Children's home run by M.J. Children’s Services Limited

Inspection report for children’s home: SC068991 1 SC068991 Registered provider: M.J. 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 privately owned home provides care for up four children with social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

There has not been a registered manager in post since 29 June 2020.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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requires improvement to be good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

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requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers inadequate

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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.

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC068991 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

10/05/2021 Full Good 09/12/2019 Full Requires improvement to be good 08/08/2018 Full Good 26/06/2017 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: SC068991 3

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improvement to be good

Since the last inspection, two children have moved on. There were two children living at the home at the time of the inspection. Managers and staff know both children well. Children said that they are happy living at the home.

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improvement to be good

Children are making progress with education and improving their own safety. The responsible individual has been a strong advocate for children in accessing education placements. He has supported one child to challenge local placing authorities, obtaining an apology as well as an education place. This helps children to build confidence and access their rights.

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improvement to be good

Not all staff are consistent in setting boundaries and rewarding positive achievements. Failure to set clear expectations for children does not help them to manage their emotions and behaviour.

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improvement to be good

Children lead healthy lifestyles that include regular exercise and outdoor activities. Staff encourage children and give direction to eat a balanced diet. Children are encouraged to plan their own menus, budget for them and go shopping for ingredients.

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improvement to be good

Children personalise their own spaces in the home, which they are proud of. Bedrooms and bathrooms are of a good size with room for their belongings, which helps children to settle and feel secure. However, improvements are needed in the maintenance of the home, including repainting and repair of some doors and windows. Furnishings and paintwork in the lounge areas need replacement or repair.

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improvement to be good

Children keep close relationships with their friends and families. Staff plan children’s family meetings and take the children to them when they are away from the home. However, staff are not always proactive in encouraging children to seek new opportunities for activities. This inconsistency has been identified by the new assistant manager, who is tasking staff to find opportunities to offer to children to broaden their horizons.

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

Children say that they feel safe living at the home. They know who to talk to if they have concerns. All staff undertake safeguarding training and know the home’s system of reporting concerns. This helps the staff to identify concerns of exploitation, gang affiliation and radicalisation.

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

Staff provide high-level supervision when children access the internet to reduce the risk of online abuse. This is proportionate to children’s individual needs and does not negatively affect their independence or contact with friends and family. Inspection report for children’s home: SC068991 4 There have been some incidents of children going missing from the home, although these have reduced significantly. Staff respond in line with the missing-from-care protocols to help find and return children to the home as soon as possible. The learning from these incidents is used to review children’s safety plans. Staff are proactive and talk to children about the reasons why they were missing from home, to understand why it happened and what changes to care practice could be made. This helps keep children safe from the risk of harm from exploitation.

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

Risk assessments for children are detailed and clear for staff to follow. These assessments are regularly reviewed and updated following any changes. Staff enable children to take age-appropriate risks, which builds trust and encourages their independence.

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

Staff know children’s pattens of self-injurious behaviour well and are vigilant to emerging or changing risks. They take action to support children’s emotional well- being without judgement, which reduces the risk of perceived stigma. This helps children with their emotional development and resilience.

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

Staff work closely with children to encourage healthy living and a safer lifestyle. A social worker said that staff are good at co-working with them to promote safe sexual health. Children are given good advice by staff to consider and understand the risks of substance misuse, which is discussed in key-work sessions and house meetings. This joint working is reducing the risks to children’s good health and well- being.

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

Recruitment processes are robust and ensure that applicants are suitable to work with vulnerable children. Prospective staff’s interviews explore how the applicant, if appointed, would treat children with kindness and respect.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

There has not been a registered manager at the home since June 2020. This has had a negative impact on the development and progress of the home. During this period, the responsible individual has been in day-to-day charge of the home. A new manager has been appointed and is due to commence employment in the next two months.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Staff said that the responsible individual has been supportive and approachable, and that the recent appointment of an assistant manager has been welcomed. However, the oversight of staff practice in positive behaviour management has led to inconsistent approaches. Children said that they feel some staff show favouritism, which leads to feelings of unfairness. Some staff said that children have been given rewards too easily and not in line with agreed aims. This has meant that children sometimes struggle to manage their behaviours when staff do not adhere to the agreed expectations. Inspection report for children’s home: SC068991 5 Managers and the staff spoken with during the inspection showed genuine warmth and care for the children. However, improvements are needed to make sure that positive relationships are consistently fostered.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Staff do not always make respectful records of children’s behaviour or incidents. Using language that is child-blaming is not helpful to children if they read their records now or in the future. The lack of a consistent manager has resulted in some practice concerns being missed.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Staff said that teamwork has been negatively affected by the absence of a regular manager who could build stronger working relationships. Some staff said that there is an imbalance in the team that makes it harder to challenge colleagues.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Staff noted recent improvements since the appointment of the assistant manager. The responsible individual and assistant manager have identified where improvements are needed and are proactively addressing these.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Professionals report very good working relationships with the responsible individual and staff. Regular team meetings take place and include detailed discussion about children’s progress. Inspection report for children’s home: SC068991 6

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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 positive relationships standard is that children are helped to develop, and to benefit from, relationships based on—

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Requirement Due date

an understanding about acceptable behaviour; and

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Requirement Due date

positive responses to other children and adults.

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

meet each child’s behavioural and emotional needs, as set out in the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to develop socially aware behaviour;

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Requirement Due date

encourage each child to take responsibility for the child’s behaviour, in accordance with the child’s age and understanding;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to develop and practise skills to resolve conflicts positively and without harm to anyone;

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Requirement Due date

communicate to each child expectations about the child’s behaviour and ensure that the child understands those expectations in accordance with the child’s age and understanding. (Regulation 11 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that staff use behavioural consequences consistently and in line with each child’s support plan, and take action to review the effectiveness of these, ensuring that they are proportionate. 31 July 2022 Inspection report for children’s home: SC068991 7 In particular, ensure that staff use behavioural consequences consistently and in line with each child’s support plan, and take action to review the effectiveness of these, ensuring that they are proportionate.

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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—

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Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff work as a team where appropriate;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child;

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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)(b)(c)(e)(f))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, recruit a suitable manager who will register with Ofsted without delay, who has the suitable skills and experience to lead and develop a team of staff to meet the needs of children. 31 August 2022

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that the home is a nurturing and supportive environment that meets the needs of the children. Specifically, repair stained paintwork on the ceiling in the lounge and replace or repair weather-damaged window frames and the front door. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9)  The registered person should ensure that staff have unconditional positive regard for children. In particular, ensure that records made by staff are factual, non-child Inspection report for children’s home: SC068991 8 blaming and respectful. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 21, paragraph 4.3)

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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: SC068991 9

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: M.J. Childrens Services Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Arbutus House, 4 Loddington Lane, Belton in Rutland LE15 9LA

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Inspector

Jamie Cousins, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC068991 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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