Children's home run by Enabling Futures Ltd

Inspection report for children’s home: 2703224 1 Registered provider: Enabling Futures Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home provides care for up to two children with learning and/or physical disabilities. The home’s statement of purpose states that it offers bespoke packages of care for children with learning disabilities and/or autism spectrum disorder, behaviours of concern and/or mental health conditions.

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Information about this children’s home

There is a suitably qualified and experienced registered manager in post, who is also the registered manager of a second home on the same site.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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outstanding

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

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outstanding

The effectiveness of leaders and managers outstanding

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outstanding

The children’s home provides highly effective services that consistently exceed the standards of good. The actions of the children’s home contribute to significantly improved outcomes and positive experiences for children and young people who need help, protection and care.

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outstanding

Date of last inspection: 14 November 2022

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outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2703224 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

14/11/2022 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2703224 3

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outstanding

One child lives at the home. Considering her complex health and care needs and behaviours of concern, she is making exceptional progress from her starting point. The child has previously experienced a high level of social isolation and lived in several unsuitable placements. However, since moving to this home, she has been supported to access community, social and educational opportunities. She has developed trusted relationships with staff and has benefited from a wealth of positive experiences.

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outstanding

Staff have worked creatively and resiliently to develop effective means of communication with the child. Specific learning disability training and research- informed practice ensure that staff remain skilled and knowledgeable in this area. The child is now speaking in sentences for the first time in years. She also makes her needs known to staff by communicating with signs, symbols and pictures. Staff are incredibly proud of the child’s progress. These significant improvements in communication have enabled the child to communicate and make choices about her own care.

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outstanding

There is a holistic approach to supporting the child to access the community. Careful planning and constant risk assessing mean that she can now enjoy daily activities and experiences. The child’s daily and weekly planner is informed by her choices. For new experiences, the child is very well prepared through the extensive use of signs, symbols and illustrated short stories that describe social situations. Staff understand the importance of disabled children experiencing consistent and predictable routines, so this is fully embedded in the child’s bespoke care planning. As a result, the child enjoys an abundance of positive experiences and there is a reduction in behaviours that challenge.

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outstanding

The child receives help to improve her health and manage lifelong conditions. Staff use research-informed practice, and the expertise of others, to access the best healthcare in a strong and confident manner. For this child, this tenacity has resulted in a swift assessment, diagnosis and treatment plan for a serious mental health condition. This has made an exceptional difference to the child’s life.

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outstanding

The child’s individual characteristics are respected and celebrated. Her needs in relation to her ethnicity and culture are extensively supported, particularly in respect of her personal care needs. Specialist hair and skincare advice and products have been funded to ensure that only the most suitable, good-quality products are used. This contrasts with previous experiences in care where the child’s personal care needs have been neglected, which has resulted in harm. As a result of this sensitive approach, the child has increased self-esteem and body confidence in line with her age. The child’s cultural dietary needs are respected and carefully managed in the home; meals are eaten together with staff in celebration of all cultures. Children’s Inspection report for children’s home: 2703224 4 religious, cultural and individual needs are recognised as being a critical part of their identity.

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outstanding

Educational progress is phenomenal. The child benefits greatly from a bespoke weekly package which aligns seamlessly with her care. Her personal tutor has become a real strength of the staff team. After a lengthy period out of education, this achievement is excellent.

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outstanding

Feedback from stakeholders is exceptional. There are excellent working relationships between staff, professionals and families. A local authority has praised the team of staff for their care of children, adding to the inspector that this is of an excellent standard. One professional told the inspector, ‘Because of where she lives, she is a different young woman.’

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

The child receives high-quality care from staff who know her incredibly well. Care plans and risk assessments are intricately detailed and regularly reviewed, which makes it clear to staff what they need to do to keep the child safe. This effective safeguarding practice promotes safety. It also means that the child is supported by staff to take measured, age-appropriate risks in line with her own development.

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

There has been one safeguarding incident during this inspection period. A child was able to leave the home unaccompanied for a brief period. This has the potential to cause significant harm to a vulnerable child. A robust response to the incident was overseen by leaders and involved all other safeguarding partners, including the police, the placing authority and the local authority designated officer. A thorough investigation was carried out, which resulted in disciplinary action for the staff involved. Following the incident, several changes were made to the home environment, outside vicinity and staff practice to ensure that such an incident cannot happen again. Leaders have taken this very seriously and lessons have been learned.

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

The child’s complex health needs and behaviours of concern mean that there are frequent times of upset and distress. This results in regular use of physical restraint, in line with the child’s risk assessment, care plan and deprivation of liberty order. Review of restraint practice is multidisciplinary and is also carried out independently by a consultant for an additional layer of scrutiny, which is excellent practice.

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

Staff receive a broad range of good-quality safeguarding training. There is excellent communication with safeguarding partners in placing authorities. Leaders are acutely aware of the additional safeguarding vulnerabilities for disabled children. Learning from research is a strength of the manager and is shared throughout the service through discussions, supervision, team meetings, handovers and upskilling exercises. Staff understand the importance of an open safeguarding culture. As a result, they know how to recognise, report and act on any safeguarding concerns that they may have. Inspection report for children’s home: 2703224 5

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The leadership team comprises a responsible individual, a registered manager and a deputy manager. All individuals are ambitious for children and inspirational leaders. They provide excellent role modelling to the staff team and drive improvements forward. The culture of the home is to never be complacent and to ensure that the child in their care reaches her personal potential, regardless of any complex needs or difficulties.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff hold managers in high regard. They are described as being ‘open, approachable and supportive’ both with work matters and those that are more personal. Inspectors were told of, and were able to observe, an open-door policy with leaders who are welcoming of staff feedback and ideas. This has contributed to high morale and dedication throughout the staff team.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager is a confident leader. Her management style is enhanced by her experience and expert knowledge of children with learning disabilities. She is a qualified nurse and therefore brings with her a wealth of expertise. She is a passionate advocate for the child in her care and makes every decision with the child at the centre. Her ambition and high expectations have been influential in changing the child’s life.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Leaders and managers know their strengths. A wealth of evidence is available to support sustained improvement for the child over the last year. This covers all areas of her development, including better healthcare, exceptional educational progress and more social opportunities than before. The manager does not take credit for such impressive progress and told inspectors that this cannot be done alone and is thanks to the excellent partnerships with staff and multidisciplinary teams.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Managers promote staff’s continuous professional development. Research is used to keep abreast of all sector changes and to access high-calibre and diverse training resources. Supervision and team meetings are used effectively as opportunities to upskill staff both individually and collectively. The bespoke model of care applied here is something all the staff are proud of.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Independent visitor reports are not yet completed to the required standard. Therefore, a requirement has been set. Inspection report for children’s home: 2703224 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

When the independent person is carrying out a visit, the registered person must help the independent person—

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Requirement Due date

if they consent, to interview in private such of the children, their parents, relatives and persons working at the home as the independent person requires; and

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Requirement Due date

to inspect the premises of the home and such of the home’s records (except for a child’s case records, unless the child and the child’s placing authority consent) as the independent person requires.

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Requirement Due date

The independent person’s report may recommend actions that the registered person may take in relation to the home and timescales within which the registered person must consider whether or not to take those actions. (Regulation 44 (2)(a)(b) (5)) 30 November

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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: 2703224 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Enabling Futures Limited

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Inspectors

Rachael Sprigg, Social Care Inspector Kathryn Hurley, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2703224 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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