Children's Home run by The Place Young People’s Company in Leicestershire

Inspection report for children’s home: 1250039 1 Registered provider: The Place Young People’s Company Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is run by a private provider. It provides care for up to four children with emotional, mental health and/or behavioural needs.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has been registered since February 2022.

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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: sustained effectiveness

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 1250039 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

21/03/2022 Interim Sustained effectiveness 25/05/2021 Full Requires improvement to be good 21/01/2020 Full Good 23/01/2019 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 1250039 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are receiving positive, nurturing care. There are strong and stable relationships between staff and children. A child said: ‘I trust staff. I give the home 9.5 out of 10.’ The nurturing care that children receive is reflected in the homely environment and includes the care of pets. This is a family orientated home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The strong relationships between staff and children underpin the progress children make. Children are supported to manage and improve their emotional health and well-being through this support. A social worker said: ‘Staff use therapeutic parenting and curiosity. It is an amazing home and I wish I worked with more homes like this.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

One child has been supported to return to live with family. This has been an incredibly positive experience for the child and family. Staff have gone above and beyond to support this child’s positive transition home. Staff act as good advocates for children.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children know how to make complaints. Any complaint is taken seriously, and children are appropriately responded to. Children know that staff listen to them and take their views seriously. Children share their views in a variety of ways and staff talk to children every day about matters that are important to them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are engaged in education and are making progress. Managers are advocating for children when there are barriers to learning. One child is on track to complete qualifications next year and is aspirational for their future.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The service has improved its therapeutic support model to children and a positive ‘team around the child’ approach is in place. A bespoke therapeutic assessment is completed with a clear follow-up action plan identified. A child has recently benefited from this approach, supported by the therapy team. Other professionals recognise this strong therapeutic parenting model as a strength of the service.

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

Children are supported to be safe. Staff identify early indications of risk. They utilise their knowledge and experience to recognise risk and take immediate action to reduce it. There is a multi-agency safeguarding response to any incidents of concern.

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

Staff talk to children daily around expectations for behaviour and there are clear and consistent boundaries in place to keep children safe. Staff have a good understanding of safeguarding procedures. Inspection report for children’s home: 1250039 4 From their starting points, children are supported to reduce risks of harm. For one child, this has led to a significant reduction of missing from care and self-harm incidents. The manager has systems and processes in place to track incidents and feed back to agencies where children make progress.

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

Positive and nurturing relationships, alongside clear expectations, help children to improve their behaviour. When physical restraint has been used, it has been used as a last resort. Leaders and managers have reviewed these practices, sought specialist advice and put additional training in for staff. There is a learning and reflective culture at the home. As a result, the number of physical interventions has reduced in a timely manner.

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

Children feel safe and are confident to share any worries with staff. Children have been supported appropriately in sharing historical concerns and safeguarding processes are followed.

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

Recruitment checks are safe and meet regulatory requirements. The manager is confident that safe recruitment practices are implemented and staff who are working in the home are safe to do so.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is appropriately experienced. She has almost completed her management qualification. She has introduced several systems and processes to drive the home through a significant improvement journey. The manager has good management systems in place to ensure that staff are meeting quality standards.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff work well with other agencies. All agencies gave positive feedback. One social worker said: ‘There has been a massive breakthrough for [named child] since she has been at the home. We all work well together.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff offer continuity of care for children. Staff morale is good and the focus for staff is to offer nurturing care to children. The manager has responded appropriately and requested additional staffing for one child. This request was made because all staff are working additional and very long hours. The provider is actively trying to recruit staff to alleviate the pressure. This is not a sustainable situation, and leaders and managers acknowledge this.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff advocate well for children. Staff help children to share their views with other agencies. The manager appropriately challenges and escalates matters when necessary. In addition, children have access to independent visitors and advocates.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive regular supervision and training opportunities. In addition, the manager sources appropriate additional training that may benefit staff and children. Staff are involved in regular development sessions. The manager recognises the importance of good teamwork and has coordinated team-building activities. This has helped the team to remain strong through challenging times. Inspection report for children’s home: 1250039 5

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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

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

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Requirement Due date

In particular, there should be sufficient experienced staff available to ensure that the staff team and managers are not working extensive hours to cover shifts. 11 September

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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: 1250039 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: The Place Young People’s Company

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Edison Education Ltd, Lyme Vale Court, Lyme Drive, Parklands, Stoke-on-Trent ST4 6NW

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Inspector

Bev Allison, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 1250039 7 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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