Children's Home run by Worcestershire Children First in Worcestershire

Inspection report for children’s home: 2549726 1 Registered provider: Worcestershire Children First Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home provides short breaks for children with learning disabilities and can care for up to four children on any one night.

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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: 2549726 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

31/08/2022 Full Good 15/03/2022 Full Good 23/11/2021 Full Inadequate Inspection report for children’s home: 2549726 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Since the last inspection, two children have been welcomed into the home through thoroughly planned transitions. Five children have moved on from the home in a planned manner and now attend provisions better suited for their needs. Staff plan and manage transitions well. They create thoughtful memory books for children to take with them when they leave.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children receive well-planned care from staff who know them well. Staff are enthusiastic about the care children receive and ensure that children enjoy their time in the home. Staff ensure that the children’s care plans capture important information and include information about how staff should engage with the children. These plans are reviewed and updated on a regular basis to ensure that the children receive individualised care based on their needs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children make progress through attending the home for short breaks. For some children, this is being able to come into the home and settle. For others, this means developing their peer relationships, being able to eat at the dining table and allowing staff to offer personal care. The children’s progress is varied due to their individual need. However, progress is being made for every child, and this is carefully monitored and reviewed through the children’s aims and targets.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support children to try new things and have different experiences based on their individual needs and interests. The children make choices and plan their stays with the staff. This means that children have positive experiences during their stays. This was captured through observation and through feedback from the children and parents as part of this inspection.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The staff help children to communicate. Extensive work has been completed to better understand the different communication needs of each child accessing the home. For non-verbal children, individual communication profiles are in place, and the staff have access to communication folders that contain different tools to be used for each child. Furthermore, notice boards are used creatively as communication systems for the children and the staff to engage effectively.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is warm and welcoming. There is a sensory and soft playroom and large gardens, where children can enjoy games and trampolining. The children have the same bedroom during their stay, and staff prepare the room with the children’s chosen bedding. Staff encourage children to bring personal items, such as toys, when they stay. This helps children personalise their rooms.

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

Children are safe. This is because staff know the children well and their individual behaviour management plans that include any associated risk. The staff keep plans Inspection report for children’s home: 2549726 4 under regular review and update them to reflect new or changing behaviour. Furthermore, children are supported to understand risk and develop skills to keep themselves safe. This work is adapted to reflect the developmental and learning needs of each child.

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

The registered manager responds to risk. A good example of this has been seen with the challenge of the transport company and escorts used to facilitate transportation. Following an incident that occurred because of the lack of knowledge one escort had of a child, the registered manager held a meeting with the company and is in the process of finalising ‘transport profiles’ for all the children using the service. This will mean that children will be better known and any further risk reduced.

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

There has been no physical intervention used since the last inspection and no missing-from-home episodes. The children rarely have incidents, and any issues that arise are responded to quickly and effectively by the staff who follow policy and procedure.

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

Safer recruitment is being followed. Since the last inspection, three new staff have started, and all appropriate checks have been completed. This means that the children are cared for by safe individuals.

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

The sensory garden is not safe for use. Although this garden is not currently being used due to ongoing work, this is a fire escape route. Immediate action is required to ensure that the garden is safe to access and ready for use this summer.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager is suitably skilled, experienced and qualified. He is highly ambitious and leads by example to ensure that children receive good-quality care that is full of opportunity and progress.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Several staff have left since the last inspection. However, these changes have allowed the staff team to develop a healthier culture. New staff receive a comprehensive induction, which covers mandatory and specialist training. The registered manager is focused on building and growing a strong staff team that shares the same passionate vision for the home and the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive regular supervision that supports their practice and development. The registered manager ensures that supervision is dynamic and covers areas of policy and procedure. He expects staff to take accountability for their preparation and contribution when competing group supervision. Team meetings are informative and child-focused. This means that staff work consistently.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager maintains positive relationships with families and professionals. This is achieved by good communication and collaborative working. When issues arise, the registered manager is quick to challenge and advocate on Inspection report for children’s home: 2549726 5 behalf of the children. The registered manager has also shown his ability to complete restorative work when relationships break down.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager has comprehensive monitoring systems in place. He has been creative in developing additional ways to track progress for the home and for the children. This means that he has good oversight of the home and the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager must ensure that all documents on file are up to date and have been read and signed by all staff. At times, it is not clear if this is being done, so staff could miss important information. Inspection report for children’s home: 2549726 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 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 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))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the manager ensuring that the sensory garden is safe for children to access. 16 June 2023

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that all children’s case records (regulation 36) must be kept up to date and stored securely while they remain in the home. Case records must be kept up to date and signed and dated by the author of each entry. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.3)

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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: 2549726 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Worcestershire Children First

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: County Hall, Spetchley Road, Worcester WR5 2NP

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Inspector

Stacie Sharpe, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2549726 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. 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

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Inspector

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 .

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Inspector

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Inspector

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

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