Children's home run by Time-Out Children’s Homes Limited

Inspection report for children’s home: 1280371 1 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

The home is owned by a private company. It is registered to provide care for two children who may have emotional or social difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

If required, children can access the organisation’s school and therapy department.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager post is currently vacant.

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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: 1280371 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

02/03/2023 Full Good 01/02/2022 Full Good 03/03/2020 Full Good 21/11/2019 Interim Improved effectiveness Inspection report for children’s home: 1280371 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

There was one child living in the home at the time of the inspection. The child has been helped to develop positive relationships with staff. The child said that they feel safe and happy living in the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff understand the child and provide individualised, nurturing care that meets the child’s needs. They regularly talk to the child about relevant topics. This helps the child to feel listened to and understood.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child has made good progress in school. Education professionals recognise the impact that the care the child is receiving is having on their ability to concentrate in school. Staff work collaboratively with education professionals to ensure that the child’s education needs are being met. However, staff sometimes arrange health appointments and leisure activities for the child during the school day, which has the potential to disrupt their learning.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff are supporting the child to develop life skills in preparation for becoming more independent. The child is learning how to cook, iron and budget. A bank account was recently opened for the child and their pocket money is now paid into it for them to manage.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child is helped to spend time with people who are important to them. Staff have also begun to encourage the child to enjoy time with their friends, both in and outside the home. This enables the child to develop positive peer relationships and to increase their confidence and self-esteem.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child engages well with weekly one-to-one therapeutic support provided by the home’s therapeutic team. Staff are also supported by the therapy team, at monthly team meetings and as and when they require it. This ensures that the child is cared for in line with the organisation’s therapeutic model of care.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff regularly seek the child’s views to inform the care they provide. The child said that staff always respond if they ask for things to change or improve, and they know that staff care about them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is comfortable and well maintained, with additional space for the child to enjoy activities and gaming. The child’s bedroom was recently redecorated and personalised to their taste.

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

There is a coordinated approach to safeguarding the child. The team works effectively with other agencies to ensure that the child’s risks and vulnerabilities are well understood. A social work manager said that the team is excellent and in tune Inspection report for children’s home: 1280371 4 with the child’s needs. This helps the child to feel safe and they know that they can talk to any staff member to share their worries or concerns.

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

Staff are effective in helping the child to understand online safety. They use creative ways to teach the child how to navigate online risks. Consequently, there has been a reduction in risks for the child.

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

Risk management plans are detailed and regularly reviewed. These plans provide staff with clear strategies to follow to keep the child safe.

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

There are few episodes of the child going missing from the home. On occasions when this has happened, staff know how to respond and are proactive in supporting the child to return safely.

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

The child benefits from clear routines and boundaries. Consequences are rarely used and the focus is on using positive strategies to help the child to make positive choices.

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

Incidents and allegations are rare. If they do occur, appropriate action is taken, and information is shared with relevant agencies. However, on one occasion, direct work identified to support the child to understand their experience had not been carried out.

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

Recruitment processes are robust and safer recruitment practices are followed to ensure that staff employed in the home are suitable to work with vulnerable children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager has recently resigned. Recruitment processes are ongoing, and an interim manager is currently managing the home. She has been a senior manager in the organisation for many years and knows the child and the team well. The manager is child-centred and has high expectations for the child and staff team. She is committed to continually improving practice in the home to ensure that the child is receiving a high standard of care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager recognises the home’s strengths and areas for development. She has implemented changes to improve internal monitoring in the home and has taken action to address shortfalls in recording and management oversight. However, these changes have only recently been introduced and their impact is currently limited.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff are clear about what is expected of them. They feel supported and valued by the manager and are happy in their roles. One staff member said, ‘She’s amazing. She’s on top of everything. Everyone is getting support. Nothing’s getting missed. She’s always there.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff are provided with regular training opportunities both online and face to face. New staff follow a thorough induction programme involving training, coaching and Inspection report for children’s home: 1280371 5 regular supervision. However, not all staff have received supervision in line with the organisation’s supervision policy. This is something that the manager is taking action to address. Inspection report for children’s home: 1280371 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 quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children;

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Requirement Due date

use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (2) requires the registered person to —

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand and manage the impact of any experience of abuse or neglect. (Regulation 6 (1) (a)(b) (2)(b)(v))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that any direct work identified to support children to understand their experiences is delivered in a timely manner. 31 January 2024

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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 (2) 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 (1)(a)(b) (2)(h)) 31 January 2024 Inspection report for children’s home: 1280371 7 Specifically, the registered person must ensure that monitoring and review systems are used effectively to improve practice in the home.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees—

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Requirement Due date

receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience. (Regulation 33 (4)(b))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that each employee receives supervision in line with the organisation’s supervision policy. 31 January 2024

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that efforts are made to arrange any leisure activities or routine health appointments outside school hours to avoid disruption to the child’s education. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 28, paragraph 5.14)

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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: 1280371 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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Inspectors

Zillah Brooks, Social Care Inspector Kelly McCurdy, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 1280371 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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