Children's home run by Care Perspectives Ltd

Inspection report for children’s home: 2699473 1 Registered provider: Care Perspectives Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home registered with Ofsted in January 2023. It provides care for up to three children who have learning disabilities and who have been affected by adverse childhood experiences that have led to associated trauma and complex behaviours. The home is privately owned and forms part of a small social care organisation which offers therapeutic support.

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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

Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: not applicable Inspection report for children’s home: 2699473 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

Not previously inspected Inspection report for children’s home: 2699473 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Since the home registered, one child has moved into the home and the same child has left the home. There were no children living in the home at the time of the inspection. However, the inspector has reviewed the child’s progress and experiences as part of this inspection.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The staff team is experienced, consistent and nurturing. This helps children to develop positive relationships with the staff. In addition, staff understand the children’s specific needs and they provide individualised care. By developing positive relationships and understanding children’s specific needs, staff can provide consistent and predictable care to children. One professional summarised the care provided by staff by saying, ‘I have very much seen a difference since [name of child] lived at [name of home]. Staff were phenomenal and very supportive.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff meet children’s health needs very well. They ensure that children attend and engage with routine and specialist health services. Furthermore, staff work in partnership with the home’s clinical lead to carry out focused and meaningful work with children. This approach helps children to learn about sensitive areas specific to them in a safe and well-planned environment.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support children to make progress with their learning and engage with their education. On arrival to the home, one child was reluctant to take part in lessons with their personal tutor. However, staff worked with the tutor to put in place boundaries and expectations for the child. This approach resulted in the child engaging with their learning and their timetable increased. As a result, the child’s progress and engagement improved during their time in the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The registered manager and staff support children to keep in touch with people who are important to them. They work with parents and children to ensure that family time takes place regularly and safely. As a result, children maintain safe relationships with important people in their lives.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Overall, the child’s transitions into and from the home were well managed. Prior to moving in, the child visited the home twice and staff took the time to get to know the child. This reassurance helped the child to settle into the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

However, while the registered manager carried out an assessment of the child’s needs prior to them moving in, her care planning assessment procedures lack some significant detail and require improvement. For example, the registered manager did not record the conversations she had held with professionals prior to the child moving into the home. This does not help to evidence the registered manager’s assessment and decision-making. While some significant information on the child’s background was not fully shared by the local authority prior to the child moving into the home, the registered manager was provided with some information regarding Inspection report for children’s home: 2699473 4 the child’s risks and behaviours. These were the same behaviours that led to the registered manager ending the child’s time at the home. The gaps in recording and ineffective partnership working to understand the child’s risk meant that the child

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

moved on from the home to live in an unregistered home after 11 weeks. The organisation has plans to carry out a learning review into this process with the placing authority.

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

Children feel safe in the home. Staff ensure that there are clear boundaries and expectations for children, which helps to keep them safe. Staff also know the children well and understand their complex needs. Children’s risk assessments are regularly reviewed and updated following incidents. Furthermore, staff discuss strategies to keep children safe with external professionals and the home’s clinical team. These actions demonstrate to children that staff care about their welfare and safety.

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

Since the home registered, there have been no incidents when children have gone missing from the home. However, children’s plans are regularly updated, and missing-from-home protocols have been reviewed. This approach helps to support and promote children’s welfare.

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

Staff use physical restraint as a last resort to keep children safe. They ensure that incidents are well recorded and provide a clear overview of the incident. The registered manager reviews incidents and ensures that children and staff are routinely spoken to. The effective oversight and evaluation help staff to support children through difficult times.

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

Staff take immediate action when children share sensitive information relating to their experiences. Also, the registered manager works well with the relevant professionals and investigations are carried out efficiently. These actions help to reassure children and protect their welfare. However, the registered manager does not always ensure that internal safeguarding information is recorded effectively. Poor recording has the potential to compromise the quality of care that children receive.

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

Overall, safer recruitment systems for vetting new staff are effective. The registered manager ensures that all routine checks are carried out prior to staff working in the home. However, for one staff member, the registered manager failed to carry out checks on the individual’s previous role as a volunteer working with children. Consequently, on one occasion, the manager could not be fully assured about the suitability of people they employ.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager is suitably experienced, passionate, and advocates exceptionally well for children. She is ably supported by an organised and ambitious deputy manager. Both leaders are well thought of and respected. External professionals told the inspector, ‘The registered manager is very responsive and a Inspection report for children’s home: 2699473 5 fantastic manager.’ In addition, one professional said that the staff provide ‘excellent care’ and said that they highly recommend this provision and the service provided.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff feel supported by the registered manager. They receive regular supervision sessions and appraisals to support and improve their practice. Children’s plans are reviewed as part of supervision sessions and staff are given opportunities to share their views and opinions. As a result, staff feel valued, and they strive to improve the care that children receive.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff are suitably qualified, trained and equipped with the skills to meet the needs of the children. For example, staff have received training relating to specific sexualised behaviour. In addition, physical restraint training has been reviewed to enable staff to meet children’s individual needs. This means that staff have the skills and experience to support children effectively.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Management oversight and monitoring processes are good. As a result, the registered manager knows the home’s strengths and weaknesses. Furthermore, she takes action to address any shortfalls and identifies areas for improvement. The statement of purpose accurately reflects the service and is clear about the support offered to children. Also, external monitoring via the home’s independent visitor provides effective oversight and identifies areas for improvement. As a result, management monitoring systems develop and improve the home. Inspection report for children’s home: 2699473 6

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that all staff in a care role, including external agency or bank staff, have attained the qualification in regulation 32(4) within the relevant time frame listed in regulation 32(5). The registered person may extend the period if the member of staff has not worked in the role for a prolonged period, such as sick leave or maternity leave, or if it is not reasonable to expect the member of staff to attain the qualification in this time frame due to the nature of the hours they work. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 53, paragraph 10.12)  The registered person should only move children into the home where they are satisfied that they have carried out a full and comprehensive assessment of the child’s needs and that they feel the home can respond effectively to the child’s assessed needs as recorded in the child’s relevant plans. The registered person

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Recommendations

should then ensure that they have fully considered the impact that the placement will have on all children. The home’s statement of purpose is an important document in the process of care planning as it sets out the needs of children the home is set up and equipped to provide care for. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 56, paragraph 11.4)  The registered person should ensure that staff are familiar with the home’s policies on record-keeping and understand the importance of careful, objective and clear recording. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4)

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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: 2699473 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Care Perspectives Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Care Perspectives Limited, 36 Frederick Street, Loughborough LE11 3BJ

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Rodrigo Ferreira

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Inspector

Dean Wilton, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2699473 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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