Children's Home run by Total Care Matters Limited in North Northamptonshire

Inspection report for children's home: 1232200 1 Registered provider: Total Care Matters Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

This children’s home is privately owned. It provides care for up to three children with social and emotional difficulties.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The registered manager is suitably qualified and experienced.

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

Date of last inspection: 2 February 2022

p.1

good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

p.1

good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children's home: 1232200 2

p.1

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

02/02/2022 Full Good 18/11/2019 Full Good 15/05/2018 Full Good 14/03/2018 Interim Improved effectiveness Inspection report for children's home: 1232200 3

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children make good progress and, in some areas, this is significant. For example, children are helped to find self-soothing strategies to reduce the likelihood of self- injurious behaviours. This means that children’s health and well-being improve because of the very good care that they receive.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff and children have formed strong bonds based on trust and understanding. Children are encouraged to be open about any difficulties and work through their problems together with staff. Staff help them to find solutions, building up their resilience and confidence.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are helped to prepare themselves for when it is time to leave this home. Staff support children to develop their independence skills. Staff balance this just right, between offering the right mix of support and development for themselves.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The manager and staff place a very high priority on children’s education. Children who have previously had a poor educational experience are now making progress. For example, children have been successful in passing exams. They are encouraged to look ahead and think about their future. This builds their confidence and self- esteem. Children’s overall well-being is well considered when balanced with their education plans.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children who previously struggled with their self-care are becoming more independent. Staff are skilled in helping children in a nurturing and caring way. For example, one child who arrived at the home with a poor standard of personal care is now much more independent. As a result, their self-esteem has improved.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

When children require regular medication to help with their overall health, managers ensure that the administration of medication is effective and safe. However, this process could be strengthened by increasing the number of staff who are part of this administration process.

p.3

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

Children learn how to manage their emotional health and anxieties. Helping children to manage their own emotional health is a strength of the staff team. Consequently, this has led to a reduction in risk-taking behaviours. This is effective because children trust staff, and say they feel safer because there are boundaries which help them to become safer.

p.3

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

The staff manage children’s behaviour well. Incidents of physical intervention have reduced over time. Records of physical interventions are detailed, with management oversight. An overview of the interventions used is also conducted by a therapist, providing an independent and therapeutic overview. This means practice in relation Inspection report for children's home: 1232200 4 to behaviour management is constantly scrutinised and leads to better-informed interventions from staff.

p.3

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

Children rarely go missing from care. If they do, a well-coordinated response by the staff team ensures that they are located quickly and brought back home. A multi- agency approach involving the children’s family, local authority and the police means that children are safer.

p.4

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

Staff have received training in crucial areas of work, such as self-harm, child exploitation, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and autism spectrum disorder. They use their learning well in their day-to-day work. The training programme is developing all the time and positively influences safeguarding practice.

p.4

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

Managers ensure that newly employed staff have been through a rigorous safer recruitment process. This means that only safe adults work with vulnerable children.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has been registered since April 2021. She is suitably experienced and qualified. She is well supported by an effective deputy manager. Together, they lead a team of staff, many of whom have worked at this home for several years. This means children benefit from experienced staff who provide them with consistent and dependable care.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager’s approach is overwhelmingly supportive of staff. Staff can access a variety of support networks and training opportunities. The team consists of a core of well-established staff and newer staff who bring additional skills and experiences to share with the children. For example, one new member of staff is a football coach, which matches the interests of a child.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers encourage staff to develop in this home and in other homes in the organisation. Some staff have made the journey from being a member of the care team to senior staff member and now part of the management team. Staff benefit from the opportunity to undertake qualifications to support their progress. Development of the team continues with the introduction of new staff competence and development programmes. This ensures that children receive care from motivated, supported and well-trained staff.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The staff enjoy working with children and they report feeling well supported. They say that everyone works together in the team to ensure that children are supported through their journey at the home. However, formal supervision held by managers with staff does not adequately assess staff’s knowledge about children. Occasionally, there is no conversation about children’s individual risks or progress. Staff have not been provided with an opportunity to share any safeguarding concerns.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

One requirement and one recommendation from the last inspection have been met. To continue to improve practice, one requirement and one recommendation have been made at this inspection. Inspection report for children's home: 1232200 5 Inspection report for children's home: 1232200 6

p.4

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.

p.6

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—

p.6

Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

p.6

Requirement Due date

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

p.6

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)(h))

p.6

Requirement Due date

This relates to supervision records not showing discussions about children, and staff not having the opportunity to share any safeguarding concerns. 23 February 2023

p.6

Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that medicines are administered in line with a medically approved protocol. Regulation 23 requires the registered person to ensure that they make suitable arrangements to manage, administer and dispose of any medication. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 35, paragraph 7.15)

p.6

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: 1232200 7

p.6

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Total Care Matters Limited

p.7

Children’s home details

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

p.7

Inspector

Simon Hunter, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: 1232200 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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

p.7

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.8

Inspector

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.8

Inspector

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.8