Children's home run by Jeeves Care Group Ltd

Inspection report for children’s home: 2666653 1 Registered provider: Jeeves Care Group Ltd Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This children’s home is privately owned by a small independent provider. The home cares for up to two children between the ages of 11 and 17 years old who may experience emotional and social difficulties and/or mild learning disabilities.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted when the home opened in May 2022.

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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 requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

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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: not applicable

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: not applicable Inspection report for children’s home: 2666653 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

Not previously inspected Inspection report for children’s home: 2666653 3

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improvement to be good

The home has cared for one child since it opened in May 2022. At the time of the inspection, the child had been living at the home for less than one month. Ofsted received a complaint from a third party raising concerns about the management support and systems in place at the home to keep children safe. The areas of concern were looked at during this inspection.

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improvement to be good

Staff are beginning to build an understanding of the child’s emotional responses, and the child is forming positive relationships with some staff. However, serious incidents of physical aggression towards staff have resulted in reliance on the police to help manage behaviour on two occasions. At the time of the inspection, managers felt unable to manage the risks of physical aggression without the support of external staff provided by the local authority. As a result, there is no long-term plan in place for the child’s care.

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improvement to be good

While the child has made some progress since being at the home, current arrangements do not provide the child with a sense of stability or certainty about where they will be living. In addition, shortfalls around the assessment of risk and management oversight of incidents mean that the home requires improvement to be good.

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improvement to be good

Managers planned the child’s move to the home well. Meetings were held with professionals and family before the move took place to learn about the child’s needs. Staff involved the child in planning, including helping the child choose their own room.

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improvement to be good

Staff have implemented daily routines that have improved the child’s sleep pattern. As a result, the child is up each morning and more readily engaging with staff. Staff help the child take part in a range of activities including go-karting and swimming that are fun and have provided the child with a sense of achievement.

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improvement to be good

Staff are familiar with the child’s physical and mental health needs and local health services, such as smoking cessation service, available to support children. Staff ensure that children have access to these services and have promoted a healthier lifestyle, which has resulted in a child giving up smoking.

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improvement to be good

Managers have worked effectively with the virtual school to confirm a plan for education. However, in the meantime, there has been a lack of planned activities to support the child’s learning, despite staff identifying that this child benefits from structure to their day.

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improvement to be good

The house is decorated and furnished to a good standard. Staff are warm and welcoming and model accepting, non-judgemental attitudes. Inspection report for children’s home: 2666653 4

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improvement to be good

Managers complete impact risk assessments to inform decisions about whether the home can meet a child’s needs. These are detailed, but do not routinely explore external hazards such as the busy main road at the front of the house. Patterns of aggressive behaviour for one child had not been fully considered in relation to the staffing composition and how this would be managed safely.

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improvement to be good

Staff completed training identified by the home as mandatory before a child moved in. This included training in physical intervention. The manager is qualified to provide restraint training, meaning that staff have access to training and ongoing support as they need it. However, managers and staff do not feel confident in managing the levels of aggression they have experienced.

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improvement to be good

Two staff have left since the home opened. Changes to the small staff team have meant that staff and managers have sometimes worked long hours over consecutive days to provide the required levels of supervision. Managers have prioritised recruitment and have appointed three new members of staff. Staff have access to training prior to starting work at the home. This allows staff to complete training at a pace suitable to them.

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improvement to be good

Managers have established a safe recruitment policy that is being implemented effectively. However, the policy does not clearly outline what checks will be undertaken for applicants who have lived or worked outside of the UK. This could result in unsuitable people working in the home.

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improvement to be good

Individual risk assessments are in place and are regularly reviewed by a manager. Assessments identify risks, but do not always contain clear guidance for staff on what actions to take to reduce risk in relation to self-harming behaviour and managing supervision at the swimming pool. Behaviour management plans provide additional guidance for staff, including techniques for helping children to remain calm and steps to de-escalate incidents. However, guidance across the two plans are sometimes contradictory. This increases the risk of inconsistent staff practice.

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improvement to be good

A system is in place for recording restraint. Records do not always clearly indicate which member of staff present undertook the restraint hold. De-brief conversations with staff are not always completed. This is a missed opportunity to learn lessons from the management of the incident. Similarly, incident reports are not always clear or easy to follow. This makes it difficult to understand the rationale for some staff practice and decision-making. This is not routinely challenged by the manager.

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improvement to be good

Staff respond quickly to any incidents of a child leaving the home without permission, to return them home safely. Staff are vigilant to concerns of exploitation or unhealthy relationships when supervising telephone calls or internet use. Information is shared with relevant professionals to help agree strategies and restrictions around online access and mobile phone use. Inspection report for children’s home: 2666653 5 Managers and staff are strong and consistent in challenging racism. They have organised access to online learning that can be completed with children. Staff are alert to extremist symbols and views that indicate radicalisation.

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good

Managers have established good links with local services. They are working transparently with the placing local authority to share the risks for the child they are caring for and their ability to manage them. Managers are regularly reviewing the risks, as well as working hard to avoid the need for the child to move on in an unplanned way.

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good

Managers have provided high levels of direct support at the home during the day and night. This has limited the manager’s capacity at times to focus on management tasks. As a result, management oversight of recording and staff practice is sometimes lacking.

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good

Staff feel well supported and valued. Staff said that managers care about their well- being and provide helpful training and guidance.

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good

Managers have appointed new staff in line with their workforce plan. This will increase management capacity. The selection process for new staff ensures that children are involved in the decision-making.

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good

The home’s statement of purpose does not include a list of staff with their experience and qualifications. This does not assist local authorities to assess the suitability of the home when making referrals.

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good

Managers have embedded policies and systems to support the practice in the home. These are regularly reviewed with the support of external quality assurance professionals, including the independent person and an independent consultant. A development plan is in place and the managers are dedicated to making the required improvements. Inspection report for children’s home: 2666653 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 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

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(iii))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that impact risk assessments include consideration of external hazards; and risk assessments contain clear guidance for staff on how to respond to self- harming behaviour and how to manage supervision at the swimming pool. 25 July 2022

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

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c)(d)

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that the composition of the staff team, and staff’s skills and experience, are taken into account at the point of matching and when deploying staff on shift. 25 July 2022 Inspection report for children’s home: 2666653 7 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

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(h))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure effective management oversight of plans and the accurate recording of incident reports. 25 July 2022

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must compile in relation to the children’s home a statement ("the statement of purpose") which covers the matters listed in Schedule 1. (Regulation 16 (1)) 1 August 2022

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Requirement Due date

within 24 hours of the use of a measure of control, discipline or restraint in relation to a child in the home, a record is made which includes—

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Requirement Due date

the name of the person who used the measure ("the user"), and of any other person present when the measure was used;

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Requirement Due date

within 48 hours of the use of the measure, the registered person, or a person who is authorised by the registered person to do so ("the authorised person")—

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Requirement Due date

has spoken to the user about the measure; and

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Requirement Due date

has signed the record to confirm it is accurate. (Regulation 35 (3)(a)(vi) (b)(i)(ii)) 25 July 2022 Inspection report for children’s home: 2666653 8

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Recommendations

 The registered provider should ensure that, where children placed in a home are not participating in education because they have been excluded or not on a school roll, the child should be engaged in suitable structured activities. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 28, paragraph 5.15)  The registered person should ensure that, as set out in regulations 31-33, good employment practice is maintained. Recruitment of staff should safeguard children and minimise potential risks to them. In particular, ensure that recruitment procedures detail the actions that should be taken when applicants have lived or worked overseas. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.1)

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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: 2666653 9

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Jeeves Care Group Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 71 Knowl Piece, Wilbury Way, Hitchin, Hertfordshire SG4 0TY

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Kalvinder Khelie

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Inspector

Paula Edwards, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2666653 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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