Children's home run by Flourish (Gloucestershire) Limited

Inspection report for children's home: 2709631 1 Registered provider: Flourish (Gloucestershire) Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is registered to provide care for up to four children who have learning disabilities. The home is privately owned and managed.

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Information about this children’s home

This is the home’s first inspection since it was registered in January 2023. The registered manager holds a level 5 qualification in leadership and management.

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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: not previously inspected

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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: 2709631 2

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Recent inspection history

Not previously inspected Inspection report for children's home: 2709631 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Two children live in this home. One child has only been at the home for two weeks, and the other child has lived there for four months.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Both children are happy living in this home and are making steady progress. For example, both children’s communication skills are improving. One child has progressed and is now able to drink independently from a cup. This has supported the child’s independence skills. Both children are attending school. For one child, this is significant progress.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

A social worker told the inspector that her child is benefiting from the clear structure and routine that staff put in place. The inspector observed warm and positive care given to the children. In turn, they are happy and beginning to flourish.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s moves into the home are well planned. One child was able to visit, stay for meals and sleep over before they moved in. The child that already lived in the home was prepared for the new child’s arrival with the use of illustrated stories that describe social situations. This has helped them to build up a positive relationship. However, the manager has not demonstrated in his planning how he feels the children will be suitable to live together.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is beautifully decorated and furnished. Children enjoy using the soft-play room, arts and craft room and the garden, which has a trampoline and mud kitchen. Children are also enjoying the fresh food that is being grown in the raised flower beds.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children enjoy a range of activities and social events. For example, they enjoy painting, using their scooters and making volcanoes. The children are very much part of the local community. Children and staff are invited to local events, such as street parties, and children have formed new friendships while visiting the park.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Overall, most staff understand the children’s needs well. However, not all the children’s care needs are recorded in their care plans. For example, the positive work around enabling a child to eat the same meals they were used to at home is not clear. One child’s health has improved since moving into the home. However, there is no clear plan to ensure that this is monitored and reviewed.

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

A social worker told the inspector that she feels that her child’s risk management plan reflected the child’s needs well and is written in a child-focused manner. Staff put in place clear boundaries. As a result, incidents have already started to reduce, and children are learning to manage their emotions more positively. Inspection report for children's home: 2709631 4 The need for children to be held to keep them safe is rare. These incidents are well recorded and receive a good level of oversight. However, there have been a few occasions when some incidents have been recorded but not brought to the manager’s attention, as they had been recorded incorrectly on the home’s electronic system. This has meant that there has been a missed opportunity for the manager’s full oversight.

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

Children do not go missing from this home. There have been no safeguarding allegations, and there are no concerns about exploitation or radicalisation. Staff are aware of how to keep children safe and the actions they must take. Staff have been able to share practice concerns, and appropriate actions have been taken. Staff are skilled at recognising and rewarding positive behaviours. When children require support, staff speak to children or use illustrated stories to help them understand what is expected from them.

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

Staff receive a wide range of training to help them care for the children. This is further supported by a clinical phycologist, who helps staff understand children’s behaviours and how to support them.

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

The registered manager ensures that staff who are recruited to work in the home are subject to all the necessary checks.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager and staff are child-focused and aspirational about what they want to achieve. They have a development plan that is helping to drive forward the service.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

This is a new staff team, which is working together well. Staff told the inspector that they feel well supported by each other and the management team. Many staff commented on the ‘family feel’ of the home and this being the ‘best home’ they have worked in. Staff spoke highly of their induction into the home and how this helped to prepare them for this role.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff benefit from regular team meetings, where children and staff practice are the focus of discussions. However, staff have not consistently benefited from regular supervision, in line with the home’s policies. This is a missed opportunity to help, support and further develop the new staff team.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff ensure that children are given choices and that their views are acted on. Children have access to advocates should they need them. However, one child’s individualised book on how to raise a complaint was kept in the staff office. The manager took quick action to make sure that this is now accessible to the child.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

All professionals commented about the good levels of communication from staff at the home. A social worker told the inspector that she is kept up to date and that staff are easily contactable. Inspection report for children's home: 2709631 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, The 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 care planning standard is that children—

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Requirement Due date

receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home. (Regulation 14 (1)(a))

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Requirement Due date

This relates to ensuring that when there is a concern about a child’s fluid intake, there is a procedure in place to monitor and review this. It also relates to making sure the manager has demonstrated how he feels the children will be suitable to live together and that care plans reflect children’s cultural needs. 28 July 2023

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees—

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Requirement Due date

receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience. (Regulation 33 (4)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This relates to ensuring that staff have regular supervision in line with the company’s policy. 28 July 2023

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that staff encourage children to share any concerns about their care or other matters as soon as they arise. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 23, paragraph 4.13)  The registered person should ensure that staff are familiar with the home’s policies on record-keeping. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4) Inspection report for children's home: 2709631 6

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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: 2709631 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Flourish (Gloucestershire) Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 27 Westend Office Suites, Westend, Stonehouse GL10 3FA

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Samantha Summers

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Inspector

Louise Battersby, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: 2709631 8 regulates and 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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