Children's Home, Residential special school run by The Senad Group Limited in Derbyshire

Inspection report for children's home: SC372504 1 SC372504 Registered provider: The SENAD Group Limited 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 registered to provide care for up to 39 children and young people aged from five to 19 years who may have learning disabilities, Prader-Willi syndrome or autism spectrum disorder conditions. Children live in one of five houses on the same site as an independent special school.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager is suitably qualified and experienced. He has been registered with Ofsted since January 2017.

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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: outstanding

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children's home: SC372504 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

17/08/2021 Full Outstanding 04/06/2019 Full Outstanding 15/05/2018 Full Good 21/06/2017 Full Good Inspection report for children's home: SC372504 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff know the children extremely well and have consistently strong relationships with them. Staff use the positive relationships they have with children to encourage them to become increasingly independent. For example, a child has been heavily involved in caring for animals at the on-site farm. Children learn and develop new skills. This enhances children’s enjoyment, teaches them how to socialise and is helping them to make progress with their development.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children receive structured care, with consistent boundaries and clear expectations from the staff. Children benefit from established routines that are thoroughly embedded in their daily lives. This helps them to be settled and make progress.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Transitions into and out of the home are very child-centred. This is a real strength. Staff go above and beyond, for example, staff supported one child whose care package fell apart at the final planning stages. Staff continued to support the child’s transition to ensure this was successful.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

All children are attending full-time education and doing well. For example, staff supported one child to work in the school canteen, which is very good progress for them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are included and consulted with on all aspects of their care and the decisions about their home. Day-to-day chores and activities clearly replicate a family home. Staff are nurturing and inclusive. This means children know this is their home and helps them to feel settled.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported to live healthy lifestyles. Some children have improved health outcomes, including the management of specific health conditions. One child is now able to administer his own medication. This has been life-changing progress for this child. Other children have benefited from improved sleep patterns. However, one child has not been supported to use his sleep apnoea machine daily. The child’s refusal to use this equipment has not been escalated with involved health professionals.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have developed strong bonds with staff and the manager. This is because they can talk to and confide in staff and the manager. They know that they will be listened to, no matter what the issue. Staff spend time with children and demonstrate genuine warmth, understanding and interest in all areas of children’s lives.

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

Risk assessments provide staff with guidance on how to reduce and manage children’s risks and vulnerabilities. Because the staff know the children so well, they Inspection report for children's home: SC372504 4 can identify potential risks and triggers and take action to keep children safe. Plans to reduce risks are sufficiently detailed and effective. However, one child’s risk assessment identified a specific risk. The specialist equipment needed by staff to manage this risk was not available, as it was stored in a neighbouring house.

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

Children are supported to feel safe and say they are happy. One child said that he feels very safe. The manager has ensured that the location risk assessment is thorough and detailed. This assessment takes into consideration risks in the proximity of the home and how these risks will be managed. Managers have worked with all involved professionals to ensure this assessment is sufficiently accurate and detailed.

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

A great deal of work has been carried out to support a reduction in the use of physical intervention. This has been successful and stopped the use of certain holds. The home has invested in a positive behaviour strategy to further reduce the use of physical intervention in behaviour management.

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

Staff understand children’s vulnerabilities when they use the internet and social media platforms. They work in partnership with local authorities and develop safety plans which are specific to the child and designed to keep them safe online. Managers ensure good oversight of social media use to ensure children’s safety. In addition, staff educate children through key-work sessions about the dangers and safe use of the internet, preparing them well for adulthood.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home is led by a manager who has worked in residential settings for many years. He has the skills, qualifications and experience necessary for the role. He is supported by three committed deputy managers, who share his passion, vision and aspirations for the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Multi-agency working is a strength in this home. This approach promotes the full involvement of the professional network around the child. There is very good daily communication between the staff and school, and other professionals. This means that approaches to care are well coordinated.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managers have ensured that staff have undertaken a high level of child-specific training, together with all the required mandatory training. However, it was identified that staff have not been trained in the delivery of a health procedure for one child.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has not received formal supervision. Additionally, the manager has not provided formal supervision to his deputies. This fails to support the monitoring and reviewing of staff performance. Supervision of staff is of a varying standard and not all staff have received regular supervision. Management oversight of supervisions is not robust. However, there is good management oversight of behaviour management and physical intervention. This has successfully led to improvements in response to children’s presenting behaviours. Inspection report for children's home: SC372504 5 Staff retention is good, despite the challenges of filling vacancies. Staff feel supported and enjoy their work. Staff morale is positive. This results in a warm and inviting home environment where children have flourished.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff enjoy working here. One member of staff said, ‘We have a supportive management team.’ Another member of staff said, ‘I love my job, although it doesn’t really feel like a job because I love coming to work.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

When considering admissions, the manager takes care to ensure that staff can meet the children’s needs, and introductions are carefully planned.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is reflective, thoughtful and seeks to improve his practice. There is a willingness to accept that things may not work, but also a real desire to get it right for children. As a result, children are receiving care that meets their current and emerging needs. Inspection report for children's home: SC372504 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 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

This specifically relates to management oversight and monitoring of the quality and frequency of staff supervision. 22 August 2022

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must make arrangements for the handling, recording, safekeeping, safe administration and disposal of medicines received into the children’s home.

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Requirement Due date

medicine which is prescribed for a child is administered as prescribed to the child for whom it is prescribed and to no other child; and

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Requirement Due date

a record is kept of the administration of medicine to each child. (Regulation 23 (1) (2)(b)(c))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the administration of treatment for a child’s sleep condition and appropriate escalation if the child refuses this treatment. 22 August 2022

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees—

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Requirement Due date

receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience. (Regulation 33 (4)(a)) 22 August 2022 Inspection report for children's home: SC372504 7

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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: SC372504 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 SENAD Group Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: SENAD Group Ltd, 1 St Georges House, Vernon Gate, Derby DE1 1UQ

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Inspectors

Pradip Panchmatia, Social Care Inspector Zoey Lee, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: SC372504 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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