Children's Home run by Impact For Change Ltd in Somerset

Inspection report for children's home: 2484443 1 Registered provider: Impact For Change Ltd Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children's home

The home is part of a small private organisation. The home is registered to care for up to three children.

p.1

Information about this children's home

The manager has been registered with Ofsted since August 2022.

p.1

Information about this children's home

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

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

p.1

good

How well children and young people are helped and protected requires improvement to be good

p.1

good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

p.1

good

The children's home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

p.1

good

Date of last inspection: 19 January 2022

p.1

good

Overall judgement at last inspection: inadequate

p.1

Enforcement action since last inspection:

This is the home’s first inspection since January 2022, when Ofsted found widespread failings that resulted in the suspension of the home.

p.1

Enforcement action since last inspection:

Monitoring visits took place in February 2022 and May 2022. Ofsted reported that leaders and managers were working well to address points on their action plan. The action plan submitted to Ofsted indicated that the providers planned to have the home ready to admit children by the beginning of June 2022. Inspection report for children's home: 2484443 2

p.1

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

19/01/2022 Full Inadequate 14/01/2020 Full Requires improvement to be good 26/02/2019 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children's home: 2484443 3

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Since the monitoring visit in May 2022, one child has moved into the home in a planned way. The child has made progress from their starting point and is supported by a staff team that is stable. While it hasn’t been long since the child moved in, the staff have developed an understanding of his needs. As a result, the child is developing a sense of belonging and forming trusting relationships.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The staff team have the necessary skills to support the child, and they are provided with detailed plans. That said, staff would benefit from having a better understanding of the therapeutic model of care the home provides.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Since moving into the home, the child has re-engaged with education. This is a significant step for a child who has historically not attended school. The staff understand the importance of children receiving an education, and they make attempts to provide alternative learning opportunities. However, the inspector found that there was insufficient structure and planning given to how the staff would support the child’s learning when they are not in school.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff advocate well for the child and, by doing so, are ensuring that the child’s views and wishes remain central to their plans. In particular, staff facilitate visits between the child and their family. These are noted as extremely positive. The parent told the inspector of how much they value and appreciate the help they are given to spend time with their child.

p.3

improvement to be good

The registered manager and staff understand the child’s potential risks and triggers. Details for reducing these risks are given and provide staff with strategies to support the child when they are upset. That said, the inspectors found that some staff did not follow the plans and apply the strategies sufficiently well enough. As a result, the child had been placed at risk by being able to access a member of staff’s vape device and bank card.

p.3

improvement to be good

The child has on two occasions been reported missing from the home. On both occasions, the manager and staff responded appropriately and swiftly. The inspector found a number of instances where some staff had not supervised the child in line with the risks. On these occasions, the staff, all be it for short periods, did not know the location of the child.

p.3

improvement to be good

Staff are competent when speaking with the child, and age-appropriate conversations are recorded as having taken place. While progress remains in its infancy, the child is making better choices on some occasions. However, the Inspection report for children's home: 2484443 4 inspector noted that some of the language and terminology in records needs to be improved to prevent stigmatising the child.

p.3

improvement to be good

The use of physical intervention is rare. However, on the two occasions staff were required to physically intervene, the manager reviewed these as not being effective. The registered manager has addressed this matter and refreshed the training of staff.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager is qualified and experienced and is consistent in her leadership and management of the home.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff are either qualified to the appropriate level in residential childcare, are currently undertaking the relevant course, or are new to the home. This means that the child receives support from suitably qualified staff.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive regular supervision and training. Staff who contributed to the inspection were overwhelmingly positive about the support they receive, and they spoke of their collective vision for the home. In the main, the staff team has been stable, and this has given the child consistency. When poor practice is identified, the manager is quick to respond and the action that follows is appropriate.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

A strength of the manager is the challenge and advocacy she demonstrates to ensure the child receives the best possible support. In particular, the inspector found evidence of the measures she has taken to ensure the child receives an education and meets with their family.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Records are well kept and detail the day-to-day activities and progress the child has made. There is a good level of management oversight and evidence of how learning is taken from independent sources. Monitoring of the home and this learning inform the ongoing development of the home. Inspection report for children's home: 2484443 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 education standard is that children make measurable progress towards achieving their educational potential and are helped to do so.

p.5

Requirement Due date

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

p.5

Requirement Due date

help each child to achieve the child's education and training targets, as recorded in the child's relevant plans;

p.5

Requirement Due date

support each child's learning and development, including helping the child to develop independent study skills and, where appropriate, helping the child to complete independent study;

p.5

Requirement Due date

understand the barriers to learning that each child may face and take appropriate action to help the child to overcome any such barriers;

p.5

Requirement Due date

help each child to understand the importance and value of education, learning, training and employment;

p.5

Requirement Due date

promote opportunities for each child to learn informally;

p.5

Requirement Due date

that each child has access to appropriate equipment, facilities and resources to support the child's learning. (Regulation 8 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(b))

p.5

Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the manager and staff ensuring that when the child is not at school, they have a structured day of learning activities. 9 September 2022 Inspection report for children's home: 2484443 6

p.5

Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that staff are familiar with the home's policies on record-keeping and understand the importance of careful, objective and clear recording. Staff should record information on individual children in a non-stigmatising way that distinguishes between fact, opinion and third-party information. Information about the child must always be recorded in a way that will be helpful to the child. ('Guide to the Children's Homes Regulations, including the quality standards', page 62, paragraph 14.4)  The registered manager must ensure that the behaviour management strategy is understood and applied at all times by staff and must be kept under review and revised where appropriate. (Guide to the Children's Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 46, paragraph 9.34)  The registered manager must ensure that the relevant child's plan includes a strategy for a particular type of care, treatment or intervention (for example

p.6

Recommendations

therapy relating to neglect or abuse). The care staff will need to understand the purpose of any such care and the way in which the past experiences of abuse or neglect may manifest itself in the day to day life of the child. (Guide to the Children's Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 16, paragraph 3.15)

p.6

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: 2484443 7

p.6

Children's home details

Registered provider: Impact For Change Ltd

p.7

Children's home details

Registered provider address: Canns Down Press, Beaford, Winkleigh, Devon EX19 8LZ

p.7

Children's home details

Responsible individual: Nicholas Scribbins

p.7

Inspector

Linda Bond, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: 2484443 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.

p.7

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.8

Inspector

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.8

Inspector

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.8