Children's Home run by North Staffordshire Combined Healthcare NHS Trust in Staffordshire

Inspection report for children’s home: 1243962 1 Registered provider: North Staffordshire Combined Healthcare NHS Trust Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

This home provides short-break provision for children with severe learning disabilities and associated complex needs. The service provides overnight short- break care for up to six children at a time.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The home is operated by a combined healthcare NHS trust. The manager registered with Ofsted in November 2017 and has a level 5 diploma in leadership and management for residential childcare.

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

p.1

good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

p.1

good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

p.1

good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

p.1

good

Date of last inspection: 29 November 2021

p.1

good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

p.1

good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 1243962 2

p.1

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

29/11/2021 Full Good 04/03/2020 Interim Improved effectiveness 24/06/2019 Full Good 28/02/2019 Interim Improved effectiveness Inspection report for children’s home: 1243962 3

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children receive nurturing care from qualified nurses and experienced healthcare support workers. The service currently supports 39 children with complex health needs. During the inspection, five children were enjoying their short break.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Since the last inspection, eight children no longer use the service. Staff help children to prepare for moves and buy them gifts when they leave. Seven children who previously did not access short-break stays now benefit from regular visits. Children are referred to the service through a multi-disciplinary forum. The registered manager works well with children, their parents and professionals. Children and their family contribute to planning their initial visits. This helps to prepare children for changes to their routines and reduces anxieties for children and their family.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Through discussion with parents, staff develop a good understanding of children’s routines at home and try to replicate these when children are on their short-break stays. This supports children to understand what is expected of them and helps them to settle quickly.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff help children to prepare for school and welcome them home on their return. They have regular contact with children’s teachers to understand children’s targets, progress and needs. This means that staff can encourage children to make progress with their learning and independence skills. For example, one child’s target is to feed herself from a loaded spoon. This was promoted during her evening meal and the child was praised by staff when she achieved this.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The registered manager ensures that children’s health needs are understood by the staff caring for children. Prior to one child’s stay, staff were being supported by a community care nursing specialist to understand changes to medical equipment that is now been used to manage the child’s medical condition. In addition to this, all staff had received training on the medical condition and the new equipment.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have positive relationships with staff and managers, who know them well. Staff are skilled in communicating with children using a variety of different communication methods, including Makaton and picture exchange communication system.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

During short break stays, children enjoy playing with toys and outdoor equipment that is suitable and accessible for children with complex health needs. Although the frequency of community activities has increased since the last inspection, staff are keen to do even more, which they are planning.

p.3

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

Inspection report for children’s home: 1243962 4 The registered manager and staff understand the importance of safeguarding children and are professionally curious when they notice changes in a child’s presentation. They share information with relevant people and sensitively seek to understand children’s experiences to reassure themselves that children are not being harmed. This practice helps to keep children with limited communication safe.

p.4

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

It is rare for staff to use physical intervention. For one child, there is an agreed plan for staff to physically intervene to help to ensure that the child takes their medication. Since the last inspection, the child is taking their medication more readily and without staff needing to physically intervene. This progress has reduced the child’s distress while ensuring that their health condition is well managed.

p.4

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

One nurse has started working in the home. A human resource team undertake recruitment checks. Additionally, the registered manager audits recruitment records and identifies any gaps before the person works in the home. This practice reduces the risk of children being cared for by unsuitable individuals.

p.4

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

The home is designed and furnished to meet the needs of children who have short breaks. Specialist lifting equipment and specialist beds are used if children’s assessed needs require this. All specialist equipment is serviced regularly to reduce the risk of accidental injury.

p.4

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

Health and safety is taken seriously. Regular audits are completed on the environment and systems are in place to prevent infection. Staff wear face masks when children are visiting to reduce the risk of spreading viruses, such as COVID-19. Systems are in place to reduce the risk of fire, and children have a personal emergency evacuation plan in place in the event that this is needed.

p.4

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

There have been no occasions of children going missing from home, being bullied or exploited.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager has a good understanding of the home’s strengths and areas that she wants to progress. For example, discussions have been held regarding creating memory books for children to take with them when they no longer need short breaks. This will promote children’s identity and provide them with opportunities to reflect on their positive experiences.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff understand and are invested in the manager’s vision and ethos for the short- break service to be child focused. This contributes to children benefiting from care that respects their dignity and enables them to have positive experiences.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Children receive care from an experienced and consistent staff team. Some staff hold a degree in nursing. Most staff are qualified in health and social care or are completing this qualification. The registered manager ensures that all staff have up- to-date training in subjects that are specific to their job roles and the individual needs of children. Inspection report for children’s home: 1243962 5 Staff enjoy caring for children who are on short breaks. The registered manager ensures that staff receive regular supervision and annual appraisals. This contributes to staff feeling well supported. Team meetings are occasionally held and provide a safe space for sharing ideas to develop the quality of care provided and group reflection.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager and staff build positive working relationships with parents and professionals, who speak highly of the care and support that children receive. This reassures parents. One parent recognised that it provided their child with opportunities to stay overnight with friends, and enhances family life. Inspection report for children’s home: 1243962 6

p.5

Recommendations

 The registered person should keep and encourage children to keep appropriate memorabilia of the time spent living at the home and help them to record significant life events. In particular, ensure that discussions and plans to develop memory books for children are followed up and implemented. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards, page 62, paragraph 14.5) Inspection report for children’s home: 1243962 7

p.6

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: 1243962 8

p.7

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: North Staffordshire Combined Health Care and NHS Trust, Lawton House, Bellringer Road, Stoke on Trent ST4 8HH

p.8

Inspector

Helen Malanaphy, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 1243962 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.

p.8

Inspector

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.9

Inspector

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.9

Inspector

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

p.9