Children's Home run by New Horizons (Stockport) Limited in Tameside

Inspection report for children’s home: 2591888 1 Registered provider: New Horizons-(Stockport) Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

This home is operated by a private company. It is registered to provide care for up to four children who may have needs that relate to their disabilities and/or a sensory impairment.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

There is currently no registered manager for this home.

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 requires improvement to be 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: 16 November 2021

p.1

requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

p.1

Enforcement action since last inspection:

This inspection follows a monitoring visit undertaken on 25 February 2022 in response to safeguarding concerns raised in a complaint to Ofsted. The report published following the monitoring visit can be accessed via Ofsted’s website. Inspection report for children’s home: 2591888 2

p.1

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

16/11/2021 Full Requires improvement to be good 24/08/2021 Full Inadequate Inspection report for children’s home: 2591888 3

p.2

improvement to be good

Children have experienced significant changes in the team caring for them. Since the last inspection, half of the staff team and two appointed managers have left. Children do not have enduring relationships due to the instability within the staff team. However, new staff have been recruited to the team, together with an experienced manager who has a good understanding of the children’s individual needs.

p.3

improvement to be good

Staff have guidance on how to meet each child’s needs. However, there are various strategies provided across several different support plans. Staff are not provided with clear expectations of, and advice on, how best to support children. There are some positive examples of direct work by staff to support one child. However, recordings of individual work do not detail the work undertaken with another child.

p.3

improvement to be good

Children now have the support of the recently appointed in-house speech and language therapist. Staff are being provided with specific strategies and guidance to meet each child’s individual needs. However, this is not yet fully embedded into practice. Children’s health needs are also well supported by the guidance provided to staff by the in-house occupational therapist.

p.3

improvement to be good

The inspector observed some positive interactions between staff and children during the inspection. However, staff do not always use the individual communication aids to help children to communicate. This means staff do not always understand what children are communicating to them. Children’s needs are not always met as a result. However, training has been identified to address gaps in staff knowledge.

p.3

improvement to be good

Staff hold regularly group meetings with children. These meetings include a focus on planning a range of activities for children. However, recordings of the meetings do not show how children are supported to actively engage in them. The guide for the home is not provided in an accessible format for the children living in the home.

p.3

improvement to be good

Staff are provided with differing guidance in relation to managing the individual risks for each child. This includes differing strategies to mitigate these risks. As a result, there is a varied level of understanding of these risks within the staff team. Some staff have a good understanding, while others have a limited understanding. This is a concern given the children’s identified needs and associated vulnerabilities. The newly appointed manager has plans to address the inconsistency in practice. This includes individual, group and clinical meetings with the staff team. Inspection report for children’s home: 2591888 4 Safer recruitment practice is followed for prospective applicants. One recent good example of this was an effective response to potential concerns regarding an applicant identified during the vetting process. An appropriate response to the identified concerns helped to ensure that only suitable staff are recruited.

p.3

improvement to be good

Allegation management was effective in response to two unrelated concerns regarding staff conduct. This included an immediate response to serious concerns in relation to one staff member identified while they were on duty. Following internal investigations, disciplinary action was appropriately taken, in both cases.

p.4

improvement to be good

Flooring on the landing has not yet been replaced. This was a requirement at the last inspection. However, plans are in place for this to be addressed.

p.4

good

There have been significant changes in the management of the home. Since the last inspection, two managers and a senior manager no longer work at the home. A third manager has recently been appointed. The new manager has a good understanding of children’s needs. They have identified how staff need to be supported to provide consistency of care for children.

p.4

good

The new manager has a clear understanding of the development areas in the home. They have begun to identify solutions to address these. Since recently coming into post, they have been appropriately focused on developing the culture in the staff team. The new manager is beginning to lead the team through role modelling good practice. The changes are not yet embedded into team practice.

p.4

good

Staff have not received individual supervision for three months. This gap covers the period between the monitoring visit undertaken in February 2022 and the new manager starting in post. Staff have not had time and space to reflect on their own practice and share any concerns they may have. This is significant in the context of issues raised by staff regarding a previous lack of support provided to them. However, staff feel more supported since the new manager has been in post.

p.4

good

Not all staff have received training in the home’s approach to responding to behaviours that challenge, and new staff are awaiting face-to-face training in first aid. This does not ensure that all staff are trained in meeting the needs of each child.

p.4

good

The responsible individual has ensured that a number of the requirements from the last full inspection have been met. However, requirements not met have been re- stated. Inspection report for children’s home: 2591888 5

p.4

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.5

Requirement Due date

The children’s views, wishes and feelings standard is that children receive care from staff who—

p.5

Requirement Due date

develop positive relationships with them;

p.5

Requirement Due date

take their views, wishes and feelings into account in relation to matters affecting the children’s care and welfare and their lives.

p.5

Requirement Due date

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

p.5

Requirement Due date

keep the children’s guide and the home’s complaints procedure under review and seek children’s comments before revising either document. (Regulation 7 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(c))

p.5

Requirement Due date

Specifically, ensure the children’s guide is in a format which is accessible to children, and in accordance with their individual communication needs. 31 July 2022

p.5

Requirement Due date

The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

p.5

Requirement Due date

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

p.5

Requirement Due date

that the home’s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm;

p.5

Requirement Due date

that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed, furnished and maintained so as to protect each child from avoidable hazards to the child’s health. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(b)(d)) 31 July 2022 Inspection report for children’s home: 2591888 6 This relates to risk assessments and safety plans being recorded in a way that is clear for the team to follow.

p.5

Requirement Due date

This also relates to health and safety issues with flooring and the need for this to be addressed.

p.6

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.6

Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

p.6

Requirement Due date

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

p.6

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.6

Requirement Due date

ensure that staff work as a team where appropriate;

p.6

Requirement Due date

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

p.6

Requirement Due date

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

p.6

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;

p.6

Requirement Due date

demonstrate that practice in the home is informed and improved by taking into account and acting on—

p.6

Requirement Due date

research and developments in relation to the ways in which the needs of children are best met;

p.6

Requirement Due date

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)(b)(c)(e)(f)(g)(i)(h))

p.6

Requirement Due date

This relates to ensuring that there are monitoring and review systems to make improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. 31 July 2022 Inspection report for children’s home: 2591888 7 This includes ensuring that management oversight and evaluation identifies poor practice and is addressed.

p.6

Requirement Due date

This relates to ensuring that there is a consistent staff team in place that understands the child’s needs.

p.7

Requirement Due date

This relates to ensuring that the home has a registered manager.

p.7

Requirement Due date

This also relates to the staff team understanding its role in working together to provide a consistent level of care. Also, that staff have the necessary skills and experience to meet the needs of children.

p.7

Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home.

p.7

Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that children receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home. (Regulation 14 (1)(a))

p.7

Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the children’s plans being clear; including specific and measurable goals that everyone is working on to support the children to reach their potential. It also relates to ensuring that individual communication aids are used to support children to communication. 31 July 2022

p.7

Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees—

p.7

Requirement Due date

receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience. (Regulation 33 (4)(b))

p.7

Requirement Due date

Specifically, ensure that staff receive regular supervision, and to provide them with time and space to reflect on their own practice. 31 July 2022

p.7

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: 2591888 8

p.7

Children’s home details

Registered provider: New Horizon-(Stockport) Limited

p.8

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 154 Buxton Road, High Lane, Stockport, Cheshire SK6 8EA

p.8

Inspector

Maria Lonergan, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2591888 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.

p.8

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.9

Inspector

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

p.9

Inspector

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

p.9