Children's home run by CareTech Community Services Limited in Hertsmere

Inspection report for children’s home: SC376211 1 SC376211 Registered provider: CareTech Community Services Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home provides care for six children who have learning disabilities. The home forms part of a large, private social care company.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager is suitably qualified and experienced.

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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

Date of last inspection: 20 October 2021

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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: SC376211 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

20/10/2021 Full Good 14/01/2020 Full Good 28/01/2019 Full Good 15/02/2018 Full Outstanding Inspection report for children’s home: SC376211 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

There are six children living at the home. Staff form positive and caring relationships with the children. They are skilled and committed to the children’s well-being and use a range of communication methods to further these relationships. As a result, children make good progress. One parent said about her child’s progress, ‘Her [the child’s] behaviour as a whole is better when she is with us. We believe this to be [because of] the consistent work staff do with her.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children attend school daily and benefit from structured routines. Staff work well with teachers. As a result, children receive coordinated support and enjoy learning.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff help children to develop life skills. For example, children are allocated chores and earn rewards for their contribution. This helps children to develop their confidence and learn practical skills that will help to prepare them for adulthood.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff arrange for children to access activities that reflect their interests and provide them with new and positive experiences. Children are listened to by staff who are responsive to their wishes and feelings.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are helped by staff to keep in touch with their family. Staff recognise the importance of these relationships regarding children’s well-being and identity. One child has now returned to live with their family, which is a good outcome for them and in line with their care plan.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Health plans are individual to children and identify their needs. Medication is stored safely and correctly administered to children However, records of medication kept in the home are not always accurate. For example, medicine that goes to school with one child is not signed in or out of the home.

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

Children trust the adults who care for them. They seek support from staff who understand their individual communication needs and signs of distress. Children also have regular visits with their family members and their social workers. This provides further opportunities for children to communicate any worries they may have.

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

Since the last inspection, there have been no allegations against staff working in the home, incidents of bullying or concerns around exploitation.

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

Two staff have joined the team. The registered manager has safe recruitment systems in place to mitigate the risk of unsuitable people caring for children.

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

Since the last inspection, there has been one occasion when a child has gone missing from home. The registered manager and staff worked well with external Inspection report for children’s home: SC376211 4 services and the child was found quickly. The registered manager has put additional measures in place to reduce the risk of this reoccurring.

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

Staff manage children’s behaviours well. They promote positive behaviour through the use of incentives and rewards systems. Children benefit from good routines, which help them to know what is expected of them. Staff promote positive behaviour through the use of incentives and rewards, and achievements and progress are celebrated.

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

Staff are trained in the use of physical intervention. This is used by staff on the rare occasion that it is needed to keep children and others safe, or to prevent serious damage to property. Staff keep records detailing the incidents, which are well monitored by the registered manager. Children and staff have the opportunity to speak with the registered manager about the incident and this helps them to reflect and learn from what has happened.

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

The home is suitably furnished and decorated, and internal areas provide children with homely, comfortable spaces to relax and enjoy. When damage is caused, this is repaired promptly.

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

The registered manager has reviewed the fire risk assessment. However, since then, smoke alarms in some areas have been removed when these areas were redecorated and they have not been replaced. Some internal fire doors do not close independently. This means that systems to detect and minimise the spread of fire are not always effective. The registered manager ensures that all children have a personal emergency evacuation plan in place to assist them in the event they need to leave the home in such an emergency.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager has a clear vision for the home that is well understood by staff. The home’s statement of purpose is kept under review and helps people from outside of the home to understand what care and support is available for children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The child-focused registered manager knows the children well and is aspirational for them. Effective systems are in place to enable to registered manager to oversee the care children receive and track the progress that they make. The registered manager and staff team are reflective and use positive and learning experiences to inform future plans to aid children’s progress and the home’s development.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive regular supervision and their performance is appraised yearly. Staff speak highly of the support they receive from managers and how this helps them to provide good-quality care to children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager and staff work well with parents and external professionals. Good communication systems help to ensure that children receive consistent messages from people who support them. Inspection report for children’s home: SC376211 5 Children receive care from an experienced and consistent staff team that understands the children’s individual needs. Most staff are qualified. The registered manager ensures that staff who do not hold a relevant qualification are enrolled onto an appropriate training course. Although staff have experience in supporting children with complex needs, this is not always underpinned with access to formal training. For example, some staff have not yet had training in caring for children who have autistic spectrum disorder to further inform their practice. Inspection report for children’s home: SC376211 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

After consultation with the fire and rescue authority, the registered person must—

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Requirement Due date

take adequate precautions against the risk of fire, including the provision of suitable fire equipment in the children’s home. (Regulation 25 (1)(a)) 5 September 2022

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that they make suitable arrangements to manage, administer and dispose of any medication. In particular, staff should keep a clear audit of medication being signed in and out of the home. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including quality standards’, page 35, paragraph 7.15)  The registered person should ensure that staff can access appropriate facilities and resources to support their training needs, and should understand the key role they play in the training and development of staff in the home. In particular, the manager should ensure that all staff receive training specific to the individual needs of the children who live in the home. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including quality standards’, page 53, paragraph 10.11)

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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: SC376211 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: CareTech Community Services Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: CareTech Community Services Limited, 5th Floor Metropolitan House, 3 Darkes Lane, Potters Bar, Hertfordshire EN6 1AG

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Inspectors

Helen Malanaphy, Social Care Inspector Mark Dickinson, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC376211 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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