Children's home run by Idem Living Limited

Inspection report children’s home: 2500668 1 Registered provider: Idem Living Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

A private company owns this home. The home is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to three children who may have learning disabilities. The home is privately owned and managed.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has been registered since June 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: 25 January 2022

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: 2500668 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

25/01/2022 Full Good 05/03/2020 Interim Sustained effectiveness 11/12/2019 Full Good 13/03/2019 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report children’s home: 2500668 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Three children live in the home. The home is welcoming and comfortable. It is personalised to meet the needs of the children. Photos of the children are displayed throughout the house.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children are attending school regularly. There is good communication between the staff and education providers. The staff are strong advocates for the children. This is supporting the children’s educational outcomes.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Complex health needs are managed well. Children are in a good routine with their medication and attend all their health appointments. Staff have good working relationships with health services.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support the children to carry out daily tasks independently in line with their individual needs, such as shopping, cooking, washing and personal care. This is helping the children to prepare for adult life.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Individual sessions are completed with the children. Staff use pictorial communication aids to support the children to have a greater understanding of what is being conveyed to them so they can share their views. Social stories are used effectively to help the children learn about what to expect in different situations and why. For example, one child successfully attended a hospital appointment, and another child is now using the toilet regularly.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support the children to engage in activities in the community. The children enjoy going trampolining and two children go swimming together. This is helping the children to develop their confidence and social skills.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff arrange for children to spend time with their family. This helps the children to maintain their identity and continue to see the people who are important to them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

When children come to live at the home, matching is carefully considered. Children have a well-planned move into the home and are welcomed sensitively.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children make progress while living in the home. For example, one child no longer wears a helmet or uses a harness in the community. Another child has been able to spend a night away, which the social worker said is an ‘amazing achievement’. The children’s records provide a detailed picture of their experiences and progress.

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

Children have a high level of supervision, which is consistent with their plans. This means that they can develop their independence while staff ensure they are safe. Inspection report children’s home: 2500668 4 Individual assessments of risk are in place and updated regularly. The staff understand the children’s vulnerabilities and identified risks, and the strategies used are clear and effective. This means that children are safeguarded effectively because of the care they experience.

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

Children receive help and support to manage their behaviour and feelings safely. Staff provide the children with clear routines and boundaries, and children receive praise for positive behaviour. However, staff do not always reward children for certain behaviours and achievements.

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

Restraints are proportionate and used as a last resort. The recordings of restraining incidents are detailed and show a range of de-escalation strategies used in attempts to avoid the restraints. Staff and children receive a debrief after an incident. Debriefs for children are child centred and in accordance with their communication needs.

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

There have been no incidents of children going missing from the home. Staff members spoken to during the inspection were clear on what action they would take should a child go missing.

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

Accident records are in place; however, they do not detail if medication intervention was required and the outcome. This makes it difficult for managers to evaluate what happened and prevent accidents from happening again.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home is led by a suitably qualified and experienced manager. The manager promotes a nurturing environment and is passionate about obtaining positive outcomes for the children. The manager and deputy manager know the children well and are a positive role model for both staff and children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There has been a high turnover of staff since the last inspection and there remain vacancies. Staff work hard to cover the gaps in the rotas. However, agency workers have been used to cover the shortfalls, which does not ensure that children receive continuity of care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Effective monitoring and review systems are in place. The manager understands what is working well and the areas for improvement. This means that the manager and staff can identify and act on shortfalls to improve the quality of care that the children receive.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managers and staff receive training to develop the necessary skills and knowledge to understand and meet the children’s individual needs. For example, staff have completed training in autism spectrum disorder, learning disabilities, and personal care. New staff coming into the home have received an appropriate induction.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff describe the managers as being supportive. Staff have regular supervision, and records demonstrate that supervision is of good quality and gives staff an Inspection report children’s home: 2500668 5 opportunity to reflect on their practice. This helps managers to gain a clear understanding of staff strengths and areas for development.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Team meetings take place each month, which allow for feedback and discussion. The managers meet once a month to share information, make decisions and solve problems. This helps to coordinate the leadership of the home so that children receive consistent and high-quality care from all staff. Inspection report children’s home: 2500668 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

The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that—

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Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and promotes their welfare.

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(e))

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Requirement Due date

This relates to the registered manager ensuring that there is a stable staff team in place who can provide consistency of care for the children that meets their needs and keeps them safe. 18 January 2023

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Recommendations

 The registered person is responsible for ensuring that each child’s day-to-day health and well-being needs are met. When a child has an accident, managers and staff need to record whether medication advice and/or treatment was required and the outcome. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 33 paragraph 7.3)

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that staff reward the children for certain behaviours and achievements. Sharing these successes with family members may help to boost the children’s good feelings and increase motivation. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 39 paragraph 8.11) Inspection report children’s home: 2500668 7

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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 children’s home: 2500668 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Idem Living Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 6 Stable Court Business Centre, Water Lane, Tarbock Green, Prescot L35 1RD

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Inspector

Dawn Walker, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children’s home: 2500668 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.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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