Children's Home run by 4d Care Ltd in Cambridgeshire

Inspection report for children's home: SC064557 1 SC064557 Registered provider: 4d Care Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This privately owned home is registered to provide education, and residential care for up to six children who may have experienced neglect, abuse or trauma that has left them vulnerable. The inspector only inspected the social care provision on this site.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted on 24 November 2009.

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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 requires improvement to be 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: SC064557 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

18/05/2021 Full Good 03/03/2020 Full Outstanding 25/02/2019 Full Good 11/07/2017 Full Outstanding Inspection report for children's home: SC064557 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

At the time of this inspection, three children were living at the home. Children’s moves to and from the home are well planned. Children visit the home to meet staff and other children before they move in. This helps children to feel welcome and settle in.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The staff understand the importance of education and encourage children’s attendance. One child is considering further career options, and staff are supporting him through the application process. This helps children to work towards their goals.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The staff provide children with enjoyable, exciting opportunities and experiences. The children enjoy activities in the local community, including swimming, skating, Halloween parties, barbeques and basketball. The staff arrange holidays for the children, including climbing mountains in Scotland and camping in Cornwall. This supports children’s mental and physical health.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff focus on restorative consequences for children when they present with unwanted behaviour. The staff celebrate children’s efforts. They hold an annual ‘achievements’ day, when they celebrate children’s successes and recognise their progress.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children moving on from the home are supported by the outreach manager to develop their skills and prepare for independent living. The outreach manager continues to support some children when they leave the home. As a result, children feel cared for and valued.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is warm, welcoming and spacious. The children’s bedrooms are a good size, and the children can personalise them. The staff are in the process of refurbishing a computer room for the children. However, one of the children’s bedroom carpets is stained, a chest of drawers is broken and there is condensation on the children’s bedroom windows. These do not provide children with a good enough standard of furnishings and decoration.

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improvement to be good

The manager failed to suspend a member of staff who was subject to an allegation made by a child. The manager informed the local authority designated officer, and an internal investigation was undertaken. However, this does not reflect the home’s policy, and it failed to safeguard the child while the investigation was taking place.

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improvement to be good

Staff use physical interventions when necessary to keep children and others safe. One child was restrained on public transport, and following this, there were no Inspection report for children's home: SC064557 4 reflective discussions held in regard to staff practice about what could have been done differently. This prevents staff from learning from incidents to improve their practice.

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improvement to be good

When children go missing from the home, the police are called to assist in the children’s safe return. The missing-from-home incidents are not always reviewed, and children are not always provided with return home interviews. This prevents staff from learning from these incidents and fully understanding children’s reasons for leaving.

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improvement to be good

When children are unkind to each other, staff intervene to help children to understand how their behaviours affect others. The staff help children to understand their feelings and use suitable strategies when they feel worried or anxious. However, the details of potential bullying are not always recorded clearly. This makes it difficult for staff to identify patterns to understand the dynamics.

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improvement to be good

Risk assessments are detailed and reviewed regularly to demonstrate the children’s changing needs. The staff know the children well and understand their vulnerabilities.

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improvement to be good

Staff recognise when children feel anxious or worried and use strategies to help children communicate how they feel. This helps children voice their feelings and make positive choices.

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improvement to be good

Staff understand the importance of children taking age-appropriate risks. One child spends time in the community with his friends, unsupervised. This helps children to learn about their personal safety and develop their life skills.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is suitably experienced and has the relevant management qualification. The manager and senior staff work well together to support staff to understand the needs of the children. This ensures that they are receiving good- quality care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is embedding a model of care into practice to help staff understand how trauma can affect children’s emotional well-being. The staff have access to the home’s consultant psychologist to develop their understanding and skills to meet the needs of the children effectively.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff participate in handovers, where they discuss the children’s experiences and their ongoing needs. The staff use these handovers to reflect on their practice and share ideas about the children’s care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The staff value the support that they receive from the manager. Supervision sessions are regular and give the staff the opportunity to reflect on incidents, talk about their professional development and their personal well-being. Inspection report for children's home: SC064557 5 The manager and the responsible individual understand the importance of external monitoring systems and work well to use these. The external oversight of the home is valuable and helps the manager to make improvements to children’s care. However, the internal managerial monitoring systems are not working well. A number of records do not include managerial oversight or staff reflection, including records of bullying. Policies have not been adhered to in regard to staff’s practice. Combined, these errors fail to evidence good managerial monitoring systems.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager failed to ensure that an allegation against a member of staff and an incident involving the police were notified to Ofsted. This means that Ofsted could not monitor the incidents happening at the home effectively. Inspection report for children's home: SC064557 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 protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

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Requirement Due date

are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(vii))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, implement the safeguarding policy when children make an allegation against a member of staff. 13 March 2023

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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

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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

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; and

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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)(b) (2)(f)(h))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that details of bullying incidents are clearly recorded on the child’s file, that there is good oversight of missing-from-home incidents and that restraints 13 March 2023 Inspection report for children's home: SC064557 7 include reflective discussions about staff practice and learning.

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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

an incident requiring police involvement occurs in relation to a child which the registered person considers to be serious; and

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Requirement Due date

there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there. (Regulation 40 (4)(b)(c)) 13 March 2023

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that the children’s home is homely. In particular, ensure that the children’s bedroom carpets are clean, broken furniture is replaced and condensation and mould are removed from bedroom windows. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9)

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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: SC064557 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 8a New Road, Mepal, Ely, Cambridgeshire CB6 2AP

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Inspector

Laraine Edmondson, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: SC064557 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 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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