Children's home run by Time-Out Children’s Homes Limited in Stockport

Inspection report for children’s home: SC416267 1 SC416267 Registered provider: Timeout Children’s Homes Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This privately owned home is registered to provide care for up to two children who may have behavioural, emotional and social difficulties. If required, children can access the organisation’s school and therapy department.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, two children were living in the home. Both spoke to the inspector about their experiences living in the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted on 17 December 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

Date of last inspection: 15 December 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: SC416267 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

15/12/2021 Full Good 28/01/2020 Full Good 08/01/2019 Full Good 18/12/2017 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: SC416267 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Since the last inspection, one child has moved out of the home and two children have moved in. One of the children moved in just after the last inspection and has been living there for a year. During this time, he has made significant progress from his initial starting point. The other child has only recently moved into the home and is settling in well. Both children benefit from individualised care and support from staff who have high aspirations for all children, offering encouragement and support to enable them to achieve positive outcomes.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are encouraged and supported to follow and develop a range of interests and leisure pursuits. One child plays cricket and is looking forward to the season starting again shortly when he can rejoin his team in training and matches. The other child is being supported to develop his own interests and given the chance to try a range of leisure activities which he may not previously had the opportunity to experience.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff recognise and understand the importance of education. One child attends the organisation’s school. He has settled in well and teaching staff say he is making progress. He is being given further opportunities for vocational training alongside more traditional education, to enable him to learn and develop skills for his future. Before moving into the home, the other child had been excluded from school. However, this decision has been overturned and he is on a phased return to school, attending school in the morning and working with a tutor at the home in the afternoon. This is providing him with structure and he has made positive progress in the short time he has lived at the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support children with their physical and emotional healthcare. Children attend healthcare appointments as required and access emotional support through the organisation’s therapy department. Social workers say this support, along with the care provided by the staff team, is having a positive impact and enabling children to make good progress in their physical and emotional development.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff recognise the impact of children’s life experiences and are sensitive in their approach to supporting children to maintain positive links with family and friends, in line with their agreed care plans.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s moves into the home are planned and there is detailed consideration and discussion about effective matching of children and their individual needs. The views of placing social workers also contribute to this.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home provides a homely and welcoming environment for children. Their bedrooms are decorated to reflect their individual interests and tastes. The chid who has recently moved into the home is in the process of choosing the decor for his room, which he is excited about. At the last inspection, it was identified the Inspection report for children’s home: SC416267 4 bathroom needed to be refurbished. At the time of this inspection, this work had not been carried out, although it was scheduled for later in January. While the work is being done, the children will have use of the en-suite bathroom attached to the staff sleep-in room. The manager needs to ensure this is appropriately risk assessed.

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

Both children say staff keep them safe and they feel safe. Staff demonstrate a good understanding of each child’s needs and potential risks. Risk management plans are in place and reviewed on a regular basis to make sure they reflect known and current risks.

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

Staff understand the importance of working with a range of professionals to make sure children are safeguarded effectively. Missing-from-home procedures are understood and followed by staff for each child.

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

The child previously living at the home was exceptionally vulnerable to safeguarding risks in the community and had high levels of missing-from-home incidents. The manager and staff worked with the complex safeguarding team, following detailed risk management plans to reduce the risks. However, staff recognised that the risks for this child remained exceptionally high and despite strategies put in place, the manager felt the home was no longer the most appropriate place to meet the child’s needs. The manager of the complex safeguarding team and social worker say the staff team really went out of their way to support this child’s safety. The social worker said, ‘The care and support the staff team provided was exceptional. I have never experienced a staff team so focused on supporting and finding solutions to keep a child safe. Staff have maintained a relationship with her in her new placement and this has contributed to her recognising that people really care about

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

Children are supported to manage their behaviour and emotional needs through detailed care plans, risk assessments and support from the therapy team. Physical intervention is used only as a last resort and to offer support to a child when they are in crisis. Whenever children are held, holds are low level and for minimal time. Clear records are maintained, and children can contribute their views to these records and reflect on their feelings. The manager maintains good oversight of the records and additional strategies are discussed to help to minimise the need for physical intervention for each child.

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

Recruitment and selection processes for staff are robust, to contribute to the safety of the children at the home.

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

At the last inspection, security settings on the home’s streaming services were not secure. This has been addressed by putting secure password protection measures in place. Inspection report for children’s home: SC416267 5

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is experienced and suitably qualified and demonstrates the necessary skills to manage the home. Staff say she is approachable and provides high levels of support to the children and to them as a staff team. Her practice is nurturing and child-centred and she has high aspirations for all children. She maintains good oversight of the home and the records kept. She understands the importance of records reflecting each child’s progress and areas for ongoing support. External professionals say she is approachable, professional and solution-focused in working with them and the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager manages another home near this one, and ensures she works across both homes well. There is a core staff team in place for each home which provides cover in the other home when required. There has been a change in staffing in the past year, but staff covering across both homes provide continuity to the children. However, the manager is keen to establish a core team in each home and the staff team in this home is now fully in place.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff have access to regular training, both face to face and online. Additional training and guidance are provided through team meetings and monthly supervision. Staff value this support and say this contributes to their ongoing development and practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Two of the recommendations made at the last inspection have been addressed, in relation to security settings on streaming services and staff training in recording and report writing. The recommendation in relation to the refurbishment of the bathroom has not been met and has been restated at this inspection. Inspection report for children’s home: SC416267 6

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that the condition of the home is maintained to a high standard throughout, in particular, improving the quality of the bathroom. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9)  The registered person should ensure that staff continually and actively assess the risks to each child and the arrangements in place to protect them. This is in relation to children using the en-suite bathroom connected to the staff sleep-in room while the main bathroom is refurbished. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 42, paragraph 9.5)

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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: SC416267 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Timeout Children’s Homes Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Unit 2, Ripponden Mill, Mill Fold, Ripponden, Sowerby Bridge, West Yorkshire HX6 4DH

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Dominic Macauley

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Inspector

Sarah Oldham, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC416267 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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