Children's Home run by Nottinghamshire County Council in Nottinghamshire

Inspection report for children's home: SC036737 1 SC036737 Registered provider: Nottinghamshire County Council Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This is a local authority children’s home that provides residential care and a short- break service for up to 16 children with disabilities and complex healthcare needs.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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outstanding

How well children and young people are helped and protected outstanding

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outstanding

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

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outstanding

The children’s home provides highly effective services that consistently exceed the standards of good. The actions of the children’s home contribute to significantly improved outcomes and positive experiences for children and young people who need help, protection and care.

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outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: outstanding

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outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children's home: SC036737 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

06/01/2022 Full Outstanding 15/05/2019 Full Outstanding 16/07/2018 Full Outstanding 16/11/2017 Full Outstanding Inspection report for children's home: SC036737 3

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outstanding

Over time, children make significant progress from their starting points. Some children have made the type of progress that can be life-changing. For example, some children are able to communicate more effectively, and some are learning to walk. This is because staff work closely with other professionals, and with parents, to ensure that children have the help and resources they require to thrive.

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outstanding

Children enjoy living at this home or visiting the home for a short break. They have rich and varied opportunities due to the space and resources available to them in the home. For example, there is a large garden with space for sports equipment, a boccia pitch, a quiet area and garden rooms. They also have sensory rooms, a mood room and a games room. Children have accessed the local and wider community by utilising the home’s vehicles or going for a walk. They go swimming, horse riding and visit a music studio, among other trips.

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outstanding

Staff have created a learning environment where fun is central to their approach. For example, children discuss their objectives with staff. Objectives are linked to children’s independence, social and emotional development, communication, choice and inclusion, activities and experiences, and physical health and development.

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outstanding

Staff are clear about each child’s objectives and formulate a plan during handover, each day, to support each child in completing their objectives. Creative, imaginative approaches support children to make exceptional progress.

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outstanding

Staff have warm and nurturing relationships with children. They know the children well. Consultation with children is embedded in the culture of the home. Children make simple choices between two things or more complex choices, such as choosing sports equipment for the garden, furniture for the games room or furniture for their room. Children’s views are taken seriously. For example, a child said she was unhappy about the people who accompany her to school. Consequently, staff always accompany her to school and the company contracted to transport the child has been given notice.

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outstanding

Staff have an in-depth understanding about children’s communication needs. They undergo communication training that is specific to the children in the home and have many resources to enable children to communicate effectively.

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outstanding

Some children have complex healthcare needs. Staff have training specific to the individual healthcare needs of the children to ensure that they have the expertise required to take care of these vulnerable children. They work collaboratively with healthcare professionals to ensure that the children are given the best care. Inspection report for children's home: SC036737 4 The team has recently won a national award for their work in tissue viability. The staff passed on their skills in this area to a school to support their staff in ensuring good tissue viability for children.

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outstanding

Safeguarding children is central to all decisions and practice in the home. Staff have a thorough understanding of the home’s safeguarding procedures. Staff clearly understand whistle-blowing procedures and report any causes for concern. Children feel safe and secure in the home. They are relaxed and happy around the staff.

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outstanding

Children get on well with each other. Incidents are rare and children have not been restrained. Staff involve children in all aspects of their care, including asking them what consequences they should have. This means that any consequences given are effective. Consequences to actions are only given to children who would understand this concept.

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outstanding

Online safety is well managed and discussed regularly in team meetings, children’s meetings and one-to-one direct conversations with children. A child who was struggling with keeping herself safe while online now has a better understanding of online safety. Staff have had regular discussions with her and asked her what would help her to stay safe. Listening to children and educating them about online safety is helping to keep children safe.

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outstanding

Staff go over and above to ensure the safety of children. For example, when children go into hospital, staff ensure their safety by staying with them until they return home. This reassures children that they are safe.

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outstanding

Risk is well managed and risk management planning does not prevent children from taking well-managed risks. Staff practice evolves in line with the progress of the children. For example, children access small kitchens to help prepare meals. Because the kitchens are not suitable for children who use wheelchairs, staff manage these situations very carefully to ensure that children can still experience cooking.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager is very experienced and appropriately qualified. She provides supportive and child-centred leadership. She is ably supported by a management team.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders, managers and staff have a good understanding of the needs of the children. They are child-centred. There are clear plans in place to support the children in developing independence skills, with a view to preparing children for the future. These plans are reviewed in key-work sessions when the children share their wishes and feelings. This ensures that children feel supported with their current and future plans. Inspection report for children's home: SC036737 5 There is an established team of staff, of which most are qualified. Staff provide good care for children. Staff are knowledgeable, skilled and very well supported. The training available is in depth. The staff have included the children in developing the training and how staff can gather children and parent feedback effectively. Night staff are included in the training.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers monitor the quality of the service effectively. They complete a manager’s report that provides a good evaluation of the service. However, actions about how the service will improve or address any identified shortfalls are not included in this report, known as the regulation 45 report. Although this information can be found in other documents, it is more useful to have an improvement plan so that the manager can easily assess its effectiveness.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff are careful to protect children’s privacy. However, on some occasions, a listening device has been left on during the day, which means that children’s conversations with staff can be heard in the lounge. This has been immediately rectified and communicated to all staff.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff have attempted to furnish the home in a domestic style. However, the design of the home is very corporate. For example, the decor is similar throughout. Kitchens are too small and not equipped for children who use wheelchairs. Nevertheless, staff do manage this well and children in wheelchairs do go into the kitchen to help with cooking. Leaders and managers are aware that the kitchens are unsuitable. They are currently discussing with children how they would like to see kitchens developed.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Vetting procedures help to protect children from unsuitable adults. However, the local authority application form does not prompt the applicant to state why they are leaving their last place of employment. Furthermore, on one occasion, there was no evidence on a member of staff’s employment record about the qualification they said they have. Leaders and managers said that they are developing recruitment procedures to be more bespoke to their service.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Parents feel very well supported by staff. Staff understand the importance of supporting key people in children’s lives. A parent said: ‘Staff go above and beyond to support myself and my child.’ Another has been given the confidence to visit her child after a prolonged illness. Inspection report for children's home: SC036737 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 completing a quality of care review, the registered person must produce a written report about the quality of care review and the actions which the registered person intends to take as a result of the quality of care review ("the quality of care review report"). (Regulation 45 (3)) 1 April 2023

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that monitoring devices used to keep children safe must not remove reasonable privacy and should allow as much privacy as possible. (Guide to Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards, page 19, paragraph 3.36)  The registered person should ensure that the home meets children’s basic day-to- day needs and physical necessities. This specifically refers to the size of the kitchens and the lack of equipment to support children in wheelchairs to use the kitchens. (Guide to Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards, page 15, paragraph 3.7)  The registered person should ensure that staff employment records demonstrate why an applicant left their last place of employment and that all relevant qualifications are evidenced. (Guide to Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards, page 61, paragraph 13.1)

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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: SC036737 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Nottinghamshire County Council

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Nottinghamshire County Council, County Hall, Loughborough Road, West Bridgford, Nottingham NG2 7QP

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Inspectors

Joanne Vyas, Social Care Inspector Kathryn Hurley, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: SC036737 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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