Children's home run by Closer 2 Home Limited

Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2675297 1 Registered provider: Closer 2 Home Limited

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

A private provider operates this home. It provides care for up to four children with social, emotional and/or behavioural difficulties due to past trauma.

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Information about this children’s home

The previous registered manager voluntarily cancelled his registration with Ofsted in July 2022 and is no longer working for the company. There is an interim manager in post who has submitted their application to register.

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Information about this children’s home

Date of last inspection: 19 October 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 these inspections, 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: 2675297 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

Three children live in the home. They have lived in the home since before the last inspection. No children have left the home during this time.

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The care of children

The home offers ample space for children to be together and have time alone. Children’s bedrooms are decorated to suit their individual styles and preferences. Children’s photos are displayed throughout the home. This supports children to have a sense of belonging.

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The care of children

Children and staff share positive relationships. Children told the inspector that they can talk with staff and feel listened to and supported. For example, when children return home from school, staff will ask how their day has been and children will openly chat about their experiences. As a result of staff taking an interest in children’s lives, children feel supported and openly talk with staff.

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The care of children

Children engage in activities and hobbies that are related to their personal interests. For one child, this includes weekend drama lessons in line with their ambitions for their future.

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The care of children

All children have school placements. One child’s attendance is sporadic due to going missing from the home or choosing not to attend. Other children attend regularly and are making good progress. Children told the inspector that staff support them to get to and from school and to do their homework.

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The care of children

One child has made a complaint. This was reviewed quickly, and restorative measures were put in place to repair relationships. The child was happy with the outcome.

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The safety of children

Children told the inspector that they feel safe. They said that staff care for them and help them when they need it. Children get on well with each other. This further supports their feeling of safety within the home.

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The safety of children

Staff respond appropriately and inform relevant professionals and family members when one child frequently goes missing from home. They actively look for the child in known locations and continue to contact them to encourage them to return home. Staff offer to drive significant distances to collect them and return them home safely. When the child returns, they are given a warm welcome and staff speak with them Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2675297 3 to understand their feelings. The child’s social worker says that staff ‘have a good understanding of their needs’ and ‘manage their missing’ from home appropriately.

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The safety of children

Children receive specialist help in relation to their known and emerging needs and lifestyle choices. When children refuse specialist support in relation to substance misuse, staff work with children to help to educate them around the dangers of using substances.

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The safety of children

Blind cords in children’s bedrooms and communal areas of the home were not secured to the wall. This has the potential to be a hazard to children. The outbuildings have been used as a home gym. However, they are currently locked and children are not permitted to use these due to internal damage caused by a flood.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

The manager has been in post for a short time. She recognises the strengths and weaknesses of the staff team and the impact that these have had on the quality of care that children receive. She recognises that they are on a journey of improvement and still have work to do. She spoke honestly about outstanding requirements and recommendations that continue to be ongoing since the last inspection. The manager and staff have worked hard to meet four requirements made at the last inspection. Consequently, the safety of children has improved.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Staff still need to undertake a variety of training to increase their knowledge and understanding and enable them to carry out their roles to the best of their ability.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

The manager is working on completing staff supervision regularly. This area was not reviewed during this inspection.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Where staff practice has fallen short of the expectations, the manager has taken swift action to address this. This has included the responsible individual liaising with relevant professionals to seek guidance and implement further safeguarding practices.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Staff are not recruited in line with safe recruitment practices as per schedule 2. Reference checks do not check staff employment dates, safeguarding concerns or if there have been previous disciplinary matters. This lack of due diligence and scrutiny means that managers cannot be assured that staff working in the home are safe to do so.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

The manager is working with partner agencies to support children. This has included seeking the host authority to complete return-home interviews with a child, due to the placing authority being some distance away. The manager is proactive in requesting children’s statutory paperwork when there are delays.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Some previous recommendations and requirements have been restated as they have not yet been met. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2675297 4

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

19/10/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2675297 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 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 promotes their welfare.

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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 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) (2)(a)(c)(f)(h))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that staff are sufficiently trained and skilled to support the children in the home.

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Requirement Due date

Leaders and the manager must ensure that there are effective internal and external monitoring and reviewing systems.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was raised at the previous inspection and is restated. 6 March 2023 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2675297 6 The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety.

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Requirement Due date

full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2. (Regulation 32 (1)(3)(d))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that safer recruitment checks are completed in respect of all temporary staff who work in the home.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was raised at the previous inspection and is restated. 6 March 2023

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that the home’s statement of purpose is kept under review. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 14, paragraph 3.5)

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Recommendations

 The registered person must ensure that staff record all rewards and consequences imposed on children. Leaders and the manager must ensure that these are subject to systems of regular scrutiny to ensure that their use is fair and appropriate. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 46, paragraph 9.36)

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that the impact risk assessment reflects that they are satisfied that the home can respond effectively to the child’s assessed needs as recorded in the child’s relevant plan. They must ensure that they have fully considered the impact that the placement will have on the existing group of children, alongside the experience and skills of staff to meet all the children’s needs. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 56, paragraph 11.5)

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Recommendations

 The registered person must ensure that they maintain good employment practice. They must ensure that supervision of staff is regular, supportive and reflective; and that this safeguards children and minimises potential risks to them. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.1)

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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 ensuring that Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2675297 7 children’s records are clear, accurate and objective. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4)

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Recommendations

 For children’s homes to be nurturing and supportive environments that meet the needs of their children, they will, in most cases, be homely, domestic environments. Children’s homes must comply with relevant health and safety legislations (alarms, food hygiene etc.). This relates to children’s blind cords being fixed to prevent them from being a hazard to children. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9) Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2675297 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Closer 2 Home Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 1 Newington Close, Coventry CV6 1PQ

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Howard Woolfenden

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Inspector

Jodie Lewis, Social Care Inspector Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2675297 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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