Children's Home run by Hygge Care Ltd in Staffordshire

Inspection report for children’s home: 1220887 1 Registered provider: Hygge Care Ltd Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

A small private provider owns this home. The home provides care for up to three children with emotional and behavioural needs.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered in September 2021 and is suitably qualified.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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requires improvement to be good

How well children and young people are helped and protected requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The children’s home is not yet delivering good help and care for children and young people. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: inadequate

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Enforcement action since last inspection:

The home was judged inadequate at the full inspection on 9 and 10 August 2022. Due to the concerns identified during the inspection, Ofsted issued four compliance notices, under regulation 10 (the health and well-being standard), regulation 13 (the leadership and management standard) and two notices under regulation 12 (the protection of children standard) of the Children’s Homes (England) Regulations 2015. Inspection report for children’s home: 1220887 2 A monitoring visit was conducted on 26 September 2022. The purpose of this visit was to review the progress made against the four compliance notices. Inspectors found that three compliance notices, in relation to regulations 10, 12 and 13, had been met. However, some actions under regulation 12 were met and others not. A requirement was issued to address the actions not met . Inspection report for children’s home: 1220887 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

09/08/2022 Full Inadequate 22/03/2022 Interim Sustained effectiveness 03/11/2021 Full Requires improvement to be good 21/01/2020 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 1220887 4

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improvement to be good

At the time of the inspection, there were three children living at the home. No children have moved in or out of the house since the monitoring visit on 26 September 2022.

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improvement to be good

For the most part, improvements to the environment have been maintained. The home is a comfortable place for children to relax in and spend time with staff. Children’s bedrooms are highly personalised and staff continue to support children’s sensory needs. However, a tumble dryer is in a prominent position in the conservatory, which detracts from the homely feel of the home.

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improvement to be good

Records accurately detail the needs of children in terms of their day-to-day care and how they need to be cared for. However, children cannot easily understand their targets and goals because they are not clear and measurable. This is a barrier to children investing in their care and making progress.

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improvement to be good

Staff have positive relationships with children’s families. They have a good understanding of family dynamics and why these relationships are important to children. This supports children to stay in touch with important individuals in their lives. As a result, children’s emotional well-being is improved and they retain a sense of identity with their families. Parents and carers are very positive about the staff and the care their children receive. One parent said that their child is making progress in managing their emotions and that staff keep the child safe.

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improvement to be good

Staff register children with local health services. Additionally, managers and staff work with mental health agencies to understand children’s complex needs and to ensure children’s emotional needs are met. This enables staff to support children during times of crisis and helps children to regulate their emotions.

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improvement to be good

All three children attend a school which meets their individual needs. When children are unsettled, staff work with teachers to settle them. For instance, staff are supporting one child at playtime, which helps the child to develop friendships.

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improvement to be good

Staff support children’s hobbies and interests, such as horse riding and crafting. Staff are creative in suggesting interests they can share with children to develop meaningful relationships and to build children’s self-esteem. This enables children to feel loved and valued. Staff also enable children to develop and maintain friendships with peers, and children benefit from these positive relationships.

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improvement to be good

Staff develop positive relationships with children. Some staff have a good understanding of childhood trauma and children’s complex behaviours. They respond well to children’s needs. As a result of staff showing good knowledge and resilience, children develop trusting relationships and positive self-esteem. Inspection report for children’s home: 1220887 5

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improvement to be good

Children’s plans inform staff about children’s complex behaviours. However, staff do not always pick up on triggers and use strategies to help children to manage their emotions. For example, one child’s plan details going for a walk as a good strategy to help them to calm. However, when the child asked to go for a walk, staff denied this request. This resulted in an escalation of a serious incident in which restraint was used, when it could have been avoided had staff followed the child’s plans.

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improvement to be good

On one occasion, staff inappropriately restrained a child who was not a significant risk to themselves or to others. Although managers reviewed the incident and identified the shortfall, there was a delay of four days in managers addressing this with staff.

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improvement to be good

Managers have not ensured that systems for the safe administration of medication are in place. Untrained staff witness the administration of medication to children. Although core staff have received training, there are no procedures to assess their competence. Additionally, on one occasion, staff did not account for medication taken out of the home for a child spending time with family.

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improvement to be good

Managers and staff are not vigilant about risks around the home. For instance, hazardous materials such as cleaning fluids were not stored safely. . Part of a fire strip was missing from a child’s bedroom door. The gate to the rear garden would not close because the wood had swollen. All these issues were dealt with by the end of the inspection.

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improvement to be good

The manager liaises appropriately with the local authority designated officer and social workers, sharing details of all incidents involving concerns about staff practice or allegations. This ensures that there is independent oversight to keep children safe.

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improvement to be good

Incidents of verbal or physical aggression by children are promptly dealt with and discussed. Staff educate children about being kind to others, through planned discussions and day-to-day conversations. This helps children to be tolerant of others and to build positive relationships with other children and with staff.

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good

Leadership and management of the home are not yet consistently good. However, the registered manager is passionate about providing a good quality of care to children. The registered manager works well in partnership with others, including family members and social workers. Children benefit from this tailored support, which has a positive impact on their progress. Inspection report for children’s home: 1220887 6 At the last inspection, three requirements were raised. Two of these requirements have been reissued at this inspection. Shortfalls remain in staff’s ability to manage children’s complex needs. In one instance, staff used restraint in a way that was not necessary or proportionate. These shortfalls have affected the quality of care that children receive.

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good

Although staff have received training in medication and safeguarding children, managers have failed to ensure that staff have received training in the therapeutic model of care. This means some staff do not have the skills to understand and manage children’s complex needs.

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good

Managers do not ensure that only suitable people work with vulnerable children. They do not ensure that agency staff have been safely recruited. This potentially risks children’s safety and their well-being.

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good

Managers ensure that staff, including frequently used agency staff, receive regular supervision. Most staff have also received an annual appraisal. However, the manager’s development needs are not understood as he has not had an appraisal.

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good

Despite their best efforts, managers continue to face challenges in staff recruitment. Managers remain reliant on agency staff to meet children’s needs. However, a dedicated team of core staff ensures that children receive consistent nurture and care. Children told the inspector that they feel safe and could identify a trusted adult. This means that children have someone they can talk to if they have any worries. Inspection report for children’s home: 1220887 7

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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

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(iii))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to managers ensuring that staff follow children’s risk assessments and have sufficient skills to meet children’s complex needs.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was raised at the previous inspection and is restated. 18 December

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Requirement Due date

Restraint in relation to a child is only permitted for the purpose of preventing—

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Requirement Due date

injury to any person (including the child); serious damage to the property of any person (including the child); or

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Requirement Due date

a child who is accommodated in a secure children’s home from absconding from the home.

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Requirement Due date

Restraint in relation to a child must be necessary and proportionate. (Regulation 20 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)) 18 December Inspection report for children’s home: 1220887 8 This specifically relates to managers ensuring that staff only restrain children as a last resort, when absolutely necessary.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was raised at the previous inspection and is restated.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must make arrangements for the handling, recording, safekeeping, safe administration and disposal of medicines received into the children’s home.

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Requirement Due date

In particular the registered person must ensure that—

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Requirement Due date

a record is kept of the administration of medicine to each child. (Regulation 23 (1) (2)(c))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to managers ensuring they regularly assess staff competence to safely administer medication. Also, managers are to ensure that medication taken out of the home is accounted for. 18 December

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety.

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Requirement Due date

employ an individual to work at the children’s home; or

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Requirement Due date

if an individual is employed by a person other than the registered person to work at the home in a position in which the individual may have regular contact with children, allow that individual to work at the home, if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3).

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Requirement Due date

full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2. (Regulation 32 (1) (2)(a)(b) (3)(d))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to managers ensuring that any agency workers used to cover shortfalls in staffing are suitable to work with vulnerable children. 18 December

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees—

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Requirement Due date

Undertake appropriate continuing professional development; 18 December Inspection report for children’s home: 1220887 9 have their performance and fitness to perform their roles appraised at least once every year. (Regulation 33 (4)(a)(c))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to managers ensuring that the registered manager receives an annual appraisal and has a personal development plan.

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Requirement Due date

within 48 hours of the use of the measure, the registered person, or a person who is authorised by the registered person to do so (“the authorised person”)—

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Requirement Due date

has spoken to the user about the measure; and

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Requirement Due date

has signed the record to confirm it is accurate. (Regulation 35 (3)(b)(i))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to managers ensuring that following the use of restraint, staff are debriefed within required timescales. 18 December

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that the home is a nurturing and supportive environment that meet the needs of their children and is a homely, domestic environment. Children’s homes must comply with relevant health and safety legislations (alarms, food hygiene, etc); however, in doing so, homes should seek as far as possible to maintain a domestic rather than ‘institutional’ impression. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9)  The registered person should ensure that staff encourage children to see the home’s records as living documents, supporting them to view and contribute to the record in a way that reflects their voice on a regular basis. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 58, paragraph 11.19) Inspection report for children’s home: 1220887 10

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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: 1220887 11

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Grosvenor House, 11 St Pauls Square, Birmingham, West Midlands B3 1RB

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Inspector

Karen Gillingwater, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 1220887 12 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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