Children's Home run by Footsteps to Futures Limited in Leicestershire

Inspection report for children's home: 2656902 1 Registered provider: Footsteps to Futures Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is privately owned and provides care and accommodation for up to three children with emotional, social and mild learning difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The home is led by a manager who has applied to be registered with Ofsted.

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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

Date of last inspection: 15 February 2022

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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: 2656902 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

15/02/2022 Full Good Inspection report for children's home: 2656902 3

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improvement to be good

The relationships between staff and children are generally good. However, not all children have had positive experiences. There have been several incidents which have had a negative impact on the trust between children and staff.

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improvement to be good

Children have not attended school on a regular basis or been provided with additional support in the home to improve their educational outcomes. Staff have not consistently communicated with education providers to share essential information about the children. For example, staff have not informed education providers when children’s placements are ending or when incidents have occurred. As a result, children have not always received the additional support required from external professional agencies to support their learning and emotional well-being.

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improvement to be good

Staff do not always support children when they have concerns or complaints. Children’s concerns are recorded but staff do not fully understand or respond to these concerns. For example, the manager spoke to one child about a complaint, but her later action to remove an electronic device from the child was unclear. Another child received a written response to their complaint. However, the response did not fully consider the child’s level of understanding to enable them to read and understand the response. As a result, children are not always listened to.

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improvement to be good

Children’s health needs are met and they are generally healthy. However, staff do not always follow up on changes in children’s presentations. At times, staff make assumptions about the reasons for changes in behaviour or presentation. They do not have discussions with the relevant placing local authority to act on any changes to the child.

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improvement to be good

Staff support children to access activities which are individual to them. One child was supported to go fishing. This supports children to build their confidence and to experience a range of activities. It also strengthens the relationships and bonds between the children and staff.

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improvement to be good

Staff do not always understand children’s risks. Children’s risks in the community and the home have not always been fully considered. For example, children from another home have had unauthorised access to this home. In one child’s risk assessment, it was recommended that staff prioritise their safety over that of a child.

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improvement to be good

Leaders and managers have not fully understood children’s needs, which has resulted in decisions being made to end children’s placements. Leaders and Inspection report for children's home: 2656902 4 managers have not always worked closely with placing local authorities to ensure that children have positive endings to their time at the home.

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improvement to be good

The manager was unclear as to the arrangements for keeping children safe when accessing the internet. Staff did support a child to understand the risks when using the internet, however, the language used was not at the right level for the child to understand. As a result, the child was able to communicate with unknown people.

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improvement to be good

The manager has not ensured that the reasons for searches of children’s rooms are documented, and management oversight in this area requires some improvement. On one occasion, following a room search, the manager asked staff to inform the child after it had taken place. A decision was made to tell the child in the community, to reduce the risk of an adverse reaction in the home. This resulted in a significant incident. Consequently, the placing local authority was asked to find an alternative placement for the child. Leaders did not challenge the manager’s practice. There has been no debrief and as a result the manager has not received any support to learn from this incident.

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improvement to be good

When children make threats to harm themselves, information is not collated effectively. For example, one child was given a debrief, however, the incident was not recorded. The manager attended specific training to reduce this risk, however, training or guidance was not then relayed to staff. This hampers staff in providing the right help and support to prevent children harming themselves.

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improvement to be good

Staff undertake safeguarding training. Additionally, the manager sources additional training centred around children’s individual needs. Safeguarding children is discussed in team meetings. This provides the opportunity for staff to have a shared understanding of their roles and responsibilities. However, this is not yet fully embedded in team practice.

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good

There have been significant changes in staffing since the last inspection. Children have found it hard to cope with these changes, which have made it difficult to build relationships. The leaders have had difficulty recruiting suitable staff and recruitment remains ongoing.

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good

The staff have faced some difficult situations and have had to manage some behaviours that have challenged them. This has led to some staff struggling with their morale and some have left their jobs at the home. Internal communication within the team is not always effective. Some staff report that they would benefit from greater levels of support. These feelings and views can limit staff in fulfilling their roles and responsibilities effectively.

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good

There are weaknesses in management monitoring and oversight of risks, which has led to several shortfalls. Verbal information does not always match written information. The manager was aware that staff were using their personal mobile Inspection report for children's home: 2656902 5 phones to communicate with each other but had not assured herself that staff did not share confidential information relating to children.

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good

Staff do have regular professional supervision meetings with their manager. These supervisions are carried out in accordance with the organisations policy and procedures. This means staff receive oversight and can discuss, with the manager any concerns they may have.

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good

Children’s family members are very positive about the care their children receive. One said, ‘The care is good.’ They referred to one staff member as ‘amazing’. This is testament to some good care practice, which is a positive indicator for ongoing improvement. The leadership team acknowledged that changes are needed to improve some areas of practice, but they remain positive for the future and the development of the home. Inspection report for children's home: 2656902 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 education standard is that children make measurable progress towards achieving their educational potential and are helped to do so.

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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

help each child to achieve the child’s education and training targets, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

support each child’s learning and development, including helping the child to develop independent study skills and, where appropriate, helping the child to complete independent study;

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Requirement Due date

understand the barriers to learning that each child may face and take appropriate action to help the child to overcome any such barriers;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand the importance and value of education, learning, training and employment;

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Requirement Due date

promote opportunities for each child to learn informally; that each child has access to appropriate equipment, facilities and resources to support the child’s learning. (Regulation 8 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This particularly refers to the home having plans regarding children’s education and structuring days for children not in school, so they continue to learn. 5 June 2023

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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— 5 June 2023 Inspection report for children's home: 2656902 7 that the home’s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically refers to ensuring that records of incidents are clear, detailed and demonstrate management oversight, reflection and learning.

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Requirement Due date

Also, that children’s risk assessments in the community and home are prioritised and understood, and that risks relating to self-harm are understood.

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Requirement Due date

Also, to ensuring that there is management oversight that children’s personal information is retained within the home.

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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 home’s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This particularly refers to there being risk assessments in place that identify known and potential risks for each child, including in relation to children’s use of the internet and children from other homes being in the home. Also, to staff being skilled and confident in challenging and dealing with inappropriate and risky behaviour. 5 June 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

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and promotes their welfare.

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Requirement Due date

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

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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)(a)(b) (2)(h)) 5 June 2023 Inspection report for children's home: 2656902 8 This specifically refers to ensuring robust quality assurance and monitoring systems are in place and used regularly and that monitoring is recorded.

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Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children—

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Requirement Due date

receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home; and have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This particularly refers to children’s placements being ended by the home and giving notice to the placing local authority, and ensuring there are robust processes for admitting children to the home. 5 June 2023

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Recommendations

 The registered person should monitor and review the patterns and trends of turnover of staff, whether agency or directly employed, and be able to understand and, where possible, address any negative trends. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 44, paragraph 10.19)  The registered person should encourage children to share any concerns about their care or other matters as soon as they arise. Children must be able to take up issues or make a complaint with support and without fear that this will result in any adverse consequences. Regulation 39 sets out the requirements on the registered person to have a complaints procedure. Children must be aware of this procedure and be reminded of it as necessary. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 22, paragraph 4.13)  The registered person should support staff to be ambitious for every child in the

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Recommendations

home and to gain skills and experience that enable them to actively support each child to achieve their potential. To ensure staff can understand and can meet each child’s needs, in line with their responsibilities, the registered person themselves will need to have a high level of understanding of the needs of the children in their care. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 52, paragraph 10.5)  The registered person should ensure that, in line with their individual health plans and the ethos of the home, children are offered advice, support and guidance on health and well-being. Staff should have the relevant skills and knowledge to be able to help children understand, and, where necessary, work to change negative behaviours in key areas of health and well-being. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 35, paragraph 7.18)

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Information about this inspection

Inspection report for children's home: 2656902 9 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: 2656902 10

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Footsteps to Futures Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Chesterfield House, 1 Station Street, Bingham, Nottingham NG13 8AQ

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Inspector

Corline Parker, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: 2656902 11 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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