Children's Home run by Regional Therapeutic Homes Limited in West Northamptonshire

Inspection report children’s home: 2674029 1 Registered provider: Regional Therapeutic Homes Ltd Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The home is run by a private company. It provides care for up to four children. The home cares for children who may have emotional and social difficulties.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The home is led by an experienced registered manager.

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

p.1

good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

p.1

good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

p.1

good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

p.1

good

Date of last inspection: not previously inspected

p.1

good

Overall judgement at last inspection: n/a

p.1

good

Enforcement action since last inspection: n/a Inspection report children’s home: 2674029 2

p.1

Recent inspection history

Not previously inspected. Inspection report children’s home: 2674029 3

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children say that they ‘love’ where they live and they like the staff who care for them. One child said, ‘The staff are the best thing about living at the home.’ Children enjoy spending time with staff, and this helps to develop positive relationships.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

At the time of the inspection, there were three children living in the home. The experiences of other children who had previously lived at the home were also considered. These children only lived in the home for a short period as leaders and managers felt that it could not meet their needs. The manager works effectively with external agencies to support transitions when children move to the home or leave. The manager and staff fully consider children’s needs, behaviours and feelings and the ability of the staff team to meet their needs.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The environment is homely and welcoming. Staff ensure that children develop a sense of belonging and stability. The staff see themselves as a family around the children, in keeping with a family home. Staff support children to express their wishes and feelings. This takes place through regular group meetings and weekly activity planners that staff undertake with children. This supports the progress and experiences of the children and helps the children to make good overall progress.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children had struggled with educational attendance before moving to the home. Since arriving at the home, children have made good educational progress. When children are educated in the home, the staff work hard to motivate them to learn and fully engage in the educational activity. The staff and manager are ambitious for children to progress and achieve.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s transitions are managed well. Overall, staff understand the importance of ensuring that children have a good experience of arriving at the home. However, there had been an occasion when a child’s placement planning meeting had not occurred and the care plan was not reviewed. This meant that staff were not aware of the child’s medical needs. Despite this oversight, there has not been a negative impact on the child’s safety.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children can speak with a psychotherapist who regularly visits and provides support. Although not all children engage with the therapist, some do and find this beneficial. The therapist also provides support to staff to help them better understand the needs of the children. This supports staff to improve their care practice.

p.3

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

Children’s safety plans are well written and provide a detailed account about how children should be supported and safeguarded. The staff focus on promoting children’s self-esteem. Effective behaviour management strategies have been Inspection report children’s home: 2674029 4 implemented. Behaviour is rewarded through incentives that are meaningful and worthwhile for the child.

p.3

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

When safeguarding incidents occur, there is a robust response. Managers and staff follow the appropriate policies and procedures. A police officer said, ‘The home is amazing and go above and beyond to keep the children safe.’ Managers have ensured that information about the risk of exploitation, for some children, is shared with relevant external agencies. As a result, strategy meetings have taken place to fully assess the level of risk to the children. Because of this, children are supported and protected.

p.4

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

The manager does not routinely assess environment-related risks. For example, staff routinely lock the utility door to prevent children’s access. This is without sufficient assessment. As a result, it is unclear why this practice takes place. This does not ensure that the manager has oversight of risks and detracts from what is a homely environment.

p.4

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

The recruitment of new staff to the home is well managed. The principles of safe recruitment practice are followed. This reduces the risk of unsuitable adults working in the home.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager works collaboratively with partner agencies and is held in high regard by staff and other professionals. A member of staff said, ‘she is the most supportive manager I have worked with’. Social workers and police provided exceptional feedback, and identify the manager as being proactive and a good advocate for children. This practice positively impacts on the outcomes for children.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The staff receive regular supervision that promotes learning and development. In addition, a psychotherapist supports staff to reflect on the needs of the children and their individual practice. This means that staff provide consistency and stability for the children. As a result, children benefit from well-informed and supported staff, who put the children’s needs first.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive a range of training. The training raises staff knowledge and awareness of the issues relevant to the children. Training is adapted in response to children’s changing needs. The learning from this is implemented into the day-to-day care practice.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has good and effective quality assurance and monitoring systems. The internal systems regularly monitor the quality of care provided. This includes the oversight of records and ensuring that children’s views, wishes and feelings are captured and considered.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Stakeholder and parent feedback is positive; they describe good communication and good care provided to children. One parent said, ‘they draw out her [child] Inspection report children’s home: 2674029 5 confidence; nowhere else has been able to do this’. Managers have high aspirations for the children. Inspection report children’s home: 2674029 6

p.4

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.

p.6

Requirement Due date

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

p.6

Requirement Due date

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

p.6

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 harm to the child. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i))

p.6

Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the registered person ensuring that staff only lock internal doors when there is sufficient assessment of risk. In addition, the manager should ensure that environmental risks are adequately assessed. 19 December

p.6

Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children—

p.6

Requirement Due date

receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home; and

p.6

Requirement Due date

have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home.

p.6

Requirement Due date

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

p.6

Requirement Due date

ensure the effective induction of each child into the home;

p.6

Requirement Due date

that each child’s relevant plans are followed. (Regulation 14 (1) (2)(b)(c))

p.6

Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the registered person ensuring that children’s placement planning meetings are conducted 19 December Inspection report children’s home: 2674029 7 within 72 hours, and care plans are read by managers and staff when children move in the home to ensure they have an awareness of children’s medical needs.

p.6

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: 2674029 8

p.7

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Regional Therapeutic Homes Ltd

p.8

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 66c Askew Road, London W12 9BJ

p.8

Inspector

Linda Mason, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children’s home: 2674029 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.

p.8

Inspector

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.9

Inspector

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.9

Inspector

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.9