Children's home run by Care Focus Limited in Mid Suffolk

Inspection report for children's home: SC047894 1 SC047894 Registered provider: Care Focus Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This private home is part of a group of homes run by an independent provider. The home specialises in the care of up to four girls aged 11 to 18 who may experience social and emotional difficulties. The organisation has a Department for Education- registered school in the grounds of the home. The inspector only inspected the social care provision on this site.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in March 2021.

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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

Date of last inspection: 2 November 2021

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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: SC047894 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

02/11/2021 Full Good 26/06/2019 Full Good 11/04/2018 Full Good 05/07/2017 Full Good Inspection report for children's home: SC047894 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

At the time of this inspection, one child was living at the home. Since the last inspection, two children have successfully moved back to their families and two children moved to other children’s homes run by the same organisation.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The manager undertakes comprehensive planning and assessment when offering a placement for each child. This is to make certain that staff have the appropriate skills and experience, while also considering the needs of other children. When more than one child was living at the home, the relationships between children were monitored effectively. When children experienced difficulties living together, the manager encouraged them to talk about their concerns to help improve their relationships.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff have helped the child to build positive relationships. Staff understand that positive attachments are a protective factor. Staff spend time with the child doing activities that she enjoys. Staff’s use of encouragement and praise have helped the child to overcome her concerns about taking part in activities outside the home. With staff support, she enjoyed a trip to a theme park for the first time.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Through individual therapy sessions, the child has been supported to explore past experiences. Staff understand and practise the home’s model of care. As a result, the child is starting to understand her past and her trauma. The child said, ‘The staff have really helped me with my mental health. I feel happier nowadays.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child is helped to spend time with people who are important to her. Staff take her to see her family, who live some distance from the home. This ensures that she has positive experiences with her family and maintains relationships. The child knows that staff speak with her family. This has helped to provide a consistent approach in responses to the child.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child attends the organisation’s school, which is based in the grounds of the home. Her attendance levels are good and she is working towards mathematics and English qualifications. Staff support the child in class, which helps to provide consistency in care.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The environment is homely and comfortable. The child has decorated her bedroom with warm colours and lighting. She was proud to show the inspector her space. However, two bedroom doors do not close sufficiently to meet fire standards. This was raised at the last inspection and is restated.

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

Staff provide a warm and nurturing environment for the child. The child said that she feels safe and likes living at the home. The manager reviews any risks in the Inspection report for children's home: SC047894 4 local community and shares this with staff. This helps staff keep the child safe when activities are planned outside the home.

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

The child’s vulnerabilities are well understood by staff. Staff are guided to reduce risks to the child effectively. The child has made significant progress and has not been missing from the home since moving in. Staff review and update assessments and plans when risks change. The child has been involved in writing these plans. This helps staff manage risks with a consistent approach which the child has agreed to.

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

The child is supported and listened to when she has raised concerns. The manager takes immediate action and follows the organisation’s policy to safeguard the child. Social workers, Ofsted and the local authority designated officer are informed and updated. The manager lets the child know what is happening. This ensures that the child feels listened to and believed.

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

Staff provide reassurance and a calm response when the child is upset. This helps her to manage her feelings and behaviour more effectively. Restraint is used as a last resort and only when necessary to safeguard the child and keep staff safe. Records are well written. The manager ensures that the child is spoken to after a physical hold. Staff are provided with support after an intervention. This helps them to reflect on the incident and consider alternative approaches in future. The manager has good oversight of all interventions.

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

Room searches take place only when a specific risk is identified. The child is asked for their consent. The searches have proved to be effective in reducing the risks of self-harm.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager is experienced and qualified. She is reflective and child- focused. She is aware of the team’s strengths and weaknesses and has a development plan in place to achieve her vision. The manager has good support from the head of therapeutic care and head of quality assurance, who form part of the senior management team.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has met one requirement and one recommendation from the last inspection. One requirement is restated.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive good-quality supervision which is reflective and focused on the needs of the child. Managers encourage staff to consider how they use the therapeutic approach, including the impact this has on the child. This enables staff to review the needs and progress of the child.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The staff are committed and form a long-standing team. This helps the child to develop trusting relationships with staff who are consistent in her life. The diversity in the team means that the child benefits from staff of different ages, gender and backgrounds. The child said, ‘I like the staff. They are all different, just like me.’ Inspection report for children's home: SC047894 5 The manager ensures that staff are trained to meet the complex needs of the child. All staff have completed the organisation’s mandatory training. Staff are either qualified or working towards a relevant diploma within the agreed time frames. The home’s therapist provides training for staff on the impact of trauma and behaviour. Staff are sufficiently skilled to provide tailored care and support.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager follows safer recruitment procedures. Staff move through a detailed induction and probation which is signed off by managers. The manager meets with new staff to talk about their development and how the work is affecting them. Staff said that they feel supported by the manager.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has good oversight of the home. She monitors staff practice and the child’s progress. Consultation with a child led to a change in the organisation’s policy on keeping animals. Children who leave the home are encouraged to reflect, with the manager, on their experiences. The manager uses this feedback to change practice when possible. The use of external and internal monitoring helps the manager to make improvements.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Notifications are sent to Ofsted when incidents occur. However, in the manager’s absence, leaders failed to send a safeguarding notification within agreed timescales. This oversight meant that Ofsted was unable to monitor the effectiveness of safeguarding measures taken to keep the child safe. Inspection report for children's home: SC047894 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

If the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005(1) applies to the home—

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Requirement Due date

the registered person must ensure that the requirements of that Order and any regulations made under it, except for article 23 (duties of employees), are complied with in respect of the home. (Regulation 25 (2)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, undertake regular checks to ensure the effective maintenance of fire doors.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated. 2 December 2022

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Recommendation

 The registered person should have a system in place so that all serious events are notified, within 24 hours, to the appropriate people. The system should cover the action that should be followed if the event arises at the weekend or on a public holiday or in the manager’s absence. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 63, paragraph 14.13)

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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: SC047894 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 2nd Floor, 168 Shoreditch High Street, London E1 6RA

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Inspector

Mandy Start, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: SC047894 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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