Children's Home run by Thrive Childcare Services Ltd in Wolverhampton

Inspection report for children’s home: 2679810 1 Registered provider: Thrive Childcare Services Ltd Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home provides care for up to two children aged between 11 and 18 years old who have emotional and/or social difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager is registered for a second home for the same company. She is suitably experienced and qualified.

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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 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

Date of last inspection: Not previously inspected

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: not applicable Inspection report for children’s home: 2679810 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

Not previously inspected Inspection report for children’s home: 2679810 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Since the home was registered in July 2022, only two children have lived in the home. Both children have moved on. No children were living at the home at the time of this inspection.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

One child was supported in returning to mainstream education while living at the home, which played a significant part in them moving back closer to their family. Although staff encouraged both children to access their education, one child did not attend their education provision while living at the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff ensured that children registered with health professionals and followed up on actions from health assessments and immunisation records. Children’s emotional well-being needs were also advocated well by the staff and registered manager. However, despite multiple requests for a mental health intervention for one child, this was not in place before the child moved on from the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children enjoyed various activities, including pottery painting, bowling, a laser tag game and trips out to theme parks and the seaside. Staff captured these moments by taking photos so that children could keep these for future reference. Staff encouraged the children to have hobbies. One of the children was a talented musician who attended a music studio and youth club three times a week, which developed their self-confidence and social skills.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff encouraged children to maintain positive relationships with their family members. One child’s care plan was to return home in six months. The staff’s and registered manager’s good communication with these family members ensured that children’s family time experiences were generally positive and meaningful.

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

Staff worked hard at developing good, trusting relationships with the children. The children benefited from good daily routines and a calm environment that supported their individual needs. Children’s risk-taking behaviours reduced in the time they lived at this home.

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

Safeguarding concerns are managed well. All staff spoken with have a good understanding of safeguarding procedures and the whistle-blowing policy.

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

Both children had individual, detailed plans and risk assessments. Staff ensured that the children’s views were obtained and included in these plans. This illustrates that children were listened to and that their opinions were valued. Inspection report for children’s home: 2679810 4 One child had a high number of missing-from-home episodes during their initial month at the home. Staff worked in partnership with the police and were proactive in searching for the child.

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

Staff are calm and effective in their management of children’s behaviours. Staff support children during incidents well and management oversight identifies learning opportunities from these difficult situations. Children’s safety is held at the centre of each staff member’s approach.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is dedicated and has high aspirations for the children. She holds a relevant level 5 qualification. She is supported by the deputy manager, who is also suitably experienced. They work well together and are respected by the staff. Staff describe the support and guidance they receive as ‘fantastic’.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff morale is good. The core staff team has been imaginative in adapting space in the home to meet the children’s needs. The games room is a good example of this, as one child’s music interests and activities at home were supported well in this safe space.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff have a structured induction and complete the home’s mandatory training during this induction period. Additional specific training to meet children’s individual needs has been sourced. Staff are supported to gain a suitable level 3 qualification. Children benefit from being cared for by well-trained staff.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has a good understanding of the home’s strengths and areas for development, as well as children’s individual progress and successes.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Supervision is practice-led, and monthly staff meetings ensure that the staff are supported. Alongside this, staff benefit from having regular meetings with the provider’s therapist. These meetings explore children’s well-being, risks and progress made, and they facilitate staff to share and develop their practice further.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has excellent communication with social workers and other professionals. A social worker said: ‘Communication is perfect. [name of child] made more progress at this home than they have in any other placement.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

This partnership working enabled all the professionals around the children to recognise and meet their needs. However, the registered manager was not always effective in utilising these working relationships to ensure that all external services were in place to meet each child’s needs. Inspection report for children’s home: 2679810 5

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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'.

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that when children are placed in a home who are not participating in education that they and the staff must work closely with the placing authority so that the child is supported and enabled to resume full-time education as soon as possible. In the interim, the child should be supported to sustain or regain their confidence in education and be engaged in suitable structured activities. ('Guide to the children's Homes Regulations, including the quality standards', page 28, paragraph 5.15)

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that records of restraint are kept and should enable the registered person and staff to review the use of control, discipline and restraint to identify effective practice and respond promptly where any issues or trends of concern emerge. The review should provide the opportunity for amending practice to ensure it meets the needs of each child. ('Guide to the children's Homes Regulations, including the quality standards', page 49, paragraph 9.59)

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Recommendations

 Registered person should ensure they seek and develop effective working relationships with each child's placing authority and with other relevant persons which may include services, individuals (including parents), agencies, organisations and establishments that work with children in the local community, e.g. police, schools, health and youth offending teams (regulation 5 – engaging with the wider system to ensure children's needs are met). ('Guide to the children's Homes Regulations, including the quality standards', page 52, paragraph 10.3)

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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: 2679810 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Thrive Childcare Services Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 72 Oakdale Drive, Heald Green, Cheadle SK8 3SW

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Inspector

Mark Dickinson, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2679810 7 inspects 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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