Children's Home run by Changing Lives Care Group Ltd in Leicestershire

Inspection report for children's home: 2662427 1 Registered provider: Changing Lives Care Group Ltd Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is registered to provide care for three children who may have emotional and social needs.

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Information about this children’s home

There is an experienced manager who registered with Ofsted in December 2022.

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Information about this children’s home

There was one child living at the home at the time of the inspection. One child has moved out since the last full inspection.

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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: 2662427 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

31/08/2022 Full Good Inspection report for children's home: 2662427 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children benefit from good care from staff who know them well. This enables children to relax and call the home their own. Children keep in touch when they move on and are invited for tea. Staff spend a lot of time with children playing board games, cooking and talking. This helps children feel valued and included. Children develop good routines due to consistent boundaries implemented by the staff. As a result, children make very good progress in a short space of time.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The manager and staff show children respect and have a good understanding of their life experiences. They use a nurturing approach to help children overcome their worries and anxieties. Children are supported to try new experiences and activities. The child currently living at the home is involved in a range of sports which helps him to maintain a healthy lifestyle. He is encouraged to try new foods and his diet has improved considerably.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are well supported with education. One child completed The Prince’s Trust scheme and gained an award. Another child has been out of education for some time, however, the home is ensuring that he is enrolled in school as soon as possible. In preparation, the child has received individual tutoring which has helped him to start learning again. The staff undertake homework with the child and provide informal learning opportunities. He can now tell the time and has learned about different cultures.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s health needs are well met. They are supported to attend key appointments for immunisations and dental treatment. Children receive therapeutic input to help with their emotional well-being. This, alongside regular focused discussions, helps children to understand their feelings, unburden their worries and express themselves in healthy ways.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The manager and staff involve children in their care planning and decision-making. One child was supported to express his wishes and feelings in writing, and these were then considered during court proceedings. As a result, the child felt listened to and has been able to cope well with the outcome of the process. Children see their families regularly at the home and in other places. The staff prioritise this as they know how important it is for children’s identity.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Overall, the home is very comfortable and welcoming. It is furnished to a high standard. However, the child’s bedroom was not clean and tidy on the first day of inspection. This was quickly rectified by the manager. Measures are now in place to support the child with this.

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

The manager and staff protect the child from harm. Specific risk assessments are created for events and activities, which keep the child safe in a range of situations. Inspection report for children's home: 2662427 4 The manager has recently developed a new behaviour support plan which provides staff with guidance and context about the level and nature of risks posed to and from the child. Strategies to reduce risks have been effective. For example, the child no longer uses a vape and has stopped leaving the home without agreement.

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

The child understands how to stay safe online. Staff have taught him about the potential risks. The child says he feels comfortable telling staff if he is concerned about anyone asking him for personal information. Staff do regular checks on the child’s online activity to help him stay safe, as any good parent would.

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

Staff respond well when children are missing from home. They react quickly and work well together to return children safely. There are very few incidents of children going missing, because they feel safe and settled. This is a real strength of the home.

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

The manager and staff have supported the child to manage his feelings in healthy ways. They implement consistent boundaries and model positive behaviours. The child has frequent opportunities to share how he is feeling so he does not become overwhelmed. There are few incidents in the home, which means physical interventions are rarely used. The child benefits from a calm and relaxed atmosphere.

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

The manager ensures that staff understand their safeguarding responsibilities well. Concerns raised by or about children are responded to quickly and reported to the relevant agencies. This ensures that concerns can be investigated promptly. Children are kept informed of the outcomes where appropriate.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager joined the home in September 2022. She has made a strong start during her first year. She is enthusiastic about her work and is fully invested in the home. She has high standards and is committed to helping children reach their potential through good support and strong advocacy. The manager has supported one child to move on successfully to independent living and ensured another child has settled in the home quickly following a succession of previous placements. This demonstrates her careful management of these important transitions.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager keeps close oversight of the strengths and areas for development of the home. She has implemented new ways of working to improve standards of recording, which has made children’s records more accessible to them. The manager identifies the development needs of staff and sources useful training so they can meet the individual needs of children. She is providing bespoke training to new members of staff across the organisation.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers have recruited a diverse team who complement each other with different strengths and approaches. They are happy and enjoy working together. Communication is effective, which is of enormous benefit to children as Inspection report for children's home: 2662427 5 this provides them with the consistency they need. The team say they feel safe and supported by the manager. They appreciate her openness and caring nature.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff benefit from regular supervision which supports their personal and professional development. Safeguarding is a priority in supervision discussions, as are staff’s relationships with children. There is a new ‘reflective summary’ section which encourages staff to consider their work in more depth and develop self-awareness regarding their practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has developed good relationships with the child’s family, who are made welcome in the home. The child’s parent has confidence in the home and talked about the progress her son has made. External professionals also commented on the positive changes the child has made. The manager has been influential in improving the child’s quality of life.

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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: 2662427 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Changing Lives Care Group Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Office 7, 35-37 Ludgate Hill, London EC4M 7JN

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Inspector

Laura Walker, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: 2662427 7 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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