Children's Home run by Courtyard Care Limited in Warrington

Inspection report for children’s home: 2620865 1 Registered provider: Courtyard Care Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is run by a private organisation. It is registered to provide care for up to six disabled children. At the time of the inspection, five children were living in the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in December 2020.

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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: 2620865 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

05/07/2022 Full Good 14/12/2021 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2620865 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children who live at this home have complex health needs. They receive highly personalised care that is tailored to meet their individual needs. As a result, children are making good progress from their starting points. One child said, ‘My life started when I came to live here.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The process of children moving into the home is meticulously planned and coordinated. The manager collects comprehensive information about each child to ensure that their needs can be properly addressed. Additionally, the manager facilitates opportunities for the child to interact with staff and other children before the move. This ensures that children are safe and are welcomed into their new home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is maintained to an excellent standard. Children have access to a wide range of toys and play equipment. Children’s bedrooms are furnished, decorated and carefully planned around their individual needs. This includes bespoke beds that minimise the need for staff to move children unnecessarily. As a result, the home environment is nurturing and safe.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff are resourceful and creative. They have developed imaginative, sensory-based activities to engage and stimulate children. They actively seek opportunities for children to engage in important childhood activities, such as reading stories, playing games and dressing up. Additionally, staff have made memory books that capture important experiences, such as the child’s first day at school and birthday celebrations.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff help children to spend time with the people who are important to them. The manager advocates for children and supports increased time spent with loved ones. This ensures that children maintain important relationships.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff frequently monitor and review children’s individual plans and targets. This ensures that staff support children to make progress and keep children’s individual goals under regular review. Staff celebrate children’s progress and achievements with their parents and other professionals. A member of staff said, ‘This way of working helps children transfer the skills to a different setting and promotes their self-esteem and independence.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

All children attend school regularly. Staff accompany some children to school. This provides children with consistency of care while school staff learn how to meet their health needs. Staff support children to achieve their educational goals. For instance, one child has successfully learned colours, and staff encourage him by engaging him in activities that involve selecting different-coloured crayons. Inspection report for children’s home: 2620865 4 Staff treat children with dignity and respect. For example, staff were observed talking to children about what was happening now and explaining what would happen next. In addition, staff encourage children to make choices about their day- to-day care. This helps to empower children to have more control over their lives.

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

Staff receive comprehensive training, supervised by a nurse, to manage children’s complex health needs effectively. Staff competency is thoroughly assessed at each stage of training, which ensures that they can safely handle tasks like medicine administration only after demonstrating proficiency.

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

The home maintains comprehensive risk assessments concerning health, and staff are well informed about children’s health requirements. They manage associated risks effectively, such as allergies. This includes educating children about the risks of allergies. However, additional measures are needed to ensure that all visitors are aware of the nut-free policy, to enhance allergen protection in preparation for the child who is moving in.

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

Staff are highly attentive to children’s needs. They closely monitor even subtle changes in their presentations, which could signal health deterioration. Health professionals praise the staff’s proactive approach in seeking and acting on support and advice, which fosters excellent communication between the teams.

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

Staff at the home are qualified or in the process of obtaining relevant diplomas and possess a good understanding of safeguarding procedures. Managers actively engage in discussions with staff during supervision sessions and team meetings, fostering an effective safeguarding approach. However, moving and handling training needs to be refreshed for four members of staff.

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

Leaders and managers respond to allegations and any incidents immediately. If these do occur, staff prioritise the safety and well-being of children. Managers are thorough in their investigations. They are prompt in sharing any learning, to inform staff practice. The manager liaises appropriately with external professionals, such as social workers and the local authority designated officer. This ensures that there is external scrutiny of safeguarding measures in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager is very competent and serves as an inspiring leader, fostering a culture of high aspirations for children and maintaining high expectations for the staff team. Staff and managers advocate exceptionally well for children, providing for their complex individual needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers offer regular supervision to staff, and team meetings are well attended by all. The staff say that they find managers supportive and helpful. New staff say they received a detailed induction that included working with more- experienced staff who helped with their learning. They are provided with additional Inspection report for children’s home: 2620865 5 support throughout their probation period, which helps them to fully understand their roles and responsibilities.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Effective relationships with families are firmly established. Comments and feedback are welcomed and very much encouraged. There are extensive feedback forms, so the manager has a comprehensive understanding of the views of children, parents and other agencies. This supports the development and review of children’s plans.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager shares information with other people who are important in the children’s lives. One social worker said, ‘The manager is great. She stays in touch and always contacts us to share good news and when she needs to share concerns. I couldn’t ask for anything more.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager works effectively with other professionals to ensure that children receive well-planned, consistent care. Professionals speak highly of the manager and are confident in the staff team’s ability to meet children’s needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is a good advocate for children. She is confident to challenge placing authorities and professionals to ensure that children have access to the support and services they require.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager keeps a copy of the staff roster. This was updated following a requirement made at the last inspection. However, the roster does not detail the actual hours for the manager. A repeat requirement is made to ensure that these records are kept.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The staff team is stable. One member of staff said, ‘We are the [name of home] family, we get on well together.’ Staff feel involved and listened to. Inspectors observed staff practice as caring and warm. This helps to create a happy and relaxed environment for children. One parent said, ‘They take good care of [name of child] and take care of me.’ Inspection report for children’s home: 2620865 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 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. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person should ensure that staff access appropriate moving and handling training in a timely way to meet the needs of the children in their care. 28 August 2023

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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.

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Requirement Due date

maintain in the home the records in Schedule 4. (Regulation 37 (1) (2)(a))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the staff duty roster should detail the actual hours worked by all staff, including the registered manager and nurse trainer.

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Requirement Due date

This is a repeat requirement. 28 August 2023 Inspection report for children’s home: 2620865 7

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that all visitors are aware of the home’s nut- free policy so that no food items containing nuts are brought into the home. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 33, paragraph 7.3)

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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: 2620865 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Courtyard Care Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 3 Siskin Drive, Middlemarch Business Park, Coventry CV3 4FJ

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Inspectors

Jennifer Quest, Social Care Inspector Catherine Wilkins, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2620865 9 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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