Children's Home run by Time-Out Children’s Homes Limited in Rochdale

Inspection report for children’s home: SC065072 1 SC065072 Registered provider: Time-Out Children’s Homes 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 company. It is registered to provide care for two children who may have emotional and social difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, two children were living in the home. They both spoke to the inspector about their experiences living in the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in June 2022.

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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: SC065072 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

08/08/2022 Full Good 19/10/2021 Full Outstanding 23/07/2019 Full Outstanding 11/12/2018 Full Outstanding Inspection report for children’s home: SC065072 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children like living in the home. They are helped to develop positive relationships with staff who care about them. These relationships underpin the progress that children make in all areas of their lives.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is modern and well maintained. There are photos of the children around the house. Children’s bedrooms are personalised with a wall mural that the children have chosen themselves. This helps children to develop a sense of belonging and pride in the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Since the last inspection, one child has moved out of the home and one child has moved in. Children are supported to move into and out of the home in a planned way.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s education is prioritised and children are supported to attend school. When they have experienced difficulties, staff and managers have challenged other agencies and advocated for children’s needs to be met. This has enabled children to make good progress in their education.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are encouraged to enjoy different experiences and to pursue their interests. Both children have recently been on holidays abroad and continue to enjoy hobbies such as gymnastics and fire cadets. This helps children to have new experiences and to develop positive peer relationships.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s physical and emotional health needs are well understood. They are helped to attend regular health appointments. They also have access to the in-house therapy team as required, to further support their emotional well-being.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported to spend time with people who are important to them. This helps children to maintain positive relationships and important support networks.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The manager and staff team are proactive in capturing memories and important events in children’s lives for them to look back on. Children enjoy looking at photos and memory books. This helps them to develop a sense of identity and to understand their journey.

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

There have been times when children have gone missing from home. Staff ensure that safeguarding procedures are followed and that children’s plans are regularly updated to reflect their individual needs. Staff follow these plans and know what strategies work best for each child. Inspection report for children’s home: SC065072 4 Children’s support plans are detailed. The manager has ensured that plans have been reviewed following all significant incidents. However, there have been times when staff have not followed behaviour support strategies as detailed in children’s plans. The manager has taken appropriate action to address this and has provided additional support and guidance on these occasions.

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

Staff use physical intervention as a last resort. When staff have had to hold children, they have recorded these incidents appropriately. The manager has evaluated the use of physical intervention to determine if it was necessary and proportionate.

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

Staff are proactive in responding to children’s presenting needs. They also carry out regular direct-work sessions with children to help them better understand their emotions. Staff support children to reflect on incidents that have happened and to think about how things may be done differently next time.

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

Allegations are not made frequently. When there have been allegations, there is consultation with relevant safeguarding professionals and clear oversight from the manager to ensure that children are safe.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home is managed by an experienced registered manager who is working towards the relevant qualification. The manager has a clear vision for the home and high aspirations for the children in her care. She is ambitious for the home and supports the team to deliver consistent good-quality care for the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager and staff communicate effectively with children, their families and external professionals. They receive positive feedback from other professionals about the care they provide to children. One child’s social worker said, ‘The staff are fantastic. It’s a brilliant place for [name of child] to live. He likes living there and is making exceptional progress.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff benefit from access to regular supervisions and practice reviews. They are helped and encouraged to learn and develop in their roles. Any learning identified through incidents and team discussions is used to further develop practice in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Team meetings take place monthly. Consistent and child-focused planning and review of actions set in the meetings mean that the team is always striving for improvement. Staff regularly liaise with the organisation’s therapy team to review children’s progress and to identify any additional support. This ensures that children are well supported and that they are receiving individualised and nurturing care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff attend regular training and work towards the relevant qualification. However, not all staff have completed training relevant to children’s specific needs. This limits opportunities to ensure that children are cared for by staff who are able to meet their needs. Inspection report for children’s home: SC065072 5 Internal review and monitoring systems are not robust. Shortfalls in records and anomalies around changes to the care children receive had not been identified or addressed by the manager. This reduces opportunities to ensure that staff provide consistent routines for children and that records are accurate. Inspection report for children’s home: SC065072 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

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

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Requirement Due date

understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home; and

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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)(f)(h))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that they have effective oversight of practice in the home and that children’s records are accurate and reflect the level of support required. In addition, that staff have completed all care-plan specific training to meet the needs of the children, including training around substance misuse. 19 December 2023

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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 19 December 2023 Inspection report for children’s home: SC065072 7 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—

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Requirement Due date

meet each child’s behavioural and emotional needs, as set out in the child’s relevant plans;

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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

communicate to each child expectations about the child’s behaviour and ensure that the child understands those expectations in accordance with the child’s age and understanding;

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Requirement Due date

strive to gain each child’s respect and trust;

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Requirement Due date

understand how children’s previous experiences and present emotions can be communicated through behaviour and have the competence and skills to interpret these and develop positive relationships with children. (Regulation 11 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(i)(iv)(v)(viii)(ix))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that staff follow children’s behaviour support plans, support children effectively and avoid unnecessarily escalating situations.

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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: SC065072 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Time-Out Children’s Homes Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Unit 2, Ripponden Mill, Mill Fold, Ripponden, Sowerby Bridge, West Yorkshire HX6 4DH

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Dominic Macauley

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Inspectors

Kelly McCurdy, Social Care Inspector Zillah Brooks, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC065072 9 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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