Children's home run by EJ Childcare Services Ltd

Inspection report for children’s home: 2638781 1 Registered provider: EJ Childcare Services Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The home is owned and managed by a private organisation. It provides care for up to one child who may experience social or emotional difficulties.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

Ofsted registered this home in August 2022 and the manager also registered at this time.

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 requires improvement to be good

p.1

good

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

p.1

good

Date of last inspection: first inspection

p.1

good

Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable

p.1

good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2638781 2

p.1

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

First inspection Inspection report for children’s home: 2638781 3

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Since the home opened, one child has moved on and one child has recently moved in. Staff are focusing on helping the child to build positive relationships by encouraging them to take part in activities, inside the home and in the community. This approach means that the child can start to form stable attachments. The child said, ‘This is the best place I’ve ever lived because the staff are all interested in me.’

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Educational progress for children living in the home is sporadic. During times when they do not attend education, staff do not offer structured activities throughout the day to provide a routine, or alternative learning opportunities. Non-attendance in education has a negative effect on the children’s educational progress and social development.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child is aware of how to make a complaint and who to contact should they have any concerns while living in the home. During the inspection, the child discussed the children’s guide with the inspector. They said that they found it helpful as it provided them with lots of information about the home, and that they saw photographs of their new home and bedroom before moving in. This helped to ease some of the child’s anxieties, as they were familiar with the environment when they moved into the home.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Some of the child’s case file documents and general records include stigmatising comments towards the child that imply blame. This creates a negative attitude to the child living in the home. Records written in this way are not helpful for the child, who may request to see their files later on in life.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children see their families regularly. Staff are instrumental in rebuilding relationships between children and their families, and one child has returned home to live with their family. This allows the child to have positive experiences with the people who are important to them.

p.3

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

The child said that they feel safe and happy living at this home. They have trusting relationships with staff and can identify staff who they would speak to if they had concerns or felt sad. Staff show genuine care for the child and have built strong relationships in a short time. These experiences provide the child with stability and security and this helps them to feel safe.

p.3

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

Risk assessments and support plans provide staff with clear actions to follow to reduce the risk of harm to the child and to keep the child and staff safe. Nevertheless, some staff do not always follow these plans. This increases the risk of allegations towards staff from the child. Inspection report for children’s home: 2638781 4 Allegations are not managed in line with the provider’s policy. Although the manager has emailed and notified the child’s social worker when allegations have been made, they have not notified the local authority designated officer. This prevents joined-up working and stops relevant professionals having an understanding of the child’s risks.

p.3

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

There has been no use of physical restraint since the home opened. Staff use the positive relationships that they build with children to verbally de-escalate incidents and help children to find alternative ways to manage their frustrations and anxieties. For the child currently living in the home, this adds to their feelings of safety and security.

p.4

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

There have been no incidents of children going missing from the home since it opened. This is good progress for the previous child who lived in the home. Staff are aware of the missing from home protocol and the actions that they need to take to help locate the child as quickly and safely as possible, should the current child go missing from the home.

p.4

good

The manager has not ensured that the home has any of the child’s up-to-date statutory plans. He has not taken effective action to ensure that these and other relevant documents are in place, and there is no policy in place for escalating these concerns. This does not help the staff to plan the child’s care or to ensure that this reflects the objectives of the placing authority. This shortfall means that staff may not have a comprehensive overview of the child’s background or current needs.

p.4

good

Leaders and managers nurture the staff and children. Formal staff supervision sessions and team meetings help to improve staff knowledge further and identify areas for improvement and change. Reflective supervisions allow staff to discuss the children’s needs and their own learning and development. Staff feel valued and listened to. They are encouraged to be innovative and creative with their practice and this improves outcomes for children.

p.4

good

Most staff are up to date with their mandatory training, including physical restraint and first aid. They also have access to an online training hub, where specific training is allocated to staff to meet the child’s individual needs. Physical restraint training for new staff is scheduled. However, this date falls outside of the timeframe stipulated within the home’s statement of purpose.

p.4

good

There is an in-depth induction programme in place during new starters’ probation periods. Strengths and areas for development are identified, and these are documented in staff’s induction plans. The manager then determines suitability and will pass, fail, or extend the probation period. This approach helps to ensure that staff have the skills and knowledge that they need to deliver good-quality care. Inspection report for children’s home: 2638781 5

p.4

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.

p.5

Requirement Due date

In meeting the quality standards, the registered person must, and must ensure that staff—

p.5

Requirement Due date

seek to involve each child’s placing authority effectively in the child’s care, in accordance with the child’s relevant plans. (Regulation 5 (a)) 22 March 2023

p.5

Requirement Due date

The education standard is that children make measurable progress towards achieving their educational potential and are helped to do so.

p.5

Requirement Due date

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

p.5

Requirement Due date

support each child’s learning and development, including helping the child to develop independent study skills and, where appropriate, helping the child to complete independent study;

p.5

Requirement Due date

understand the barriers to learning that each child may face and take appropriate action to help the child to overcome any such barriers;

p.5

Requirement Due date

help each child to understand the importance and value of education, learning, training and employment; and

p.5

Requirement Due date

promote opportunities for each child to learn informally. (Regulation 8 (1) (2)(a)(ii)(iii)(v)) 22 March 2023

p.5

Requirement Due date

The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

p.5

Requirement Due date

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

p.5

Requirement Due date

that staff— 22 March 2023 Inspection report for children’s home: 2638781 6 assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child’s relevant plans, and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child; and

p.5

Requirement Due date

understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(v))

p.6

Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children—

p.6

Requirement Due date

receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home.

p.6

Requirement Due date

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

p.6

Requirement Due date

ensure the effective induction of each child into the home. (Regulation 14 (1)(a) (2)(b)(i)) 22 March 2023

p.6

Requirement Due date

The procedure to be followed in the event of an allegation of abuse or neglect must, in particular—

p.6

Requirement Due date

provide for liaison and co-operation with any local authority which are, or may be, making a child protection enquiry in relation to a child accommodated in the home;

p.6

Requirement Due date

provide for the prompt referral of an allegation about current or ongoing abuse or neglect in relation to a child to the placing authority and, if different, the local authority in whose area the home is located. (Regulation 34 (2)(a)(b)) 22 March 2023

p.6

Recommendations

 The registered person is responsible for maintaining good employment practice. In particular, the registered manager must ensure that a policy is in place for escalating concerns with local authorities sending statutory plans within appropriate timescales. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.1)  The registered person should ensure that all their staff have been adequately trained in the principles of restraint and any restraint techniques appropriate to the needs of the children the home is set up to care for as defined in the home’s Inspection report for children’s home: 2638781 7 Statement of Purpose. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 49, paragraph 9.57)  The registered person should ensure that staff understand the importance of careful, objective and clear recording. Staff should record information on

p.6

Recommendations

individual children in a non-stigmatising way. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4)

p.7

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: 2638781 8

p.7

Children’s home details

Registered provider: EJ Childcare Services LTD

p.8

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Foxhaven, Easington Road, Hartlepool TS24 9RE

p.8

Inspector

Gemma McDonnell, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2638781 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