Children's home run by Essex County Council in Chelmsford

Inspection report for children’s home: SC068929 1 SC068929 Registered provider: Essex County Council Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This local authority home provides short breaks and respite care for up to eight children. The aim of the short-break service is to provide support to enable children to remain with their families.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in July 2017.

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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

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC068929 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

19/04/2021 Full Good 25/09/2019 Full Good 29/11/2018 Interim Sustained effectiveness 25/04/2018 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: SC068929 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

At the time of this inspection, 24 children were accessing short breaks on a rotational basis.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children at this home have complex communication needs. Staff use creative ways to enable communication and to give children the opportunity to make choices. Staff show understanding, kindness and patience when supporting the children. They build trusting relationships with the children. Staff listen to and act on children’s wishes. The children feel valued, respected and safe.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

All the children attend education placements that meet their specific needs. Children’s education targets are set out in their care plans. Staff help children to work towards their targets. Children have good education outcomes.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children take part in a range of activities, such as day trips, arts and crafts and educational trips, including to the local fire station. Three children went to a local care home to sing Christmas carols with staff to the elderly. Children thoroughly enjoy these fun and enriching experiences. They have opportunities to be part of the local community.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The manager and staff support children’s progress with independence skills. The manager has an independence skills club for children to increase social skills in the home and community. Children work towards two independence targets at a time. The targets are appropriate and focus on the area that the child needs to develop. Children are awarded certificates to celebrate their achievements. Encouraging children with independence skills helps them to be better prepared for the future.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The manager and staff have built positive relationships with parents. One parent said that the staff go above and beyond expectations to provide excellent care for children. Another parent said, ‘My child has made friends at the home. They have not been able to do that anywhere else.’ The manager has held coffee mornings and a Christmas party for children’s families as a supportive network. Families feel confident in the care provided at the home and they feel included.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is spacious, colourful and welcoming. There are photos of children and children’s artwork is on display throughout the home. Children’s bedrooms have different themes that the children have chosen. There are various communal rooms and a designated sensory room. Children benefit from gardens that have different sensory features, including a hand-activated waterfall and statues of animals that make animal sounds. There is a variety of play equipment for children to enjoy. Children benefit from the inclusive environment. Inspection report for children’s home: SC068929 4

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

Children are safeguarded. The manager has ensured that staff have appropriate safeguarding training. Staff understand the vulnerabilities that children with disabilities have. Social workers and parents said that children are safeguarded.

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

Regularly reviewed and individualised risk assessments give staff clear information about identified risks and how to safely manage them. These detailed risk assessments are easy to understand and help staff to keep children safe.

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

Children do not go missing from the home. Staff rarely use physical intervention. When intervention is used, it is low level, appropriate and proportionate. Staff support children well during and after the physical intervention. The manager has good oversight of interventions, which has helped to prevent recurrence. Staff help children to understand why the physical intervention was necessary.

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

Children’s individual care plans include behaviour support guidance, with strategies for staff to help children to safely manage their emotions. The plans include the children’s views on how they like to be supported. Staff understand how to support children and what children need to manage their feelings.

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

Since the last inspection, there have been two allegations. The manager takes allegations seriously and took appropriate action to safeguard children. The manager informed the local authority designated officer and thorough investigations were carried out in line with their advice. The manager followed up staff practice concerns appropriately. However, the manager did not notify Ofsted of one allegation, which reduced Ofsted’s ability to monitor the home effectively.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is experienced, has a suitable qualification in management and has managed the home for over five years. She is supported by an experienced deputy manager. The manager dedicates time to the children and models a positive and nurturing approach. Staff benefit from the manager’s experience.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff feel supported. They have regular reflective supervision. Staff said that the management team operates an open-door policy and that they feel able to approach managers. Staff receive relevant guidance and development opportunities.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager ensures that staff access specific training to enable them to meet children’s individual needs. Staff said that they have a good understanding of the children’s needs because of the thorough training provided. New staff benefit from a varied and in-depth induction and feel appropriately informed.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has effective professional relationships with social workers, who speak highly of the home. Two social workers said that the manager and staff go above and beyond expectations to ensure that children are happy and safe. Inspection report for children’s home: SC068929 5 The managers have developed and incorporated research projects into their day-to- day practice. One of the projects was about communication with children who have complex communication needs. The project has helped staff to keep up to date with how to communicate effectively with children with different communication needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has submitted their internal monitoring report to Ofsted as required. The report is generally of good quality and includes feedback from professionals and parents. However, it does not include direct feedback from children. Inspection report for children’s home: SC068929 6

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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 registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if—

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Requirement Due date

there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there. (Regulation 40 (4)(c)) 24 February 2023

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Recommendation

 The registered person should undertake a review that focuses on the quality of the care provided by the home. The report should include the experiences of children living there and the impact that the care is having on outcomes and improvements for the children. The report should include children’s views. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 64, paragraph 15.2)

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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: SC068929 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Essex County Council

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: County Hall, Chelmsford CM1 1QH

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Children’s home details

Registered manager: Osagioduwa Igbinovia

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Inspector

Amy Miles, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC068929 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.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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