ceiling of a child’s bathroom. The registered manager plans to redecorate the home and incorporate a vegetable patch in the garden.

p.4

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

Children’s risks are known and are captured well in behaviour management plans and risk assessments. Regular reviews of these plans enable staff to keep up to date with children’s risks. The registered manager and staff know children well and use this knowledge to develop individual responses to help settle children. However, these well-thought-out strategies are not always captured in children’s plans.

p.4

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

The children currently living at the home are settled and are not exposed to risk. Children do not currently go missing from the home. For some children, this is considerable progress when their starting points are considered. For example, one child has significantly reduced his instances of self-harm behaviour. Some children who previously lived in the home went missing on occasions. Staff provided robust responses during these incidents. For example, they diligently searched for children and worked closely with the police and local authorities to return children home.

p.4

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

Staff help children to understand risk by providing frequent one-to-one support sessions. They provide an innovative approach by using a range of informative booklets to help children understand risk. Staff worked closely with external agencies to support one child who was at risk of criminal exploitation. The child benefited from specialist mentoring advice and good-quality one-to-one support.

p.4

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

Staff promote children’s positive behaviour by offering praise and rewards. Overall, children respond positively to these and feel a sense of pride and achievement when targets are met. However, the registered manager is still developing this aspect of care to encourage other children to engage in a productive daily routine.

p.4

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

On occasions, staff use restraint to keep children and others safe during challenging incidents. This practice is appropriate and proportionate. Overall, the registered Inspection report children's home: 1251947 5 manager provides good oversight of these incidents and supports children to engage consistently in discussions following these incidents to identify learning.

p.4

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

Partnership working is strong. The registered manager ensures that information is shared with the safeguarding professionals to help keep children safe. The registered manager takes a proactive approach to safeguarding. For example, she regularly attends the police multi-agency forum to gather information about emerging risks in the local community. In addition, staff and children have a strong relationship with the local community police officer.

p.5

good

The registered manager ensures that the home is appropriately staffed and resourced. Staff know children well and care about them. The staff team continues to establish its identity and has a good mix of experience and skills. As a result, children receive care from a stable team.

p.5

good

The registered manager and staff show good intentions and present as being keen to support children to make progress. However, staff are struggling to understand how to continue to engage some children to meet their needs consistently. Prior to the inspection there was no clear plan to re-engage some children in education and to embed day-to-day structure and routine. Records of staff meetings and supervisions show that some staff feel frustrated due to this impasse. It is acknowledged that the registered manager took steps during the inspection to address these shortfalls. However, the impact of these plans has yet to be evidenced.

p.5

good

Children’s care does not consistently reflect the model of care as set out in the home’s statement of purpose. For example, staff do not consistently record their efforts to explore the context of children’s behaviours and, on occasions, use inappropriate language. In addition, some staff use institutional practices such as removing television remote controls or switching off children’s internet access.

p.5

good

The registered manager is aware of the strengths and areas of development. She has plans to provide children with care in line with the home’s statement of purpose. For example, internal Team Around the Child meetings (TAC) will take place on a regular basis. A TAC coordinator will support staff to scrutinise children’s progress and agree the focus of their one-to-one support. In addition, the registered manager plans to use these forums to ensure that staff fully reflect their understanding of the behaviour management model in their records. While the impact of these plans is untested, they have the potential to improve the quality of staff’s practice and children’s care.

p.5

good

Staff receive regular, good-quality supervision sessions that help them to reflect on and develop their practice. Supervision records are detailed and strike a healthy balance between addressing shortfalls and encouraging good practice. Staff speak highly about the support they receive from the registered manager. A member of Inspection report children's home: 1251947 6 staff told the inspector, ‘I really love this job. I keep developing. I feel really supported by the manager. She is always supportive.’

p.5

good

Overall, the registered manager has robust monitoring systems in place. She works alongside the deputy manager to complete daily, weekly and monthly audits. The registered manager uses learning from these audits to create actions for staff. The deputy manager has recently introduced new ideas to develop staff’s practice. For example, small groups of staff now provide a collective responsibility for children’s one-to-one support. Inspection report children's home: 1251947 7

p.6

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.

p.7

Requirement Due date

The quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who—

p.7

Requirement Due date

understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children;

p.7

Requirement Due date

use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential.

p.7

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

p.7

Requirement Due date

understand and apply the home’s statement of purpose;

p.7

Requirement Due date

understand and apply the home’s statement of purpose;

p.7

Requirement Due date

protect and promote each child’s welfare;

p.7

Requirement Due date

provide personalised care that meets each child’s needs, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans, taking account of the child’s background. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(i)(ii)(iv))

p.7

Requirement Due date

This relates to staff supporting children to engage in productive day-to-day activities, structure and routine. 23 May 2022

p.7

Requirement Due date

The education standard is that children make measurable progress towards achieving their educational potential and are helped to do so.

p.7

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure –

p.7

Requirement Due date

that staff – 23 May 2022 Inspection report children's home: 1251947 8 help each child to achieve the child’s education and training targets, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans;

p.7

Requirement Due date

support each child’s learning and development, including helping the child to develop independent study skills and, where appropriate, helping the child to complete independent study;

p.8

Requirement Due date

understand the barriers to learning that each child may face and take appropriate action to help the child to overcome any such barriers;

p.8

Requirement Due date

help each child to understand the importance and value of education, learning, training and employment;

p.8

Requirement Due date

promote opportunities for each child to learn informally;

p.8

Requirement Due date

help each child to attend education or training in accordance with the expectations in the child’s relevant plans. (Regulation 8 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(x))

p.8

Requirement Due date

This relates to staff supporting children’s education to ensure that they achieve their potential and do not fall behind their peers.

p.8

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—

p.8

Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

p.8

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

p.8

Requirement Due date

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;

p.8

Requirement Due date

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. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(f))

p.8

Requirement Due date

The relates to the registered manager taking timely and effective action to address shortfalls in children’s care. In 23 May 2022 Inspection report children's home: 1251947 9 addition, children’s records will consistently reflect the behaviour management model as set out in the home’s statement of purpose.

p.8

Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children—

p.9

Requirement Due date

receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home. (Regulation 14 (1)(a))

p.9

Requirement Due date

This relates to the need for children to receive well-planned transitions into the home. 23 May 2022

p.9

Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that children’s risk assessments and behaviour management plans provide staff with appropriate guidance to manage risks and behaviour. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 42, paragraph 9.5)

p.9

Recommendations

 The registered person will ensure that the internal and external areas of the home are well presented to provide children with a warm and welcoming environment. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9)

p.9

Recommendations

 The registered person will ensure that staff do not use institutional or punitive practice to manage children’s behaviour. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 39, paragraph 8.3) Inspection report children's home: 1251947 10

p.9

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: 1251947 11

p.10

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Haven Care Group Limited

p.11

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Unit 6 Barberry Court, Parkway, Centrum One Hundred, Burton-on-Trent DE14 2UE

p.11

Inspector

Gareth Leckey, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children's home: 1251947 12 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.

p.11

Inspector

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.12

Inspector

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.12

Inspector

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.12