Children's home run by One Step Care Limited Assurance visit report: 2552036 4

Inspection report for children’s home: 2552036 1 The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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Registered provider: One Step Care Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is owned and managed by a private provider. It provides care for up to four children who may have emotional and social difficulties, learning disabilities, mental disorders, drug dependence and alcohol dependence.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted on 13 January 2020.

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Information about this children’s home

Since the last inspection, three children have left the home and two have been admitted. There were three children living at the home at the time of this inspection.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account good

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Overall experiences and progress of

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

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Overall experiences and progress of

The effectiveness of leaders and managers outstanding

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Overall experiences and progress of

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

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Overall experiences and progress of

Date of last inspection: 12 October 2022

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Overall experiences and progress of

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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Overall experiences and progress of

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2552036 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

12/10/2022 Full Good 07/09/2021 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2552036 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have positive experiences of living in the home. They develop strong relationships with staff who are nurturing in their approach. Children progress well in all areas of their life and this is supported by the views of professionals and family.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The views of children are central to the planning of their care. Staff have developed ways of gaining the views of children on a regular basis and include these views in the choices made about a range of issues within the home, such as the decor in the home. Children describe their home and staff team as ‘mint’ and ‘sound’.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Education is seen as important and staff ensure that attendance and attainment levels are achieved. Staff advocate well on behalf of children and support them in the home, as well as at school, to ensure that children have the best opportunities available to them as they progress to adulthood.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Transitions to and from the home are managed well. The admission of children is well planned and includes the children who live in the home. Where possible, children who are looking to move into the home have visits prior to the move, which include going on activities with the other children and staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children who move on are well supported when they leave and keep in touch for support and advice. Several young people continue to visit, including during the recent sports day to support staff and children. Friendships have developed between the children and the young people, promoting a sense of ‘one big family’.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Family time is supported by staff, who also advocate strongly for the views of children, even when these are difficult for families to hear, to help stabilise children and help them to work through previous trauma. Relationships with family and friends are maintained and supported at the pace that is comfortable for the individual child.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

A full range of activities for children are a real strength of the staff team. While there are the usual activities, experiences are put in place to take children safely out of their comfort zone. For example, children have been on helicopter rides, coasteering, as well as a range of sports and holidays. Days out often include an educational or sensory element such as the Wildlife Trust trails. These enable children to learn and have positive experiences with animals and the countryside.

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

Risks to the children are known and understood by the staff, who are helped to mitigate these risks through clear strategies in up-to-date risk assessments. Staff are proactive in allowing children to take managed and age-appropriate risks. Inspection report for children’s home: 2552036 4 Episodes of going missing from the home do occur, although many of these instances are children who are late returning home. The vulnerabilities of the children living in the home mean that they are reported missing promptly. Staff follow agreed protocols to look for and return children home as quickly as possible. Positive relationships with police and other services mean that information is shared and return home interviews are held to try and prevent further instances.

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

Children say they feel safe in the home. They feel able to talk to staff and tell them about their worries or situations they have found themselves in that may result in harm. This means that staff can put in place effective strategies to manage situations that occur.

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

Door alarms are used on bedroom doors during the night to minimise risk. The appropriate permissions are in place for these and their use is explored in the risk assessments for each child.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The home has an effective management team. This includes a strong manager who achieves oversight of the home through being part of the team as well as leading it. She is supported by a knowledgeable deputy and the responsible individual, who takes an active part in the monitoring and oversight of the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager ensures that she takes part in some of the events such as the recent sports day. She arranges her time so that she sees the children daily, either at the beginning or end of their day. This helps her to develop her own relationships with the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Leaders and managers are committed to the children and are aspirational for what children can achieve. This gives children a strong sense of security. Children see the manager as someone who advocates on their behalf, but also acts in their best interests.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager has a clear understanding of the strengths and areas for development. She knows her team well and ensures that the rota is reflective of staff’s individual strengths. The manager pairs staff on shifts that complement each other to provide continuity of care. This ensures that children develop strong relationships with staff and thrive as a result.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The staff team is well supported by the management team, and managers are all available to staff should they need to discuss issues. Team meetings are used to share information and deliver training. Meetings are also used to evaluate the knowledge base of staff using innovative quizzes and games.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff supervision is regular, well recorded and reflective in nature to help staff continually learn. The manager is described as a ‘brilliant mentor’. In addition, the responsible individual ensures that he also supervises staff at least twice per year. Inspection report for children’s home: 2552036 5 This allows him to be effective in managing and developing the service and the management team.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager has systems in place to quality assure the practice of staff and ensure that the home continues to develop. Records are child friendly, innovative in design and reflect the views of the children throughout, either using written work or pictures. Recording is a strength of the home. Occasionally, professional language is used that is not helpful to the child in understanding what is written about them.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager uses the reports of the independent visitor well. She completes her regulation 45 report on the quality of the home and evaluates the care well. This includes further actions for the development of the home in the coming six months throughout the report.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager and deputy share tasks to audit records and address any performance- related issues before they become engrained in practice. The manager affords staff time to read and learn to gain knowledge and understanding of their role and how best to support the children. Those on training for their qualification are supported in the home to achieve this. Inspection report for children’s home: 2552036 6

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that staff are familiar with the home’s policies on record-keeping and understand the importance of careful, objective and clear recording. Information about the child must always be recorded in a way that will be helpful to the child. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4)

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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: 2552036 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: One Step Care Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 43 Bewicke View, Birtley, Chester Le Street, Durham DH3 1RU

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Inspector

Sue Atkinson-Millmoor, Social Care Inspector (OI) Inspection report for children’s home: 2552036 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.

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Inspector

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