Social care · Children's home inspection (SCCIF)
Children's home run by Timeout Children’s Homes Limited
Summary
Rachel Walker (lead), Gina Lightfoot
What we read, and from where
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- Group verified
Time-Out Childrens Homes Limited
- Inspection date verified
2 Feb 2023
- Inspectors verified
Gina Lightfoot, Rachel Walker
- Helped and protected verified
Outstanding
- Leadership and management verified
Outstanding
- Overall effectivenesssingle source
Outstanding
- Name on report verified
2612735
- URN verified
2612735
Deep dive
What this report says
In plain English
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Grade profile
Hollow rings show the previous inspection, 2022.
- OverallOutstanding
- Helped and protectedOutstanding
- Leadership and managementOutstanding
12% of comparable inspections in the last three years were graded Outstanding (12,716 inspections).
Tone of the report
How positive or critical the inspectors' language is, from the words they chose. No AI involved.
In line with other reports of this type graded Outstanding.
Markers show where typical reports of each grade sit.
How the report reads, start to finish
Every paragraph in order, sized by length. Tap one to see it on the page.
Strengths
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- The manager is an ambitious, forward-thinking leader who has an exceptional understanding of the home. p.5
- The children’s home provides highly effective services that consistently exceed the standards of good. p.1
- There is clear evidence that the child is making excellent progress with their learning, which is celebrated by everyone in the home. p.3
- The child is making exceptional progress in every area of their life. p.3
- Staff have an excellent understanding of the barriers the child faces in social situations. p.4
Concerns
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No strong criticism found.
Next steps
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What the report dwells on
Topics by how often they come up, coloured by how they are described. Open one for an example.
Staff development5
“Staff supervision is of a high quality.” p.5Parents & families4
“It has a family feel throughout.” p.3Reading & phonics3
“Records are of excellent quality and tell the child’s story.” p.5Records & policies3
“Records are of excellent quality and tell the child’s story.” p.5
Anatomy of the report
How the report is built, against others of the same type and grade.
- Pages
- 8
- Words of findings
- 1,405
- about usual (typical 1354)
- Reading level
- Plain English
- Flesch 61, typical 49
- Average sentence
- 14 words
- Next steps
- 3
- typical 1
- Hedged sentences
- 0%
- “some”, “not always”, “most”…
Where the words go
Full report text
Inspection report for children’s home: 2612735 1 Registered provider: Time-Out Childrens Homes Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework
p.1
Information about this children’s home
This is a privately owned and managed children’s home that provides care and accommodation for up to two children aged between six and 17 years old. The home provides a nurturing environment and works holistically with education and therapy to help children to integrate into the community. At the time of the inspection one child was living in the home.
p.1
Information about this children’s home
The home registered with Ofsted in December 2020. The registered manager is qualified and holds the registration of this home and its sister home, which is in the same area.
p.1
Overall experiences and progress of
children and young people, taking into account
p.1
outstanding
How well children and young people are helped and protected outstanding
p.1
outstanding
The effectiveness of leaders and managers outstanding
p.1
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.
p.1
outstanding
Date of last inspection: 15 February 2022
p.1
outstanding
Overall judgement at last inspection: outstanding
p.1
outstanding
Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2612735 2
p.1
Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement
15/02/2022 Full Outstanding Inspection report for children’s home: 2612735 3
p.2
outstanding
The child is making exceptional progress in every area of their life. Staff nurture the child and treat them with respect. They provide the child with the high-quality individualised care that they need. Because of this, the child is thriving.
p.3
outstanding
The home is spacious and well maintained. It has a family feel throughout. The home is well decorated and furnished throughout. The child’s artwork and personal belongings can be found around the home, and their presence is felt in each room. The gardens give the child the opportunity to explore and be in nature. Staff take great care and attention in creating a warm, friendly and inviting home for the child. As such, the child feels a strong sense of belonging to staff and the home.
p.3
outstanding
The manager has enlisted a play therapist, who is supporting the child to understand their past experiences. Staff have provided the child with soft toys that symbolise different emotions, which are referred to as ‘colour monsters’. This creative measure is helping the child to learn how to safely communicate their feelings.
p.3
outstanding
Staff are creative when encouraging the child to share their wishes and feelings. For example, personalised and beautifully designed feedback forms encourage the child to tell adults about their experiences and wishes. These are then used in the child’s meetings to develop plans. This means that the child is directly influencing how they are cared for by the adults around them.
p.3
outstanding
Staff know the child well and are using this knowledge to help prepare them to live with another child. Staff have used creative ways to talk about this and explore the child’s feelings, worries and anxieties. This has helped the child to consider how they may feel and cope with sharing their home in the future.
p.3
outstanding
The child is doing well at school and enjoys going. Staff find learning opportunities in everyday routines and activities. For example, at bath-time, the child uses crayons to work on phonics and foam numbers to practise addition. The staff, therapist and school work well together. The child’s progress is celebrated. Their many certificates take pride of place in the kitchen. There is clear evidence that the child is making excellent progress with their learning, which is celebrated by everyone in the home.
p.3
outstanding
The child has previously struggled to share adult company and make friends. Through careful planning, high levels of support and supervision, the child now enjoys playing with other children. They are attending group activities, such as gymnastics. The child is developing the skills they need to make and maintain friendships. This represents an area of significant progress for the child. Inspection report for children’s home: 2612735 4 The child leads a busy and fulfilling life. Staff capture the child’s experiences, successes and adventures in an attractive memory book, which includes photos and other mementos. This helps the child to remember the time they have spent at the home.
p.3
outstanding
Staff and the manager go above and beyond to help the child spend quality time with their family members who live far away. They have supported one parent to understand their child’s communication needs better by offering them time with the child’s therapist. The child’s parent told the inspector that they feel more involved and that relationships have been strengthened because of this.
p.4
outstanding
Staff talk with the child and engage them in activities about safety in a way they will understand. Staff place great importance on keeping the child safe while allowing them age-appropriate freedoms. This is helping the child to learn how to take measured risks.
p.4
outstanding
Staff have a consistent approach to routines and boundaries. The manager has researched new ways to encourage wanted behaviours. A token system has improved the child’s ability to get out of bed in the morning without the need for staff to enter their room. Since living in this home, the child has become more independent and is thriving because of the daily routines that staff implement.
p.4
outstanding
Staff have developed trusting relationships with the child, and they understand how to best support the child when emotions rise. Staff are a calming presence, and their nurturing approach has helped the child to express their feelings in a safe way. Staff are consistent in their approach, and as such, the child has confidence that staff will take action to keep them protected from harm.
p.4
outstanding
Staff understand and know how to apply the home’s safeguarding procedures. All staff have relevant training on a wide range of safeguarding issues, such as managing allegations and whistle-blowing. Staff know what they need to do should they be concerned about a child. This helps to better protect the child from harm.
p.4
outstanding
Staff know the child well and use this knowledge to predict potential triggers and act quickly to defuse situations before they escalate. The child is encouraged to communicate their feelings using soft toys. This has had a significant impact on the child’s behaviour It has removed the need for the child to be physically held during incidents. The child is learning the skills they need to navigate and cope with difficult emotions.
p.4
outstanding
Staff are helping the child to get along with other children that live nearby. Staff have an excellent understanding of the barriers the child faces in social situations. Due to staff organising family-style activities and celebrations, the child is learning to cooperate and collaborate with peers. This is helping the child prepare to live with a fostering family. Inspection report for children’s home: 2612735 5 Staff offer high levels of praise and encouragement to the child. They understand the child’s goals and have put rewards and incentives in place to help them achieve these. The child has a beautiful, personalised reward chart that reflects their interests. The child experiences success and feels good about their achievements.
p.4
The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding
The manager is an ambitious, forward-thinking leader who has an exceptional understanding of the home. She leads with determination and confidence. She understands the importance of providing a safe and stable environment for the child to realise their potential. The manager is driven to get the best outcomes for children.
p.5
The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding
The manager takes her own continued development seriously. She has undertaken research in animal therapy and enrolled on an equine therapy course. Once this has been successfully completed, the manager intends to offer this kind of therapy to the children living at the home.
p.5
The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding
The manager leads by example by consistently achieving the plans she puts into place. Her plan to upskill staff and prepare them for leadership roles has been hugely successful. Staff feel motivated because they are being invested in. Staff are becoming more skilled.
p.5
The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding
Staff supervision is of a high quality. Staff are supported to talk about the children and be aspirational for them. Practice matters are discussed, and staff are supported to make changes if needed. Staff are offered a safe environment to share personal matters. They are well supported and feel happy in their work. Staff retention is good, which provides stability for the child.
p.5
The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding
The manager is highly knowledgeable about the child and their needs. She works in partnership with the team of therapists who, alongside offering direct therapy to the child, provide input into planning for their care. All staff are trauma-informed and have received relevant training. A therapeutic approach underpins all aspects of the child’s care.
p.5
The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding
Staff pay attention to detail when writing about the child. Records are of excellent quality and tell the child’s story. They are balanced and child-centred. The manager reviews and evaluates the child’s records. She uses this information to track the child’s progress and identify areas for development. As a result, the child is receiving the highest level of care. Inspection report for children’s home: 2612735 6
p.5
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: 2612735 7
p.6
Children’s home details
Registered provider: Time-Out Childrens Homes Limited
p.7
Children’s home details
Registered provider address: Unit 2, Ripponden Mill, Mill Fold, Ripponden, Sowerby Bridge, West Yorkshire HX6 4DH
p.7
Children’s home details
Responsible individual: Dominic Macauley
p.7
Inspectors
Rachel Walker, Social Care Inspector Gina Lightfoot, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2612735 8 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.
p.7
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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