Children's home run by The Forge Nuneaton Limited

Inspection report for children’s home: 2703844 1 Registered provider: The Forge Nuneaton Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is owned by a private provider and is registered to provide care for up to six children who have experienced trauma.

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Information about this children’s home

The home is one of four homes on the same site.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in July 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 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

Date of last inspection: not previously inspected

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: not applicable Inspection report for children’s home: 2703844 2

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Recent inspection history

Not previously inspected Inspection report for children’s home: 2703844 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children benefit from a stable and consistent team. Children form strong relationships built on trust and affection from adults. Adults demonstrate a good knowledge and understanding of the individual needs of children. This positive regard and culture help children to make good progress in all areas of their lives.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Adults support children with their health and well-being. Children’s emotional health needs are expertly addressed. Adults demonstrate an ability to seek specialist help when this is necessary and have undertaken research to meet the specific needs of the children they care for. There are strong links with mental health professionals and specialist nurses. The multi-agency approach means that children’s needs are responded to effectively.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children enjoy taking part in activities with adults. This provides children with the opportunity to experience new things and have fun. For example, one child attends regular boxing classes, and another child spends time with their boyfriend, both inside and outside of the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are helped to stay in touch with people who are important to them. Adults support family visits and recognise the importance of these relationships.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is well furnished and maintained. This presents a welcoming environment. Children’s belongings fill the home; photos and their achievements are proudly on display. Ornaments and soft furnishings help to create a nurturing environment. Children personalise their bedrooms, and this allows them to take a sense of pride in their home and promotes their well-being. However, children cannot re-enter the home from the external doors, as these require a PIN code, and children do not have access to these codes. This restricts children’s access around their home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Internal care planning processes are structured and well recorded. Adults complete internal placement plans to a good standard. These plans detail clear targets and enable adults to track children’s progress and achievements. This promotes good- quality and consistent care. However, managers do not have all children’s most up- to-date plans from the local authority. Managers have not taken effective action to escalate requests to ensure that children’s most recent plans are provided.

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

Managers and adults place a high priority on keeping children safe. They work in partnership with placing authorities to protect children and promote their safety. The effectiveness of these relationships helps children to feel safe and secure. Adults are aware of their safeguarding responsibilities, and they have a good knowledge of whistle-blowing procedures. Inspection report for children’s home: 2703844 4 Adults and children have positive and caring relationships with each other. Managers and adults listen to children’s views. Children know how to make a complaint, and any complaints are taken seriously. As a result, children feel listened to and valued.

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

When children go missing from care, adults follow missing procedures effectively. Searches conducted by adults and persistent attempts to make contact show children they are cared about. Proactive collaboration with parents, local authorities and the police supports children to return home safely.

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

The manager and adults demonstrate a good understanding of children’s vulnerabilities and the potential risks posed to them. Clear guidance and strategies to follow are recorded in written risk assessments. This helps ensure that children are protected from harm.

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

Adults educate children about risk. Children take part in key-work sessions; this direct work includes online safety and anti-bullying. This positive work enhances children’s knowledge of risk and allows them to take the lead in their learning.

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

There are safe systems for the storage, administration and disposal of medication, and there are clear protocols in place for adults to follow. However, on three occasions, staff administered the incorrect dose of medication to children. This did not cause any impact on the children, and appropriate action was taken by the manager and senior leaders. For example, a full medication review was conducted As an outcome of this, new medication protocols and staff competency assessments were implemented, alongside retraining for all the adults. This shortfall was swiftly addressed, and the appropriate action was taken, which has resulted in no further medication errors.

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

Bullying or challenges with peer relationships in the home are responded to promptly. The manager regularly reviews the risk of bullying between children and puts measures in place to reduce these risks. Adults proactively follow children’s plans and address concerns. Adults have also used a creative approach and strategies to promote safe and healthy relationships between the children in the home. Adults use planned sessions to educate children on group living and to promote positive behaviours. Furthermore, adults use shared interests and hobbies to promote and maintain a positive relationship between children in the home.

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good

A suitably qualified and experienced registered manager leads the staff team, supported by a strong deputy manager. The deputy manager complements and supports the manager. They are dedicated and child focused, and children are at the centre of everything they do. Their committed and determined approach drives improvements in the home. Inspection report for children’s home: 2703844 5 The majority of the adults hold the required level 3 diploma. Seven adults are currently working to achieve this, and plans are in place to ensure that they complete it within the required timescales. Adults are provided with a wide range of training that informs their practice and meets children’s individual and diverse needs. Training in therapeutic approaches and an understanding of attachment theory underpin adults’ practice. Regular consultation with the in-house therapist is used well and is effective in improving adults’ practice. This enables adults to better

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good

understand the reasons behind some of the children’s behaviours and provide a nurturing environment in which children thrive.

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good

Team meetings and supervision sessions take place monthly and are used as a place for reflection and learning. Important issues are tracked and discussed, and children are at the centre of all practice.

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good

Adults enjoy working at the home, and they feel supported by the managers and report that morale is good.

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good

The managers oversight and analysis of incidents requires improvement, the responsible individual is aware of this shortfall and plans are in place to support and develop in this area. For example, there was no incident report for a serious incident that occurred in the home and there has been several occasions where Ofsted have not been notified of serious events. This limits the regulator’s oversight of the home. Inspection report for children’s home: 2703844 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 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

The registered person must ensure that there is effective oversight of the home and tools are in place to support with monitoring and review systems. 7 April 2024

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Requirement Due date

the privacy of children is appropriately protected;

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Requirement Due date

children can access all appropriate areas of the children’s home’s premises; and

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Requirement Due date

any limitation placed on a child’s privacy or access to any area of the home’s premises—

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Requirement Due date

allows children as much freedom as is possible when balanced against the need to protect them and keep them safe. (Regulation 21 (a)(b)(c)(iv))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that children have open access to all areas of the home. 7 April 2024 Inspection report for children’s home: 2703844 7 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))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all serious events are reported to the regulator without delay. 7 April 2024

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Recommendation

 The registered person should challenge (under regulation 5(c)) any placing authority who asks them to accept a child in the absence of a complete and current relevant plan, as the expectation that a placement of a child without the necessary information would go ahead (in circumstances other than an emergency) is inadequate in relation to their role. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 56, paragraph 11.5)

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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: 2703844 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: The Forge Nuneaton Limited

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Rebecca Grimshaw

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Inspectors

Marianne Grandfield, Social Care Inspector Jodie Lewis, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2703844 9 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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