Children's home run by M.J. Children’s Services Limited

Inspection report for children’s home: SC068991 1 SC068991 Registered provider: MJ Children’s Services Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

This home is privately owned and provides care for up to four children who experience social and emotional difficulties.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in February 2023.

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

p.1

good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

p.1

good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

p.1

good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

p.1

good

Overall judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

p.1

good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC068991 2

p.1

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

17/05/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good 10/05/2021 Full Good 09/12/2019 Full Requires improvement to be good 08/08/2018 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: SC068991 3

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

At the time of this inspection, three children were living at the home. Two of the children moved into the home in the past six months. Children say that they enjoy living at the home and are mainly settled. They are establishing daily routines that suit them well. Professionals say that children are making good or better than expected progress.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children feel safe and well cared for by staff who are kind and caring. Relationships between children and staff are positive. Children see some staff as role models who they have connected with, which has helped them to build trust with adults. One child has lived at the home for nearly three years and is preparing to move on. They say that they really appreciate the emotional and practical support from staff to prepare for this. Staff recognise this child’s growth and maturity. They have helped the child to establish safe and positive relationships with their friends and family.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The manager is a strong advocate for children to access education. Professionals say that the manager has gone above and beyond expectations in creatively supporting children who are excluded from school to continue learning. Children have been supported by the manager to access advocacy to complain about restrictions on their rights to education services.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children keep busy and enjoy using clubs and facilities in their community, including off-road motorcycle riding and projects to learn about mechanics. Children lead healthy lifestyles. They have a balanced and nutritious diet and opportunities for exercise. Children have gym memberships and are part of boxing clubs.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Clear expectations are set about smoking at the home. Children are encouraged to seek support for smoking cessation. The manager has worked tenaciously to help children access mental health support services. As a result, one child is now receiving the early stages of the specialist support that they need.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children who move into the home have experienced multiple placement breakdowns. Some children have moved to the home and have then displayed some previously unseen behaviours. On a few occasions, this has resulted in significant and challenging incidents for staff to support. The manager and provider have worked creatively with other professionals. A professional said that this work has enabled a child to continue living at the home, which has brought stability for the child and the opportunity to make progress. This work has also enabled professionals to begin to assess the child’s undiagnosed support needs.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is a welcoming environment where children are settled and feel comfortable. There is space for children to be alone should they wish to be. Children’s bedrooms are personalised to their choices and needs. Work to make repairs is done sensitively and restoratively with children who want to help repair Inspection report for children’s home: SC068991 4 damage caused. However, staff had not identified in their safety checks that some immediate safety repairs were required to one child’s room. This was addressed straight away by the provider when inspectors raised it.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s views are welcomed and valued. All the children say they feel that they have a voice in the home and are listened to when speaking to staff. Children named regular planned conversations ‘coffee and chat’ to make them feel less formal. Children say that these chats are important to them to explore their feelings and experiences.

p.4

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

Children say that they feel safe and secure. Staff understand the risks that children face because of their vulnerabilities. Staff access regular safeguarding training.

p.4

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

The manager is leading the development of staff skills and training to meet the emerging needs of children at the home. This includes implementing a new model of therapeutic approach to behaviours and de-escalation to reduce serious incidents. Physical intervention techniques have not been used. Staff use restorative practice with sensitivity when children make mistakes. However, the detail and effectiveness of consequences are not always recorded comprehensively or accurately by staff. This means that the impact of consequences cannot be suitably assessed for effectiveness.

p.4

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

Incidents of children going missing from the home are rare. Staff take quick and responsive action to follow and find children, calling the police for support when required. The manager assesses the impact of children being missing from the home and takes matters seriously. The manager works closely with the youth offending team to ensure that children engage with restorative work.

p.4

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

One child has made very good progress with building independence and gaining trust to spend more time away from the home with their friends. Staff consider the risks proportionately. They set clear expectations when helping children to start taking more control of their lives as they prepare for adulthood.

p.4

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

Incidents of self-harm and risk-taking behaviour have reduced significantly for one child. This has positively affected their well-being and enhanced their opportunities for independence. Staff know children’s histories well and are observant of emerging indicators that may mean that children are at risk of self-harm.

p.4

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

Safeguarding matters are regularly discussed during team meetings to test knowledge and ensure vigilance. However, on two recent occasions, a child made references to historic safeguarding matters. These should have been shared with safeguarding professionals for their assessment, but this had not taken place. The manager acted without further delay when this was raised by inspectors. Inspection report for children’s home: SC068991 5

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is an experienced social care professional. She has worked in several roles and settings in children’s social care. Since starting in post, she has worked alongside the responsible individual to bring stability and teamwork to the home.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has built a leadership team after assessing the strengths and abilities of individuals in the team. The leadership team has constructively set clear expectations of performance to staff while building a positive team spirit. Staff feel very well supported and appreciate the open culture that the manager has embedded. Staff say that the manager is a visible presence for them and children and regularly works directly alongside them.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Professionals say that the manager has worked hard to improve children’s outcomes and experiences. The manager has established positive relationships and has been fully involved in children’s meetings and reviews. Professionals say that the manager is responsive and effective in working with them to help improve outcomes for children moving into or out of the home.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has a clear vision for the next stages of development of the home. She is working closely with the responsible individual to consider the future offer the home can make to children. This includes the evolution of the model of care and the training that staff will need to deliver this.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive suitable training to meet the children’s needs. Staff achieve vocational qualifications in required timescales. Supervision sessions are regular and well planned, although records of these do not demonstrate the reflective thinking that takes place during them.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is establishing and embedding a system to review and evaluate the quality of care to demonstrate how children make progress. However, statutory visits by an independent person have not taken place recently. This is due to the previous person leaving and delays in identifying a suitable replacement. Inspection report for children’s home: SC068991 6

p.5

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.

p.6

Requirement Due date

The positive relationships standard is that children are helped to develop, and to benefit from, relationships based on—

p.6

Requirement Due date

an understanding about acceptable behaviour; and

p.6

Requirement Due date

positive responses to other children and adults.

p.6

Requirement Due date

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

p.6

Requirement Due date

meet each child’s behavioural and emotional needs, as set out in the child’s relevant plans;

p.6

Requirement Due date

help each child to develop socially aware behaviour;

p.6

Requirement Due date

encourage each child to take responsibility for the child’s behaviour, in accordance with the child’s age and understanding;

p.6

Requirement Due date

communicate to each child expectations about the child’s behaviour and ensure that the child understands those expectations in accordance with the child’s age and understanding. (Regulation 11 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(v))

p.6

Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that staff accurately record the impact and effectiveness of consequences and that consequences are proportionate and encourage positive behaviours. 26 May 2023

p.6

Requirement Due date

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

p.6

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— 26 May 2023 Inspection report for children’s home: SC068991 7 that staff—

p.6

Requirement Due date

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

p.7

Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that any information shared by children that could indicate a historic safeguarding concern is raised with relevant safeguarding professionals without delay.

p.7

Requirement Due date

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

p.7

Requirement Due date

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

p.7

Requirement Due date

that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed, furnished and maintained so as to protect each child from avoidable hazards to the child’s health. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(d))

p.7

Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that any damage that poses a safety risk and is identified by staff during safety checks is quickly raised with the relevant people so that repairs can take place without delay. 26 May 2023

p.7

Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that an independent person visits the children’s home at least once each month.

p.7

Requirement Due date

The independent person must produce a report about a visit (“the independent person’s report”) which sets out, in particular, the independent person’s opinion as to whether—

p.7

Requirement Due date

children are effectively safeguarded; and

p.7

Requirement Due date

the conduct of the home promotes children’s well-being. (Regulation 44 (1) (4)(a)(b)) 26 May 2023

p.7

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: SC068991 8

p.7

Children’s home details

Registered provider: MJ Children’s Services Limited

p.8

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Arbutus House, 4 Loddington Lane, Belton in Rutland LE15 9LA

p.8

Inspectors

Jamie Cousins, Social Care Inspector Leah Stannard, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC068991 9 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.

p.8

Inspectors

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 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 .

p.9

Inspectors

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.9

Inspectors

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

p.9