Children's home run by 5ab Care Ltd

Inspection report for children’s home: 2512898 1 Registered provider: 5ab Care Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is owned by a private company. It provides care for up to two children who experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The home is led by an experienced manager.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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outstanding

How well children and young people are helped and protected outstanding

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outstanding

The effectiveness of leaders and managers outstanding

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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.

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outstanding

Date of last inspection: 23 November 2021

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outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2512898 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

23/11/2021 Full Good 02/03/2020 Interim Sustained effectiveness 06/08/2019 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2512898 3

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outstanding

Children are at the heart of everything in this home. Managers and staff provide children with an extremely warm and nurturing home environment. Staff speak about children with enthusiasm, warmth and compassion. They demonstrate unwavering commitment to the children. This enables children to flourish in all areas of their development.

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outstanding

Children grow in confidence and self-esteem because staff support them so well. Children can express their individuality and take pride in their achievements. This is because they receive excellent care and support from staff. The staff have superb relationships with each child. Together, they create a family feel in the home.

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outstanding

Children’s health needs are exceptionally well considered and met by staff. Staff work very closely and proactively with health services. There is a very strong therapeutic approach. Staff are empathetic. They understand the complexities of children’s previous life experiences and how these may impact on their behaviour. As a result, children are happy, healthy and thriving.

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outstanding

Staff place a strong focus on supporting children to have fun, try new things and have a happy life. Staff go to great lengths capture children’s happy memories in photo books and scrapbooks, which children take with them when they move on from the home.

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outstanding

Staff strongly advocate for children to have access to good educational provision. They ensure that education providers understand the impact of being in care and how children’s emotional well-being can be affected. Despite the challenges at times, the staff work very creatively with education providers to make sure that children have positive educational experiences. Because of this, children engage with education and make progress.

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outstanding

The experiences and progress of children are exceptional. Most of the children have lived at the home for a long time. This level of stability creates a real sense of belonging. This has been significant in enabling children to build secure and meaningful relationships with staff who they know, trust and rely on.

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outstanding

The manager and staff understand the children’s risks and vulnerabilities extremely well. The manager goes to great lengths to understand how best to protect and support children to grow and develop. For example, the manager has studied research-based approaches and adapted these for care practices in the home. As a result, plans for children are very supportive and effective. Inspection report for children’s home: 2512898 4 Children are safe. This is because they have strong relationships with the manager and staff. Children talk openly about their current and previous life experiences. This means that staff can support children to overcome past trauma and to manage current risks.

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outstanding

Staff have received good-quality safeguarding training. As a result, they have a clear understanding of their safeguarding roles and responsibilities. Staff know how to report any concerns they may have. Safeguarding incidents are exceptionally rare. When they do occur, staff know how to respond and keep children safe.

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outstanding

Staff are extremely diligent. This ensures that the potential risks to children are understood and minimised. Risk assessments and care plans are extremely thorough. They provide clear and concise information about how children need to be supported. Staff know and understand the underlying causes to children’s behaviour that is difficult to manage. As a result, children are assured that staff will do everything to keep them safe.

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outstanding

Staff empower children to make choices and decisions about their day-to-day care and future. This means that children’s wishes and feelings are listened to and considered. As a result, children can have their say and be involved in their plans.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager is very committed. Her leadership of this home is admirable. She is highly ambitious for children and staff. A key strength is the way the manager promotes staff’s learning and development. She leads by example and has developed a positive culture. The staff share the manager’s vision to provide excellent child-centred care and ensure that all children have the best possible experiences.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff work well together and make certain that children get the best possible care and support. The staff focus on children’s strengths and abilities. They celebrate all the children’s successes no matter what these may be. They are committed to ensuring that each child has the best opportunities and outcomes possible. They advocate for children’s rights and needs. The manager and staff see themselves as a family around the child, which leads to excellent outcomes for children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff experience an excellent level of support through regular one-to-one meetings with the manager and frequent team meetings. These are reflective and mean that staff can learn lessons and adapt their own practice. Staff also benefit from further discussions in research-based practice sessions to develop their own learning and practice. They also receive daily support and guidance from the management team and each other. As a result, staff feel that they have a voice in influencing the high- quality care provided to children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager strives to promote staff’s development. Staff are supported to develop their knowledge and skills and build their confidence. They access a range of Inspection report for children’s home: 2512898 5 bespoke training that is essential to the individual needs of the children. Research- informed practice underpins the work with children in this home. This means that children receive care from a highly skilled, reflective and knowledgeable team.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager’s quality assurance monitoring is outstanding. The manager has effective management systems in place. Childrens records are of a very high standard. Plans are dynamic in nature and change with the child. Children can read their plans and see their growth and the progress they make. As a result, children are rightly proud of their achievements. Inspection report for children’s home: 2512898 6

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that the home is a nurturing and supportive environment that meets the needs of the children. It should provide a homely, domestic environment. This particularly relates to the interior and exterior decoration, including the gardens. (‘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: 2512898 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Jones Hunt Limited, 71 Knowl Piece, Wilbury Way, Hitchin SG4 0TY

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Inspector

Thirza Smith, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2512898 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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