Children's Home run by Shropshire Council in Shropshire

Inspection report for children’s home: SC382730 1 SC382730 Registered provider: Shropshire Council Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home offers short breaks for up to five children with social and emotional difficulties and/or learning disabilities. It is owned and operated by a local authority.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager is currently absent from their role. Interim management arrangements are in place.

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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: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC382730 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

22/08/2022 Full Good 02/03/2022 Interim Improved effectiveness 28/04/2021 Full Requires improvement to be good 04/02/2020 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: SC382730 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

At the time of the inspection, three children were enjoying a short break at the home. Since the previous inspection, 24 children have received a planned short break, and nine children have received care following a crisis situation. A new process has been introduced by leaders and mangers for children requiring immediate short breaks. This has seen a significant reduction in children staying beyond the maximum 17 days that short-break stays allow. There have been two occasions when children have remained over the regulatory timescale. However, these delays have been child-led decisions to ensure children experience a positive move.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is a welcoming place for children to spend their short break. Communal rooms are homely and well decorated and provide adequate space for children to feel comfortable. Children’s bedrooms are well furnished and allow them a private space to relax. Children are encouraged to bring items from home to personalise their bedrooms during their stay. The garden is well maintained and has a trampoline, climbing frame and football goals. Additional work has recently been completed that provides a comfortable seating area.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children participate in a welcome meeting each time they visit for a short break. Staff encourage children to choose activities and include their preferences in the child’s plan. Staff also allow flexibility for children to change their mind. Children have enjoyed the cinema, bowling and walks in the local area. They also enjoy spending time together in the home playing games and using the trampoline.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s targets are clearly identified within their short-break plan. Staff encourage children to be involved in setting their own targets on their first stay to ensure they remain invested in their progress. Children’s targets are now reviewed each month, usually by the key worker, and children are now actively involved in the review process.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff work incredibly hard to ensure parents are involved in their child’s care. Parents are spoken to before a child’s visit, updated with their child’s experiences and progress during their stay and given the opportunity to provide feedback after the child’s stay has ended. Parents are very positive about the help and support they receive from staff. One parent told the inspector: ‘I think they are brilliant’.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children and staff continue to eat their meals together at the dining table. Children are provided with healthy meals that are prepared and cooked from fresh. This provides opportunities for staff and children to discuss their day and share their experiences.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children provide feedback after each visit. Feedback is received and responded to by staff and managers. Staff consider children’s feedback and make amendments to the Inspection report for children’s home: SC382730 4 service when it is possible and appropriate. This approach ensures that children’s visits are tailored to their needs and allows children to feel listened to and valued.

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

Staff have a good understanding of children’s risks. Children have detailed risk assessments that provide clear guidance for staff. Staff regularly review the risk assessments to identify and record any changes. Children are now involved in the review of their own risk assessments in a format they understand. This allows children to provide their own views around how staff can keep them safe.

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

Staff use their strong relationships with children to implement clear rules and boundaries. Careful consideration around group dynamics is taken into consideration by leaders and managers when planning children’s short breaks. This attention to detail ensures that the home remains a settled and calm environment for children. This means that incidents rarely occur, and children feel safe.

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

Children do not go missing from the home. Staff understand the protocols and have received training to ensure they know how to respond if a child does go missing from home. Protocols are also evidenced in children’s individual risk assessments.

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

When restraints have been used, they have been proportionate and well managed by staff. Staff use various de-escalation techniques and communicate with children in a nurturing and reassuring manner to reduce risks where possible. Staff ensure that children are spoken to following restraint and that relationships between the child and staff are repaired.

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

Children have robust medication routines in place. Managers have good systems in place that are clearly understood by staff. This ensures medication is stored and administered safely, and errors do not occur.

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

Staff are not safely vetted before working in the home. The manager has not ensured staff are consistently recruited in line with schedule 2.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home has recently experienced changes to the management structure. The registered manager is currently absent from the home. A new temporary management structure is overseeing the home in the interim until the registered manager returns to work. The temporary management team is supported by an established, experienced and well-qualified team. The change in management has not impacted on children’s experiences during their short-break visits.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff enjoy working in the home. Most staff have worked in the home for a significant period. This experience has been invaluable in ensuring minimal impact on children’s experiences during the change in management. Staff are now adjusting to the changes and say they are happy with the support they receive from leaders and managers. Inspection report for children’s home: SC382730 5 Leaders and managers understand the home’s strengths and areas for development. They ensure that staff receive regular, good-quality supervision and annual appraisals, which are being used to improve practice and embed the new ethos and model of care. A clear development plan is regularly reviewed by managers. This allows a smooth process of change and shows leaders’ and managers’ commitment to continuous improvements within the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive good-quality training. Leaders and managers ensure that staff refresh all mandatory training and complete additional training that is specific to the children who visit the home. In addition, leaders and managers have assigned staff members ‘champions’ roles. These encourage learning in a specific subject area. Learning is then passed on to the rest of the staff through development workshops in team meetings.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Social workers are positive about the care and support children receive during their short breaks. One social worker told the inspector: ‘They strive to work with all parties to ensure the best outcomes for children’. This effective joint working ensures that children receive consistent care during their short break and can also remain living with their families in the family home. Inspection report for children’s home: SC382730 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 registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety.

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Requirement Due date

employ an individual to work at the children’s home; or

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Requirement Due date

if an individual is employed by a person other than the registered person to work at the home in a position in which the individual may have regular contact with children, allow that individual to work at the home.

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Requirement Due date

If the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3).

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Requirement Due date

the individual is of integrity and good character;

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Requirement Due date

the individual has the appropriate experience, qualification and skills for the work that the individual is to perform;

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Requirement Due date

the individual is mentally and physically fit for the purposes of the work that the individual is to perform; and

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Requirement Due date

full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2. (Regulation 32 (1) (2)(a)(b) (3)(a)(b)(c)(d)) 29 June 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: SC382730 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Shirehall, Abbey Foregate, Shrewsbury, Shropshire SY2 6ND

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Inspector

Carl Wilton, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC382730 8 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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