Children's home run by The Children’s Trust

Inspection report for children's home: SC062079 1 SC062079 Registered provider: The Children’s Trust Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This service provides residential care for children who have an acquired brain injury, multiple disabilities and/or complex health needs. The service is registered as a children’s home to accommodate up to 66 children across several separate houses. The types of residential care provided include long-stay care as well as short-break services. The home also provides rehabilitation services for children who have recently been diagnosed with an acquired brain injury.

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Information about this children’s home

There is a non-maintained school on site, registered with the Department for Education (DfE), that some of the children attend. The home is also registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) because it provides nursing care.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager was registered by Ofsted on 1 May 2020.

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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

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children's home: SC062079 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

24/08/2021 Full Good 21/01/2020 Full Outstanding 12/12/2018 Full Outstanding 20/02/2018 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report for children's home: SC062079 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

All children are given individualised support in line with their needs. Staff work in partnership with a broad range of professionals to ensure that children’s individual needs are understood and met. Staff ensure that children’s care plans are personalised and take full account of children’s abilities and routines. This child- centred approach results in children’s diverse needs being met.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are encouraged and supported to make decisions about their lives and to influence the way the service is run. Children regularly take part in staff interviews and staff support children who are non-verbal to express their views. Managers have also developed an effective programme of engagement with children, parents and former residents. This has resulted in suggestions being made about the environment. For example, a suggestion was made to lower artwork on walls to wheelchair users’ level. Consequently, children live in an open and inclusive environment where they are respected and valued.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff promote the healthcare of each child. A committed and experienced team of health professionals and care staff work together to ensure that children’s health needs are fully met. The flexibility of the rehabilitation programme means that changes can be made quickly and responsively to ensure that the most up-to-date and holistic methods are used to meet children’s individual needs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have ample opportunity to engage in purposeful and enjoyable activities, both within the residential service and in the local community. For example, children have access to activities such as going horse riding and swimming, and doing baking and arts and crafts, all of which contribute to their development and rehabilitation.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s day-to-day experiences are positive. Staff’s ability to communicate with children is excellent. They work hard to ensure that children are understood, through their facial movements, gestures or sounds. Staff are good at seeing the child and not the disability; they recognise that the child before the accident or injury is not lost. Because of this, staff are committed to ensuring the best possible experiences for children.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are well prepared for their futures. They receive opportunities to develop independence skills, and this is often done in ways that are fun. Children are involved in setting goals that build independence skills.

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

The welfare of children is promoted. Staff ensure that child-centred risk assessments are in place for each child. These are kept under review and updated when necessary. Inspection report for children's home: SC062079 4 Staff know the children well and ensure that children’s behaviours are understood. Starting point assessments give staff an indication of what is typical for a child. This helps them to recognise any changes and how this might affect a child’s behaviour. Strong behaviour support plans encourage clear and consistent boundaries for children. Consequently, this promotes a feeling of well-being and security in the children.

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

Children do not go missing from the residential service. They are closely supervised by staff and safety measures are in place to ensure that staff know where children are at any given time.

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

Health and safety is managed well. The estate team is effective in ensuring that buildings across this site are well maintained and kept in a safe condition for the children and staff who use them.

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

Good recruitment practices are in place. This ensures that only appropriately vetted individuals work at the residential service.

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

While staff spoken to were clear on how to respond to concerns about children’s safety, incidents are not always communicated effectively. This creates a delay in managers’ ability to review whether a child is at immediate risk.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers are ambitious for the children and have high expectations for what they can achieve. Children are looked after by staff who understand their individual needs and can meet them consistently.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive training and development opportunities that equip them with the skills required to meet the needs of the children. Consequently, children receive the care and services they need, from competent staff.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

A strong induction process means that staff are well prepared for the work that they do. Staff receive supervision within timescales and in accordance with the statement of purpose. They also receive appraisals. However, management oversight of staff development has not been as effective as it should, and some practice reviews are significantly out of date.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers monitor the welfare of the children. For example, the compliance manager has good oversight of children’s plans. They use these plans to ensure that children are achieving their goals.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers are mindful of the staff shortages that impact their ability to drive change. They are creative in how they address this, and a strong recruitment plan is in place.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers have shown a continued commitment to the promotion of difference. Individuality is recognised and the cultural needs of children and staff are Inspection report for children's home: SC062079 5 celebrated. The strong ethos of participation in the service means that children have a strong voice which is highly respected and valued. Inspection report for children's home: SC062079 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

understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person;

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Requirement Due date

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare; and

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Requirement Due date

are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies;

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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. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(v)(vi)(vii)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to staff not following safeguarding procedures and informing management when a safeguarding incident has occurred. 31 August 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— 31 August 2022 Inspection report for children's home: SC062079 7 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

This refers specifically to management oversight of staff practice and development.

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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: SC062079 8

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Children’s home details

Provision sub-type: Residential special school

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: The Children’s Trust

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Inspectors

Vevene Muhammad, Social Care Inspector Kelly Monniot, Social Care Inspector Mark Newington, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: SC062079 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

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

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