Children's home run by Holywell Children’s Services Limited

Inspection report for children’s home: 2662751 1 Registered provider: Holywell Children’s Services Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The children’s home is operated by a small private organisation. The home is registered to provide care to one child with social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in September 2023. The manager is also registered for another one of the provider’s homes.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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requires improvement to be good

How well children and young people are helped and protected requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The children’s home is not yet delivering good help and care for children and young people. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

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requires improvement to be good

Date of last inspection: 25 October 2022

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home for 2662751 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

25/10/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children’s home for 2662751 3

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improvement to be good

The child is making positive progress at the home and is settled. The child’s parent commented that ‘[Name of child] has come on leaps and bounds. Staff have managed to implement boundaries, which they didn’t understand before.’

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improvement to be good

The relationships between staff and the child are positive, but there have been a number of changes to the staff team. This means the child has not had the opportunity to develop meaningful relationships with the whole staff team.

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improvement to be good

The child does not currently attend school; they receive home tuition for two hours each day. A tutor commented that the staff ‘try everything to get [name of child] to engage’. Support from the staff has led to a steady increase in engagement and academic progress.

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improvement to be good

The child’s bedroom is decorated and personalised to their taste. The rest of the house is not as homely. There is decoration to be completed, items to be replaced, and communal areas lack personalisation. Staff restrict access to a communal area that is identified within the child’s plan as an area for them to go to and relax, to help them to manage their own behaviour. A requirement has been made in relation to this.

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improvement to be good

The staff have completed some work with the child in key areas, such as road safety and stranger danger. However, there is not a clear plan for further direct work to support the child. Consequently, opportunities are being missed for the child to learn and progress and develop their understanding around becoming more socially aware.

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improvement to be good

Staff do not routinely seek the child’s views about their care and experience of living in the home, which means their views are not considered in the development of the home.

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improvement to be good

The child can identify trusted adults who they can talk to. They report that these adults listen to them, take their concerns seriously and would help them if they needed. The manager addressed an allegation quickly and in line with statutory guidance. Staff supported the child through the process.

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improvement to be good

Staff know the risks to the child. Risk assessments address key areas for the child but lack detail in respect of strategies. This means effective strategies to de-escalate situations are not always shared with all staff. This results in staff responding in a variety of ways to the child, which can cause confusion for the child. Inspection report for children’s home for 2662751 4 Staff do not use rewards and consequences in a consistent way. This leads to unpredictable consequences for the child. On one occasion, a staff member whose personal belongings had been damaged was the person who gave and reviewed the consequence.

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improvement to be good

Staff respond quickly when the child is absent from staff supervision. However, the child’s missing-from-home plan does not match staff practice. The manager has not reviewed the plan to ensure that staff consistently follow the identified strategies. The child’s placing authority and other key people have not had the opportunity to contribute to the child’s missing-from-home plan.

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improvement to be good

The child is not held by the staff. This promotes trust and respect between the child and those who care for them. The staff have training to use physical interventions in the event this is necessary.

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improvement to be good

Staff do not reflect meaningfully with the child after incidents. This means that opportunities for the child to learn and reduce incidents are not taken.

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improvement to be good

Staff understand the risks that the internet, gaming and social media use can pose. Staff have had training to manage these risks safely. They undertake regular checks to ensure that the child is not at risk when using technology.

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improvement to be good

Staff promote weekly visits from the local police community support officers to the home. The child now has a positive relationship with these professionals. This helps the child to stay safe in the community and engage with the support offered by the police service.

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improvement to be good

Fire safety drills and checks are undertaken regularly. However, staff prop open fire doors in the home. This means the child is at increased risk of harm in the event of a fire. A requirement has been made in relation to this.

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good

The manager has recently registered with Ofsted. External professionals have commented that the home has become much more organised since she started in post. Professionals have also reported that the manager and staff communicate effectively in relation to the child.

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good

The manager has challenged wider agencies when the child’s needs are not being met. This has included escalation to the local councillor to advocate on the child’s behalf in order to secure a suitable placement at a school for the child.

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good

The manager has designed a thorough induction for children who move into the home. This was a previous requirement that has now been met. Most supervision sessions have been held regularly and in line with the home’s statement of purpose. However, some supervision has been delayed, and the manager has not planned Inspection report for children’s home for 2662751 5 actions in supervision sessions to meet the identified development needs of staff. The manager has also not completed some staff appraisals. This is a missed opportunity to improve the skills and practice of the staff.

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good

Staff complete mandatory training. However, the staff have not received some additional training to meet the specific needs of the child they care for. A requirement has been made in relation to staff undertaking training in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

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good

Team meetings are reflective, thorough and focused on the needs of the child. However, the meetings have been held infrequently, which limits the positive impact on the development of staff and the quality of care provided to the child. A recommendation was made in relation to team meetings at the last inspection; this has been restated.

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good

Monitoring in the home is not effective. Issues are not always identified through the manager’s checks, which prevents the manager from having a good understanding of the home’s strengths and areas for development. Additionally, the manager has not completed a review of the quality of care in a timely fashion. Inspection report for children’s home for 2662751 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, The 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 quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children;

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Requirement Due date

use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed and furnished so as to—

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Requirement Due date

enable each child to participate in the daily life of the home. (Regulation 6 (1) (a)(b) (2)(c)(i)(ii))

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Requirement Due date

This is specifically in relation to improvement of the home environment outside of the child’s bedroom. The child should have access to all communal and recreational areas, including the outside lodge area. 7 December 2023

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Requirement Due date

The children’s views, wishes and feelings standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

develop positive relationships with them;

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Requirement Due date

take their views, wishes and feelings into account in relation to matters affecting the children’s care and welfare and their lives.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to— 9 November 2023 Inspection report for children’s home for 2662751 7 help each child to express views, wishes and feelings;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand how the child’s views, wishes and feelings have been taken into account and give the child reasons for decisions in relation to the child;

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Requirement Due date

regularly consult children, and seek their feedback, about the quality of the home’s care. (Regulation 7 (1) (a)(b)(c)(2)(ii)(iii)(iv))

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Requirement Due date

This is specifically in relation to ensuring the child’s views are meaningfully and regularly gained and can be demonstrated to have been acted upon.

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Requirement Due date

The positive relationships standard is that children are helped to develop, and to benefit from, relationships based on—

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Requirement Due date

an understanding about acceptable behaviour; and

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Requirement Due date

positive responses to other children and adults.

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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

help each child to develop socially aware behaviour;

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Requirement Due date

encourage each child to take responsibility for the child’s behaviour, in accordance with the child’s age and understanding;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to develop and practise skills to resolve conflicts positively and without harm to anyone;

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Requirement Due date

communicate to each child expectations about the child’s behaviour and ensure that the child understands those expectations in accordance with the child’s age and understanding. (Regulation 11 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v))

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Requirement Due date

This is specifically in relation to reflecting with the child after incidents and ensuring there is a focused plan to help the child learn and become more socially aware. 9 November 2022 Inspection report for children’s home for 2662751 8 The registered person must prepare and implement a policy ("the behaviour management policy") which sets out—

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Requirement Due date

how appropriate behaviour is to be promoted in the children’s home; and

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Requirement Due date

the measures of control, discipline and restraint which may be used in relation to children in the home.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must keep the behaviour management policy under review and, where appropriate, revise it. (Regulation 35 (1)(a)(b) (2))

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Requirement Due date

This is specifically in relation to ensuring that expectations and practice are consistent in relation to consequences and rewards, and these are appropriate and proportionate. 9 November 2022

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Requirement Due date

After consultation with the fire and rescue authority, the registered person must—

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Requirement Due date

take adequate precautions against the risk of fire, including the provision of suitable fire equipment in the children’s home. (Regulation 25 (1)(a))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, ensure that identified fire doors are not wedged or propped open. 9 November 2023

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Requirement Due date

The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

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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

assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child’s relevant plans, and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i))

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Requirement Due date

This is specifically in relation to ensuring that the missing- child plan is reflective of the current practice and the placing authority is in agreement with this policy. 9 November 2023

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Requirement Due date

The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that— 7 December 2023 Inspection report for children’s home for 2662751 9 helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child;

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Requirement Due date

understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home;

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Requirement Due date

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b)(2)(c)(f)(h))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that staff have training on attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and implement robust monitoring and review systems to ensure and improve the quality of care.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees—

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Requirement Due date

undertake appropriate continuing professional development;

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Requirement Due date

receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience; and

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Requirement Due date

have their performance and fitness to perform their roles appraised at least once every year. (Regulation 33 (4)(a)(b)(c))

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Requirement Due date

This is specifically relating to the regular supervision and appraisal of staff, within which development needs must be identified and planned to be met. 7 December 2023

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must complete a review of the quality of care provided for children ("a quality of care review") at least once every 6 months.

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Requirement Due date

In order to complete a quality of care review the registered person must establish and maintain a system for monitoring, reviewing and evaluating—

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Requirement Due date

the quality of care provided for children; 12 October 2023 Inspection report for children’s home for 2662751 10 the feedback and opinions of children about the children’s home, its facilities and the quality of care they receive in it; and

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Requirement Due date

any actions that the registered person considers necessary in order to improve or maintain the quality of care provided for children.

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Requirement Due date

After completing a quality of care review, the registered person must produce a written report about the quality of care review and the actions which the registered person intends to take as a result of the quality of care review ("the quality of care review report").

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Requirement Due date

supply to HMCI a copy of the quality of care review report within 28 days of the date on which the quality of care review is completed; and

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Requirement Due date

make a copy of the quality of care review report available on request to a placing authority, if the placing authority is not the parent of a child accommodated in the home.

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Requirement Due date

The system referred to in paragraph (2) must provide for ascertaining and considering the opinions of children, their parents, placing authorities and staff. (Regulation 45 (1) (2)(a)(b)(c) (3) (4)(a)(b) (5))

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that staff can access appropriate facilities and resources to support their training needs. This particularly relates to ensuring that team meetings take place more regularly. This recommendation is restated. (‘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) Inspection report for children’s home for 2662751 11 Regulations 2015 and the ‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’. Inspection report for children’s home for 2662751 12

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Holywell Children’s Services Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Dalton House, 9 Dalton Square, Lancaster, Lancashire LA1 1WD

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Inspector

Sarah Huntbatch, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home for 2662751 13 regulates and inspects 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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