Children's Home run by The Partnership of Care Today in Staffordshire

Inspection report for children’s home: SC005050 1 SC005050 Registered provider: The Partnership of Care Today Children’s Services Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is owned by a private company. It is registered to provide care for six children who may have experienced childhood instability, resulting in trauma and associated complex behaviours.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager holds a level 5 qualification in leadership and management for residential care services for children.

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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: SC005050 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

27/07/2021 Full Good 11/03/2020 Full Good 13/03/2019 Full Good 30/01/2018 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: SC005050 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Since the last inspection, two children have been welcomed into the home and three children have left. Despite two of these moves being unplanned, children have had a positive experience of moving on from the home. Leaving parties were organised by staff and children received gifts and a photo album to remind them of the people they have met and the fun times they experienced.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff help children to keep in touch with people who are important to them. One child increased how much time they spent with their family and, as a result, the child returned to live with them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

At the time of this inspection, four children were attending the school that is located next to the home and is part of the same organisation. One child has commenced a course at a nearby college. Children’s attendance at school and college is excellent, which contributes to the progress they are making with their learning.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are registered with local health services. Staff support children to arrange and attend routine health appointments. The registered manager requests the outcomes of children’s yearly health assessments when there are delays in receiving their health plans. This helps staff to ensure that they understand children’s health needs and take action, when needed, to ensure that these are met.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Relationships between children and staff are good and children trust the staff who are caring for them. This means children seek support when they feel they need it.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff help children to recognise the progress they make. For example, one child spoke to the inspector with a sense of achievement about reducing the time he spends away from the home without permission. Having a sense of achievement helps motivate children to make positive choices to keep themselves safe.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

When a child requires medication, it is given by a person who has received training in administering medication. Records show that medication is given to children as directed by the prescriber. However, staff do not maintain clear records about the medication, which may lead to confusion.

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

Staff have a good understanding of children’s early childhood experiences and behaviours they may display. Risk assessments provide guidance for staff to identify, reduce and manage risk. Staff implement this guidance and so respond consistently to behaviours, which helps children to understand what is expected of them. As a result, behaviours and risks reduce. Inspection report for children’s home: SC005050 4 The registered manager implements a restorative behaviour management system that recognises positive behaviours and achievements with praise and rewards. Behaviours that are not viewed to be socially acceptable or are unsafe are responded to using consequences. Records relating to consequences are not always recorded clearly. This practice limits the registered manager’s ability to assess whether measures used are proportionate and effective.

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

Physical intervention is rarely used, and only when required to keep children or others safe or to prevent damage to property. Staff and children are supported to reflect on incidents and look at ways to prevent reoccurrence. The registered manager ensures that staff are trained in using physical intervention and records of incidents are clear.

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

Two staff have recently started work in the home. The registered manager ensures that there are effective recruitment systems in place. This reduces the risk of children being cared for by unsuitable individuals.

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

Children access the internet by using the school’s computers, and some games consoles allow online gaming. Parental systems are in place to prevent children from accessing harmful content. Children complete an online safety course, which helps them to learn about risks when browsing the internet and provides them with advice to keep themselves safe and report concerns.

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

Children have access to the home’s phone as most children are not allowed a mobile phone. The registered manager informed the inspector that having a mobile phone would increase risks posed to some of the children. No formal assessment regarding children having a mobile phone has been undertaken. As a result, it cannot be determined whether this restriction is appropriate and necessary.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager has a clear vision for the home. He has a good understanding of the team’s strengths and areas that he wants to develop. This practice contributes to the continual development of the service and quality of care children receive.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Children’s individual needs and behaviours are understood by the registered manager and staff. They work well with parents and professionals to ensure that children have a strong network of support that sustains children’s good progress.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Regular team meetings and supervisions provide staff with the opportunity to reflect on practice and discuss plans to support children who live in the home. They feel able to share ideas that influence the day-to-day running of the home. Staff feel well supported by the managers and feel comfortable raising concerns or asking for assistance.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Children are cared for by an experienced and consistent staff team. Most staff hold a level 3 qualification in children’s health and social care. Staff performance is Inspection report for children’s home: SC005050 5 appraised annually by the registered manager. This review provides staff with the opportunity to discuss career progression and opportunities for further learning. For example, two staff are currently undertaking a qualification in counselling and one member of staff has just completed an advanced course in autism spectrum disorder.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Health and safety audits are completed. However, the registered manager has not taken prompt action to rectify issues identified in these audits. For example, the fire risk assessment identifies some maintenance required to some internal fire doors. Although the registered manager advised that this work had been completed, the inspector found similar issues to those recorded in the report. The electrical installation certificate identified urgent remedial action to be completed; however, the preferred contractor has not been available to complete the work, and the registered manager has not sourced an alternative contractor to ensure that the work is completed with the urgency it requires. Inspection report for children’s home: SC005050 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;

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Requirement Due date

that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed, furnished and maintained so as to protect each child from avoidable hazards to the child’s health. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(d))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that the reasons for not allowing children to have a mobile phone if they want one are clearly risk-assessed. Furthermore, ensure that this is regularly reviewed in conjunction with the child and the child’s placing authority.

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Requirement Due date

In addition, the registered manager must ensure that actions from health and safety inspections are completed without delay. 17 November

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Recommendation

 The registered manager should ensure that staff are familiar with the home’s policies on record-keeping and understand the importance of careful, objective and clear recording. In particular, ensure that consequences and medication are clearly recorded. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4). Inspection report for children’s home: SC005050 7

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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 quality standards’. Inspection report for children’s home: SC005050 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 2nd Floor, Lansdowne House, 85 Buxton Road, Stockport, Cheshire SK2 6LR

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Inspector

Helen Malanaphy, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC005050 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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Inspector

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Inspector

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