Children's home run by Future In Mind Limited in Bolton

Assurance inspection report for children's home: SC394875 1 SC394875

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Registered provider: Future in Mind Limited

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is owned by a private company. It is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to two children with social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

An experienced manager has been appointed to manage the home. The manager has submitted her application to register with Ofsted.

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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 this inspection, 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. Inspectors have 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: SC394875 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

Two children were living in the home at the time of the inspection. Both children have resided at the home for a significant period of time.

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The care of children

Children’s progress in education is mixed. One child attends school regularly and is making good educational progress. However, another child does not currently have a school placement. The manager is taking appropriate steps to address this and support the child’s educational needs.

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The care of children

The manager is developing systems to help children express their wishes and feelings. Feedback booklets enable children to communicate their likes and dislikes. A personalised response is provided to the children each week. This helps children to know that they are being listened to. Furthermore, it enables staff to better understand children’s needs and make suitable changes to their care.

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The care of children

There have been some staffing changes in the home. During the period since the last inspection, the previous manager left the home, some staff were deployed to other homes and other staff have experienced periods of sickness. This has caused some disruption and uncertainty for children.

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The care of children

The environment is mostly warm and homely. Children’s bedrooms are personalised and reflect their individual personalities. A new bathroom has been refitted since the last inspection. However, institutionalised features remain in the bathroom and detract from the overall environment. For example, there is a large padlock on the bathroom cupboard. This is not in keeping with the overall homely environment found in a typical family home.

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The safety of children

Children’s risk assessments contain risk-reduction strategies. However, they are not consistently updated with new information. For example, children living in the home are vulnerable to risks online. Despite incidents, risks assessments have not been updated with new information and strategies. The manager is taking steps to increase staff skills and review the risk assessment process.

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The safety of children

Children who have been subject to exploitation are now safer. Partnership working with other agencies means that the child has received one-to-one education sessions about key areas of risk. These include exploring how to stay safe when using the internet, understanding healthy relationships and risks in the community. This enhances the children’s knowledge of personal safety. Assurance inspection report for children's home: SC394875 3 The manager is supporting staff to look beyond children’s presenting behaviours and to look instead at their underlying emotional needs. This is improving relationships between children and staff. When incidents do occur, staff respond with empathy and care. Staff maintain clearer boundaries for children and, as a result, children feel safer.

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The safety of children

The manager has become more effective in their communications with Ofsted. All significant incidents have been notified to Ofsted, and necessary updates are provided. This demonstrates an improved understanding of reporting thresholds.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

There is a new manager who has applied to register with Ofsted. The manager is developing new ways of working and new practices. Staff have been positive about the impact the manager is having on the home. The manager knows the areas that the service needs to develop. The majority of the requirements from the last inspection have been addressed.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Staff are receiving better support from the manager and they benefit from regular, reflective supervision. Staff are enthusiastic and motivated about their work as a result. A regular training programme ensures that staff are supported to acquire the knowledge and skills they need to care for children. In addition, a proactive approach has been taken to use team meetings to further upskill the staff team in areas specific to the needs of children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Two staff have not achieved the level 3 diploma (or equivalent) in children’s residential care within the timescales set out in regulation. Although the new manager has completed action plans to address this concern, not enough action was taken prior to this.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Two parents reported that they are not always satisfied with the level of communication they receive from staff. This means that they do not always receive the information they need to keep them up to date with their children’s care. The manager is reviewing ways of working more effectively with parents, so that parents feel more involved in their children’s care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

As a result of changes in management arrangements, the last quality of care report was not of a good quality. The document does not include feedback from external stakeholders. In addition, there is no clear action plan for the next six months. This is a missed opportunity to proactively plan to ensure improvements are made to the quality of care that children receive. Assurance inspection report for children's home: SC394875 4

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

21/06/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good 01/03/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good 11/09/2019 Full Good 06/09/2018 Full Good Assurance inspection report for children's home: SC394875 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. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person should have a system to assure themselves that staff know and follow guidance in risk assessments and other relevant documents.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated. 10 May 2023

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Requirement Due date

the individual has the appropriate experience, qualification and skills for the work that the individual is to perform.

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Requirement Due date

For the purposes of paragraph (3)(b), an individual who works in the home in a care role has the appropriate qualification if, by the relevant date, the individual has attained—

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Requirement Due date

the Level 3 Diploma for Residential Childcare (England) ("the Level 3 Diploma").

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Requirement Due date

in the case of an individual who starts working in a care role in a home after 1st April 2014, the date which falls 2 years 30 June 2023 Assurance inspection report for children's home: SC394875 6 after the date on which the individual started working in a care role in a home. (Regulation 32 (3)(b) (4)(a) (5)(a))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person should ensure that staff complete the appropriate qualification.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated.

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that maintenance is carried out promptly, and the need for a large padlock on a kitchen cupboard is reviewed. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9)  The registered person should demonstrate every effort to achieve continuity of staffing so that children’s attachments are not overly disrupted, including ensuring that the employment of any temporary staff will not prevent children from receiving the continuity of care that they need. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 51, paragraph 10.1)  The registered person should have a key role in seeking to develop the home’s effective working relationships with each child’s placing authority and with other relevant persons, including parents. In particular, the manager should ensure effective communication systems so that, where appropriate, parents feel

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Recommendations

involved in their child’s care. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 52, paragraph 10.3)  The registered person should ensure that the quality-of-care review report reflects the feedback and opinions of children and professionals who work with them. The report should clearly identify any actions required for the next six months of delivery within the home and how those actions will be addressed. The whole review process and the resulting report should be used as a tool for continuous improvement in the home. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, pages 64-65, paragraph 15.2) Assurance inspection report for children's home: SC394875 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Future in Mind Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Future In Mind, 65 Market Street, Hednesford, Cannock, Staffordshire WS12 1AD

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Inspector

Natasha Skinner, Social Care Inspector Assurance inspection report for children's home: SC394875 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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