Children's home run by Alpine4care Services Ltd

Inspection report for children’s home: 2721798 1 Registered provider: Alpine4care Services Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is privately owned and provides care for up to two children who may experience social and/or emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The home registered with Ofsted in April 2023 and has a new registered manager who had their fit person interview on 8 September 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: Inadequate

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Enforcement action since last inspection:

On 23 May 2023, Ofsted carried out a full inspection and judged the home inadequate. Compliance notices under Regulations 12 and 13 were raised, and a restriction of accommodation notice was also issued. On 4 July 2023, Ofsted carried out a monitoring visit and judged that the compliance notices were met. A further monitoring visit was carried out on 10 Aug 2023, when the restriction of accommodation notice was lifted. Inspection report for children’s home: 2721798 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

23/05/2023 Full Inadequate Inspection report for children’s home: 2721798 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

There was one child living at the home at the time of the inspection. The child had lived at the home for three weeks and reported feeling happy during this time.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child is receiving individualised care from staff who model positive behaviours to aid their relationship building. A social worker said, ‘I can’t speak highly enough about the home; they have been brilliant.’ Staff are aware of all the children’s needs, likes and interests. They tailor activities and support to encourage positive behaviour. As a result, the child is engaging well with their day-to-day routine.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child attends school and this has been maintained during their move into the home. They are achieving well in this provision, which is further supported by an alternative provision. The child regularly attends a boxing club, and they have a healthy diet. These good routines support children to build healthy habits and encourage a bright outlook as they grow up.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Before children move into the home, staff go to meet them, tell them all about the home and take them out on activities of their choice. There is a child-friendly welcome book. This means that children start to understand what it is like to live in the home before they move there. This helps to alleviate any worries that they may have.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The manager has ensured that there are plans for relevant direct work to be completed with the child. Although these plans are in their early stages, the child is benefiting from these conversations.

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

Children’s risks are identified, understood and managed well. The child has a history of going missing from care. Although it has only been a short period of time, the child has not gone missing since living at this home. Staff communicate well, which helps to ensure that children have clear and consistent boundaries. This consistency encourages and supports a feeling of safety and well-being for the children.

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

One significant event has been reported to Ofsted during this period. The manager has followed safeguarding procedures well, and records about this concern are clear and child focused. This illustrates that the staff and the manager understand how to safeguard children. However, the child’s plans were updated in one section, but the manager had not reflected this update across the entire record.

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

Communication with partnership agencies is good. The manager has developed plans that are clear and informed by the local authority’s targets for the child. This ensures that staff are supporting the child safely with the support of wider professionals. Inspection report for children’s home: 2721798 4 The manager follows safer recruitment procedures to ensure that staff are employed in a safe way. A good-quality induction programme ensures that all new staff have completed mandatory training, which includes safeguarding courses. This means that children are safeguarded effectively.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home is undergoing a period of transition. The new manager has been interviewed as part of the registration process. She has completed a full review of systems in the home, which has led to several improvements. She planned the recent move of a child effectively and with a professional and sensitive approach.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is held in high regard by other professionals. She is respected by the staff team. Staff say they feel supported and enjoy being part of the team. One professional said, ‘Communication has been excellent, and she has been so proactive. The manager really understood [name of child]’s needs straightaway.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

All staff receive regular supervision; however, the manager has received limited support during a significant period. Although the manager has completed her tasks thoroughly, recent organisational changes mean she has completed them without support from a senior manager.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Most staff are qualified; those who are not are working towards their residential childcare qualification. All staff are up to date with their training and take part in regular team meetings. This ensures that they can reflect on their practice to continue to meet the needs of the children in their care. However, staff support the child’s time with their family, but they have not been provided with training or support to do this.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has robust monitoring systems to look at the strengths and weaknesses of the service. The manager will be reviewing the service on a six- month basis. The improvements seen are good but require regular monitoring to ensure the manager further develops the service. Inspection report for children’s home: 2721798 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 leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that—

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Requirement Due date

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

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

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that the monitoring of children’s risk plans is effective and that the registered manager receives appropriate support from the responsible individual. 8 Nov 2023

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that staff can access appropriate resources to support their training needs around supervising family time and should understand the key role they play in the training that staff in the home receive. (‘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: 2721798 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Alpine4care Services

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Office Suite 4 Bermar House, Rumer Hill Road, Rumer Hill Business Estate, Cannock, Staffordshire WS11 0ET

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Jesse James Harmon

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Inspector

Mark Dickinson, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2721798 7 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 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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