Children's home run by Solace for Children Limited

Inspection report for children’s home: 2600541 1 Registered provider: Solace for Children Limited Full inspection 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 three children with social and emotional health needs.

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Information about this children’s home

The home was registered with Ofsted on 10 September 2020. The home has a new manager who is in the process of applying for registration.

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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: 7 September 2021

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2600541 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

07/09/2021 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2600541 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children receive good individual care from staff who know them well. As a result, children are making progress in many areas of their development. Even those children who have been in the home for a short time are progressing well. Placing social workers are positive about the care the children receive and the progress they are making within the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children attend school. One child who has had a long history of non-school attendance is engaging well in school and is making friends. Another child has found a part-time job that she enjoys alongside attending college. As a result, children are gaining confidence and progressing with their learning.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff provide good support to children who are struggling emotionally. They work closely with specialist health professionals to support children with their emotional and mental health.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Although some children struggle to maintain positive relationships, they are able to identify an adult within the home who they feel comfortable with and can talk to if they are concerned. The manager explores any issues that arise, and staff spend time encouraging children to express their thoughts and feelings through a variety of one-to-one discussions. As a result, children are having their views heard and are being supported to develop their self-esteem.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

There is clear planning for when children move into the home. Children are able to visit the home before they move in. This helps them to settle into their new home. Staff also work to ensure that children are supported well when they leave the home, even when this is unplanned. For example, staff supported one child who returned home to family over several weeks with visits and daily phone calls.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s bedrooms are of a good size and personalised to their individual tastes. Both children have been allowed to have a pet of their choice and are supported by staff to care for them. The communal areas of the home are spacious and welcoming, and the home is decorated to a high standard. However, children are not actively involved in choosing the décor in the communal areas of the home. This does not support children to invest emotionally in their home. Furthermore, children do not have free access to the laundry room and must ask staff if they wish to use the washing machine. This is not in keeping with the otherwise homely environment.

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

Staff understand the risks that children face and respond quickly to any concerns that arise. This is underpinned by a range of risk assessments to ensure that children are safeguarded. Inspection report for children’s home: 2600541 4 Staff are aware of how to respond appropriately to any incidents of self-harming behaviour. They act swiftly to keep children safe. They conduct regular room checks and frequently talk to children to ensure that they feel supported. Staff provide clear and consistent boundaries to ensure thar children know what expectations are in place. Incidents necessitating physical interventions are few. When there has been the need to physically restrain children, this has been appropriate and only used when necessary. Children do not frequently go missing from home. When children go missing, staff act appropriately to ensure that children are brought home safely. Staff recruitment procedures are thorough. This helps to ensure that staff working

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

at the home are suitable to work with children. Staff conduct regular health and safety checks throughout the home. However, the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) cupboard is not always kept locked. Although this is in a room where children do not have unsupervised access, this has the potential to compromise their safety.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Since the last inspection, a new manager has been recruited to the home. She has been in post for a few weeks and is in the process of applying for registration with Ofsted. This transition has been supported by the previous registered manager who remains within the organisation. This has helped to provide continuity of leadership within the home. There is good managerial oversight of the running of the home. This ensures that there is a clear understanding of the progress children are making and the challenges they face. Staff feel supported in their role. They receive effective supervision and training that is tailored to the needs of the children they care for. This is being further developed to provide staff with a therapeutic approach to their support for children. The manager makes good use of team meetings to further develop staff knowledge and practice. The manager and staff have developed effective working relationships with placing

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

social workers and other external professionals. Placing social workers, teachers and the police coordinator for the home are overwhelmingly positive about the home and the quality of care given to the children. One social worker stated that staff ‘go above and beyond’ for the children in the home. Inspection report for children’s home: 2600541 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

that the premises used for the purposes of the home are located so that children are effectively safeguarded. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(c))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that the COSHH cupboard is kept locked and secure from children. 30 April 2023

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that children can access all shared areas of their home unless there are specific reasons why this would not meet a child’s needs. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.10)  The registered person should ensure that children are consulted regularly on their views about the home’s care, to inform and support continued improvement in the quality of care provided. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 22, paragraph 4.11)

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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: 2600541 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Solace for Children Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Tadcaster House, Kempton Road, Pershore, Worcestershire WR10 2TA

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Howard Woolfenden

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Inspector

Suzanne Young, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2600541 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. 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

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Inspector

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 .

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Inspector

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Inspector

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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