Children's Home run by Footsteps to Futures Limited in Leicestershire

Inspection report for children’s home: 2656902 1 Registered provider: Footsteps to Futures Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is owned and operated by a private provider. The home provides care for up to three children with social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

Two children are currently living at the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager is suitably experienced and has been in post since 4 July 2023.

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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: requires improvement to be good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2656902 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

01/03/2023 Full Requires improvement to be good 15/02/2022 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2656902 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have positive experiences at this home and are supported to make good progress. A family member of a child said, ‘This is the best thing that’s happened to [name of child], they can be themselves again.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The manager, when planning to admit new children to the home, is very thorough. She considers the impact on children who are already living at the home. Before children move in, they have several opportunities to spend time with each other and with staff. This helps to make the child’s move a smooth one. Conversely, when children leave the home, staff support them to understand the reasons for the move and the plan for their new home. The manager completes analysis and a review of children’s time at the home, especially when a placement has ended abruptly. This leads to lessons learned and practice improvement, if required.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The manager ensures that the allocated key workers for children are a good fit, considering their individual personalities and preferences. Staff speak with warmth about children. There is a relaxed and comfortable atmosphere in the home. Children actively seek out staff to spend time with them. This means that children build good relationships with adults who they trust.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children who come to live at the home have often experienced poor school attendance and disruption to their education. Managers and staff advocate for children to ensure that they receive the education they need. The manager and staff are proactive in challenging external education agencies when responses are not satisfactory. Staff promote children’s progress, achievements and learning.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are encouraged and supported to make complaints or share any worries that they might have about their care. The manager has undertaken an investigation into an allegation against staff. She carried this out thoroughly, sensitively and in a timely manner. Consequently, the manager is responsive to concerns or allegations made by children and responds to them immediately.

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

Staff understand children’s individual needs and vulnerabilities and how to support them and keep them safe. This is because the staff know the children well, having developed good and positive relationships with them.

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

Staff follow children’s risk assessments and support plans, which are thorough and regularly updated. The manager uses an effective colour-coding system to record changes. For example, information that changes from amber to red clearly shows staff that the risk level is increasing for that child. This ensures that staff can quickly identify and make any adjustments to children’s risk assessments and how they should respond. Inspection report for children’s home: 2656902 4 Incidents are comprehensively recorded and reviewed. This includes debriefs with children and staff following incidents or behaviour management. This helps those involved to reflect on and discuss the support needed to reduce the likelihood of future occurrences.

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

When incidents take place away from the home, staff’s primary concern is children’s safety and welfare. The manager has established good links with partner professionals, such as local policing teams and council officials. Staff share information with relevant agencies. This ensures that there is multi-agency oversight of safeguarding practice.

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

The systems to manage the storage and administration of medicine are effective. Staff have a clear understanding of how to support children to take medicines safely. The deputy manager has delivered bespoke training to staff to strengthen their understanding of the use of medicine in children’s holistic support. Staff recognise and respond to changes in children’s behaviour by requesting medical advice and prescription reviews. This means that children’s health and welfare are promoted. The previous recommendation in relation to health and welfare has been met.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Children are supported to share their views, and their feedback is listened to. One staff member said, ‘We encourage children to have a voice and not just give the answers they think we want to hear. We involve them in making plans, encourage them to articulate their choices.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff described their induction and training as ‘fabulous’ and ‘amazing’. They receive a range of regular and varied training, taking into consideration children’s specific needs. The manager has identified staff’s key responsibilities in line with areas of special interest or their strengths. For example, one member of staff is responsible for planning and delivering cultural events. Another member of staff is the champion for the provider’s preferred method of care. This means that the staff are supported to use their skills and experience to help children to achieve good outcomes.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff feel valued and well supported by the manager. They receive regular supervision with a manager. Additionally, their care practice benefits from structured sessions with a psychotherapist who works with the staff team. This helps to guide the care practice of staff and aids in their development.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Team meetings regularly take place and have agendas that are tailored to recent incidents or the identified needs of children and staff. The staff spoke positively about the support and guidance they received from the leadership team during a recent short-term increase in incidents in the local community. One staff member said, ‘The director came over and offered their support.’ The manager recognises the importance of children experiencing consistent care from a motivated and stable Inspection report for children’s home: 2656902 5 staff team. Consequently, the team training, development and support is all geared toward meeting the children’s needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is committed to improving the experiences and care of children and seeks learning from care practice and feedback from external professionals. Although she has been in post for a short time, the systems and processes that she has implemented to monitor the service are already established and effective. For example, using incident packs, the manager completes a thorough analysis of incidents to identify areas of good practice and lessons learned.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders of the organisation and the manager have met the statutory requirements made at the last inspection. Inspection report for children’s home: 2656902 6

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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: 2656902 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Footsteps to Futures Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Chesterfield House, 1 Station Street, Bingham, Nottingham NG13 8AQ

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Inspector

Helen Walters, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2656902 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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Inspector

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Inspector

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