Children's home run by Footsteps to Futures Limited in Gedling

Inspection report for children’s home: SC484402 1 SC484402 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 provides care for up to three children who experience social and emotional difficulties. The home is owned and operated by a private organisation.

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Information about this children’s home

There is an experienced manager in post. She registered with Ofsted in May 2022.

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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: 25 October 2022

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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: SC484402 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

25/10/2022 Full Good 23/06/2021 Full Outstanding 10/02/2020 Interim Improved effectiveness 03/09/2019 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: SC484402 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s overall experiences and progress are good. One child described the home as ‘good’ and said they feel that staff are doing all they can to help and support the children. The home is a welcoming and warm environment. Children’s bedrooms are personalised and reflect their interests, hobbies and tastes.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff recognise the value of continued family relationships for children. They support children to spend time with family where it is safe to do so. This helps children to maintain important family relationships and promotes their identity.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support children to share their wishes, feelings and views in planned and unplanned key-work sessions. Staff are creative in how they help children learn to make positive choices and better understand risks. Children are well supported with their emotional well-being through regular access to a service linked to the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Managers give careful consideration when children move into the home. This includes how the staff team can meet their needs alongside assessing the impact on children already living at the home. The children’s guide is written in a child-friendly manner. Staff support children well when there is a planned move out of the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

One child does not have a full-time education placement and interim education arrangements in the home are not yet provided. Staff try to support children in accessing a variety of activities which could be considered educational. However, one child lacks structure and routine to their day. Staff have not yet considered more-creative ways to engage them in new activities.

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

The manager responds to complaints and allegations from children promptly and effectively. The manager notifies the relevant professionals and takes any action required to safeguard children. Children are well supported by staff. The manager writes to children to acknowledge their complaint and provides feedback once the complaint has been addressed. This ensures that children feel listened to.

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

Staff understand that physical intervention should only be used as a last resort. Staff support children following interventions and encourage them to manage their feelings safely. This practice has led to a reduction in physical interventions.

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

Children rarely go missing from home. When children go missing, staff are clear about the actions they need to take. Staff follow the missing-from-home plan and work with external professionals to support children to ensure their safe return home. There has been a drastic reduction in the frequency of one child going missing since moving into the home. This is good progress and reduces risks associated with children being missing from home. Inspection report for children’s home: SC484402 4 Risk assessments and behaviour support plans are detailed. The manager and staff carry out regular reviews of these documents. The plans help staff to understand how best to support children’s specific behaviours and risks. However, where a child has shared how they feel they would be best supported, this has not been reflected in their risk assessment. Staff do not consistently follow the risk assessments, which has resulted in some incidents escalating unnecessarily. Staff-to-child ratios have not

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

always been adhered to. This is an area for development.

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

Occasionally, consequences given to children have been disproportionate. The manager has introduced alternative consequences to be used and plans to embed these in the staff team.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager and staff understand children’s specific needs. The manager has high aspirations for children and is very nurturing. She is reflective of her own and the team’s practice and how she can support the development of the team and continue to improve the care provided to children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Monitoring and oversight of the functioning of the home by the manager are evident. This includes positive reflection and critical evaluation of staff practice. This approach enables the manager to continually evaluate the care and support given to children. As a result, staff are supported to improve their skills.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff feel well supported by the manager. One member of staff said, ‘I couldn’t ask for anything better.’ Staff receive regular professional supervision. The agenda includes discussion around the children’s needs, the team, and staff’s individual support needs. Reflective discussions about staff practice are promoted, and staff are supported with their professional development.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Team meetings are frequent, and staff find them beneficial. One member of staff said, ‘They are brilliant. There is lots of learning and they are regular.’ Staff feel supported by colleagues and comment that there is ‘great teamwork’ and ‘effective communication’.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive a range of training. This is regular and varied, taking into consideration children’s specific needs. One member of staff said, ‘The induction process was very informative and provided me with all the information to start and work effectively.’ Inspection report for children’s home: SC484402 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, 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 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

understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person;

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Requirement Due date

that the home’s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(v)(b))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that care provided to children by staff is consistent and in line with risk assessments. This includes ensuring that staff-to-child ratios are always maintained. 8 December 2023

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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

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; 8 December 2023 Inspection report for children’s home: SC484402 6 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

promote opportunities for each child to learn informally. (Regulation 8 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that children who are not attending full-time education are provided with a structured day so that they have continued opportunities to learn.

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that children are supported by staff to explore a variety of activities. Staff should find creative ways to encourage children to try new hobbies and develop new interests. (‘Guide to Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 31, paragraph 6.4)  The registered person should ensure that any consequences used to address poor behaviour are restorative in nature, to help children recognise the impact of their behaviour on themselves, other children, the staff caring for them and the wider community. Where consequences have been ineffective, alternative ones should be considered. (‘Guide to Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 46, paragraph 9.38)  The registered person should ensure that when children share how they would feel best supported, their views are reflected in their risk assessments. Children’s views should be balanced by staff regarding what they judge to be in the best

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Recommendations

interests of the child and reach a reasonable view about the best way forward in the interests of all. The reasons for reaching any decision will need to be carefully explained to and understood by the child or children concerned. (‘Guide to Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 22, paragraph 4.9)  The registered person should ensure that staff keep clear and detailed recordings of when children spend time with the people who are important to them. Staff should record information about individual children in a non-stigmatising way that distinguishes between fact, opinion and third-party information. Information about the child must always be recorded in a way that will be helpful to the child. (‘Guide to Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4) Inspection report for children’s home: SC484402 7

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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: SC484402 8

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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

Kathryn Hurley, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC484402 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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