Children's home run by T-Junction Children’s Services

Inspection report for children's home: 2642570 1 Registered provider: T-Junction Children’s Services Ltd Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home provides care for up to three children who experience social and emotional difficulties. It is one of three homes owned by the provider. There were two children living at the home at the time of the inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

An acting manager has been in post since June 2023 and has submitted their application to register with Ofsted.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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requires improvement to be good

How well children and young people are helped and protected requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The children’s home is not yet delivering good help and care for children and young people. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

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requires improvement to be good

Date of last inspection: 8 February 2023

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children's home: 2642570 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

08/02/2023 Full Good 15/02/2022 Full Good Inspection report for children's home: 2642570 3

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improvement to be good

Children enjoy spending time in the communal areas of the home, which are warm and inviting. However, there is damage in some areas of the home. Also, one bedroom is not personalised according to a child’s needs. The bedroom still reflects the needs and interests of the previous child. There is a plan in place to repair damage and refresh the decor to enable children to feel a sense of belonging and pride in their home environment.

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improvement to be good

Children’s meetings are regular and include discussion about food and activities for the forthcoming week. Staff support children to explore various topics through regular key-work sessions. However, some key-work sessions lack creativity by staff and do not always consider current issues for the children.

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improvement to be good

Staff support children to attend education. One child who had not been in full-time education for an extended period is now attending school. Staff supported the child to visit different schools and advocated for the child in securing their preferred school. The child said, ‘I’m enjoying school now and I have two key workers who I chose.’ Staff support children who are not in full-time education through planned educational activities. Children’s progress in education is valued and supported by staff. This promotes children’s achievements and learning.

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improvement to be good

Children spend time together in the home during staff-supported activities and at mealtimes. However, children are not consistently supported to manage and develop their social, emotional and communication skills with peers. Staff do not always help children to develop positive peer relationships with each other. One child said, ‘We never do anything together as staff don’t think we will manage it.’

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improvement to be good

Children and staff have positive relationships. Staff support children to access various activities in the community, including cheerleading, gymnastics and swimming. Staff celebrate children’s achievements in these activities.

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improvement to be good

Children have raised concerns about being restrained. Staff are not always creative in thinking about different ways to support children when they are struggling with their emotions. Referrals are consistently made to the relevant authorities if there are injuries to children, so outside professionals can check that children are safe. Staff have received some training in how to avoid restraining children, but more is needed. One member of staff said, ‘More regular training around managing physical aggression and de-escalation wouldn’t be a bad thing.’ Inspection report for children's home: 2642570 4 Staff maintain effective partnerships with external professionals, including police and other safeguarding agencies, to keep children safe. They also work with additional services identified to help support children’s emotional well-being. This ensures children access services required to help and protect them.

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improvement to be good

When children make allegations about staff, leaders have not always managed these investigations effectively. They have not consistently followed safeguarding procedures. There have been some improvements in this area, but this is still work in progress.

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improvement to be good

Children’s risk assessments are updated regularly. Information about previous concerns and risks is recorded. Positive behaviour support plans provide a lot of detail, although they are very lengthy. This can make it more difficult for new or agency staff to grasp key and important information about risks to children.

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improvement to be good

Consequences are not used often and when they are used, they are proportionate. Staff have a focus on using restorative consequences rather than sanctions. Following an incident, debriefs take place with the children and staff involved. This helps children understand the reason for a consequence. Additional work is undertaken with children to reduce the risk of a repeat incident.

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good

The acting manager is supported by a deputy. Together, they have good oversight of the care provided to children. However, this oversight lacks critical reflection, resulting in missed opportunities to learn from practice and to improve the care provided to children. The manager and deputy are keen to implement changes where areas for improvement are identified.

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good

There are shortfalls in agency staff’s knowledge and relevant experience. There are some gaps in their training, specifically in relation to the way they should respond when children are in crisis. This results in inconsistent care and a lack of understanding about how children’s development can be impacted by their earlier childhood experiences.

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good

Serious incidents are not always notified to Ofsted in line with regulations. This restricts the regulator’s ability to monitor how well children are safeguarded.

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good

Staff have used their personal phones to take notes in a confidential meeting. The child’s social worker said, ‘This tells [name of child] that they aren’t important.’ Currently, there is no policy in place which outlines good practice in this area.

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good

Staff feel supported by the manager. One member of staff said, ‘I have been overwhelmed by the support that both managers and team members constantly show.’ Professional supervision meetings between staff and their manager are regular and supportive. There is a clear agenda, which includes safeguarding children as standard. Inspection report for children's home: 2642570 5 Team meetings are thorough and regular. Meetings are held outside the home, which enables staff to focus without interruptions. When staff cannot attend, minutes of the meeting are recorded and shared. This ensures staff are kept up to date regarding any significant changes in the care they are providing to children. Inspection report for children's home: 2642570 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, 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 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;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand how to keep safe;

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Requirement Due date

understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person;

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Requirement Due date

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare; and

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Requirement Due date

that the home’s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(v)(vi)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to children’s behaviour management plans and ensuring that staff understand how to help keep children safe. It also relates to managers having clear plans in place for staff to support children in managing their emotions and reducing how often children are physically held. In addition, managers need to ensure that safeguarding procedures are followed when allegations are made. 30 August 2023 Inspection report for children's home: 2642570 7 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 promotes their welfare.

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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

lead and manage the home in a way that is consistent with the approach and ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set out in the home’s statement of purpose;

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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

ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child;

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Requirement Due date

understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home;

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Requirement Due date

demonstrate that practice in the home is informed and improved by taking into account and acting on— research and developments in relation to the ways in which the needs of children are best met; and

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Requirement Due date

feedback on the experiences of children, including complaints received; and

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Requirement Due date

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(c)(e)(f)(g)(i)(ii)(h))

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Requirement Due date

This is in relation to the registered person ensuring that robust quality assurance and monitoring systems are in place, used regularly and records made, to improve the care provided to children. These monitoring systems should be used to inform the workforce development plan.

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Requirement Due date

It also relates to staff having up-to-date training and therefore improved skills, and having a policy for staff mobile phone use. 30 August 2023 Inspection report for children's home: 2642570 8 The children’s views, wishes and feelings standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

take their views, wishes and feelings into account in relation to matters affecting the children’s care and welfare and their lives.

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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

ascertain and consider each child’s views, wishes and feelings, and balance these against what they judge to be in the child’s best interests when making decisions about the child’s care and welfare;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to express views, wishes and feelings;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand how the child’s views, wishes and feelings have been taken into account and give the child reasons for decisions in relation to the child;

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Requirement Due date

regularly consult children, and seek their feedback, about the quality of the home’s care;

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Requirement Due date

is enabled to provide feedback to, and raise issues with, a relevant person about the support and services that the child receives;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the views of each relevant person are taken into account, so far as reasonably practicable, before making a decision about the care or welfare of a child. (Regulation 7 (1)(b)(c) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(b)(i)(e))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically refers to the registered person ensuring staff are creative in supporting children to understand their wishes and feelings and how staff can support them better with their emotions. 30 August 2023

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Requirement Due date

The positive relationships standard is that children are helped to develop, and to benefit from, relationships based on— 30 August 2023 Inspection report for children's home: 2642570 9 mutual respect and trust;

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Requirement Due date

an understanding about acceptable behaviour; and positive responses to other children and adults.

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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

meet each child’s behavioural and emotional needs, as set out in the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to develop socially aware behaviour;

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Requirement Due date

encourage each child to take responsibility for the child’s behaviour, in accordance with the child’s age and understanding;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to develop and practise skills to resolve conflicts positively and without harm to anyone;

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Requirement Due date

communicate to each child expectations about the child’s behaviour and ensure that the child understands those expectations in accordance with the child’s age and understanding;

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Requirement Due date

understand how children’s previous experiences and present emotions can be communicated through behaviour and have the competence and skills to interpret these and develop positive relationships with children;

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that each child is encouraged to build and maintain positive relationships with others. (Regulation 11 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(ix)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically refers to staff supporting children to develop and manage positive peer relationships.

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Requirement Due date

The quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to— 30 August 2023 Inspection report for children's home: 2642570 10 ensure that staff—

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Requirement Due date

treat each child with dignity and respect;

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Requirement Due date

provide to children living in the home the physical necessities they need in order to live there comfortably;

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Requirement Due date

provide to children personal items that are appropriate for their age and understanding; and

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ensure that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed and furnished so as to—

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enable each child to participate in the daily life of the home. (Regulation 6 (1)(a) (2)(b)(iii)(vii)(viii)(c)(i)(ii))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that the planned redecoration of the home is carried out without delay. This includes children having comfortable bedrooms that are personalised.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if—

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Requirement Due date

there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40 (4)(e)) 30 August 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: 2642570 11

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: T-Junction Children’s Services Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 27 The Pastures, Narborough, Leicester LE19 3DS

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Inspector

Kathryn Hurley, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: 2642570 12 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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