Children's home run by HeadStart Residential Care Ltd

Inspection report for children's home: 2684680 1 Registered provider: Headstart Residential Care Ltd 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 have learning disabilities and/or experience social, emotional and mental health difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The home was registered with Ofsted in September 2022. The manager has been in post since May 2023 but has yet to apply to register.

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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 requires improvement to be 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: 2684680 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

20/03/2023 Full Good Inspection report for children's home: 2684680 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

There are currently two children living in the home. Staff work hard and provide individualised care. However, this has sometimes been challenging, given the very different needs of the children. As a result, children’s experiences of living in the home have varied. One of the children has been able to develop a sense of permanence and belonging, whereas the other child has not. The ability of one child to settle has been undermined, largely due to circumstances outside of staff’s control.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff understand the importance of education for children. Both children have education delivered by the school attached to the home. One child has made significant improvement and now has good school attendance. However, one child has recently refused to attend; continued efforts are made by staff to support them to re-engage with their education. Children’s certificates are displayed in the home to celebrate their successes.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

When children move into the home, they are provided with weekly therapeutic support. One child has engaged well and has made meaningful progress. Staff understand the importance of this approach to care and continue the therapeutic ethos in their own interactions with children.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff encourage and support the children to spend time with people who are important to them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children are provided with a variety of activities which have helped enrich their lives. The staff creatively offer activities to keep one child positively occupied, in an attempt to manage an increasingly unsafe situation.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is clean and tidy. A redecoration programme is currently in progress and the manager is exploring ways to better personalise the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The quality of relationships between the children and staff vary. One child has been able to form important and positive relationships with staff, whereas for the other child, meaningful connections have yet to develop. Staff are alert to this and do try. However, they struggle to make a positive impact given the complexities of the situation. Staff are well intentioned and their efforts to communicate with both children are made with respect and care.

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

The staff understand their responsibilities in ensuring children are safe. The manager continually modifies staff rotas to ensure there are sufficient staff to meet the increasingly challenging and changing needs of the children. Inspection report for children's home: 2684680 4 The manager is liaising closely with one child’s placing authority to review their increasing needs. There is no bullying in the home. While the children continue to avoid each other’s company, the staff help the children manage their differences safely.

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

The manager and key workers ensure that there are individualised risk management plans in place for children. These plans identify children’s vulnerabilities and provide staff with clear strategies to manage the risks. One child’s care plan is comprehensive and gives really clear guidance. However, one child’s plan is not always kept up to date, due to their continually changing needs. The staff do know the child’s changing needs and the current risks are being managed by staff. However, staff say the absence of up-to-date plans places greater pressure on permanent members of staff to guide new and agency members of staff.

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

On one occasion, a significant safeguarding incident was not notified to Ofsted. As a result, the regulator has not been fully able to maintain oversight of the home and the actions taken to keep children safe. The manager is new and has demonstrated she is receptive to any constructive guidance in this regard.

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

The staff use physical intervention occasionally. They are suitably trained and use restraint only when necessary to keep children safe. However, some physical intervention reports lack detail. Furthermore, debriefs with children after the event are not always carried out and/or recorded.

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

One child sometimes goes missing from the home. The staff know what to do and act in a caring way. For example, they always follow the child and work hard to encourage them to return safely. They work well in partnership with police and another agencies.

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good

The manager has been in post since May 2023. The manager has yet to apply for registration with Ofsted. This is the manager’s first managerial role and she has not received the level of support needed. Consequently, she has sometimes been overwhelmed and there are gaps in her understanding of her role and responsibilities. However, she is keen to learn and understands the significance of her role.

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good

The manager is ambitious for the children. Presently, the manager and staff team are under a great deal of pressure trying to keep one child safe. The manager is liaising with the child’s placing authority but future plans remain unclear. Consequently, care for this child has become reactive and services around the child are not always working well together.

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good

Staff work well together and their support for each other has become fundamental to their work. However, a perceived lack of transparency and support from senior Inspection report for children's home: 2684680 5 leaders means there is a lack of confidence in the team and some staff’s morale is low. Some staff do not feel supported and valued by senior leaders.

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good

The shortfalls in senior leadership support and oversight have had a negative effect. The new manager has not had comprehensive support and challenge. As a result, there has not been effective oversight of all aspects of the service. Inspection report for children's home: 2684680 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

within 24 hours of the use of a measure of control, discipline or restraint in relation to a child in the home, a record is made which includes—

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Requirement Due date

the effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the measure; and

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Requirement Due date

within 48 hours of the use of the measure, the registered person, or a person who is authorised by the registered person to do so (“the authorised person”)—

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Requirement Due date

has spoken to the user about the measure; and

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Requirement Due date

has signed the record to confirm it is accurate; and

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Requirement Due date

within 5 days of the use of the measure, the registered person or the authorised person adds to the record confirmation that they have spoken to the child about the measure. (Regulation 35 (3)(a)(vii)(b)(i)(ii)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person should ensure that records capture discussions held with staff and children following any measure of control or discipline and that the record has been signed to confirm that it is accurate. 28 December

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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 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— that staff— 28 December Inspection report for children's home: 2684680 7 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

help each child to develop the understanding and skills to recognise or withdraw from a damaging, exploitative or harmful relationship;

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Requirement Due date

that each child is encouraged to build and maintain positive relationships with others. (Regulation 11 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(ii)(iii)(iv)(vii)(b))

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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

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

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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)(h))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that all significant incidents are evaluated with scrutiny, taking into consideration any possible learning outcomes that can be implemented in children’s risk management plans or to support the development of staff. 28 December

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Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person to ensure— 28 December Inspection report for children's home: 2684680 8 that each child’s relevant plans are followed;

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Requirement Due date

that staff help each child to access and contribute to the records kept by the registered person in relation to the child. (Regulation 14 (1)(a) (2)(c)(f))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that there are up-to-date records on file relating to children’s care, such as an up-to-date 24-hour behaviour management plan.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if—

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Requirement Due date

an incident requiring police involvement occurs in relation to a child which the registered person considers to be serious;

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Requirement Due date

there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40 (4)(b)(e)) 28 October 2023

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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: 2684680 9

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Headstart Residential Care Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 1 Swanwood Park, Gun Hill, Heathfield TN21 0LL

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Inspector

Jane Balfe, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: 2684680 10 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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