Children's home run by Total Care Matters Limited in Nottingham

Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC414296 1 SC414296

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Registered provider: Total Care Matters Limited

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is run by an independent provider. It is registered to provide care for up to four children who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The home has a suitably experienced registered manager.

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Information about this children’s home

Date of last inspection: 14 November 2022

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Information about this children’s home

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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Information about this children’s home

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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Information about this inspection

At this inspection, the inspector evaluated:

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Information about this inspection

 the care of children  the safety of children  the effectiveness of leaders and managers. Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children, using the social care common inspection framework. This assurance 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’. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC414296 2

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Findings from the inspection

We did not identify any serious or widespread concerns in relation to the care or protection of children at this assurance inspection.

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The care of children

Children benefit from established positive routines and a stable staff team. Children and staff report that there are improved relationships in the home. One child said, ‘It is way calmer, and staff look more vibrant.’

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The care of children

Staff promote education. They celebrate and reinforce children’s progress and achievements. One child has experienced some difficulties in their education placement, which has affected their attendance and behaviour in school. However, the manager is liaising with school leaders and the child’s social worker and there is already a planned meeting to review this child’s current education arrangements.

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The care of children

Staff have supported one child to develop independence skills and to successfully move into independent accommodation. The child is achieving in college and has maintained a part-time job. Another child has recently achieved a ‘student of the year’ award.

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The care of children

Managers and staff are continuing to monitor and review how they consult with children and capture their views and wishes. Records show, and children report, that staff listen to and act on children’s views and wishes. For example, one child has a bicycle to support them to keep fit, and another child attends boxing training and the gym.

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The care of children

One child uses tobacco and an electronic cigarette. There is an individualised smoking cessation plan in place and staff robustly monitor the child’s progress with this. As a result of consistent work, there has been some reduction in the child’s use of both.

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The safety of children

Incidents of concern have reduced. When incidents have occurred, managers and staff have shared information appropriately with relevant professionals to keep children safe.

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The safety of children

An allegation of harm reported to the local authority designated officer prior to the previous inspection has concluded and was unsubstantiated. Restorative work has been carried out between the child and the member of staff.

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The safety of children

While there have been some improvements in the work carried out with children to identify and respond to risks, managers recognise that staff require further training in safeguarding practice and therapeutic parenting to enhance staff’s skills and Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC414296 3 support good practice. Managers are also in the process of reviewing risk assessments and behaviour management plans to support effective staff interventions and practice.

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The safety of children

The provider has received a complaint that is subject to investigation. Managers have ensured that safe arrangements are in place. They have contacted all staff to remind them of the provider’s whistle-blowing policy and their responsibilities to share any concerns about poor and/or unsafe practice in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Since the previous inspection, there have been changes to the management of the home, and senior managers have improved oversight of care in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Staff have supervision meetings with their manager to discuss and reflect on how they identify and meet children’s needs. They also use these meetings as an opportunity to consider staff’s welfare and development.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Staff report that morale is improved and that managers are accessible and supportive. There has been some progress in addressing the shortfalls in leadership and management identified at the previous inspection. However, staff require additional training to ensure that they are delivering the care as set out in the home’s statement of purpose.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Managers are reviewing and developing monitoring systems in the home. These include tracking to ensure that staff are making timely progress in acquiring the relevant care qualification.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Managers have not yet reflected on lessons learned in response to previous inspection findings, as the outcomes from the current complaint investigation will inform this process. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC414296 4

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

14/11/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good 19/10/2021 Full Good 13/01/2020 Full Outstanding 25/07/2018 Full Good Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC414296 5

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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;

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Requirement Due date

manage relationships between children to prevent them from harming each other;

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Requirement Due date

understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person;

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Requirement Due date

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare; and

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Requirement Due date

are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies;

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Requirement Due date

that the home’s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm;

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Requirement Due date

that the effectiveness of the home’s child protection policies is monitored regularly. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(b)(e)) 31 March 2023 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC414296 6 This specifically relates to ensuring that staff recognise, record and act on risks to children.

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Requirement Due date

This is also in relation to the need for the registered person to adequately learn from incidents and reflect on what could have been done differently.

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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

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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

lead and manage the home in a way that is consistent with the approach and ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set out in the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff work as a team where appropriate;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child;

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Requirement Due date

understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home;

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Requirement Due date

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(c)(f)(h))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the registered person needing to implement, monitor and evaluate current child protection and care planning processes and make sure that staff understand their role within these.

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Requirement Due date

This also relates to ensuring that staff have a consistent approach when managing each child’s behaviour. Where staff may be at risk of being targeted by a child, measures should be put in place to protect children and staff. 31 March 2023 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC414296 7 This also relates to managers ensuring that staff receive training to enhance child protection, safeguarding and therapeutic parenting skills. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC414296 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Total Care Matters Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 230 Bathley Street, The Meadows, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire NG2 2ER

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Inspector

Cathey Moriarty, Social Care Inspector Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC414296 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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