Children's home run by Seashell Trust

Inspection report for children’s home: 2590128 1 Registered provider: Seashell Trust Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is operated by a charity and provides short breaks for up to four children who may have physical disabilities, learning disabilities or sensory impairment. The home is located on a large multi-use site, which includes a special school, specialist college and accommodation for children and young adults.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in March 2022.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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outstanding

How well children and young people are helped and protected outstanding

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outstanding

The effectiveness of leaders and managers outstanding

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outstanding

The children’s home provides highly effective services that consistently exceed the standards of good. The actions of the children’s home contribute to significantly improved outcomes and positive experiences for children and young people who need help, protection and care.

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outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2590128 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

29/06/2021 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2590128 3

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outstanding

Children benefit from receiving highly individualised care and support during their short break, which meets their identified and emerging needs. Planning and introduction to the home is exceptionally well carried out. This is through discussion with parents and professionals and, wherever possible, by gaining the views of the children involved. Children’s introductory visits are at the individual child’s pace, and overnight stays start when it is evident that they are comfortable and relaxed in their surroundings.

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outstanding

The registered manager and staff work in partnership with professionals, parents and external safeguarding agencies to make sure that children receive high-quality care. Each child has a detailed individual support plan, with risk assessments and behaviour management plans further underpinning their care and support. All plans are kept under review. This means any changes to children’s physical, emotional or health needs are known, and support plans are updated to provide appropriate ongoing support. The manager has introduced team around the child meetings to further ensure continuity of care and support for each child. Individual progress is clearly reflected in records, and achievements are celebrated.

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outstanding

All children accessing the short-break setting attend the on-site school. There is excellent communication between the home and school, and this ensures children are consistently supported in line with their individual education plans.

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outstanding

Management of medication is effective and robust, with clear procedures in place for each child. When a child takes their medication hidden in food, there is agreement in place which is reviewed on a regular basis by the prescriber and in consultation with other professionals and parents.

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outstanding

Children experience a wide range of opportunities which enable them to take part in activities they enjoy, both in the home and the community. For example, children not only have access to the on-site swimming pool and leisure facilities, but they also use local leisure facilities, which helps them gain additional confidence and skills. On the day of inspection, children attended swimming and art club as well as having the opportunity to relax and take part in activities such as preparing tea.

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outstanding

The home has the necessary aids and adaptations to support children, irrespective of their disability. Staff are suitably trained and knowledgeable in the use of equipment to make sure it is used safely and in accordance with the individual child’s needs. At the time of the inspection, one bath needed to be replaced and this had been ordered. There were signs of wear and tear on the bath surround, with a small gap which children may catch themselves on. The manager requested at the time of the inspection that the maintenance team repair this. Inspection report for children’s home: 2590128 4 Children are consulted on their wishes and their views about the home and their care during their stay. This is through a variety of communication methods and helps to ensure the child’s voice is central to their care and support.

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outstanding

Individualised care planning for children includes detailed behaviour management plans, to enable staff to consistently support children with their behaviours. This includes understanding potential triggers and changes in behaviours. Staff work with multidisciplinary teams, including receiving specialist support from clinicians and other professionals. This enables staff to provide all-round care and ensure that consistent boundaries are in place to help children manage their behaviour.

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outstanding

Staff use de-escalation methods to support children and only use physical intervention if there is an immediate risk of safety to the child or others. Meticulous records are maintained when physical intervention is used. The manager undertakes comprehensive monitoring of any incidents, and this helps to inform ongoing practice. The vast majority of physical interventions are supporting and guiding interventions, and all interventions have been agreed in each child’s behaviour support plan.

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outstanding

Risk assessments are in place and individual to each child. Staff understand and follow risk management strategies to support children to remain safe. There have been no incidents of children going missing from home. However, in the event of this happening, the home has detailed procedures in place. Staff demonstrate a good understanding of the relevant procedures to follow.

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outstanding

Health and safety policies and procedures are in place. Detailed fire evacuation plans are in place and there is regular testing of fire alarms. Staff fully understand the fire evacuation plan for the home. Since the last inspection, the manager has ensured the fire risk assessment reflects the individual home and is not an organisational overview of fire risk assessments. All other health and safety checks are kept up to date.

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outstanding

Staff recruitment is carefully managed, in line with safer recruitment procedures. This helps to prevent unsuitable people from working in the home. The manager maintains good oversight of the recruitment process, and this provides additional scrutiny. The manager does not use agency staff. When additional staff are required, several bank staff are used, who are known to the children. This provides them with continuity of care and support.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager has been registered with Ofsted since March 2022. She is suitably qualified and experienced to fulfil her role. She is supported by an experienced assistant manager, who is also suitably qualified. Both have high aspirations for all Inspection report for children’s home: 2590128 5 children receiving a short break, and this is reflected by all staff working in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager has implemented detailed monitoring systems to make sure each child’s individual needs, outcomes and progress are clearly identified. This supports the staff team to deliver high-quality care and support to children, enabling them to make significant progress. External monitoring also supports the high-quality care, with the manager addressing any recommendations in a timely manner. The home continues to meet the aims and objectives as outlined in its statement of purpose.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager makes sure there is open communication with parents, social workers and other professionals. One parent said, ‘Staff are excellent at keeping me informed of how my child is when she is at the home. They ring and email every time she stays, and this provides me with reassurance and an overview of what she has been doing during her stay. They really go above and beyond with their care and support to her and their reassurance to me.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

However, one social worker said that staff had not communicated with them when there had been a change in the health needs of a child during their stay. Although this was communicated to the parents in detail, the staff did not speak directly with the social worker. The manager reviewed this at the time of the inspection and additional measures are being put in place to make sure this oversight does not occur again.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Children benefit from consistent care from a dedicated staff team who provide continuity of care and support. The home uses current research and practice to continually review and improve the service provided. Staff have regular team meetings as well as development days throughout the year to enable them to understand and reflect on good practice for children, to achieve consistently positive outcomes. Training and development, along with robust supervision, is of a high standard and all staff have undertaken mandatory and additional training to continue to develop their knowledge and practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager is very receptive to suggestions on how to improve, and is very proactive and continually striving to make improvements The manager has addressed the two requirements and two recommendations made at the last inspection. An individualised fire risk assessment in relation to this home has been developed and a copy kept in the house. Children’s care plans and risk assessments have been reviewed and contain information in relation to potential child sexual exploitation. Managers maintain a high profile and support is readily available to staff. All staff have undertaken further report and recording training to make sure records are completed accurately and in a non-stigmatising manner. Inspection report for children’s home: 2590128 6

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that effective care planning and strong relationships between the staff of the home and the placing authority are essential to the success of placements. In particular, that staff communicate any significant incident in relation to a child in accordance with the named social worker’s wishes. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 55, paragraph 11.2)

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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: 2590128 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Stanley Road, Cheadle Hulme, Cheadle, Cheshire SK8 6RQ

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Inspector

Sarah Oldham, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2590128 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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