Children's Home run by Cornerways Care Limited in Hertfordshire

Inspection report for children’s home: 2491062 1 Registered provider: Cornerways Care Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This privately run home provides care for up to two children who have experienced trauma that has left them vulnerable.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in May 2022.

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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: 21 September 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: 2491062 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

21/09/2021 Full Good 11/03/2020 Interim Improved effectiveness 02/04/2019 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children’s home: 2491062 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

At the time of this inspection, two children were living at the home. Children’s moves to the home are well planned. The children visit the home before they move in. Children are encouraged to personalise their bedrooms. This helps them to feel welcome and settle quickly.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children have built positive relationships with staff, who provide the children with emotional warmth and nurture. The staff speak highly of the children and are enthusiastic about their progress and achievements. This helps children to have self- belief and feel cared for.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff understand the importance of education. One child’s school attendance is improving. This is because staff are building her confidence and make learning fun. The manager is liaising with the headteacher of the virtual school to identify a suitable education provision for one child. When formal education is not available, the staff provide informal educational activities. This helps children to be active and encourages motivation.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The staff help children to understand how their language and behaviours affect themselves and others. The staff encourage children to talk about how they are feeling if they experience difficulties in their relationships. However, the children’s files do not reflect this work that staff undertake. As a result, learning from the strategies used to support children is not effective.

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

Staff are confident in their approach to safeguarding children. The staff know how to whistle-blow and who to contact should they have concerns for a child.

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

Staff know the children well and recognise when they are becoming anxious or worried. The staff use suitable strategies to reduce children’s distress. When necessary, the staff use physical intervention to prevent children from harming themselves or others. The staff ensure that children can talk about their experiences when physical interventions are used. This helps children to feel listened to and ensures that staff learn from children’s experiences.

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

The staff have established good working relationships with professionals. Social workers said that they receive regular updates about their children’s progress and any concerns. One child’s mental health worker said that the staff are receptive to advice and use informed therapeutic strategies well to help the child.

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

The manager and the responsible individual work closely together to respond to allegations made by children. Generally, the manager ensures that children are informed of actions taken to support them and keep them safe. However, one Inspection report for children’s home: 2491062 4 allegation made by a child was not responded to promptly. This was identified by the independent person and consequently actioned by the manager. The responsible individual responded to this incident well, by implementing further training for the manager, the deputy manager and the staff. However, the initial delays in responding to the allegation could have resulted in a child experiencing harm.

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

Staff respond to missing-from-home incidents well and support children effectively. This has resulted in children returning to the home quickly and safely. The staff request return home interviews for the children. However, these requests are not reflected in the children’s files. This prevents the manager from monitoring the local authority’s response to these requests.

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

Safeguarding concerns are regularly notified to Ofsted. However, one safeguarding incident was not notified in line with the home’s safeguarding policy. This prevents Ofsted from monitoring the home effectively.

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

The manager failed to ensure that a risk assessment was used for a child who was spending time alone with her family. Consequently, staff did not have clear guidance for managing the identified risks for the child.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is experienced and is completing his level 5 qualification. He is available to staff and children, and children enjoy spending time with him. The manager acknowledges complaints made by children and responds to these appropriately. The manager ensures that staff support the children to share their views. Children meet weekly to speak about their experiences and any concerns that they have.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff are complimentary about the manager’s knowledge and the support he provides. The staff said that this has helped them to maintain positive morale. Supervision meetings are regular and provide staff with a forum to discuss the needs of the children and their own professional development and well-being.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has embedded a model of care into practice. This helps staff to develop their understanding of the children’s needs and how to support them. The staff take part in core training, such as first aid, safeguarding and physical intervention. The manager ensures that staff complete additional training around child sexual exploitation, county lines and epilepsy. This supports staff to understand children’s individual needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Team meetings are regular. These give the staff the opportunity to share practice ideas and enhance their understanding of the children’s needs. As a result, the children receive good-quality and consistent care. Inspection report for children’s home: 2491062 5

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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

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare; and

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Requirement Due date

are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(vi)(vii))

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Requirement Due date

risk assessments are completed for children spending time with their families; and

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Requirement Due date

allegations made by children about staff, regardless of whether they are retracted, are recorded as allegations and are responded to in accordance with the home’s safeguarding policy. 30 November

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if—

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Requirement Due date

an incident requiring police involvement occurs in relation to a child which the registered person considers to be serious;

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Requirement Due date

there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there; 30 November Inspection report for children’s home: 2491062 6 there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40 (4)(b)(c)(e))

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Recommendation

 The registered person 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, the registered person should ensure that written documents are clear and understood by the reader, and that the support provided to children is reflected in their files. For example, ensure that the oversight of physical interventions is recorded clearly and that requests for return home interviews are recorded in the child’s file. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4)

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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: 2491062 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Cornerways Care Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 7 Paynes Park, Hitchin SG5 1EH

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Inspector

Laraine Edmondson, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2491062 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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