Children's home run by Cedarways Residential Child Care Larkhill House Limited

Inspection report for children’s home: 2577151 1 Registered provider: Cedarways Residential Child Care Larkhill House Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is run by a privately owned limited company. It offers care for up to four children with social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in February 2021.

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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: 21 December 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: 2577151 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

21/12/2021 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2577151 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Three children currently live in this home. Staff are welcoming to all children who move into the home, and they are sensitive to children’s needs. The registered manager ensures that careful consideration is given to children moving into the home, while equally evaluating the needs of the children who already live in the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Since the last inspection, two children have moved out of the home. Staff supported the children to move on to different accommodation in accordance with their agreed care plans.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The environment is very welcoming, comfortable and nurturing. Children’s photos are proudly displayed throughout the home, as are certificates of their achievements. Laughter and humour between the staff and children give a sense of a homely and caring atmosphere. Children take pride in their bedrooms and enjoy personalising them. When minor improvements are needed, the registered manager is quick to respond, ensuring that any required maintenance work is undertaken.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff understand the importance of children spending meaningful time with their families. Staff support children well to maintain important and positive family relationships. They communicate with social workers and parents to review the arrangements for children to spend time with their families. For example, staff supported one child by arranging for the child’s family members to visit the home and spend quality time with the child.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff work closely alongside the in-house therapist, who supports them in understanding children’s needs. Staff receive bespoke training around the therapeutic model, which helps them provide consistent care to meet children’s emotional needs. As a result, children make good progress with their emotional health and well-being.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff work hard to make sure the home is an environment that supports children’s physical, mental and emotional health. They ensure that children’s individual health assessments are in place and recommendations from health plans are acted on. Children attend regular appointments with the dentist, general practitioner, optician and specialist services. As a result, children’s health needs are consistently promoted to a good standard.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

All children have good school attendance and are making positive progress at school. Staff have realistic expectations for children regarding their learning and education from their starting points. For example, the registered manager and staff worked with other professionals to create a well-thought-out plan for one child who had not accessed education for some time. This helped the child return to a school Inspection report for children’s home: 2577151 4 environment and had a positive impact for them. The child was nominated by her peers and teacher to be a school counsellor.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children enjoy a range of social and leisure activities, including going to theme parks, swimming and gymnastics. Also, staff support children to develop their social skills and networks. These activities provide children with the opportunity to develop friendships, build confidence and social awareness and expand their life opportunities.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Despite the positive progress, the registered manager and staff use monitoring and surveillance of some children without good reason. For example, children’s bedroom doors are fitted with door alarms to alert staff when the children leave their bedrooms. This places unnecessary restrictions on children’s ability to move freely in their home and infringes on their privacy.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Overall, staff continue to do valuable work in a range of areas, such as helping children to understand their behaviour and how this may impact on others and to learn better coping strategies. However, there are examples where staff have not always been consistent in their approach to supporting children to gain a better understanding of important issues around their health and well-being.

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

Staff have a clear understanding of children’s needs and vulnerabilities. These are captured in detailed and regularly reviewed risk assessments. One child told the inspector, ‘I feel safe and staff care for me well.’ Staff practice is balanced between embedding clear, rational boundaries and providing children with care and protection. This helps children to develop a strong sense of feeling safe.

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

The registered manager ensures that she assesses potential risk and impact when new children move into the home. She ensures that all known risks are identified and considers the impact of the risks in relation to the location of the home. Children’s needs are carefully considered as a group to consider how they will live alongside each other. This level of scrutiny has resulted in positive experiences for children who have moved into the home.

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

Staff show professional curiosity and vigilance children safe. For example, staff appropriately monitor children’s use of electronic devices, to promote their welfare. Staff are fully aware of the potential risk of online exploitation.

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

Risk to children reduces over time. This progress is helped by staff’s positive approach and care. When children go missing from home, staff respond quickly to the associated risk and follow children’s missing-from-care protocol well. They escalate concerns by working in partnership with the local authority, local services and the police to ensure that children return home as soon as possible.

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

When children raise concerns or make complaints, they do this without fear of any adverse consequences. For example, one child complained about the impact another Inspection report for children’s home: 2577151 5 child’s behaviour was having on their experience in the home. The registered manager was responsive and thorough throughout the complaints process and provided feedback to the children. As a result, children felt listened to and saw that appropriate action was taken.

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

Staff demonstrate skill in supporting children’s complex needs and behaviours. They work hard to de-escalate any behaviour which may become challenging. Restraints are used proportionately when there is a serious concern for the well-being of children or staff. However, staff do not always provide clear and detailed recordings of incidents involving physical restraints and some records do not contain the relevant information.

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

Staff ensure that medicines are administered safely to children. However, they do not always keep accurate records of the administration of all medication in line with the home’s approved protocol.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager has positive relationships with children and staff. Through her enthusiasm and ambition, she has had a positive impact on the lives of children and staff alike. Staff told the inspector, ’The manager compliments us. We get the opportunity to be creative in our work with the children. It’s not a chore to come into work.’ Staff feel emboldened by this positive ethos, and children and staff show appropriate physical affection because of the home’s family-oriented culture.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered and deputy managers are currently working towards their relevant level 5 qualification. Most staff have completed the level 3 qualification and others are in the process of doing so within the required timescale. In addition, they have a comprehensive training programme that gives them the necessary skills and knowledge to meet children’s needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff show a genuine, active interest about children they care for. They have reflective discussions and conversations, both individually and collectively, about improving their practice to help children progress. Regular team meetings develop an in-depth understanding of the different approaches to improving the quality of care children receive. Any shortfalls in practice are identified quickly, and strengths embedded in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager rigorously challenges other professionals to ensure that children receive the support that they need. For example, the registered manager met with professionals and advocated on behalf of a child regarding family time arrangements that had not been reviewed or assessed. She has been influential in enabling the child to spend well-planned, regular time with family members. This tenacious and child-centred approach makes children feel valued.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Partnership working is good. The registered manager recognises the importance of maintaining strong relationships with partner agencies. She attends regular discussions with the in-house therapist, teachers, parents and social workers to Inspection report for children’s home: 2577151 6 closely examine children’s overall development. Also, she uses this learning to advance children’s quality of care. Feedback from professionals was complimentary. One social worker said, ’The registered manager and staff went above and beyond their duties many times to reduce the risk [name of child] faced in the community.’ Professionals were positive about their communication and relationships with staff and the care provided to children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager uses a range of internal audits to monitor and track children’s progress from the time they move in. These help to identify strengths and areas for further development. The registered manager is proactive in scrutinising patterns of behaviour and evaluates these to improve the standard of care children receive.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Overall, staff receive regular and reflective supervision. However, new staff do not always receive regular supervision in line with the organisation’s own policies. The registered manager acknowledges that some staff receive inconsistent supervision, and she plans to address this. The impact of this shortfall is lessened as new staff have the benefit of support from senior members of staff and team meetings are used as to improve staff practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Children have access to a diverse staff team that has a range of skills and experiences. The registered manager has worked to ensure that staff engage with specific training to support children effectively. However, currently, not all staff have completed all of the required training essential to meeting children’s needs. The registered manager acknowledges this shortfall and has a plan to address this. Inspection report for children’s home: 2577151 7

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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 may only use devices for the monitoring or surveillance of children if—

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Requirement Due date

the monitoring or surveillance is for the purpose of safeguarding and promoting the welfare of the child concerned, or other children;

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Requirement Due date

the child’s placing authority consents in writing to the monitoring or surveillance;

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Requirement Due date

so far as reasonably practicable in the light of the child’s age and understanding, the child is informed in advance of the intention to do the monitoring or surveillance; and

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Requirement Due date

the monitoring or surveillance is no more intrusive than necessary, having regard to the child’s need for privacy. (Regulation 24 (1)(a)(b)(c)(d))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the registered manager ensuring that monitoring or surveillance of children is for the purpose of safeguarding. 16 March 2023

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that they always record the duration of any restraint and the effectiveness of the restraint. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 49, paragraph 9.59)  The registered person should ensure that staff provide children with good-quality and consistent one-to-one support. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.3)  The registered person should ensure that staff administer medicines in line with a medically approved protocol. Records must be kept of the administration of all medication. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 35, paragraph 7.15)  The registered person should ensure that staff have agreed timescales to complete induction, probation and any core training (such as around safeguarding, health and safety and mandatory qualifications). (‘Guide to the

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Recommendations

Inspection report for children’s home: 2577151 8 Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 53, paragraph 10.8)  The registered person should ensure that new staff receive regular supervision in line with the organisation’s own policies. (‘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: 2577151 9

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Cedarways Residential Child Care Larkhill House Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 33 Stapenhill Road, Burton-On-Trent, Staffordshire DE15 9AE

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Inspector

Patrick McIntosh, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2577151 10 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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