Children's home run by Nottingham City Council in Nottingham

Inspection report for children’s home: SC427165 1 SC427165 Registered provider: Nottingham City Council Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is operated by a local authority. The home provides medium- to long- term care for two children who may have social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

An experienced registered manager leads this home.

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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: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC427165 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

01/03/2022 Full Good 14/01/2020 Full Outstanding 27/02/2019 Full Outstanding 20/03/2018 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report for children’s home: SC427165 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children receive good-quality care from a committed staff team that has meaningful relationships with them. Children are encouraged to have ambitions and aspirations for their future. The manager has planned a ‘bucket list’ challenge which helps children and staff build positive memories together. For example, one child was supported to attend a boxing match and to stay in a London hotel. The child very much enjoyed this experience.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

All children attend college. They arrive on time and are making good academic progress. Where children have additional learning needs, staff understand these well. For example, one child was supported to have an assessment of needs after the manager advocated for this. This assessment will help inform transition planning for the child going forward and to help them make progress.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Although some children are reluctant to attend health appointments, staff persevere to ensure that children’s health needs are met. One child has not wanted to take medication. Their decision has been respected and managed safely by the manager and staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are not consistently consulted as to how they would like their relationship with staff to be referred to when out in public. This is important to ensure that each child’s privacy is respected.

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

Some children are vulnerable to contextual safeguarding risks in the community. When incidents have happened for children, the manager has worked hard to gather information quickly and has escalated concerns within a multi-agency framework. The police said that the manager ‘notices snippets of safety information that other people wouldn’t recognise as important’. This approach helps to keep children safe.

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

There have been occasions when children have been missing from care and their whereabouts unknown. When this has happened, staff have recognised the importance of talking to the child’s family and asking for their help in locating the child. The staff follow the missing-from-care procedures and take the right steps to keep the child safe and return them to the home quickly. Family members are positive about the care being provided to their children and they described communication with staff as good. Children are appropriately supported to visit family and friends regularly. This is a safe and enjoyable experience for the children and their families and friends.

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

The standard of recording in children’s documents is good. However, the recording and oversight of room searches could be strengthened. For example, it is not always Inspection report for children’s home: SC427165 4 clear when room searches have happened or why children have not been present when they have taken place.

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

When incidents occur, the manager and staff take immediate action to keep children safe. However, incidents are not always reported to Ofsted. This includes some serious incidents relating to exploitation. This prevents Ofsted from reviewing the actions being taken by managers and staff to keep children safe.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is knowledgeable and is supported by an experienced deputy manager. External professionals described the leadership as ‘brilliant’ and communication as ‘excellent’. Staff receive regular professional supervision and they are well appraised and trained. Team meetings take place regularly and these are well attended by staff. This helps to coordinate the efforts of the staff team in supporting the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is organised and has a good understanding of care planning for children. She is confident working with external professionals and is a good advocate for children. The manager has a good knowledge of contextual safeguarding risks and this in turn helps staff to keep children safe. Learning and development are prioritised, and the manager uses research to inform practice. For example, one staff member has been tasked to look at the reasons why children go missing and what can be done to prevent this.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff support one another to grow and develop in their care practice. One staff member said, ‘Everyone brings something to the table, everyone wants to be here; it’s not for the pay.’ The staff team is well established, with some staff having known the children for several years. New staff coming to work at the home receive good inductions and feel welcomed by the team.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Although there is one small area of damage in the home, overall, the home is well presented, and children like where they live. One child has limited clothes storage; this is an area that the manager plans to improve. Inspection report for children’s home: SC427165 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 registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if—

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Requirement Due date

a child is involved in or subject to, or is suspected of being involved in or subject to, sexual exploitation;

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Requirement Due date

an incident requiring police involvement occurs in relation to a child which the registered person considers to be serious;

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Requirement Due date

there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there;

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Requirement Due date

a child protection enquiry involving a child—

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Requirement Due date

concludes (in which case, the notification must include the outcome of the child protection enquiry); or

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Requirement Due date

there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40 (4)(a)(b)(c)(d)(i)(ii)(e)) 10 November

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that the home provides a nurturing and supportive environment that meet the needs of the children living there. Children’s homes must comply with relevant health and safety legislations (alarms, food hygiene etc.); however, in doing so, homes should seek as far as possible to maintain a domestic rather than ‘institutional’ impression. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9)  The registered person should ensure that a child’s bedroom is generally not entered without the child’s permission, though it may be necessary to establish routines to allow for rooms to be cleaned regularly. Usually, rooms should only be searched if the child has been informed or asked for their permission. Immediate searching may be necessary where there are reasonable grounds for believing Inspection report for children’s home: SC427165 6

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Recommendations

that there is a risk to the child’s or another person’s safety or well-being. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 16, paragraph 3.20)  The registered person should ensure that, in line with regulation 11(2), staff build positive relationships with each child and help the child develop skills to have positive relationships with others. ‘Others’ includes individuals both inside and outside the home, such as other children in the home, staff, family members, siblings, previous carers and friends (in accordance with their relevant plans). The care planning standard (see page 55) provides further detail in respect of contact with parents, relatives and friends. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 38, paragraph 8.6)

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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: SC427165 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Nottingham City Council, Loxley House, Station Street, Nottingham NG2 3NG

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Inspector

Andi Lilley-Tams, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC427165 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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Inspector

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