Children's Home run by Josh’s Place Limited in Redcar and Cleveland

Inspection report for children's home: 2580899 1 Registered provider: Josh’s Place Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This privately owned and managed children’s home provides care for up to five children who experience a range of difficulties, which may include social and/or emotional difficulties. The manager registered with Ofsted in May 2020.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, there were five children living in the home.

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Information about this children’s home

We last visited this setting on 18 January 2022 to carry out a full inspection. 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: 18 January 2022

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: not applicable Inspection report for children's home: 2580899 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

18/01/2022 Full Good Inspection report for children's home: 2580899 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Transitions into the home are well managed. One child moved into the home during this inspection period. The child was able to visit the home and meet the other children before they moved in, which has helped them to feel welcomed. With the support of staff, relationships with the other children who have been living in the home together for two years are starting to develop. Relationships between the children who have lived there for a longer time are well established and good. This gives children a sense of belonging and builds their self-esteem.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The staff team is undergoing a period of change as several experienced members of staff have left and new members of staff have started. Children have been affected by these changes and one child said, ‘I don’t like it when new people come to [name of home]. I want the old people back.’ Although it has been difficult for the children to adjust, the manager has worked hard to minimise the effect of staff changes on the children. There have been regular direct-work sessions to help the children process the loss of long-standing trusted members of staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff have a good understanding of children’s life experiences, needs and interests. Children build strong relationships with caring and nurturing staff. Staff apply their understanding of attachment, trauma and child development when caring for children. This helps children to feel supported to progress in all areas of their life.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff encourage positive behaviour by developing relationships with children and using positive role modelling. Staff are trained to de-escalate situations using verbal and non-verbal communication and only use physical intervention when children need to be safeguarded.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children enjoy a range of activities and can choose activities that interest them, which helps them to broaden their sense of adventure and develop relationships with staff and the other children in the home. One child said, ‘When you ask for something, you go and do it.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is decorated and furnished to a high standard, and the children stated that they like living at the home. When things break or need repairing, these repairs are done quickly. For example, when the football goal broke recently in the garden, a new one was ordered straight away. This was important as children in the home love football.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children make progress from their starting points in education and are supported to attend school or college. Staff are proactive in working with children who do not attend school and work well with school staff to develop plans to encourage attendance. One child said, ‘Instead of just letting me stop, they helped to get me a tutor who came in every day, and I managed to get some GCSEs. I am now in college.’ Inspection report for children's home: 2580899 4 Children have healthcare plans in place. Children’s medication is administered and recorded appropriately. Staff understand children’s individual health needs, and they support children to attend appointments when necessary. Referrals are made to mental health services when children need this. Children access exercise and positive activities such as walking, football and boxing. Children’s dietary needs are met through healthy meal options. This helps children to understand how to live a

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

healthy life that will support them into adulthood.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support children with independent living plans, and children are encouraged to take responsibility for developing new skills such as being able to wash clothing or prepare a meal. Staff adapt plans depending on the child’s age, needs and development. This supports children’s transition to adulthood.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children can access an independent advocate, but these are rarely used at the home, and staff do not actively promote the benefits of advocacy to the children. Wider promotion of independent advocacy will ensure that children’s views are understood and considered, and their rights and entitlements are met.

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

Staff take an active approach to safeguarding children. There are clear systems in place, and staff are aware of the protocols to follow to safeguard children. If children go missing from the home, staff know what to do and are proactive in searching the local area and contacting children and their friends and family. This helps children to feel valued and cared for.

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

Children who do go missing from home are not always offered an independent return home interview. This means that important safeguarding information may be missed that would prevent further incidents occurring.

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

Staff have good links with safeguarding agencies and good relationships with the other professionals working with the children. Staff are proactive in requesting multi- agency meetings if safeguarding concerns are identified and put in place plans to keep children safe. The manager and staff ensure that they have up-to-date plans and reports from the placing local authority, schools and health services, and use these to inform risk assessments and care planning for the children.

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

Staff know the children well and can notice small changes in presentation or appearance. Staff noticed when a child presented with new possessions and were quick to identify this, discuss this further with the child and share information with the care team. Staff have completed e-learning training to help them identify and respond to child exploitation. The manager has organised additional training for staff to help them further develop their understanding of safeguarding risks in the community.

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

Staff recruitment procedures do not evidence that individuals are of integrity and good character. Written reference checks do not always comment in relation to Inspection report for children's home: 2580899 5 safeguarding or suitability to work with children. This means that children are at potential risk of harm from adults who are unsuitable to work with children.

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

The locality risk assessment does not include all known risks within the local area, such as open water and busy road bridges. This means that placing local authorities are not aware of all the risks close to the home and children could be placed at risk of potential harm.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager has a good understanding of the needs of the children and is motivated to achieve good outcomes for them. The manager, with support from other leaders, has put in place new systems to ensure that good standards of individualised care are achieved. The manager’s oversight is evident in the records as she strives to maintain good standards of practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager tracks and monitors the progress of the children and recognises the strengths and areas for development in the staff team. The home is going through a period of change in relation to staffing, but the manager is working through this and supporting staff as the new team becomes established. The home’s statement of purpose is reviewed regularly, and the manager has ensured that the ethos and objectives of the home continue to be met, despite the staffing changes.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Professional relationships with outside agencies are a strength of this home. One headteacher said, ‘The staff are great, coming in and supporting when needed to.’ One social worker said, ‘I have been impressed with the care they receive.’ Children are at the centre of everything that the leadership and management team does. Children’s views are sought and these feed into the ongoing development of the service. One child’s grandmother said, ‘It’s the first place called home since living with me. The staff are marvellous.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive supervision that focuses on children’s experiences and needs. Staff reflect on the care children receive and their role as caregivers. For some staff, supervision has been affected by the changes in the staff team. Some supervisions have been shorter in duration and have focused on staff welfare and well-being. The manager has plans in place to ensure all staff access full supervisions. Inspection report for children's home: 2580899 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, the 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 protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

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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

that staff are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(vii))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the need for all children to have independent return home interviews after being missing from care or away from the home without permission. 13 July 2022

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety.

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Requirement Due date

employ an individual to work at the children’s home;

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Requirement Due date

if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3).

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Requirement Due date

full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2. (Regulation 32 (1) (2)(a) (3)(d))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the provider ensuring that employment checks and references are robust. 13 July 2022

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that staff regularly remind children of their right to access an independent advocate. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 23, paragraph 4.17) Inspection report for children's home: 2580899 7  The registered person should ensure that the locality risk assessment includes all identifiable risks within the local area and strategies for managing these. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 64, paragraph 15.1)

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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: 2580899 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Josh’s Place Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Beaumont Accountancy Services 1st Floor Enterprise House, 202-206 Linthorpe Road, Middlesbrough, Cleveland TS1 3QW

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Inspectors

Lewis Roberts, Social Care Inspector Jenny Fenlon, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: 2580899 9 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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