Children's home run by The Open Care Group

Inspection report for children’s home: 2605108 1 Registered provider: The Open Care Group Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home was registered with Ofsted in January 2021. It is owned and managed by a private provider. It provides medium to long-term care for up to three children who may experience emotional and social difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The suitably qualified manager registered with Ofsted in June 2023. At the time of the inspection, three children were living at the home.

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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: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2605108 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

03/08/2022 Full Good 15/12/2021 Interim Improved effectiveness 27/07/2021 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children’s home: 2605108 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are happy and well cared for in their home. They develop positive routines and are improving their personal and social skills. When children move into the home, they receive a welcome gift. This helps them to settle and reduces anxiety that might have arisen as a result of their move.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff create a nurturing environment in the home. They encourage children to enjoy meals together. Staff support children to develop new interests and celebrate their achievements. For some children, this means they now enjoy going on holidays and day trips. These opportunities help children to develop self-confidence and build positive relationships with staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff help children to be healthy. They encourage children to attend all routine medical appointments. Having a balanced diet, coupled with opportunities to take part in physical activities, ensures that children’s health is maintained.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s education is a priority. Most of the children have experienced a disruption in schooling before moving into the home. Staff transport children to school and work closely with teachers. This coordinated approach ensures that children achieve positive educational outcomes.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported to embrace their cultural identity. Staff ensure that children can easily access food products that meet their cultural needs. Respect for their cultural heritage helps children to develop a sense of belonging. In addition, staff facilitate for children to see their families and friends in line with their care plans.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support children to prepare for their future. For example, staff encourage children to cook, shop and manage a budget. This helps to equip them with the knowledge and skills that they need for living independently. Staff continue to maintain links with children who have moved on from the home. These relationships are long-lasting and continue to be a safety net for children when they move on.

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

Staff complete detailed risk assessments and behaviour support plans. These documents are clear and easy to follow. They enable staff to understand children’s risks and vulnerabilities. This ensures that staff are able to better protect children from harm.

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

The registered manager makes sure that all children who move into the home have a detailed risk assessment in place. The registered manager carefully evaluates the risks of children living together. This allows children to settle in, and reduces the risk of bullying incidents. Inspection report for children’s home: 2605108 4 Staff recruitment is effective and helps to prevent the employment of unsuitable staff. The registered manager ensures that all relevant checks and verifications are complete before staff work with children. This helps to reduce the risk of harm to children.

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

Children rarely go missing from the home. On occasions when children have gone missing, staff follow missing-from-care procedures to ensure that children are safe. Staff use reflection to support children to understand the risks of going missing from the home. Similarly, children benefit from focused work on issues relating to internet safety and bullying. However, the work the children have covered on bullying is limited.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager is new in post and is supported by a deputy manager. The staff speak positively about the support they receive from the management team. The staff said that they are happy in their roles and enjoy supporting children to achieve the best possible outcomes. They are committed to providing good-quality care to children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive good-quality reflective supervision that focuses on children’s needs. They benefit from ongoing training and development. The use of the Employee of the Month Award boosts staff morale. This positivity creates an environment where children’s success is also celebrated.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager uses internal and external monitoring to review the quality of the care and progress of the children. In the main, the monitoring of the independent person provides challenge to the registered manager and staff. However, children’s and other stakeholders’ views have not been routinely sought. This limits the opportunity for managers to consider the views of others in their development plans of the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Feedback provided by professionals is positive about the staff’s care for the children. They report that communication is effective. This ensures that children’s needs are met. Inspection report for children’s home: 2605108 5

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person 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 must comply within the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that an independent person visits the children’s home at least once each month.

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Requirement Due date

When the independent person is carrying out a visit, the registered person must help the independent person—

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Requirement Due date

if they consent, to interview in private such of the children, their parents, relatives and persons working at the home as the independent person requires. (Regulation 44 (1) (2)(a)) 1 December 2023

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that staff support children to be aware of and manage their own safety, both inside and outside the home, to the extent that any good parent would. Staff should help children to understand issues pertaining to bullying. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 43, paragraph 9.9)

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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: 2605108 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: The Open Care Group

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 62 Lambert Street, Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire HU5 2SH

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Marlie-Rae Willerton

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Inspector

Evelyn Chafota, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2605108 7 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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