Children's Home run by A Significant Other Limited in Durham

Inspection report for children’s home: SC429995 1 SC429995 Registered provider: A Significant Other Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

A private provider owns and manages this home. It provides care for up to four children of any gender who are aged between eight and 18 years.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in December 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

Date of last inspection: 8 September 2021

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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: SC429995 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

08/09/2021 Full Good 10/10/2019 Interim Improved effectiveness 25/06/2019 Full Requires improvement to be good 18/12/2018 Interim Improved effectiveness Inspection report for children’s home: SC429995 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children like living in the home and build trusting, respectful relationships with staff who make them feel safe. Children’s views are listened to and acted on when necessary. This means that children feel empowered about the decisions that are made in the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home has a therapeutic approach to support children. Staff understand this approach and embed it into the daily routines and their engagement with children. Staff are consistent in their approach, which provides predictability for children.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff help children to improve their physical health and mental health. When staff find that children will benefit from specialist help, the manager is proactive in ensuring this is available to support children’s immediate and long-term needs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff manage risks to ensure that children can spend time with their friends and families in a safe environment, which allows children to maintain important relationships and their own identity.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported to attend statutory education. When children have a reduced timetable, staff provide informal education on independent living skills. Collaborative professional relationships with partner agencies mean that staff encourage children to explore post-16 opportunities for education, employment or training. This raises children’s aspirations and opportunities for the future.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are provided with opportunities to engage in a variety of leisure activities. Photos that capture special memories are displayed in the home, and staff celebrate children’s achievements. This helps children feel valued and proud.

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

Children say they feel safe in the home. Professionals and family members also support this view. Risks are known and understood by staff, which ensures that risk assessments are thorough, personalised and updated regularly.

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

Missing-from-home episodes receive a multi-agency response to help with children’s safe return. Effective working relationships with the local police mean that staff have up-to-date information on ways to protect children. The manager actively challenges authorities when a lack of coordinated response impacts on the welfare of children.

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

Staff respond to safeguarding incidents promptly, and strategies are used to de- escalate such incidents in the first instance.

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

Positive behaviour is promoted. Staff understand de-escalation techniques for individual children, and they use a therapeutic approach when children are Inspection report for children’s home: SC429995 4 struggling to manage their emotions or are in crisis situations. This means that physical holds and consequences are used very infrequently.

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

Children understand internet safety, and staff discuss staying safe during individual direct work sessions and spontaneous conversations with children. However, children do not have access to the internet in the home, which limits opportunities to educate and monitor the effectiveness of direct work.

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

The physical environment of the home is safe for children and is equipped to meet their needs. Communal areas and children’s bedrooms have been refurbished, which makes the environment inviting and homely, allowing children to feel positive about where they live.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has systems in place to provide staff with information or changes, and they check staff’s understanding. This means that staff have relevant and current information to meet children’s needs. The manager has a vision to further improve this system by introducing an electronic database.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager and staff value training and professional development. They understand the value of updating their training, for example on child exploitation and online safety. This will enable staff to be in a stronger position to support children and reduce risks.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Supervision sessions take place on a regular basis and are recorded. However, the supervision does not focus on reflective discussions concerning the children’s needs and any actions required as a result. This limits the value of supervision and the oversight of children’s progress.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home has a stable workforce. Collaborative working relationships between the leadership team and staff provide consistent care to children. Staff share that one of the strengths of the home is that they work together and feel supported. This positive staff morale inspires a friendly atmosphere, which benefits the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The recruitment of staff has improved due to the increase of staff in human resources and the acceptance of online job applications. However, the leadership team does not explore the reasons why staff left other employment where they worked with vulnerable children and adults. This results in missed opportunities to explore any concerns or risks of harm to children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager does not always escalate concerns when children’s move out of the home is delayed due to reasons beyond their control. This means that children stay in the home for longer than they should, which impacts on their own independent pathway. Inspection report for children’s home: SC429995 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

I n meeting the quality standards, the registered person must, and must ensure that staff—

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Requirement Due date

if the registered person considers, or staff consider, a placing authority’s or relevant person’s performance or response to be inadequate in relation to their role, challenge the placing authority or the relevant person to seek to ensure that each child’s needs are met in accordance with the child’s relevant plans. (Regulation 5 (c)) 27 January 2023

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety.

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Requirement Due date

employ an individual to work at the children’s home; or

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Requirement Due date

if an individual is employed by a person other than the registered person to work at the home in a position in which the individual may have regular contact with children, allow that individual to work at the home,

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Requirement Due date

if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3).

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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) (2) (3)(d)) 27 January 2023

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that Regulation 44 and 45 reports are sent to HMCI by the end of the month, following the month of the visit. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 55, paragraph 10.24) Inspection report for children’s home: SC429995 6  The registered person should ensure that supervision allows staff to reflect on their practice and the needs of the children who are assigned to their care. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.2)

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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: SC429995 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: A Significant Other Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 2 The Calls, Leeds LS2 7JU

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Inspectors

Sue Atkinson-Millmoor, Regulatory Inspection Manager Cat Clasper, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC429995 8 regulates and inspects 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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

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