Children's home run by Willcob Care Ltd

Inspection report for children's home: 2651802 1 Registered provider: Willcob Care Ltd Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

A private provider operates this short-break service. The home provides residential short breaks for up to seven children at any time. The service is for children with emotional and social difficulties and/or learning disabilities, including autism spectrum disorder.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The home and manager registered with Ofsted in December 2021. The manager is suitably qualified.

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

p.1

good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

p.1

good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

p.1

good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

p.1

good

Date of last inspection: 18 October 2022

p.1

good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

p.1

good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children's home: 2651802 2

p.1

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

18/10/2022 Full Good Inspection report for children's home: 2651802 3

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

At the time of this inspection, eleven children were receiving short breaks at the home on a rotating basis. Some of the children have medical conditions that require daily medication. Leaders and staff are knowledgeable about the individual needs of the children. Parents are confident that their children are well cared for and that their health needs are met well.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children make good progress from their starting points. One child has developed their independence skills at the home and is completing tasks that they were not previously doing in their family home.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children make remarkable social, emotional and physical progress. Case records demonstrate the progress that children make. Children have individual targets and objectives. Staff help children to reach their targets and objectives. Feedback from key professionals and parents is positive. They praise staff for their child-centred relationships and the stability and care they provide to children.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s health needs are known and met well. The communication with the children’s professional networks is strong, which results in child-focused care planning.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children enjoy cooking with staff, and have access to a wide range of leisure resources in the home, such as the well-equipped sensory room, a trampoline and swing. Children also enjoy a range of activities in the community, for example going to local parks and trips to the seaside.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

New admissions to the home are well managed. They are mainly planned, and on the rare occasions that children enter the home in an emergency, these are also well managed. Children’s visits to the setting and staff visits to their school allow children and staff to get to know each other and sensitively prepare children for their first stay at the home. As a result, when children come for a weekend or holiday break, they are already familiar with the staff, other children and the home. A social worker said: ‘The manager was skilful at asking the right questions and enabling a smooth transition which was person-centred and genuinely caring.’

p.3

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

The registered manager and staff ensure that children are protected from harm. Children receive a minimum of one-to-one support, which significantly minimises the risk of harm.

p.3

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

Children’s risks are well identified before they have a short break at the home. Staff work collaboratively with professionals and parents to understand the children’s needs and keep them safe. Risk assessments provide strategies to help staff to de- Inspection report for children's home: 2651802 4 escalate and reduce risks for children. Staff’s knowledge and effective partnership working increase children’s safety.

p.3

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

There have been no physical interventions or consequences since the last inspection. Staff have completed de-escalation and physical intervention training to support them in managing difficult behaviour and keeping children calm and safe. Staff use incentives and rewards to promote positive behaviour and support children to manage difficult feelings safely. As a result, most of the children have made significant improvements in their emotional well-being and are more settled.

p.4

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

Staff work closely with parents, school and professionals to identify the best way to support children and promote their safety and well-being. Parents and professionals report that children are making good progress, and are safe and happy at the home.

p.4

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

Staff have undertaken safeguarding training and demonstrate a good understanding of whistle-blowing policies and procedures. Allegations or suspicions of harm are dealt with immediately and shared with the relevant agencies.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager was on annual leave at the time of this inspection. The leaders and manager have satisfactorily responded to the requirements raised at the last inspection. For example, staff supervision is held regularly, and record-keeping is clear and child-focused. However, the recommendation raised at the last inspection to address the physical environment has not yet been met.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The leaders and manager promote staff development and internal progression. Since the last inspection, a deputy manager has been appointed and has submitted an application to Ofsted for the registered manager position. The registered manager will be leaving their employment when the new deputy manager is appointed as the registered manager.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The leaders and manager have an ambitious vision for the service and high aspirations for all the children. The registered person is creative in improving the service and experiences for the children, for example introducing the concept of Champions of Care. There is strong evidence that the home strives to provide high standards of individualised care.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered person and deputy manager know the children well. Children’s files are kept up to date with all the relevant documents and assessments to help staff understand their needs and how to care for children.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff spoken to say that they feel well supported. Staff morale is high. They say that they feel ‘motivated to work’ and ‘listened to’. Supervision is regular and induction records clearly demonstrate the progress and completion of staff induction. Staff are provided with a range of opportunities to learn, develop and improve their care and safeguarding practice, such as team meetings, supervision and reflective practice sessions. Inspection report for children's home: 2651802 5 The appropriateness and suitability of the location of the premises have been assessed. Overall, the location continues to support the needs of the children. However, the leaders and manager have not considered the views of appropriate local bodies or services. This highlights some weakness in the manager’s oversight to ensure that the location of the service is suitable for all the children. Inspection report for children's home: 2651802 6

p.4

Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that repairs to all areas of the home’s interior continue to be addressed promptly, including the children’s bedrooms and the home’s fittings. This will help ensure that the home offers a nurturing and welcoming environment. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9)

p.6

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: 2651802 7

p.6

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Cavendish House, Plumpton Road, Hoddesdon EN11 0LB

p.7

Inspector

Melvin Davies, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: 2651802 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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

p.7

Inspector

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 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 .

p.8

Inspector

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.8

Inspector

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

p.8