Children's home run by New Beginnings Young People’s Care and Support Services Limited

Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2554036 1 Registered provider: New Beginnings Young Peoples Care and Support Services Limited

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This privately owned home is registered to provide care for up to two children who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

There is currently no registered manager in post.

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Information about this children’s home

Date of last inspection: 13 September 2022

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Information about this children’s home

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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Information about this children’s home

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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Information about this inspection

At these inspections, the inspector evaluated:

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Information about this inspection

 the care of children  the safety of children  the effectiveness of leaders and managers. The inspector has looked closely at the experiences and progress of children, using the social care common inspection framework. This assurance 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’. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2554036 2

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Findings from the inspection

We did not identify any serious or widespread concerns in relation to the care or protection of children at this assurance inspection.

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The care of children

Children live in a cosy home, which is clean and well maintained. Children have the opportunity to personalise their bedrooms and contribute to the development of their home. Children say that they feel safe and happy living here.

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The care of children

Staff support children to attend school regularly. When children have not been enrolled in full-time education, staff and managers have challenged other agencies to ensure that children’s academic needs are met. Staff have a clear plan for helping children with their education while they are not in school. This has enabled children to make positive progress with their education.

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The care of children

Staff encourage children to remain active and take care of their health and hygiene. When needed, staff take children to health appointments and encourage them to take their medication as prescribed. Staff work with health professionals to protect children’s health to the best of their abilities when children refuse to take medication.

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The care of children

Children are supported to explore new hobbies and interests. Both children living in the home participate in regular clubs and lessons and are making excellent progress and have increased their confidence. A child who was anxious about getting into a paddling pool when they first arrived is now swimming regularly and doing flips underwater. Children agree that staff encourage them to try new things and support them in improving their current skills.

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The safety of children

Staff have a good understanding of children’s needs and know the best strategies to minimise risks for individual children. Children do not go missing from care often and safeguarding procedures are followed when children do go missing from the home. Staff ensure that children receive independent return home interviews when children have been missing.

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The safety of children

Staff use physical holds as a last resort. When staff have had to physically hold a child, they have recorded the incidents appropriately. The manager evaluates any hold to determine if it was necessary and proportionate. The manager uses this opportunity to identify trends and patterns to try to determine potential causes of the child’s distress.

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The safety of children

Staff have developed their skills in managing children’s behaviour. As a result, police have only had to visit the home on one occasion. This is done as a last resort and only after extensive efforts to help the child calm. Staff have worked to improve Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2554036 3 children’s relationships with police by arranging outings and activities with local officers to support children to develop a positive view of the police.

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The safety of children

One child has made a number of allegations while upset. These have been discussed informally and retracted shortly after the child has calmed. However, there has been no discussion with the local authority designated officer to decide how to manage these appropriately, and the incidents have not been notified to Ofsted. Staff were able to verbally discuss the appropriate procedures for allegations but these are not consistently followed in the home.

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The safety of children

Risk assessments and support plans are typically updated as children’s needs change. However, when one child commented that he had thought about harming himself, no assessment was completed to make staff aware of these emerging risks. As a result, no work was done with the child to help them understand the impact of this. This does not support children to stay safe.

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The safety of children

When children have made complaints about things they do not like, staff and managers have responded swiftly and appropriately to ensure that children feel heard. When realistic, changes have been made for the children, and staff have clearly explained what they are doing to address the child’s concerns. Children felt satisfied that their concerns were taken seriously, with one child positively saying, ‘They do everything they can.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

The interim manager who is currently leading the home is experienced and suitably qualified. The manager and deputy manager are supportive of the staff team, with one staff member saying, ‘The ethos of the home is very good here, and that’s led by the management team. It’s definitely driven by the children’s needs first.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

When recruiting staff, managers follow safer recruitment procedures to ensure that staff are fully vetted and safe to work with children. This promotes a safe and healthy environment for children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Staff receive regular supervision and attend monthly team meetings, which they find helpful. The interim manager ensures that staff develop their practice through regular training opportunities. When training is implemented but doesn’t quite meet the needs of the children, the management team has been proactive in seeking out alternatives. This ensures staff are suitably skilled and knowledgeable to care for vulnerable children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

The manager has good internal monitoring systems and makes use of independent monitoring to ensure staff provide consistently good care to the children. This oversight promotes the safety and well-being of the children living there. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2554036 4

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

13/09/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good 09/12/2021 Full Good Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2554036 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’. The registered person(s) must comply within the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

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;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand how to keep safe;

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Requirement Due date

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm;

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Requirement Due date

understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person;

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Requirement Due date

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare; and

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Requirement Due date

are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(v)(vi)(vii))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person should ensure that necessary risk assessments, including strategies to reduce risk, are put in place and followed. In addition, they should ensure that staff respond appropriately to known and emerging risks. Furthermore, allegations should be managed in accordance with the provider’s policies and referred to the appropriate safeguarding officer. 24 May 2023 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2554036 6 The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if—

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Requirement Due date

there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there. (Regulation 40 (4)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person should ensure that allegations are notified to the regulator. 24 May 2023 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2554036 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: New Beginnings Young Peoples Care and Support Services Limited

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Inspector

Aislinn Cooper, Social Care Regulatory Inspector Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2554036 8 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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