Children's Home run by SureCare Residential Ltd in Essex

Inspection report for children’s home: 1256452 1 Registered provider: SureCare Residential Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is privately operated and provides support, education and care for up to five children who may have experienced neglect, abuse or trauma that has left them vulnerable. 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 May 2020.

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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

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 1256452 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

23/08/2021 Full Good 05/09/2019 Full Requires improvement to be good 14/08/2018 Full Good 06/12/2017 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 1256452 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

At the time of the inspection, four children were living at the home. The staff support children well when they arrive. This helps children to feel supported and welcome, which encourages them to settle quickly.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support the children to take part in enjoyable activities. One child goes to a dance club several times a week, and another child enjoys horse riding. This has enhanced the children’s confidence and encourages them to make friendships outside the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff liaise with external professionals to discuss the children’s education plans. All the children are in education and their attendance is generally good. The staff actively encourage children to take part in educational activities. As a result, the children are working towards their academic potential.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff work with medical professionals to help children to improve their physical health and emotional well-being. Three children are accessing therapeutic support to help them to understand their feelings. The staff use planned strategies to support the children to make positive choices when they feel emotionally overwhelmed.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff help the children to treat one another with respect. The children and staff meet weekly to discuss how they are feeling and any concerns that they have. Consequences and rewards for children are proportionate and support children to understand how their behaviour can affect others. This has helped the children to understand each other and has encouraged positive relationships.

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

Staff manage safeguarding incidents well and have a good understanding of the whistle-blowing policy. The staff know who they can contact if they have concerns about the safety of a child. This mitigates the risks to children.

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

Staff use physical interventions to prevent children from harming themselves or others. Good de-escalation techniques ensure that physical interventions are used as a last resort. The manager has good oversight of physical interventions and ensures that children and staff reflect following any incidents. This helps staff to learn from physical interventions and ensures that children feel listened to.

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

Staff respond confidently to incidents of children leaving the home without permission. The staff use the missing-from-home protocol effectively to ensure that the children’s vulnerabilities are shared with other professionals. This mitigates the risks to children when they leave the home without agreement. Inspection report for children’s home: 1256452 4 The children have established positive relationships with staff. This helps children to confidently express how they are feeling and seek comfort and nurture from staff. The staff know the children well and can identify when they are feeling anxious or worried. They intervene and support children in a timely manner, which helps children to overcome negative thoughts and make positive choices.

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

The children know how to make a complaint and are encouraged to speak to their social workers about how they are feeling. When necessary, staff make referrals for the children to seek help and advice from an independent advocate. This ensures that children have several avenues to express their views.

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

The children’s risk assessments are detailed and include most of the risks. The safety plans for the children guide the staff. However, one risk assessment has not been updated to reflect potential risks around one child’s gaming device. Although staff monitor the child, this could lead to inconsistencies in the staff’s responses.

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

The manager has devised a location risk assessment. This helps to inform matching decisions at the point of a child being referred to the home. However, information relating to the risk of child sexual exploitation in the local area has not been fully considered.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is suitably experienced and has a level 5 qualification. A deputy manager supports her. The managers work well together and are committed to ensuring that the children receive good-quality care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff value the support that they receive from the manager. Supervision meetings are held regularly. Staff discuss the children and their own professional development and well-being. The staff are positive about the manager’s knowledge and her commitment to meeting the needs of the children. One member of staff said, ‘The manager lives and breathes this place, and the children respect her so much.’ This provides a positive role model to staff.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Team meetings provide regular opportunities for staff to share important information about children and discuss their practice. The meetings incorporate training and guidance about the children’s individual needs and celebrate success. These have boosted staff morale and helped staff to support children consistently.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Monitoring systems are effective. The manager swiftly responds to recommendations made by the independent visitor. The manager has appropriate oversight of incidents involving the children, including missing-from-home incidents and physical interventions. The manager and the responsible individual work closely together to respond to allegations made by children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The children’s records reflect most of their experiences. However, emails to external professionals are not recorded on the children’s files. This could lead to important information about children being lost, which could impact on the quality of care. Inspection report for children’s home: 1256452 5 Staff access training in core areas, including first aid, safeguarding and physical intervention. The manager ensures that staff receive more-targeted training in areas such as self-harm and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. This ensures that staff develop the skills to meet the individual needs of the children. However, one member of staff has not achieved her level 3 diploma within the required time frame. Inspection report for children’s home: 1256452 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

For the purposes of paragraph (3)(b), an individual who works in the home in a care role has the appropriate qualification if, by the relevant date, the individual has attained—

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Requirement Due date

the Level 3 Diploma for Residential Childcare (England) (“the Level 3 Diploma”); or

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Requirement Due date

a qualification which the registered person considers to be equivalent to the Level 3 Diploma.

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Requirement Due date

in the case of an individual who starts working in a care role in a home after 1st April 2014, the date which falls 2 years after the date on which the individual started working in a care role in a home; or

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Requirement Due date

in the case of an individual who was working in a care role in a home on 1st April 2014, 1st April 2016. (Regulation 32 (4)(a)(b) (5)(a)(b)) 7 June 2023

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Recommendations

 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, all documents relating to the children’s care should be easily accessible, and risk assessments should be updated with relevant information relating to children’s risks. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.7)  The registered person should ensure that the appropriateness and suitability of the location and premises of the home are reviewed. Specifically, ensure that the assessment is informed by up-to-date intelligence related to children’s vulnerabilities. (‘Guide to Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 64, paragraph 15.1) Inspection report for children’s home: 1256452 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 for children’s home: 1256452 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: SureCare Residential Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Surecare Residential, The Old Snap Factory, Twyford Road, Bishop’s Stortford, Hertfordshire CM23 3LJ

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Inspector

Laraine Edmondson, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 1256452 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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