Children's home run by Mutual Care Limited

Inspection report for children’s home: 2528486 1 Registered provider: Mutual Care 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 registered to provide care for up to three children.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of this inspection, one child was living in the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has been in post since August 2021. They registered with Ofsted on 9 December 2021.

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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 inadequate

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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: inadequate

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: A compliance notice was issued following the home’s previous inspection. This related to shortfalls in practice to safeguard children and promote their welfare.

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requires improvement to be good

Ofsted carried out a monitoring visit on 11 July 2022. At this visit, leaders and managers had taken sufficient action to address the areas of compliance.

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requires improvement to be good

The report is published on the Ofsted website. Inspection report for children’s home: 2528486 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

07/06/2022 Full Inadequate 04/01/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good 14/09/2021 Full Inadequate 26/02/2020 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children’s home: 2528486 3

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improvement to be good

Following the previous inspection, staff implemented boundaries and care required to support one child to develop healthy routines. The child did not respond well to these changes., Their needs were not able to be managed, and this contributed to the decision for the child to move on from the home at short notice.

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improvement to be good

The manager and staff have kept in touch with the child, and there are plans for them to visit. This will help to repair the relationship between both children that was impacted when they lived together.

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improvement to be good

There are no current plans for another child to move into the home. This means that care is focused on the one child living in the home. In the main, the child responds to the care provided. This includes spending time with staff and enjoying different activities.

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improvement to be good

The child is supported to access relevant health services, and their specific needs are under review. The child has changed school, and effective communication between the home and school is ensuring that the child is supported to settle.

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improvement to be good

Staff are supporting the child to explore their identity in a positive way. As a result, the child has developed the confidence to speak about this with their family. The child’s bedroom reflects their identity. However, during this inspection, additional support was needed to ensure that the child’s bedroom was clean and tidy.

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improvement to be good

While the inspector observed warm interactions between staff and the child, the child’s records describe that, on one occasion, care provided to the child has had a significant, negative impact on their experiences of being looked after.

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improvement to be good

There has been one serious safeguarding incident in the home, resulting in police involvement. Investigations are ongoing and the provider has not yet conducted a comprehensive review of the situation to consider actions to prevent the risk of harm in the future.

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improvement to be good

Staff do not always have the skills, training, or experience necessary to care for children in line with their support plans. This was a shortfall identified at the previous inspection and has contributed to the safeguarding incident in the home.

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improvement to be good

Staff are provided with external support and training to increase their knowledge and skills relating to a therapeutic approach. The child’s records demonstrate Inspection report for children’s home: 2528486 4 established staff team members increasing their use of this approach in response to the child’s needs. This is having a positive impact for the child.

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improvement to be good

At the previous inspection, the inspector found that an allegation of harm made by a child had not been investigated. Managers have revisited this incident. The child’s views have been gained and a positive outcome achieved.

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improvement to be good

Since the previous inspection, staff responses to children when they self-harm have improved. One child’s records demonstrated staff using a stronger co-ordinated approach to reduce the risk of self-harm. This included proactive measures to increase the child’s safety when they lived in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Leadership and management of this home has been identified as a shortfall at the previous inspection.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

On one occasion, decision-making relating to staffing arrangements has impacted the child’s experiences and their safety. Despite the manager raising a concern relating to poor practice, sufficient measures were not implemented to ensure that the child was provided with safe care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Staffing arrangements are impacted by staffing shortages across the workforce. However, leaders and managers must do more to ensure that suitable staffing arrangements are in place. This includes sufficient arrangements, support and oversight for new staff when they are caring for the child, and when there are concerns raised about staff conduct and care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Since the previous inspection, the child’s plans have been revised. They are clearly defined and provide direction to staff. In addition, the manager’s oversight recorded across the child’s records has improved. As a result, monitoring of the quality of care in the home has increased. This includes gathering, and responding to, the child’s views.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The manager is proactive in challenging partner agencies when services do not meet the child’s needs. However, a response is not always received in a timely way. This has the potential to impact the child if not addressed effectively. For instance, a review of the child’s needs is needed to ensure that current care arrangements continue. In addition, links with the police have not been strengthened to ensure that there is a proportionate and joined-up approach when responding to the child. Inspection report for children’s home: 2528486 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 quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children;

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Requirement Due date

use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential.

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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

protect and promote each child’s welfare;

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Requirement Due date

provide personalised care that meets each child’s needs, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans, taking account of the child’s background;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand and manage the impact of any experience of abuse or neglect;

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Requirement Due date

make decisions about the day-to-day arrangements for each child, in accordance with the child’s relevant plans, which give the child an appropriate degree of freedom and choice. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(b)(ii)(iv)(v)(ix))

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Requirement Due date

This directly relates to leaders and managers ensuring that the staff team is sufficiently skilled and experienced to understand and support the child’s needs and promote their welfare effectively. 25 November

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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 30 September Inspection report for children’s home: 2528486 6 promotes their welfare.

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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

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;

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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

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;

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

research and developments in relation to the ways in which the needs of children are best met; and

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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)(a)(c)(f)(g)(i)(h))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, leaders and managers must ensure that suitable staffing arrangements are in place. This includes sufficient arrangements, support and oversight for new staff when they are caring for the child, and when there are concerns raised about staff conduct and care.

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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: 2528486 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Northams, St. Marys Road, Portishead, Bristol, Avon BS20 6QP

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Inspector

Louise Bacon, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2528486 8 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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