Children's home run by Rise Above Care Ltd

Inspection report for children’s home: 2676421 1 Registered provider: Rise Above Care Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

This home is run by a private provider. The home was registered on 6 June 2022 to provide care for up to three children who have social and emotional difficulties.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

This is the provider’s first full inspection.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

There are currently two children living at the home.

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

Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable

p.1

good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2676421 2

p.1

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

Not previously inspected. Inspection report for children’s home: 2676421 3

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have lived at this home for a short period of time. Energetic and enthusiastic staff create an all-embracing and homely atmosphere. Children like their home and are quick to build bonds and trusting relationships with staff.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff listen to what children have to say and regularly seek their views. Children ask for pets and new items of furniture for their bedrooms, which are then bought. Children are comfortable and relaxed in their surroundings.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children know how to make a complaint. The manager responds swiftly to concerns the children raise. Mediation and restorative approaches help children to resolve these matters quickly. Children are happy with the outcomes of complaints.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported to be healthy and active. They attend routine and specialist health appointments as these are transferred to local services as a priority when they move in.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have fun going on dog walks, rollerblading and going to the gym. Importantly, staff enable children to reconnect with hobbies they enjoyed when they were younger. Children also have new experiences at their request. One child now goes to dance classes, and another is learning to swim.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The manager is a keen advocate for education and wholly promotes children’s learning. The education room has a range of learning resources. Bespoke plans support children to progress. Children attend education meetings and have a home tutor while the right education provision is found.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff offer sensitive and practical support, so children spend time with people who are important to them. Families speak highly about the care children receive. One family member said, ‘I am happy. It is an incredible place and staff are amazing. I am absolutely delighted with how they handle difficult situations and the lengths they go to offer support.’

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The manager plans children’s placements meticulously. Along with the responsible individual, they visit children before they move in. Children get a welcome guide, come to visit with families and social workers, and some go shopping for new items. This helps children to feel welcomed, know what to expect at the home and who will be looking after them.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children settle at the home and make progress. They receive lots of praise and encouragement from staff. Incentives and daily targets help the children to establish good daily routines. Recorded compliments boost children’s self-esteem. Staff celebrate children’s achievements with rewards and lots of praise. Children’s memory books are full of pictures, which capture these significant moments. One child has Inspection report for children’s home: 2676421 4 moved from the home due to concerns for their safety. Staff were integral in helping the child to have a positive move. The child has good memories of living at the home.

p.3

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

Children feel safe and well looked after. Staff fully embrace the home’s ethos and are natural in their therapeutic and nurturing approach. Professionals acknowledge how this helps children share their experiences and feelings.

p.4

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

The manager attentively ensures that safeguarding procedures are upheld. Staff have training and meet to talk about their responsibilities as safeguarding practitioners. Disclosures and allegations that children make are shared with relevant professionals. This includes, when needed, the local authority designated officer and police. The manager ensures that prompt investigations take place and she keeps children informed.

p.4

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

Skilled and perceptive staff are alert to how children present. Staff engage well with children and use the guidance in comprehensive risk management plans to keep children safe. Incidents in the home are infrequent and physical intervention is not used.

p.4

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

Missing from home is a risk that pre-dates the current children’s placement at this home. Staff look for children and apply individualised protocols when they cannot be found. Protective measures increase proportionately in line with escalating risks as staff and professionals have a well-coordinated response. Staff welcome and talk to children when they return to the home. The manager is not aware of the outcomes of all independent return home interviews. This is a missed opportunity to further strengthen the children’s safety plans.

p.4

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

The support that children receive has a positive impact on their mental health. Trained staff confidently respond to children’s self-injurious behaviour. Medical assessments take place and professional support is sought when needed. Children now regularly spend time with the home’s therapist. This is helping them to better understand their own emotions and take some control of them.

p.4

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

Staff educate children about risks. Creative learning resources aid discussions between children and staff around online safety. Children make progressive steps in independently managing their mobile phone in a short space of time.

p.4

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

Discussions take place with children about the legalities and harmful effects of smoking. Children have the opportunity to receive support from specialist services. Staff work in partnership with professionals and children’s families to limit children’s access to e-cigarettes. Inspection report for children’s home: 2676421 5

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home manager and responsible individual have high expectations for the care and support they provide in the home. Regular time spent with children means they understand how to look after them very well. They are visual and aspirational leaders. Their passionate and child-focused approach disseminates throughout the staff team.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home is developing quickly as the manager sets actions as part of a comprehensive service development plan. The manager values the external scrutiny that the independent person’s monthly visits bring. The manager collates information for the quality-of-care review, conducts regular quality checks and a full analysis of incidents when they occur. The manager has good oversight and knowledge of actions to take to improve children’s lives.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

A structured induction process benefits new staff who are well prepared to work in the home. Prior to this, a thorough check of staff’s suitability to work in the home takes place. At interview, applicants answer relevant questions for their role, but the interview panel’s decision to appoint is not clear as they do not record this. This does not impact on children or the suitability of the staff appointed.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The use of agency staff only takes place to offer extra support in response to an increase in risk. Agency staff receive information on how to care for children. The manager’s proactive approach to employment practice ensures that the agency shares information, which the manager then further extends. The manager verifies references and completes more enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service checks. Greater detail on some agency proformas would allow for clarity on some of the checks that are complete.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff are proud and confident. They feel valued and well supported by the home manager and responsible individual. They are an effective and united team, and provide children with consistent care and uphold a very strong work ethic. Regular mandatory and specialist training, incident debriefs, and monthly team meetings assist this shared approach.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The workforce development plan outlines staff training, support and skills. It explains that staff complete a probationary period. There has been a delay to assess the first stage review of one new staff member’s probation. Additional learning opportunities, good-quality reflective supervision, plus individual action plans help staff to develop in their roles. Checks of staff’s understanding and learning do take place.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The assertive manager drives partnership working with professionals and children’s families. Positive working relationships are quick to establish. A number of professionals say, ‘I feel like part of their team.’ The manager values the views of others and seeks feedback, so they know that their work practice is effective. Inspection report for children’s home: 2676421 6 The home manager and responsible individual maintain the home to a very high standard. They complete checks of the environment and promptly address repairs and damage. The home is well equipped to meet children’s needs. Inspection report for children’s home: 2676421 7

p.5

Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that they are informed of the outcomes of independent return home interviews, so that this can inform the child’s safety plan. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 45, paragraph 9.3)  The registered person should ensure that the workforce development plan includes when probationary review meetings should take place, and make a record of each probationary review meeting within this timescale. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 53, paragraph 10.8)  The registered person should ensure that, when recruiting staff, there is evidence of the decision made at interview in determining if an applicant is appointable, and that clear information is consistently provided on agency recruitment documents. This specifically relates to clarity and confirmation around whether there are any written explanations of gaps in agency workers’ previous

p.7

Recommendations

employment, and if the agency has taken any steps to verify the reasons for previous employment with vulnerable adults and children having come to an end. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.1)

p.7

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: 2676421 8

p.7

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Rise Above Care Limited

p.8

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 206 White Lane, Sheffield S12 3GL

p.8

Inspector

Alexandra Howitt, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2676421 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