Children's Home run by Juventas Services in Cambridgeshire

Inspection report for children’s home: 2668575 1 Registered provider: Juventas Services Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This privately owned home offers care for up to three children who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in January 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: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2668575 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

05/10/2022 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2668575 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

At the time of this inspection, three children were living at the home. Since the last inspection, two children have moved out. While initial assessment indicated that the staff would be able to meet the children’s needs, their needs changed. The manager learned from these endings. As a result, the manager now meets with children before they move in. This helps the manager to ensure that staff have the correct skills to meet children’s needs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff know the children well, enjoy spending time with them, and talk about the children with pride and enthusiasm. Staff organise activities that they know children will enjoy. Children have experienced trips to London, tours around famous football stadiums, virtual reality gaming, theme parks and raising money for charity events. Two children went on holiday together and, for one child, it was the first time they had flown on an aeroplane. Staff help children to build trust in adults while gaining positive memories.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children make good progress. Learning new skills helps children to build their confidence and self-esteem. One child has learned how to manage their free time appropriately. One child has learned how to respect other people’s personal space and opinions. Staff help children to develop independence and social skills.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

One child is in education and staff are helping them to apply for college courses. The manager has appropriately challenged other professionals to seek suitable educational provisions for two other children. While waiting for these placements to begin, staff have helped children to learn independence skills, such as cooking, shopping, and budgeting. Staff understand the importance of children learning.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff use consequences to help children to learn if they make a mistake. Consequences are agreed with social workers. The manager evaluates their effectiveness consistently. If the agreed approach is not working, the registered manager speaks with the social worker, and they consider alternative approaches. As a result, one child has learned how to manage their time on a mobile phone more effectively.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff help children to feel positive about their cultural heritage and identity. Staff support children with their cultural needs in relation to worship, diet and sexuality exceptionally well. Staff research groups in the community where children can spend time and relate to others. Consequently, this improves children’s self-image and self- esteem.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff help children to spend time with people who are important to them. However, one child consistently asked staff when he could see his family again. There is no evidence that this was followed up with their social worker. This was a missed opportunity for the child to feel a sense of belonging to their family. Inspection report for children’s home: 2668575 4

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

Children said that they feel safe living at the home. This is because children are supported by staff who understand how trauma may affect their emotional and mental health. Staff are trained in the organisation’s preferred model of care and this is embedded in practice. Consequently, if children feel worried, they are supported well, and behaviour incidents are rare.

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

Staff understand their roles and responsibilities to report any safeguarding concerns. One social worker said that staff communicate well and share important information. This ensures that there is an external level of scrutiny regarding any concerns about children.

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

Staff understand each child’s vulnerabilities and how to help. Children’s plans are detailed, and children are involved in telling staff how to help them. One child has made significant progress in understanding healthy relationships. This is because staff spent time with them talking about sensitive subjects. Staff also organised opportunities for the child to explore what they had learned safely. Because of this approach, the child now spends time in the community safely.

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

There have been no occasions when children have left the home without permission. However, staff know what to do if a child does leave because the manager ensures that plans are detailed.

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

One child, who no longer lives at the home, was diagnosed with a health condition that required medical support if they became unwell. While the manager had assessed the risk around this, a medical protocol had not been obtained. This meant that if the child had become seriously unwell, staff would have been unable to provide the appropriate medical support as prescribed by a consultant.

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

There has been one physical intervention since the last inspection. This was used as a last resort and to keep the child safe. However, a description of the method used is not recorded. This oversight means that it is difficult to judge proportionality.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager is qualified and experienced to manage the home. They are reflective of practice, approachable and have high ambitions for children. Two deputy managers and an experienced responsible individual support the manager.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The staff team is consistent and stable. The manager makes certain that only agency staff who know the children well are used. This helps children to build good relationships with staff. One child said, ‘I know them, it took me a while to trust them and build up that relationship and I can now do that.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager has made improvements to safer recruitment processes. The organisation’s induction is detailed and includes new staff shadowing more- Inspection report for children’s home: 2668575 5 experienced staff until they feel confident. This ensures that staff are fully considered and prepared for their roles.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive regular supervision from trained managers. Staff are encouraged to reflect on and discuss any concerns they have about children. Managers also focus on the well-being of staff. They understand that investing in staff means better outcomes for children. Staff said that they felt supported by managers.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff complete the organisation’s mandatory training. This helps staff to meet the needs of the children currently living at the home. Staff are either qualified or working towards the relevant level 3 qualification in accordance with timescales.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Any investigations or complaints are managed well. The manager uses curiosity and evaluates the impact of any shortfalls on children well. Any actions are followed up without delay. This ensures that children receive good levels of care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has good systems in place to monitor and review the quality of care that children receive. As a result, they are aware of children’s progress and quickly address any concerns. However, the review of the quality of care report sent to Ofsted did not include the opinions of children about the care they receive. While this does not directly affect children, it is a missed opportunity to develop the service further. This was raised at the last inspection and is restated.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager has met four requirements and one recommendation from the last inspection. One requirement has been restated. Inspection report for children’s home: 2668575 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, 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 health and well-being standard is that—

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Requirement Due date

the health and well-being needs of children are met.

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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

achieve the health and well-being outcomes that are recorded in the child’s relevant plans. (Regulation 10 (1)(a) (2)(a)(i))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that staff have access to medical protocols for children with a diagnosed health condition that requires medical attention. 22 December

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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

a description of the measure and its duration. (Regulation 35 (3)(a)(iv)) 22 December

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Requirement Due date

In order to complete a quality of care review the registered person must establish and maintain a system for monitoring, reviewing and evaluating—

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Requirement Due date

the feedback and opinions of children about the children’s home, its facilities and the quality of care they receive in it. (Regulation 45 (2)(b)) 22 March 2024 Inspection report for children’s home: 2668575 7

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that staff have the skills and confidence to communicate easily, and understand the importance of listening to, involving and responding to the children they care for. Staff should understand that they have a responsibility to observe, notice and respond to children who are expressing their views. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 22, paragraph 4.10)

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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: 2668575 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Yare House, 62-64 Thorpe Road, Norwich NR1 1RY

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Inspectors

Mandy Start, Social Care Inspector Majella Russell, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2668575 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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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