Children's home run by What's Out There Limited

Inspection report for children's home: SC465120 1 SC465120 Registered provider: What’s Out There Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The home is owned by a private company. It is registered to provide care for up to three children. At the time of this inspection, three children were living in the home.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The manager has been registered with Ofsted since October 2020.

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

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

p.1

requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children's home: SC465120 2

p.1

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

18/05/2021 Full Good 11/09/2019 Full Requires improvement to be good 19/12/2018 Interim Improved effectiveness 15/08/2018 Full Good Inspection report for children's home: SC465120 3

p.2

improvement to be good

The progress made by children is variable. Children who have lived in the home for longer periods have made progress from their starting points. For example, one child has successfully completed GCSEs and is planning to start a college course. Her relationships with her family and friends have developed and she has grown in confidence.

p.3

improvement to be good

Staff provide the children with a good range of fun and creative activities outside of school. Well-kept records detail the positive impact these have on the children who take part. However, despite attempts, staff have not always been successful in engaging all the children in regular attendance at school or taking part in family meals and group activities. This has meant that some of the children have, at times, disengaged, spent long periods in their bedrooms or have had unsupervised time away from the home.

p.3

improvement to be good

Moving children in and out of the home is not always done in a planned manner. For example, since the previous inspection, one child moved into the home on the same day that another child moved out. Three children have moved out of the home in an unplanned way because the home recognised they could not meet their needs. In doing so, their education was interrupted. Children and staff are not given sufficient time to reflect on endings and beginnings of relationships.

p.3

improvement to be good

The children are cared for by staff who, in the main, know them well. Nevertheless, there have been changes to the staff team. As a result, not all staff are experienced, confident and sufficiently skilled to support the children when they are most upset. Children do not always receive the support outlined in their plans, and some children have been adversely affected by the behaviours of other children.

p.3

improvement to be good

Since the previous inspection in May 2021, three children have moved out of the home in an unplanned way. Despite the persistent efforts of the staff to support the children, they were unable to reduce risky behaviours. The inspector found that staff went to great lengths to help each of these children. Leaders and managers recognised the home was unable to meet the needs of each of the children, so took decisive action and the children were moved.

p.3

improvement to be good

Risk assessments and care plans are detailed and robust documents that have the potential to provide staff with clear strategies to respond effectively to the children’s behaviours. However, some of the staff are not always able to apply these strategies to de-escalate incidents. As a result, some incidents continued for extended periods of time. Other children have not always been protected from witnessing damage to Inspection report for children's home: SC465120 4 their home, staff have been assaulted and staff have required the support of the police.

p.3

improvement to be good

Staff remain up to date with all mandatory training, including safeguarding, and this has helped them to support the children. However, despite this, the staff have not been able to prevent some children from repeatedly going missing and being at risk.

p.4

good

The registered manager and her staff team have experienced several challenges since the home was last inspected. In recognition of a shortage of staff, and some staff being challenged by the behaviours of some children, they have received additional support from members of the senior leadership team. However, despite this support, the registered manager has not been able to ensure the outcomes of some of the children consistently improve.

p.4

good

The inspector found that the registered manager had not given sufficient consideration and time to the matching of some of the children before they moved in. As a result, the skill set of the staff and the needs of the children were not always compatible, and ultimately resulted in an increase in incidents and unplanned endings.

p.4

good

Staff spoke positively of the support they receive from the registered manager. They appreciated the support that was provided following serious incidents. Records capture the efforts of the registered manager to ensure staff take time to reflect. However, despite this, the inspector found that due to staff shortages, the registered manager and deputy manager have not had sufficient time away from the home to rest.

p.4

good

The manager maintains good relationships with the professionals involved with the children. She produces reports and updates that reflect her knowledge of the children’s progress and plans. Appropriate escalation and challenge by the registered manager is good.

p.4

good

Monitoring of the quality of care in the home is good and it informs the development of the home. Nevertheless, because the home has at times been unsettled, the registered manager has not been able to give sufficient time to embedding all learning and actions. Three requirements are made following this inspection. The registered manager and senior leaders are aware of the shortfalls identified during the inspection and are in the process of producing an action plan. Inspection report for children's home: SC465120 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 leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that—

p.5

Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

p.5

Requirement Due date

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

p.5

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.5

Requirement Due date

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

p.5

Requirement Due date

ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child;

p.5

Requirement Due date

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

p.5

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.5

Requirement Due date

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

p.5

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)(a)(c)(d)(e)(f)(g)(h)) 7 October 2022 Inspection report for children's home: SC465120 6 This specifically relates to the leaders and managers ensuring that they have a stable and experienced staff team that can meet the needs of the children.

p.5

Requirement Due date

Also, that leaders and managers ensure they apply greater curiosity and scrutiny when considering referral information.

p.6

Requirement Due date

Also, ensure that the staff are sufficiently skilled and experienced and are able to support the children when they are most upset, thereby reducing the involvement of the police in the home.

p.6

Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children—

p.6

Requirement Due date

receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home; and

p.6

Requirement Due date

have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home

p.6

Requirement Due date

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

p.6

Requirement Due date

that children are admitted to the home only if their needs are within the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the home is to provide care and accommodation, as set out in the home’s statement of purpose;

p.6

Requirement Due date

ensure the effective induction of each child into the home (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(i))

p.6

Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to leaders and managers ensuring that they understand the needs of children before they move into the home and that they ensure the children moving in can live safely alongside the other children. 7 October 2022

p.6

Requirement Due date

The positive relationships standard is that children are helped to develop, and to benefit from, relationships based on—

p.6

Requirement Due date

an understanding about acceptable behaviour; and

p.6

Requirement Due date

positive responses to other children and adults. 7 October 2022 Inspection report for children's home: SC465120 7 In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure that staff—

p.6

Requirement Due date

(meet each child’s behavioural and emotional needs, as set out in the child’s relevant plans;

p.7

Requirement Due date

help each child to develop socially aware behaviour;

p.7

Requirement Due date

encourage each child to take responsibility for the child’s behaviour, in accordance with the child’s age and understanding;

p.7

Requirement Due date

help each child to develop and practise skills to resolve conflicts positively and without harm to anyone

p.7

Requirement Due date

help each child to understand, in a way that is appropriate according to the child’s age and understanding, personal, sexual and social relationships, and how those relationships can be supportive or harmful;

p.7

Requirement Due date

help each child to develop the understanding and skills to recognise or withdraw from a damaging, exploitative or harmful relationship;

p.7

Requirement Due date

de-escalate confrontations with or between children, or potentially violent behaviour by children (Regulation 11 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(xi))

p.7

Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the leaders and managers ensuring that all children are protected from witnessing and experiencing any behaviours by other children that include damage to their home and physical and verbal aggression towards adults.

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: SC465120 8

p.7

Children’s home details

Registered provider: What’s Out There Limited

p.8

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 16 Marling House, Trinity Way, Minehead, Somerset TA24 6GW

p.8

Inspector

Linda Bond, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: SC465120 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