Children's Home run by HAVEN CARE GROUP LIMITED in Staffordshire

Inspection report for children’s home: 1251947 1 Registered provider: Haven Care Group 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 four children who have had adverse childhood experiences.

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Information about this children’s home

The home has been without a registered manager since February 2023. A new manager has been appointed and has applied to register with Ofsted.

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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 requires improvement to be 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: requires improvement to be good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 1251947 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

22/06/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good 23/03/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good 24/10/2019 Interim Declined in effectiveness 12/09/2019 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 1251947 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

At the time of the inspection, three children were living in the home. Since the last inspection, one child has experienced a sensitive and well-planned move from the home in line with their care plan.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is well presented and welcoming for the children. It was recently renovated to a good standard. The communal areas are nicely decorated with pictures of the children. This helps the children to feel comfortable and proud of where they live. Children have opportunities to personalise their bedrooms. They have been given their own budget to do so. This supports the children to develop a sense of ownership in their home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children enjoy trusting and positive relationships with staff and the manager. Staff know the children well. This means that the children accept their support and guidance, which helps children to make progress. One child told the inspector that they wish to stay at the home. Another child wishes to return to their parent but understands why this is not possible. A child is also happy that staff trust him to take responsibility for his own pet.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s views are captured well in the records of their weekly and monthly meetings. Children talk about a range of issues, such as the type of meals that they want and activities they would like to do. Children told the inspector that they do not get along with staff all the time, but they have healthy debates on a range of topics. Children feel that they can speak openly about their wishes and feelings, and any issues they have.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children enjoy choosing and regularly taking part in a variety of positive activities, such as fishing, bowling and skating. This supports children’s physical health and emotional well-being.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support children to maintain good health. Children are registered with local health services and attend routine health appointments. Staff enable children to get help from specialist services. One child has not been ready to engage with such support for their mental health. The manager has arranged for the specialist service to deliver training to staff. This means that staff can continue to support the child appropriately.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s experience of education and the progress they make with their learning are mixed. For example, o ne child completed their exams recently. They are being supported to secure further education and part-time employment. Another child has a bespoke educational package three days a week and engages in vocational activities outside of this time. However, one child has not been in school for a long time and a specialist education assessment is now being completed. Some education is being provided but this has not been reviewed and progressed as quickly as it could have been. Very recently, the new manager has worked effectively with the wider Inspection report for children’s home: 1251947 4 professional network. As a result, an alternative provision has been secured. The child told the inspector that they look forward to going back to school full time. Delays in supporting this child are negatively impacting on the child’s ability to

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children receive support to stay in touch with their families. When children have questions about arrangements, the manager follows these up.

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

Staff understand the children’s vulnerabilities and needs. Staff receive relevant training that is underpinned by clear policies and procedures. This provides them with guidance to follow whenever there are concerns about a child’s safety. Staff follow this guidance and use their knowledge well, and this helps to keep children safe.

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

There are individualised missing-from-home protocols in place for the children. Staff understand the potential risks to children when they are missing from home. Staff work proactively with relevant agencies. They also work with family members to locate children and encourage them to return home . This practical approach has helped to reduce missing-from-care incidents for one child. On one occasion, a child returned home under the influence of alcohol. Although staff did some work to support the child, this was not clearly recorded.

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

A personalised rewards system is used effectively by staff. This supports children’s behaviours. It is combined with praise and boundaries to help children to understand what is expected of them. For example, when there is conflict between children, they are encouraged to reflect with staff. This helps them to consider alternative responses that would have a better outcome. As a result, children understand how to avoid such situations in the future and reduce risk.

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

When children enter into relationships, some good work is undertaken to support them. For example, staff have met the parents of a child’s girlfriend. However, it is not clear whether staff are talking with children or directing them to support and advice in relation to sexual health. This is a missed opportunity to support children to understand more about how to maintain healthy relationships.

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

Children have access to and enjoy using technology. Staff work with and support children’s understanding of online risks and making safer decisions around this. There are also appropriate restrictions in place. This, alongside robust monitoring systems, keep children safe while online.

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

Safer recruitment practice is in place. This reduces the risk of unsuitable people being employed in the home. Inspection report for children’s home: 1251947 5

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good

There has not been consistent leadership and management. The registered manager left the home in February 2023. There has been a lack of support and supervision for staff and shortfalls in practice. For example, it was not identified that staff have not consistently recorded direct work sessions that are undertaken with children, and staff missed an opportunity to explore potential concerns around a child’s relationship.

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good

Leaders and managers did not work proactively with other agencies when a child was unable to cope in a mainstream school setting. They did not secure adequate educational provision for a long time. Concerns have been shared by the wider professional network about the punctuality of two children and them attending school without the correct equipment. However, this has improved recently.

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good

The manager has aspirations for children and the development of the home. For example, when the manager took over, they provided supervision to all staff. This is in recognition of the lack of support and leadership that staff have experienced previously. A staff member told the inspector that they understand and agree with the changes that the manager is implementing. The manager also has plans to remove barriers that prevent children from spending more quality time with staff. This has yet to be embedded into practice.

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good

The one recommendation made at the last inspection has been met. The manager acknowledges the progress made by staff around record-keeping and recording. They have plans to continuously improve on this.

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good

There is a core of experienced and qualified staff working in the home. The experienced staff work with those who are newer to the role to support them in the care of the children. New staff have a good induction to the role and undertake key training courses. The manager has implemented a system to track gaps in staff training. They have clear expectations about staff commitment to ongoing professional development. Additional training is being provided to staff to help them to continue to meet the individual needs of the children. Inspection report for children’s home: 1251947 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 education standard is that children make measurable progress towards achieving their educational potential and are helped to do so.

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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

understand the barriers to learning that each child may face and take appropriate action to help the child to overcome any such barriers;

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Requirement Due date

maintain regular contact with each child’s education and training provider, including engaging with the provider and the placing authority to support the child’s education and training and to maximise the child’s achievement;

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Requirement Due date

help a child who is excluded from school, or who is of compulsory school age but not attending school, to access educational and training support throughout the period of exclusion or non-attendance and to return to school as soon as possible;

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Requirement Due date

that each child has access to appropriate equipment, facilities and resources to support the child’s learning. (Regulation 8 (1) (2)(a)(iii)(vi)(viii)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This relates to staff supporting all children’s education to ensure that they achieve their potential. 4 September 2023

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that, in line with their individual health plans and the ethos of the home, children are offered advice, support and guidance on health and well-being to enhance and supplement that provided by their school Inspection report for children’s home: 1251947 7 through personal, social and health education. Staff should have the relevant skills and knowledge to be able to help children to understand, and where necessary work to change, negative behaviours in key areas of health and well- being, such as sexual relationships and the use of drugs and alcohol. This is specific to the registered manager ensuring that staff complete direct work and show professional curiosity with children in a timely manner. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 35 paragraph 7.18).

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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: 1251947 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Haven Care Group Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Haven Care Group, Unit 6, Barberry Court, Parkway, Centrum One Hundred, Burton-on-Trent DE14 2UE

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Inspectors

Nurul Kabir, Social Care Inspector Kev Brammer, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 1251947 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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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