Children's home run by Total Care Matters Limited in Nottingham

Inspection report for children’s home: SC414296 1 SC414296 Registered provider: Total Care Matters Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This children’s home is operated by an independent provider. It is registered with Ofsted to provide care for up to four children. These children may require support with their emotional and behavioural needs.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager’s post is vacant. An application is pending.

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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: 14 November 2022

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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: SC414296 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

14/11/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good 19/10/2021 Full Good 13/01/2020 Full Outstanding 25/07/2018 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: SC414296 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Since the last inspection, three children have moved out of the home and one child remains. This child is settled and making good progress from her starting point. The child enjoys trusting relationships with staff and feels well supported. Staff have a thorough understanding of her individual needs and how to meet them. Staff spend good-quality time with her, which contributes to the strong relationships they have together.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children attend school, alternative provision, or college. They learn and make good progress, enabling them to make future educational plans or to secure a job. Prior to moving here, some children found it difficult to maintain good attendance. The manager and staff work hard alongside other professionals to ensure that this is improved. This ensures that children fulfil their individual academic potential.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children who leave the home do so with a positive ending. They keep in touch long after they move on, which is testament to the lasting relationships created. Staff help children to prepare for change in a sensitive way. They are strong advocates for children when concerns or delays arise within care planning. One child received extensive support in preparing to live independently and becoming a parent. She told the inspector, ‘I wouldn’t be here now without them; they were determined for me to have a nice place to live.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff always put children first. Family members and friends are welcomed into the home regularly. There are no unnecessary restrictions in place, which helps children to rebuild important relationships while they are in care. One parent said, ‘My child is happy there. I love how the staff connect with her. I can sleep easy for the first time in a long time.’

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

Children who live here say that they feel safe. They have trust in the adults that they will be protected from harm. Incidents of concern reduce over time. When incidents have occurred, managers and staff have shared information appropriately with relevant professionals to keep children safe.

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

Children are protected from bullying. They learn new ways of keeping themselves safe from discrimination. Staff challenge such behaviour and support children to understand how to treat others respectfully.

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

Conflict management is effective. When children have disagreements, restorative practice is used to improve and rebuild relationships. The views of children during such times are sought and understood. This helps to reduce the need for any formal intervention. Inspection report for children’s home: SC414296 4 While there have been improvements in the work carried out with children to identify and assess risk, managers recognise that all staff require further training in safeguarding practices to enhance staff’s skills and further support good practice. Managers are also in the process of reviewing children’s risk assessments and behaviour management plans to support effective staff interventions and practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager’s post became vacant in April 2023. Immediate action was taken by the provider to appoint an interim manager. An application for the registered manager’s post has been accepted by Ofsted. The manager has worked in the home for years and has a wealth of experience.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff feel valued by the manager and report that morale has improved since her appointment. Excellent relationships between the manager and children are also evident. The manager sets high standards in the home and models a nurturing approach. A member of staff told the inspector, ‘This is home from home. I love working here. We treat the children as though they were our own.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Outcomes for children are enhanced by strong partnership working. There is an emphasis on seeking feedback from others to drive continuous improvement in the home. The manager uses such feedback effectively to identify strengths and areas for improvement. During this inspection, the manager took immediate action to begin rectifying any shortfalls.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager’s systems currently in place to monitor and evaluate some areas of children’s care require improvement. The quality of care report does not yet meet the regulation as required. While this has not impacted directly on children’s care or safety, it does prevent the manager having full oversight of the home. Inspection report for children’s home: SC414296 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, 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 protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure that staff —

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Requirement Due date

assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child’s relevant plans, and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child;

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Requirement Due date

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(iii))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that all staff recognise, assess and record risks to children in a risk assessment format that is effective. This also relates to ensuring that all staff receive and understand the necessary safeguarding training to effectively carry out their safeguarding duties. 31 December

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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 (2)(h))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that the registered person implements and monitors an effective review system to ensure that the home continually improves the quality of care for children. 31 December

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Requirement Due date

After completing a quality-of-care review, the registered person must produce a written report about the quality-of- care review and the actions which the registered person intends to take as a result of the quality of care review ("the quality of care review report"). (Regulation 45 (3)) 31 December Inspection report for children’s home: SC414296 6

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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: SC414296 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Total Care Matters Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 230 Bathley Street, The Meadows, Nottingham NG2 2ER

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Inspector

Rachael Sprigg, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC414296 8 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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