Children's Home run by Netheredge Care Limited in Kirklees

Inspection report children’s home: SC489226 1 SC489226 Registered provider: Netheredge Care Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is owned by a private company and is registered to provide care for up to five children. Three children were living in the home at the time of this inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in January 2018. She is suitably experienced and qualified for the role.

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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 outstanding

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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 children’s home: SC489226 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

17/05/2021 Full Outstanding 05/02/2020 Interim Improved effectiveness 10/09/2019 Full Good 04/09/2018 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report children’s home: SC489226 3

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outstanding

Children have exceptionally positive relationships with staff at the home. The children have all lived in the home for a long time. This provides children with stability and a secure base from which to develop. The children feel safe, confident and well supported. This also contributes to the progress they make in their social and emotional development.

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outstanding

The children have clear and consistent boundaries and receive care which is delivered with a nurturing approach from staff. This contributes to their ongoing progress and development. The children have close relationships with one another and say that they care about the manager and the staff. The children are developing emotionally, and they are making excellent progress because of the care they receive.

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outstanding

Children make remarkable progress in education. Recently, two children passed all their exams. Before coming to this home, the children did not attend or engage with school for significant periods. However, they are now attending and enjoying college. The staff’s high expectations encourage the children to achieve. The children are clear about their future careers, and they are planning for adulthood. The children are being supported to reach their full potential.

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outstanding

Professionals and families talk about how far the children have come from not having any life skills to now having budgeting skills and self-care skills. Records and care plans show that children are thriving in all aspects of their lives. Children recognise that they are achieving. They value the experiences they have and the support of the staff.

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outstanding

Children are passionate about their individual interests. These include explorers, police and air cadets. The children take part in parades, play instruments in the military bands and enjoy holidays with the staff. This is considerable progress for a child who has previously been unable to take part in group activities. Each child has their own vegetable plot. They then enjoy cooking the produce with the staff every weekend. The children proudly showed the inspector photos of the meals they have prepared with help from the staff.

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outstanding

The manager has developed a scheme for the children which supports local charities. For example, the children raise funds to support a local hospital and a cancer charity. The children purchase, prepare and deliver well-being parcels for the elderly. They have taken part in sponsored walks. The project has proved so successful that the registered manager, staff and children have expanded the venture. The charities have thanked the children for their invaluable support. One child said that they had not realised how good it would feel to help others. Inspection report children’s home: SC489226 4 I mpact risk assessments completed prior to children being admitted are thorough, and the compatibility of the children is carefully assessed by the manager and staff. This helps to ensure that the children who come into the home have a positive transition, quickly settle and develop positive peer relationships with the other

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outstanding

The manager and staff provide support to help children rebuild relationships with their families. The staff have gone above and beyond to help the children to maintain regular contact with their loved ones. One family member said that they could not thank staff enough for helping them to keep in regular contact. The progress that children have made in this area is significant. As a result, the children are now confident to make decisions about seeing their family in a way that suits them, which does not affect their relationships with loved ones.

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outstanding

The children’s views about the home and their care are listened to and acted on. Staff are inventive and use a range of different forums to consult with the children. For example, the staff use scenarios, videos, an online video sharing and social media platform and newspaper articles. The staff invite professionals to speak to the children about topics of interest. The staff show sensitivity around personal issues. Men-only sessions help the children to talk about delicate subjects with the male staff. This helps children to feel valued and know that their views are taken seriously.

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outstanding

All children at the home have comprehensive risk management plans in place. Staff are well informed about the children’s individual needs set out in their documents. As a result, staff have an excellent understanding of the children’s risks and how to reduce these. This helps the children to feel well cared for.

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outstanding

The staff help the children to understand themselves so that they can manage their emotions better now and in the future. The staff have reflective discussions with the children after incidents occur. The staff are confident in this area of practice. There have been no incidents of restraint since the previous inspection. No children have been missing from the home for almost two years. This is testament to the strong relationships the staff have with the children. This helps the children to feel safe.

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outstanding

Children are helped to stay protected online. Staff have access to children’s social media accounts to carry out regular checks, and they respond well to prompts about the risk posed by the internet. Staff also carry out direct work with the children regarding online safety. The manager and staff have shown real determination with children to help them stay safe when using social media.

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outstanding

Staff strive to obtain additional skills through a programme of ongoing learning and reflection. Staff spoken to show an excellent understanding of safeguarding. All staff have had appropriate training to keep their skills and knowledge updated. This helps to empower the staff to develop their understanding and respond to the children’s Inspection report children’s home: SC489226 5 specific needs and vulnerabilities. This means that children are better safeguarded and cared for.

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outstanding

All the staff employed in the home have the relevant experience needed to help the children. Methodical recruitment measures are in place and followed. This process helps to avoid unsuitable people being recruited in the home. This helps staff to keep children safe and to provide the care which they deserve.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager is experienced and highly skilled. She is zealous about providing the very highest standards of care for children and leads by example. She is fully aware of the strengths of the home and the areas for development. She was responsive to some minor shortfalls found during the inspection and rectified them immediately.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager takes every opportunity to develop staff’s skills. The manager sources additional training to drive forward their development. Reflective team meetings, well-planned supervision sessions and in-depth handovers also help to support the staff in providing the children with a high level of individualised care. Professionals say that the manager and the staff are ‘amazing’ and provide lots of positive experiences for the children, who benefit from the consistency of the positive, nurturing care that they receive.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager is a strong advocate for the children. For example, she challenged placing authorities to make certain that the children move on when it is right for them. This has resulted in placing authorities amending plans to move children out of the home. The manager has raised these issues in reviews and ensured that the children have an independent advocate. This means that the children have been able to fully share and express their views and are helped to move on at a pace they are comfortable with.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The staff work closely with other professionals involved in the children’s lives. The registered manager is very well respected by professionals, who value the care she and staff provide to the children. Her opinions are respected, and decisions are trusted. An independent reviewing officer told the inspector, ‘I wish all the children I work with could live in this home, they would have the help needed to make something of themselves.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager has thorough, methodical monitoring systems in place. This enables her to have an overview of all areas in the home. The manager can identify any shortfalls. She can see any progress and trends and acts on these if there are concerns. When shortfalls are identified by the manager, these are promptly addressed with the staff.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The independent visitor does not always consult with the children’s family. By not regularly consulting with family, the visitor cannot accurately evaluate the children’s progression. More detailed information from the independent visitor would help to make certain that children are safeguarded effectively. Inspection report children’s home: SC489226 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 person must ensure that an independent person visits the children’s home at least once each month.

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Requirement Due date

When the independent person is carrying out a visit, the registered person must help the independent person—

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Requirement Due date

if they consent, to interview in private such of the children, their parents, relatives and persons working at the home as the independent person requires.

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Requirement Due date

The independent person must produce a report about a visit (“the independent person’s report”) which sets out, in particular, the independent person’s opinion as to whether—

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Requirement Due date

children are effectively safeguarded; and

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Requirement Due date

the conduct of the home promotes children’s well-being. (Regulation 44 (1) (2)(a) (4)(a)(b)) 19 January 2023

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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: SC489226 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Netheredge Care Limited

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Inspector

Ruth Jackson, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC489226 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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