Children's home run by Ar Curam Limited

Inspection report for children’s home: 2483718 1 Registered provider: Josh’s Place Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home owned and managed by a private company. It provides care and accommodation for up to five children who may have social and/or emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in October 2021.

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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: 19 January 2022

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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: 2483718 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

19/01/2022 Full Good 23/10/2019 Interim Sustained effectiveness 29/05/2019 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2483718 3

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outstanding

Children flourish because they are provided with nurturing care from a dedicated staff team that knows them well. Staff adopt a parent-like approach when interacting with the children. One professional said, ‘They [staff] are dedicated to them like they are their own children, it just amazes me how good they are.’ One parent said, ‘The staff respond to my child as a parent would.’

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outstanding

Children say that they like living in the home and that they have excellent relationships with the staff. One child described the home as ‘sound’. Children say that if they cannot live with their parents, then they want to live in this home until they reach independence. Children feel a strong sense of belonging to the home and say that they feel safe and cared for.

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outstanding

All children’s education attendance increases significantly because of the exceptional support that they receive from the staff. The children say that staff help them to attend education. When children struggle to attend education, the staff are proactive in addressing concerns with education providers and work quickly to remove the barriers to attendance for the children. This means that children are more likely to achieve their full educational potential.

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outstanding

Staff understand the value of creating positive life experiences for children and the importance of making happy memories. Staff inspire and empower children to take part in positive activities and clubs, such as guitar lessons, gym memberships and voluntary work. Children enjoy a range of activities such as using quad bikes, pamper days, day trips and going on holidays. This helps children to improve their social skills, increase their confidence, have fun and make lasting memories.

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outstanding

Children feel a sense of pride for the home and community that they live in. Children are enabled to spend independent time in the local community with peers who are important to them. Staff actively encourage children to invite their peers to the home as guests. This helps children to develop their independence skills and build connections with peers outside of the home.

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outstanding

Children benefit from living in a home that is warm and welcoming. All children say that they enjoy mealtimes in the home. Meals are prepared and cooked for them by the home’s housekeeper, who the children speak of very fondly. However, everyday snacks and treats are stored in a locked cupboard. This is not in keeping with the overall ethos and values of this home.

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outstanding

Consequences are used to help children to learn that unwanted behaviours can have implications for them. Staff use restorative approaches to give children the opportunity to make amends and gain back what they have lost. Children’s positive Inspection report for children’s home: 2483718 4 behaviours are recognised and celebrated. This helps children to overcome challenges and develop a sense of achievement.

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outstanding

Children’s safety is an absolute priority of the managers and staff in this home. Children say that they feel safe. Children say that they are confident to speak with the manager and staff if they are worried about anything, and they would help them. Parents and professionals share this view. One parent said, ‘My child is definitely safe in this home.’

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outstanding

Risk assessments are clear, thorough and regularly reviewed and updated. Comprehensive plans are in place to manage the children’s risks. Staff familiarise themselves with these plans and there is regular communication from the manager, which helps to ensure that children experience a consistent approach. As a result, staff have an exceptional understanding of the children’s risks and how to reduce them.

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outstanding

Children are encouraged to take an active part in creating ‘my safe plans’. These plans are creative, visual and written in the voice of the child. Children and staff set clear and achievable goals to help to increase the children’s awareness of risk. This helps children to develop their own personal safety skills.

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outstanding

Managers and staff are alert to safeguarding concerns involving the children, and act swiftly by informing the appropriate people. They attend multi-agency meetings involving children, so that the staff are up to date with critical issues. This means that any additional safeguarding measures can be implemented to protect the children.

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outstanding

When children go missing it is well managed by staff. Staff actively look for children and all appropriate people are informed. When children return to the home, they are welcomed home and offered an independent return interview. The manager is creative and proactive in making plans with children that increase the incentive of being in the home that help to reduce the risk of future missing episodes.

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outstanding

When children experience crisis incidents, appropriately trained staff hold the children to help to protect them from harm. The manager oversees this practice to ensure that it is proportionate and safe. The manager is curious about any causes or patterns and is proactive and successful in addressing issues that are identified. As a result, there has been a significant reduction in the use of physical intervention.

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outstanding

The manager is highly effective in encouraging staff to understand what will work for each child. Staff ensure that children are involved in creating ways to de-escalate situations and finding creative strategies that work for them. One professional said, ‘staff get behind the behaviours’ and that they ‘reach and understand the children in a positive way’. Inspection report for children’s home: 2483718 5

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Managers are inspirational and influential in creating positive changes for the children. Managers are successful in encouraging staff to have the same high aspirations. They have an in-depth understanding of the children and are committed to helping them to succeed. When a child is struggling, they identify this and work together to produce carefully considered strategies to help the child.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The quality of leadership and management is such that, despite staffing changes, including the deputy manager moving on, there has been no detrimental impact on the children seen. The home continues to thrive through change, and this is a credit to the manager and his leadership of this home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff enjoy working in the home. They feel supported both with work and any personal issues. Staff say that the ‘support is fantastic’ from the managers and that they feel that managers are readily available. The company invests in staff and their personal development, with the senior development plan supporting succession planning and staff retention. This helps staff to feel valued and appreciated at work.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff benefit from supervision that they say is reflective and useful. Staff say that they enjoy positive working relationships with one another and provide each other with peer support. One staff member described the team as ‘strong with great resilience’. This means that staff are more likely to feel happy and want to be in work. This, in turn, benefits the children as they are supported by a consistent staff team.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

New staff are welcomed into the team. One member of staff said, ‘Even though I am new, I have always been part of the team.’ They are provided with a comprehensive induction where they learn about all aspects of the home. They are given excellent support, including from a mentor and senior member of staff. This provides them with learning, guidance and help throughout the period of induction.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Team meetings take place regularly and are well attended. Discussions take place around how best to meet the children’s needs, and staff contribute and share their ideas. This practice helps staff to feel important and involves the whole team in raising the standard of care that children receive. Inspection report for children’s home: 2483718 6

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that the children’s home is a nurturing and supportive environment that meets the needs of their children. They will, in most cases, be homely, domestic environments. Children’s homes should seek as far as possible to maintain a domestic rather than ‘institutional’ impression. In particular, the registered person should ensure that food is not locked away from the children. (‘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: 2483718 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Josh’s Place Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 2nd Floor, Richard House, Sorbonne Close, Thornaby, Stockton-On-Tees TS17 6DA

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Inspectors

Jo Birtwhistle, Social Care Inspector Emma Ridley, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2483718 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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