Children's Home run by Direct Care Children’s Homes Ltd in Wiltshire

Inspection report for children’s home: 2655041 1 Registered provider: Direct Care Childrens Homes Ltd Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home provides care for up to three children. There are two children currently living in the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in May 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 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: requires improvement to be good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2655041 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

14/06/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children’s home: 2655041 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children receive support from a committed and supportive team of staff in a cosy and homely environment. Children enjoy varied opportunities, such as trips to the beach, cinema and local attractions. They are active and healthy, with gym memberships and healthy meals. Staff work with children to help them understand the concepts of costs and budgeting. However, this has resulted in the children becoming overly focused on how money is allocated in the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

During the inspection, close and supportive relationships were seen between staff and children. However, one child said that they do not like living in the home. They said that they do not get on with the manager, and feel ready to live more independently. Staff work closely with the child’s social worker to provide opportunities to prepare them for independence. The manager and senior leaders respond clearly and fairly to complaints made by the child. The manager acknowledges the complex relationship with the child, and ensures that she spends time with the child to listen to their concerns.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

One child is new to the home. Staff undertook an extensive period of outreach support to get to know the child before they moved in. This process provided valuable support and information to the child, who is newly into care. This child has made significant progress since moving into the home. Two children have left the home. Staff provided them with positive endings to their time in the home. One child made a compilation video of their memories, sending it after they left. They said their time in the home was one of the best in their life.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff promote and prioritise children’s education. One child has recently achieved some qualifications and is planning for their move to college. Managers meet regularly with this child’s school to ensure that their final year is positive and that they achieve their potential. The other child has not been to school or engaged in any learning for over two years. Since moving to the home, they have started individual tuition and daily structured learning time. The manager is meeting with relevant professionals to progress a return to a school environment.

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

Staff keep children safe. Staff recognise and understand safeguarding concerns. Management oversight of safeguarding concerns is strong and provides critical reflection and challenge. Staff share information with social workers and other professionals to ensure that unified support is in place. Managers considered the cumulative impact of concerns relating to one child and took the decision to end their placement to keep all children safe.

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

Children receive clear and consistent boundaries from staff. As a result, there are few incidents in the home. Staff know children well and understand stressors that Inspection report for children’s home: 2655041 4 may lead to incidents. Staff recognise the impact of trauma and intervene before issues escalate.

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

Managers respond appropriately when there are concerns about staff practice. They make referrals to relevant safeguarding authorities and take action to keep children safe. However, records of subsequent investigations do not always contain the detail needed to reflect the actions taken. This means it is not always clear how concerns are explored and why decisions have been made.

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

Permanent staff are recruited using safer recruitment processes. Leaders have implemented new processes for temporary workers, which will gather relevant information to ensure their suitability to work in the home.

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

The risk assessment of the home’s location comprehensively considers local risks in relation to the home. However, the manager has not consulted with local safeguarding partners to ensure that relevant local intelligence is taken into account as part of the location risk assessment.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager understands care and practice in the home, and works intelligently to identify support needs for staff and children. Staff enjoy working in the home, and feel supported by their managers and each other. Staff are child-focused, and know how to make and build relationships with children. Staff receive training needed for their role. Regular supervision and team meetings take place, which offer staff a space to reflect on their practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager forges and develops links with other professionals. As such, there are positive working relationships with social workers and schools. Professionals are positive about the support offered to children, and recognise the progress made. Staff support children to attend and participate in meetings about themselves. Parents are positive about the support offered to their children. Staff develop positive relationships with parents and, as a result, parents feel well informed about their children’s lives.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Records kept about children’s care are up to date, and detail their care and support needs. The information in these documents shows how well staff know and understand children. Managers regularly review what staff write, and offer support and guidance in a process of continuous improvement. However, some documents contain words or phrases that lack clarity and can be institutional.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is in the process of delivering a new model of care in the home. Staff have received introductory training relating to this, and its use now remains to be embedded. Inspection report for children’s home: 2655041 5

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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 registered person must review the appropriateness and suitability of the location of the premises used for the purposes of the children’s home at least once in each calendar year taking into account the requirement in regulation 12(2)(c) (the protection of children standard). When conducting the review, the registered person must consult, and take into account the views of, each relevant person. (Regulation 46 (1) (2))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, consult with relevant partner agencies to ensure that local intelligence is considered as part of the location risk assessment. 15 December

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that records of investigations into safeguarding concerns make it clear what action has been taken and why. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 44, paragraph 9.17)  The registered person should ensure that they consider review documents for the use of ambiguous or institutional language. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4)  The registered person should ensure that they consider how to reframe conversations about money to avoid an institutional feeling, while still supporting children with development of financial literacy. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.7)

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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: 2655041 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Direct Care Childrens Homes Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Unit 4, Paxton Business Centre, Whittle Road, Salisbury SP2 7YR

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Inspector

Clare Nixson, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2655041 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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