Children's home run by Social Care Services Limited in Stockport

Inspection report for children’s home: SC412687 1 SC412687 Registered provider: Social Care Services (Clayton) Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This is a privately run children’s home. The home provides care and accommodation for up to three children who are not able to live at their family home.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in October 2019.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of this inspection, two 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

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC412687 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

14/03/2023 Full Good 17/08/2021 Full Good 23/10/2019 Full Good 23/01/2019 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: SC412687 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

At the time of this inspection, the children living at the home were both present at the last inspection. During this period, both children have made progress in line with their individual care plans. They have both benefited from stability of placement and receive care from a consistent staff team. This has contributed to them building positive relationships.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Both children have bespoke education packages and are engaging with these well. Teachers spoken with at the time of the inspection say that staff from the home are supportive of education and are proactive in ensuring that the children follow their educational plans.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported to attend healthcare appointments and staff encourage children to lead healthy lifestyles. Staff undertake direct work with children, including work around the negative effects that smoking and vaping can have on their health. Although one child continues to use a vape, staff are actively working to discourage this.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff try to encourage children to engage in activities, although there have been mixed results in relation to this. The manager recognises this is an area for further development.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff work in partnership with a range of other professionals involved in the care and support of children. Placing social workers say that the overall support provided has enabled children to make progress from their initial starting points. One social worker said, ‘Since living at the home, [name of child] has made good progress. Staff provide good levels of care and support and put the needs of children first and foremost in practice.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff help children to maintain positive relationships with family and friends in line with any restrictions that are in place.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children live in a home that provides a warm and welcoming environment. The home is maintained and decorated to a good standard, providing children with a comfortable homely environment.

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

All staff have undertaken safeguarding and safer care training. This enables them to understand their role and responsibilities in promoting children’s safety and welfare. Both children spoken with at the time of the inspection said that they feel safe and are positive about living at the home. They say they can speak with staff or with social workers if they are unhappy or have any concerns, although one child said she tends to keep things inside rather than discuss them with anyone. Inspection report for children’s home: SC412687 4 There are clear procedures in place in relation to children going missing from the home. When a child does go missing, staff follow the child’s individual risk assessment. This means that staff actively seek to contact the child, carry out a search for the child and report them missing to the relevant agencies. Staff ensure that the child receives a warm welcome on their return. Staff request independent

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

return home interviews for the child to try to ascertain any reason why the child went missing from the home. This enables children to have the opportunity to voice any concerns they may have.

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

Staff help children to safely manage their behaviours and feelings. Children have detailed behaviour management plans in place which provide staff with strategies to manage any heighted behaviours. As a result of these strategies, there have been no incidents of physical intervention. The staff use positive praise rather than negative consequences. However, when a consequence has been issued, these are not always recorded. This does not enable the manager to have effective oversight, or for the child to record their views in relation to the consequence.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home is led by an experienced and suitably qualified registered manager who has high expectations and aspirations for all children. He supports and encourages staff to help children to achieve positive outcomes and, as a result, staff also have high aspirations for children. The manager ensures that the home is suitably staffed with a stable staff team, which provides children with consistency. However, arrangements for recruitment are not always robust and there is not always evidence to support that references have been received from previous employers.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive regular supervision in line with the statement of purpose. Records of supervision are detailed and provide evidence that reflective discussions take place regarding practice, the children and the running of the home. Appraisals also take place regularly. However, they do not include the views of children and other professionals.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager and staff maintain positive working relationships with other agencies, professionals, parents and carers. This enables all parties to work collaboratively to maximise the positive outcomes for children. When there have been any issues or concerns, the manager addresses these swiftly and clearly to continue to maintain open and effective communication. One social worker said, ‘The manager works exceptionally well to make sure there is clear and consistent communication. This has helped build positive relationships with family members and professionals.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has, since the last inspection, strengthened monitoring systems. He makes use of external and internal monitoring to reflect on the practice of the home. However, some areas of monitoring are not always robust and this impacts on the manager’s overall oversight of the home. Inspection report for children’s home: SC412687 5 The manager has addressed two of the three requirements made at the last inspection. These were in relation to the propping open of the fire doors and staff training in relation to missing-from-home procedures. The third requirement in relation to monitoring systems has not been met in full and has been restated at this inspection. Inspection report for children’s home: SC412687 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 enjoyment and achievement standard is that children take part in and benefit from a variety of activities that meet their needs and develop and reflect their creative, cultural, intellectual, physical and social interests and skills.

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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

develop the child’s interests and hobbies;

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Requirement Due date

participate in activities that the child enjoys and which meet and expand the child’s interests and preferences; and

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Requirement Due date

make a positive contribution to the home and the wider community; and

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Requirement Due date

that each child has access to a range of activities that enable the child to pursue the child’s interests and hobbies. (Regulation 9 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that children are offered and engage in a range of positive activities. When children have specific interests, the registered person must ensure that they are given opportunities to explore and develop these interests. 1 January 2024

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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— 1 January 2024 Inspection report for children’s home: SC412687 7 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

This is specifically in relation to the monitoring of consequences given, ensuring that they are recorded fully and that the views of children are sought.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety.

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Requirement Due date

employ an individual to work at the children’s home;

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Requirement Due date

if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3).

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Requirement Due date

the individual is of integrity and good character;

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Requirement Due date

the individual has the appropriate experience, qualification and skills for the work that the individual is to perform;

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Requirement Due date

the individual is mentally and physically fit for the purposes of the work that the individual is to perform; and

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Requirement Due date

full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2. (Regulation 32 (1) (2)(a) (3)(a)(b)(c)(d))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must obtain a reference from the applicants most recent employer. 1 December 2023

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must prepare and implement a policy (“the behaviour management policy”) which sets out—

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Requirement Due date

the measures of control, discipline and restraint which may be used in relation to children in the home.

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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

details of any methods used or steps taken to avoid the need to use the measure; 1 January 2024 Inspection report for children’s home: SC412687 8 the effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the measure. (Regulation 35 (1)(b) (3)(a)(v)(vii))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that staff follow the home’s policy on de-escalating behaviour and that the manager evaluates the effectiveness of each intervention.

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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: SC412687 9

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Social Care Services (Clayton) Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Social Care Services Group, 31 Shaw Road, Stockport SK4 4AG

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Inspector

Sarah Oldham, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC412687 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 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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