Children's Home run by The Partnership of Care Today in Wolverhampton

Inspection report for children’s home: SC390576 1 SC390576 Registered provider: The Partnership of Care Today Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

A large provider of children’s services operates this home. The home provides care for up to four children who have experienced childhood instability, resulting in trauma and associated complex behaviours.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in December 2022 and holds a Level 5 Diploma in Leadership and Management for Residential Childcare.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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requires improvement to be good

How well children and young people are helped and protected requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The children’s home is not yet delivering good help and care for children and young people. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC390576 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

30/06/2021 Full Good 12/12/2019 Full Good 10/04/2019 Interim Declined in effectiveness 12/07/2018 Full Outstanding Inspection report for children’s home: SC390576 3

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improvement to be good

At the time of the inspection, four children were living in the home. Since the last inspection, the home has appointed a new registered manager. The children living in the home are relatively settled and making progress. However, the safeguarding arrangements in relation to one child were poor, and this has detracted from their overall experience of living in the home.

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improvement to be good

The home is well maintained, comfortable and homely. Staff have supported the children to make their bedrooms comfortable and personalise them. This supports children to develop a sense of belonging in their own home. During the inspection, the children were happy to show the inspector around the home.

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improvement to be good

Children have positive relationships with staff. One child told the inspector, ‘The staff are good, and I can talk to someone if I need to.’ Another child told the inspector that he likes all the staff and is happy living in the home. During the inspection, the inspector observed positive relationships between the children and staff. This helps children to develop a sense of stability and security.

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improvement to be good

All the children attend mainstream schools, have good attendance and are making progress in all aspects of their education. For example, two children who had not attended any formal education are now attending full time. A teacher informed the inspector that staff are very proactive and responsive to the children’s educational needs.

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improvement to be good

Children’s health needs are promoted. There are clear health plans in place, and all the children are registered with local health services. The children’s health appointments are up to date, and the staff encourage the children to lead a healthy lifestyle.

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improvement to be good

Children enjoy a wide range of activities that reflect their interests and hobbies. For example, one child is an ambassador for their snooker club, which involves him mentoring his peers. The child enjoyed telling the inspector about his role and the trophies he has won. Another child is a member of a local boxing club. The children also enjoy attending activities together, such as football and trampolining. The manager and staff are motivated to provide children with activities that are not only fun but that provide a sense of achievement.

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improvement to be good

Children are encouraged to develop their independence skills in line with their needs. Staff help children to learn new skills, such as budgeting and cooking. This helps to prepare children for adult life. Inspection report for children’s home: SC390576 4

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improvement to be good

Children told the inspector that they feel safe living in the home. The children can identify staff who they can confide in and who take their concerns seriously.

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improvement to be good

Staff work hard to protect children from harm. The safeguarding measures that are in place are generally effective. However, on two separate occasions, a child who had self-harmed was able to leave the home, despite staff being concerned about their emotional well-being. The lack of professional curiosity from the staff placed the child in an unsafe situation. On both occasions, further incidents of self-harm occurred, and the child was admitted to hospital, where medical treatment was required.

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improvement to be good

Staff manage the children’s behaviour effectively. They implement the home’s model of care alongside the children’s behaviour management plans. This means that staff can calm the children when they are anxious or upset. Since the last inspection, there has been one occasion where a physical intervention was required. However, on this occasion, a member of staff restrained a child against the home’s approved approach to physical intervention. Management oversight of the incident was poor, and the child was not provided with the opportunity to explore the incident. This does not promote safe practice or ensure that interventions are appropriate and in line with the child’s own behaviour support plan.

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improvement to be good

Overall, the number of missing-from-home incidents has reduced since the last inspection. When such incidents have occurred, staff have worked effectively with other professionals, such as the police, to ensure that the children return home safely. However, the registered manager did not notify Ofsted when there were significant concerns relating to one child’s frequent incidents of going missing from the home.

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improvement to be good

Staff complete key-work sessions and have important conversations with children to help improve their awareness of risk in relation to internet safety, healthy relationships and recognising unsafe situations. This means that children are supported to keep themselves safe.

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improvement to be good

The manager deals with allegations appropriately. They work closely with safeguarding agencies to understand any concerns and risks. The registered manager and staff take appropriate action to protect children from harm.

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improvement to be good

The manager has good recruitment practices in place. This ensures that new staff are safely recruited.

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good

The home is led by an experienced manager. She is child-centred and a reflective leader. She has high aspirations for children and has created a warm and nurturing environment. Inspection report for children’s home: SC390576 5 Managers did not sufficiently analyse staff practice following two recent serious incidents. This was a missed opportunity to identify and address shortfalls in staff practice that have had a negative impact on the experiences of children.

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good

The manager is developing systems for monitoring and management oversight. However, issues are not always identified through the manager’s checks, which prevents her from understanding the home’s strengths and areas for development.

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good

The staff feel well supported by the manager, and they have regular supervision sessions. In addition, staff benefit from regular team meetings. These are used as an opportunity to share learning and improve practice.

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good

The staff have completed a varied training programme that is designed to support staff to meet the individual needs of the children. Most staff hold a level 3 qualification, and those who do not are working towards it. This equips staff with the level of knowledge and skills they need for the role.

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good

The manager has developed strong relationships with external professionals. The children’s social workers said that communication is particularly good. The manager ensures that social workers and parents are regularly updated on any concerns or achievements. One social worker informed the inspector that the registered manager provides regular updates, and communication from the home is good. Inspection report for children’s home: SC390576 6

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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

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(vi))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to staff understanding and implementing children’s risk assessments, staff’s monitoring and supervision of children and their role in keeping children safe. 7 April 2023

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Requirement Due date

The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that—

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to— 7 April 2023 Inspection report for children’s home: SC390576 7 ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child;

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Requirement Due date

understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home;

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Requirement Due date

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(b) (2)(e)(f)(h))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the manager ensuring that they have monitoring and reviewing systems in place that identify shortfalls effectively.

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Requirement Due date

Restraint in relation to a child is only permitted for the purpose of preventing—

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Requirement Due date

injury to any person (including the child);

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Requirement Due date

serious damage to the property of any person (including the child); or

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Requirement Due date

a child who is accommodated in a secure children’s home from absconding from the home.

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Requirement Due date

Restraint in relation to a child must be necessary and proportionate. (Regulation 20 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)) 7 April 2023

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if—

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Requirement Due date

there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40 (4)(e)) 7 April 2023

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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: SC390576 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: The Partnership of Care Today

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 2nd Floor, Lansdowne House, 85 Buxton Road, Stockport, Cheshire SK2 6LR

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Inspector

Lydia Isaac, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC390576 9 regulates and 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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