Children's home run by Next Step Independence Ltd

Inspection report for children’s home: 2730755 1 Registered provider: Next Step Independence Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home registered in April 2023 and provides care for one child. One child was living in the home at the time of the inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

The home is led by a suitably qualified registered manager.

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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

Date of last inspection: not previously inspected

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: not applicable Inspection report for children’s home: 2730755 2

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The needs of the child living in the home are complex. Before moving to this home, they had spent a significant period isolated in their bedroom without direct contact with others.However, consistent care from a proactive staff team has enabled the child to make some relative progress from a difficult starting point.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child has begun to build some positive and trusting relationships with staff. They are now leaving their room daily and having in-depth conversations with staff about their interests, likes and dislikes. They have taken part in activities in the home and have left the home on several occasions.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff have been able to support the child to establish some routines. This includes establishing set mealtimes and encouraging them to eat a wider range of foods, including fruit and vegetables.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

With staff support, the child has developed their self-care skills and is now bathing regularly, shaving, brushing their teeth, and cleaning their bedroom and bathroom weekly.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

However, concerns remain about the child’s isolation and their lack of engagement in day-to-day life. For instance, they have not attended any health check-ups for a significant period.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff have regular conversations with the child about their health and the importance of attending appointments.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

One health professional spoken to by the inspector was positive about the creative support staff offer the child around promoting their health and some small progress has been made in this area. For example, with staff support, the child has been able to recently take part in a telephone appointment with their doctor.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Home visits have also been arranged from health professionals, such as the dentist, optician and immunisations nurse. However, at the time of the inspection, the child had not had their outstanding immunisations or allowed their teeth or eyes to be examined.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

At present, the child is not on roll at any school. An engagement worker visits the home twice a week. However, the child has not consistently engaged with these sessions.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff have been able to encourage the child to take part in some informal learning at the home, including cooking with staff and engaging in discussions about physical health and how the body works. Inspection report for children’s home: 2730755 3 The manager has advocated for the child to receive additional support and resources for their education. A plan is now in place for online learning to be offered alongside the engagement worker home visits. However, at the time of the inspection, this work had not yet started.

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

The child who lives in the home continues to spend significant lengths of time isolated in their bedroom. If this situation were to continue longer term, it could have a long-lasting impact on the child’s health and well-being.

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

A specialist psychological assessment of the child’s needs is ongoing. An interim report has been provided by the psychologist and actions and strategies from this report have been included in the child’s support plans. Staff understand these strategies and are using them in their day-to-day interactions with the child.

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

The manager has sought additional specialist therapeutic advice from an external agency on strategies staff can use to build stronger relationships with the child. Using these strategies, staff have been able to start to build trusting relationships with the child. More recently, the child has felt able to share some of their views and wishes with the staff verbally and by writing notes.

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

Restraint is rarely used in this home with two incidents taking place. When used, restraint has been appropriate and in line with the child’s care plan. Following incidents, the child is spoken with so that they care share their feelings. Debriefs consistently take place with staff reflections and lessons learned clearly documented.

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

Appropriate safeguards are in place around the child’s online activity. Parental controls and age restrictions are in place and staff speak to the child about potential risks when using the internet.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

A suitably qualified and experienced manager oversees the home. Staff speak highly of his guidance and support and told the inspector that they enjoy working at the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Management oversight is evident on the child’s records and the child’s progress is clearly documented.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

An engagement tracker has recently been introduced to provide further oversight of the time the child is spending out of their room, taking part in activities and engaging in conversations with staff. This has enabled progress to be more closely monitored and the most effective strategies for supporting this child to be identified and included in their support plans.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has a good understanding of the risks and impact of this child experiencing ongoing isolation. He has identified that following the completion of the Inspection report for children’s home: 2730755 4 psychological assessment, there will need to be consideration as to whether the staff team has the necessary skills and training to meet the child’s needs and support him to make further progress in the longer term.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Multi-agency meetings are used to good effect and take place regularly to review the child’s progress and support needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

As necessary, the manager has challenged professionals around the provision of support for this child. For example, he has requested additional support and clarity around plans for education and advocated for the child with health professionals. He accepts that his challenge could have been more robust at times, for example around the timescales of specialist assessment.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Professionals spoken to by the inspector provided positive feedback about the communication from the manager and the creative and proactive care provided by the staff team.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive appropriate training that is tailored to the needs of the child living in the home as they are currently understood. Team meetings are held regularly and are used to strengthen practice through reflective discussions. Inspection report for children’s home: 2730755 5

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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

The health and well-being standard is that—

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Requirement Due date

the health and well-being needs of children are met;

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Requirement Due date

children receive advice, services and support in relation to their health and well-being; and

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Requirement Due date

children are helped to lead healthy lifestyles.

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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

achieve the health and well-being outcomes that are recorded in the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

understand the child’s health and well-being needs and the options that are available in relation to the child’s health and well-being, in a way that is appropriate to the child’s age and understanding;

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Requirement Due date

take part in activities, and attend any appointments, for the purpose of meeting the child’s health and well-being needs; and

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Requirement Due date

understand and develop skills to promote the child’s well- being. (Regulation 10 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)) 13 December

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Requirement Due date

The education standard is that children make measurable progress towards achieving their educational potential and are helped to do so.

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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

that staff— 13 December Inspection report for children’s home: 2730755 6 help each child to achieve the child’s education and training targets, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

support each child’s learning and development, including helping the child to develop independent study skills and, where appropriate, helping the child to complete independent study;

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Requirement Due date

understand the barriers to learning that each child may face and take appropriate action to help the child to overcome any such barriers;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand the importance and value of education, learning, training and employment;

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Requirement Due date

help a child who is excluded from school, or who is of compulsory school age but not attending school, to access educational and training support throughout the period of exclusion or non-attendance and to return to school as soon as possible;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to attend education or training in accordance with the expectations in the child’s relevant plans. (Regulation 8 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(viii)(x))

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Requirement Due date

In meeting the quality standards, the registered person must, and must ensure that staff—

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Requirement Due date

seek to involve each child’s placing authority effectively in the child’s care, in accordance with the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

seek to secure the input and services required to meet each child’s needs;

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Requirement Due date

if the registered person considers, or staff consider, a placing authority’s or a relevant person’s performance or response to be inadequate in relation to their role, challenge the placing authority or the relevant person to seek to ensure that each child’s needs are met in accordance with the child’s relevant plans; and

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Requirement Due date

seek to develop and maintain effective professional relationships with such persons, bodies or organisations as the registered person considers appropriate having regard to the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the children’s home is to provide care and accommodation. (Regulation 5 (a)(b)(c)(d)) 13 December Inspection report for children’s home: 2730755 7

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that children’s progress continues to be reviewed and that care and support plans include up-to-date information about children’s needs. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 54, paragraph 10.23)  The registered person should ensure that staff training is bespoke to children living in the home and reviewed whenever new information is received about children’s needs. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 53, paragraph 10.11)

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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: 2730755 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Next Step Independence Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Wellington House, East Reach Court, Queen Street, Taunton, Somerset TA1 3UF

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Bridget Drew-Spyer

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Inspector

Janet Jauregui, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2730755 9 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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