Children's Home run by T-Junction Children’s Services in Leicestershire

Inspection report children’s home: 2495951 1 Registered provider: T-Junction Children’s Services Ltd Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is one of three owned by a private provider. It provides care for up to three children who experience social and emotional difficulties due to adverse childhood experiences.

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Information about this children’s home

The home has not had a registered manager since June 2020. The appointed manager is currently going through the process of registering with Ofsted.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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requires improvement to be good

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

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requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers inadequate

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requires improvement to be good

The children’s home is not yet delivering good help and care for children and young people. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: inadequate

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Enforcement action since last inspection:

Following the last full inspection, compliance notices were set under regulation 12 (the protection of children standard) and regulation 13 (the leadership and management standard). Additionally, a restriction of accommodation notice was issued to prevent any more children from moving into the home. At a monitoring visit in August 2022, it was deemed that sufficient progress had been made and the compliance notices were met. The restriction notice was also removed. Inspection report children’s home: 2495951 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

20/06/2022 Full Inadequate 12/04/2022 Full Inadequate 28/04/2021 Full Good 27/11/2019 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report children’s home: 2495951 3

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improvement to be good

The lack of a registered manager has had an impact on the overall judgement regarding children’s experiences and progress. The home has been without a registered manager since 2020. A new manager is in the process of applying to register with Ofsted. This manager has brought some stability to the home and the staff team.

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improvement to be good

Despite the manager not yet registering with Ofsted, children have started to make good progress and are more settled. Children said that they are happy and have good relationships with the adults in the home.

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improvement to be good

Children have education in place which is suitable for their needs. The manager has provided additional staff support, when needed, which has improved children’s attendance and attainment. One child has made significant progress and went on a trip arranged by the school as a reward. The staff team works cohesively with schools, and staff attend meetings and share information. This has enabled more consistency in their respective approaches. Consequently, this has led to incidents in school reducing and children being more settled in education.

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improvement to be good

The opportunity to take part in range of external activities and join clubs has supported the children to develop hobbies and interests. Children have started to make friends. Being part of positive friendship groups has improved children’s social skills and engagement in the community.

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improvement to be good

Special occasions and achievements are shared and celebrated, which has helped to create a sense of belonging in the home. Children are supported to maintain contact with people who are important to them. They are encouraged to attend house meetings and to express their views about their care and the home. Children are provided with a warm and homely environment and have personalised their bedrooms to reflect their tastes.

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improvement to be good

Children’s health needs are well met, and they benefit from additional support from the therapist employed at the home. Children are registered with local health providers and have appointments when needed. A healthy and active lifestyle is promoted.

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improvement to be good

The management of safeguarding concerns and allegations has improved. External professionals have been consulted with, which has allowed for guidance to be given in managing allegations. Improvements are still required in ensuring that all Inspection report children’s home: 2495951 4 information relating to staff involved in allegations, and action taken in response, is recorded in their individual staff files.

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improvement to be good

Staff know and understand the children well and have positive relationships with them. Risk assessments and behaviour support plans are detailed, but not always individual to the child. Generic risk assessments include risks that are not a known factor for the child, such as fire starting. This could result in children having unfair labels attached to them and could have an impact on future care planning. Although all information about children is documented, this is spread across several plans, which can be confusing.

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improvement to be good

Incidents in the home have started to decrease. When incidents have occurred, they have been well managed, and the manager has had clear oversight. Learning from incidents has been shared with the team, and risk assessments have been amended in response. Staff have worked with children in understanding and managing risk. As a result, children have been kept safe and the risk of harm has reduced.

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improvement to be good

There have been incidents of bullying in the home and community. Staff have worked with children to try and improve relationships and understanding. The risks to one child in the community have reduced and staff have worked well with external agencies in managing these risks.

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improvement to be good

Safer recruitment practices have improved. However, there are still some shortfalls in obtaining and documenting evidence relating to references and qualifications. The manager is now taking more responsibility for reviewing staff files to ensure that all required information is on file.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The home has been without a registered manager for a long time. The appointed manager has been working at the home for several months and this has brought some stability to the home and the staff team. As a result, staff have been better supported to undertake their roles, and children have been more settled.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The manager has worked hard to implement new systems and ways of working which have contributed to notable improvements in the home. There is a clear plan for further development, and the manager has a good understanding of the strengths and weaknesses. The manager is clear about what is needed to aid further progression. The manager is supported by a competent management team. The team shares her vision and has started to embed new systems of monitoring and developing working practices.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Staff have benefited from regular supervision sessions and appraisals, where their practice is discussed, and targets are set for further development. Staff have completed a wide range of training to further develop their knowledge and skills. They have been provided with additional clinical supervision from the home’s therapist. Because of this, staff are better equipped to support the children and to manage and reduce incidents. Inspection report children’s home: 2495951 5 The manager has been working well with external professionals in care planning, risk management and advocating for children. Relevant information has been shared in a timely way, which has allowed clearer oversight and further guidance to be shared. As a result, relationships between the home and professionals have improved and children are better supported in their daily lives. External professionals were universally positive about the home and the progress children were now

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

making. Inspection report children’s home: 2495951 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 registered provider must appoint a person to manage the children’s home if-

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Requirement Due date

there is no registered manager in respect of the home. (Regulation 27 (1)(a))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, this relates to the appointed manager providing all relevant information to Ofsted so that Ofsted can complete the registration process. 1 December 2022

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that recruitment, supervision and performance management of staff safeguards children and minimises potential risks to them. (‘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 children’s home: 2495951 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: T-Junction Children’s Services Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 27 The Pastures, Narborough, Leicester LE19 3DS

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Inspector

Sarah Orriss, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children’s home: 2495951 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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