Children's Home run by Castle Homes Care Limited in Cheshire West and Chester

Inspection report for children’s home: SC032083 1 SC032083 Registered provider: Castle Homes Care 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 run and provides care for up to three children with social and emotional difficulties. The manager registered with Ofsted in August 2020. At the time of the inspection, one child was living at the home.

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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

Date of last inspection: 13 September 2022

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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: SC032083 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

13/09/2022 Full Good 22/04/2021 Full Good 13/02/2020 Interim Not judged 06/11/2019 Full Inadequate Inspection report for children’s home: SC032083 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

One child is currently living at the home and is preparing to move towards independence. This move is well planned, with the child at the centre of decision- making. This ensures that the child feels listened to and valued.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child has made good progress in developing independence skills. The child has high aspirations for their future, attends college on a full-time basis and has a part- time job. The staff team supports the child well.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

One child has moved on from the home since the last inspection. This was in response to their wishes to be closer to their friends and family. The manager and staff worked well with the child and other professionals. This has maintained relationships and enabled the child’s continued care.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff ensure they meet the child’s health needs. They support the child’s emotional well-being and access to relevant health services. This assures the child that there is support available. The manager has been effective in managing delays in health provision. Health promotion has been effective. This includes the child taking responsibility for medical appointments and non-prescription medication.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support the child with family time. This is in line with care plans. This means that children enjoy positive time with their families.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff place each child at the centre of their practice. This means children are valued and listened to. The manager is a good advocate for the child currently living in the home. This means the child will leave with positive experiences of living at the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff ensure that the child enjoys activities both in and out of the home. Staff take part in activities and encourage the child to pursue their hobbies. Staff support them to enjoy holidays abroad and mini breaks throughout the year.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is an old farmhouse that feels homely. There are photos of the child displayed throughout the home. Due to the age of the building, it requires a lot of maintenance and monitoring to ensure its safety. There are other buildings close to the home. Although the provider does not use them, they are not in a good state of repair and should be monitored.

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

Staff have not used restraint since the last inspection, and safeguarding incidents are rare. Positive consequences far outweigh negative consequences. Positive Inspection report for children’s home: SC032083 4 behaviour is encouraged. Staff celebrate improved behaviour. This shows that staff know and understand the child well.

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

Multi-agency working is a strength of the home. When a child is missing from the home, staff work with professionals and families. Staff keep clear records of the actions taken. On one occasion, one child was located, but staff did not respond quickly to bring the child home.

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

Staff understand children’s individual risks. Risk management plans have a focus on helping children understand their own risks. This enables the child to reduce risk. Staff review and update plans regularly. Plans do not always contain detailed information on how staff should respond. This is not helpful to less experienced staff.

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

The manager encourages the child to take age-appropriate risks and have experiences like their peers. Higher-risk activities are well planned. However, staff support has not always been suitable, specifically in ensuring that staff have the right skills, knowledge and experience for these activities.

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

When there have been concerns or allegations against staff, the manager has taken quick safeguarding action. Concerns have been investigated in consultation with the local authority designated officer.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is suitably qualified and experienced. A deputy manager supports her.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The child is supported on a one-to-one basis. The manager is not planning to move another child into the home until newly recruited staff have joined the team. This will ensure staff consistency.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home has a staff rota. However, the rota does not always include the manager or the actual hours worked. This does not provide a clear picture of staff and managerial tasks.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The staff feel supported by the manager. They receive regular supervision, which encourages reflection and a focus on the child. However, staff appraisals do not include feedback from the child or other professionals. Appraisals should consider the views of children and staff.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has a good oversight of the progress of children and staff. The manager routinely reflects on and evaluates incidents. However, on one occasion, a child’s feedback about a member of staff was not recorded. This fails to provide clarity about the actions taken.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Team meetings take place regularly and include time for training sessions and a review of research-based practice. Staff consultation is important to the manager. This contributes to the staff feeling motivated and committed. Inspection report for children’s home: SC032083 5

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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. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i))

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Requirement Due date

This relates specifically to children’s risk management plans, including all the details that staff need to reduce risk for any child.

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Requirement Due date

This further relates to ensuring arrangements are made for bringing children home when they have been missing from care. 23 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

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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

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child;

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Requirement Due date

demonstrate that practice in the home is informed and improved by taking into account and acting on— 23 June 2023 Inspection report for children’s home: SC032083 6 feedback on the experiences of children, including complaints received. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c)(g)(ii))

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Requirement Due date

This relates specifically to the manager ensuring that activities that are high-risk for children are supported by staff who have the experience, skills and knowledge to do so safely.

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Requirement Due date

This further relates to children’s feedback on issues being appropriately recorded, so it is clear to see how practice is being informed and improved.

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Requirement Due date

Schedule 4 sets out the other information that the registered person must keep in relation to a children’s home. A copy of the staff duty roster of persons working at the home, and a record of the actual rosters worked. (Regulation 37 (1) schedule 4 (3)) 23 June 2023

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that the children’s home meets the needs of the children and is a homely, domestic environment. The children’s home must comply with relevant health and safety legislations. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9)  The registered person should ensure that all staff have their performance and fitness to carry out their role formally appraised at least once annually. This appraisal should consider, where reasonable and practical, the views of other professionals who have worked with the staff member over the year and children in the home’s care. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards,’ page 61, paragraph 13.5)

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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: SC032083 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Castle Homes Care Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: The Forge, Church Street West, Woking, Surrey GU21 6HT

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Inspector

Kerri Lynch-Mahoney, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC032083 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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