Children's Home run by North Staffordshire Combined Healthcare NHS Trust in Staffordshire

Inspection report for children’s home: 1243962 1 Registered provider: North Staffordshire Combined Healthcare NHS Trust Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home provides a short-breaks service for children with learning disabilities and associated complex needs. The home provides overnight short-breaks care for up to six children.

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Information about this children’s home

The home is operated by a combined healthcare NHS trust. The manager registered with Ofsted in November 2017 and has a level 5 diploma in leadership and management for residential childcare.

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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

Date of last inspection: 31 January 2023

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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: 1243962 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

31/01/2023 Full Good 29/11/2021 Full Good 04/03/2020 Interim Improved effectiveness 24/06/2019 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 1243962 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff provide children with individualised care that promotes their welfare and celebrates their differences. Children are supported to express themselves using their preferred method of communication. This ensures that staff understand children’s wishes and feelings. Staff ensure that sensory equipment is accessible for children. As a result, children can self-sooth and regulate their emotions.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported to access the service on a regular basis. This means that children develop a sense of belonging and build trusting relationships with staff. On two occasions, the inspector observed one child return home from school and seek comfort from staff by snuggling up to them as they sat together on the sofa to relax. There has been one occasion where the manager assessed that they could no longer safely meet the needs of one child. The child was supported to move on from the service.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff have established good working relationships with children’s teachers. On occasions, staff will visit children at school and their home. Staff talk to teachers and children’s parents to understand children’s routines and goals. This information is used to inform the children’s care plans and helps staff to provide children with care they are familiar with.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Independence is promoted by staff. Staff encourage children who have limited speech to express their wishes by using individualised communication systems, including visual aids and the Picture Exchange Communication System. This helps children to make decisions. The inspector observed children using these systems to choose what they would like to eat and drink. Staff also used role play to encourage children to clean their face and hands after mealtimes. This practice respects children’s dignity and promotes life skills.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Qualified nurses take a leading role in monitoring children’s complex health needs. Children’s weight and height are recorded on each visit. Medication is managed well most of the time. Since the last inspection, there have been two occasions when nurses have not administered medication in line with the prescriber’s direction due to miscommunication. The manager investigated both incidents and identified learning that is now embedded in practice.

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

Managers and staff understand children’s behaviours and risks well. Plans in place provide staff with effective ways of managing risk and behaviours. This reduces the frequency and severity of incidents that occur.

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

Staff notice changes in children’s behaviours and presentation and are curious about what may be the cause. They share information with the manager so this can be Inspection report for children’s home: 1243962 4 monitored and escalated if there are concerns about a child’s safety. Staff demonstrate a good knowledge of safeguarding procedures and report concerns about people who are in a position of trust. Since the last inspection, there have been no allegations about staff who work in the service.

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

Supervision of children is good, there is a culture where restrictive physical intervention is only used as a last resort. There have been no occasions where restrictive physical intervention has been used.

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

Some children display self-injurious behaviours. Staff use positive touch, such as stroking the child’s forearm or hand, coupled with verbal prompts, to prevent children from hurting themselves. Staff use activities and sensory toys to redirect behaviours. This means that children are less likely to hurt themselves.

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

The environment is adapted to meet the specific needs of the children who access the service. Specialist items, such as lifting equipment, beds and bathroom facilities, are in good working order and serviced on a regular basis. The manager has given thought to the decoration and furnishing of the service to ensure that the individual sensory needs of children can be met.

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

Two new healthcare support workers have been employed. The manager carries out recruitment checks and ensures that safer recruitment processes are followed. However, on occasions, employment history has not been fully explored.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has a clear, child-centred vision for the service. This is understood by the staff, who provide care that is nurturing and takes account of each child’s complex needs. Staff understand the positive impact children’s stays have on both the child and their family members.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Children receive care from a qualified, experienced and consistent staff team. Staff are supported to keep their knowledge up to date and undertake training that supports them in their role to meet the individual needs of children who access the service.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Quarterly team meetings are held, and staff are supervised by managers in line with the trust’s expectations. Staff’s performance is appraised on an annual basis. These meetings provide staff with the opportunity to discuss children’s experiences during their stays, reflect on practice and contribute to their personal development and the development of the service. Staff feel supported well by managers. They enjoy their role and are motivated to provide children with positive experiences.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The appointment of an activity worker is a positive addition to the staff team. Staff support children to participate in a wider variety of activities and children’s artwork is displayed around the home. Children are now able to explore more activities in the community. This means that children are expanding their experiences and having fun. Inspection report for children’s home: 1243962 5

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that they make suitable arrangements to manage and administer any medication. These are fundamentally the same sorts of arrangements as a good parent would make but are subject to additional safeguards. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including quality standards’, page 35, paragraph 7.15)  The registered person should ensure that good employment practice is maintained. They must ensure that recruitment of staff safeguards children and minimises potential risks to them. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.1)

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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: 1243962 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: North Staffordshire Combined Healthcare NHS Trust, Lawton House, Bellringer Road, Stoke on Trent ST4 8HH

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Inspector

Helen Dunn, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 1243962 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 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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