Children's home run by Good Foundations Limited

Inspection report for children’s home: SC456417 1 SC456417 Registered provider: Good Foundations Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This privately run home is registered to care for up to four children who may have social or emotional difficulties and/or learning disabilities.

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Information about this children’s home

There is a registered manager in post. She registered with Ofsted in October 2018.

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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: improved effectiveness

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC456417 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

24/03/2022 Interim Improved effectiveness 01/09/2021 Full Requires improvement to be good 21/11/2019 Full Good 27/11/2018 Full Outstanding Inspection report for children’s home: SC456417 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Since the last inspection, four children have moved out of the home. At the time of the inspection, two children were living at the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s moves into the home are well planned by staff. Children visit the home before they move in, spend time at the home and meet the children living at the home. Staff also support children when they have left the home. For example, staff contact children to ask how they are settling into their new homes. This demonstrates positive relationships between children and staff. Consequently, children’s moves have taken place in a planned and positive way.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff know the children well. Inspectors observed positive relationships between children and staff. Staff spoke warmly and knowledgably about the children living in the home. As a result, children feel respected, valued and well cared for.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children living in the home are attending education. Staff celebrate children’s educational achievements. Staff are involved in plans for children’s education and attend all relevant meetings. This results in children making good progress with their education.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff promote children’s health and well-being. Children are registered with health providers and attend appointments. Medication is stored safely and there are effective systems in place to monitor safe administration of medication. Therefore, children living in the home are healthy and they understand the importance of maintaining good health.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s progress is celebrated within the home. Staff recognise that progress is individual to children’s specific needs. Children’s plans clearly reflect the progress children make and this is shared with children, parents and relevant professionals. This supports children’s emotional well-being.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support children’s relationships with their families. Family members and children’s friends are welcomed into the home to spend time together. Staff work hard to build trusting relationships with family members. One family member stated, ‘They care about me and how I am doing, too.’ As a result, children maintain their sense of identity and belonging.

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

Children are safe and well cared for. Leaders and managers regularly review all risk assessments, and staff understand the potential risks for each child. Staff are knowledgeable about the strategies they need to use to keep children safe. For example, staff spoken to demonstrate that they know how to keep children safe Inspection report for children’s home: SC456417 4 when they use the internet. However, there are no risk assessments in place for staff to follow in practice. A requirement is made to address this shortfall.

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

Children feel safe living in the home. Children told inspectors that they feel safe in their home, and that they can identify staff members whom they can talk to if they are worried. The children understood the strategies staff use to keep them safe and why certain boundaries are in place. As a result, children are protected.

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

Staff complete regular training and are knowledgeable about the risks identified in respect of the children. For example, staff complete training in autism spectrum disorder, adverse childhood experiences and online safety. As a result, staff have a good knowledge and skill base to identify risks so they can effectively safeguard children.

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

Positive behaviour is encouraged by staff, and staff have developed individualised incentives for children. This has resulted in a reduction in incidents.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager is experienced and suitably qualified. It was evident during the inspection that the manager has high aspirations for children and the staff team.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There are clear plans in place for children. The plans accurately reflect the children’s needs and the plans of the local authority. The manager regularly reviews children’s plans, and they include input from professionals working with the child. Therefore, it is clear to see the progress that children are making.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers have clear and effective monitoring systems in place. Leaders and managers frequently monitor and review children’s plans and any learning from practice is shared with staff in supervision and team meetings. This ensures that the manager has good oversight of the home so she can monitor the quality of care provided for children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager ensures that there are arrangements in place for independent external monitoring. The independent person visits the home and completes a report which provides a robust analysis of the home. However, not all reports have been provided to Ofsted in a timely way.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager ensures that staff receive training to meet children’s individual needs. Staff have completed a good variety of training including training around autism spectrum awareness, adverse childhood experiences and learning disabilities. As a result, staff have a good knowledge and skill base to care for, and safeguard, children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The staff team and the manager benefit from regular supervision sessions. Supervisions are structured and give staff the opportunity to reflect on their practice. Supervisions also give staff the opportunity to review any training they have attended and talk about any further training to help them in their roles. Therefore, Inspection report for children’s home: SC456417 5 staff are supported, and leaders have a good oversight of staff strengths and areas for improvement. Inspection report for children’s home: SC456417 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

The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child’s relevant plans, and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child; and

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Requirement Due date

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm;

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Requirement Due date

that the home’s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(iii)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that there is a risk assessment for managing devices and keeping children safe online, which provides clear guidance to staff. 19 October 2022

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure to supply copies of independent visitor’s reports to HCMI in a timely manner. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 65, paragraph 15.5)

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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, Inspection report for children’s home: SC456417 7 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: SC456417 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Good Foundations Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 6 Tower Quays, Tower Road, Birkenhead, Merseyside CH41 1BP

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Inspectors

Rose Maddocks, Social Care Inspector Dawn Walker, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC456417 9 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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