Children's Home run by Impact For Change Ltd in Somerset

Inspection report for children’s home: 2484443 1 Registered provider: Impact For Change Ltd Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is part of a small private organisation. The home is registered to care for up to three children who experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has been registered with Ofsted since August 2022.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, two children were living in the home.

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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 requires improvement to be 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: 27 September 2022

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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: 2484443 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

27/09/2022 Full Good 19/01/2022 Full Inadequate 14/01/2020 Full Requires improvement to be good 26/02/2019 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children’s home: 2484443 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is well presented and provides a family-style environment for children to live in. Children’s rooms are personalised. Repairs are addressed promptly. A full ‘refresh’ of the home is planned for September. Outside areas are well maintained and provide opportunities for children to play.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Carers have supported children to make progress. Before living at this home, one child had not accessed full-time education for a number of years. During the most recent school term, they attended the full term with 100% attendance. Another child has progressed from having one hour of educational activities a day to almost full- time attendance. Children are supported to voice their views, wishes and feelings. This has led to carers promoting activities that children enjoy. These activities have contributed to the development of essential life skills.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Positive relationships are built between carers and children. Care provided to children is individualised, with carers knowing their routines, behaviours, likes and dislikes. Conversations with children are of a good quality. When required, conversations cover difficult or sensitive topics in a child-focused manner.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

One parent and a social worker spoke positively about carers. The parent said that since carers had been arranging and supporting family time, the quality of this time had improved. Observations of communication between the registered manager and another parent showed that they have developed a positive working relationship centred around the best interests of the child. Carers have supported one child to build a relationship with their new social worker.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Carers support children to attend health appointments. Their monitoring of a child’s behaviours in relation to medication has been central in a decision for the child to cease taking medication that was not beneficial for them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Before a child moved into the home, managers considered all information provided to them and the needs of both children. Preparation for a child to move in was thorough. The child’s initial introductions to carers and the child already living in the home were well planned.

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improvement to be good

Plans and risk assessments that are devised to support carers to care for children and keep them safe are clear and informative. Plans are updated regularly, providing good overall insight into the child, their needs and behaviours that they may exhibit. They provide examples of how to respond to children sensitively and inquisitively to support children and de-escalate behaviours. Inspection report for children’s home: 2484443 4 Carers provide children with boundaries. They have a clear understanding of why these are needed and promote positive behaviours within the home. Processes are in place that allow carers to share important information with each other. This supports carers to provide children with consistency from the team of adults.

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improvement to be good

One child told the inspector that they like living in the home. They said that they can talk to carers if they need to and that carers make him feel safe. Observations of the carers providing care for this child were positive and portrayed positive relationships.

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improvement to be good

Carers have attempted to support the children living in the home to have a positive relationship with each other. However, this has not always been successful. Despite carers following plans and ongoing conflict management, there have been ongoing difficulties that have led to the children being hurt by each other. One child living in the home has complex needs, and both children have experienced trauma and poor relationships. It is likely that this has contributed to these ongoing difficulties. One child’s social worker and carers believe that the children would benefit from therapeutic support; however, this is not provided by or commissioned by the home.

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improvement to be good

Restraint and guides have been appropriately used to keep children or others safe. Incident reports are informative but, at times, lack a description of how carers have attempted to de-escalate incidents. During the inspection, the inspector observed a carer successfully and skilfully de-escalating a situation.

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improvement to be good

Carers talk to children after incidents. These conversations are reflective and aim to support children to make sense and learn from their actions and experiences.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home is run by a registered manager who is passionate about the children who live there and the team of carers. She knows the children and carers well. She is aware of the home’s strengths and areas that require development. The inspector observed the manager in a meeting with other professionals. The manager shared appropriate information, challenged others and was a strong advocate for the child.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers have good oversight of the home. Carers are provided with reflective and meaningful conversations following incidents. These discussions lead to the development of plans and strategies to improve the care and outcomes for children. When there are practice concerns, they are promptly dealt with, and good practice is shared with the team.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Carers speak positively about the leaders and managers. They feel valued, listened to and supported and receive good-quality supervision. When the registered manager has had time off work, the registered individual has stepped in, providing the carers with a sense of stability.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Recruitment is safe, and carers are provided with training that is relevant to their roles. Additionally, optional training is offered. Carers said that leaders and managers support ongoing professional development, acknowledging the benefit of Inspection report for children’s home: 2484443 5 this for children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Team meetings are regular and inclusive. Agendas, actions and outcomes are clearly recorded. Managers and carers discuss all aspects of the home and the children. Inspection report for children’s home: 2484443 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 positive relationships standard is that children are helped to develop, and to benefit from, relationships based on—

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Requirement Due date

an understanding about acceptable behaviour;

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Requirement Due date

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

help each child to understand, in a way that is appropriate according to the child’s age and understanding, personal, sexual and social relationships, and how those relationships can be supportive or harmful;

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Requirement Due date

understand how children’s previous experiences and present emotions can be communicated through behaviour and have 14 October 2023 Inspection report for children’s home: 2484443 7 the competence and skills to interpret these and develop positive relationships with children;

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Requirement Due date

are provided with supervision and support to enable them to understand and manage their own feelings and responses to the behaviour and emotions of children, and to help children to do the same;

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Requirement Due date

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)(vi)(ix)(x) (b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that all types of support are available to children. This should include therapeutic support when the need has been identified.

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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

manage relationships between children to prevent them from harming each other;

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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)(iv)(v)(vi)(b)) 14 October 2023 Inspection report for children’s home: 2484443 8 In particular, ensure that carers have access to therapeutic and/or clinical guidance and advice that will underpin children’s plans and carers’ practice, allowing them to better meet the needs of children.

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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: 2484443 9

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Impact For Change Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Canns Down Press, Beaford, Winkleigh, Devon EX19 8LZ

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Nicholas Scribbins

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Inspector

Carla Simkiss, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2484443 10 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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