Children's home run by Onextra Care Limited

Inspection report for children’s home: 2571031 1 Registered provider: Onextra Care Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is operated by a small private organisation. It is registered to provide care for up to two children who experience social and emotional difficulties. Two children currently live in the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in December 2021.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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outstanding

How well children and young people are helped and protected outstanding

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outstanding

The effectiveness of leaders and managers outstanding

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outstanding

The children’s home provides highly effective services that consistently exceed the standards of good. The actions of the children’s home contribute to significantly improved outcomes and positive experiences for children and young people who need help, protection and care.

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outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2571031 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

26/04/2022 Full Good 20/07/2021 Full Requires improvement to be good 11/05/2021 Full Inadequate Inspection report for children’s home: 2571031 3

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outstanding

Since the last inspection, no children have moved out and only one child has moved into the home. A detailed introduction plan was implemented, and staff visited the child at their previous home before they moved in. The child also came for meals at the home and had overnight stays. This helped to reduce any worries the child may have had about moving in and allowed them to begin forming relationships with staff.

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outstanding

The two children currently living in the home have excellent relationships with staff. Staff are aspirational for the children and promote positivity in the home. Children are very comfortable around staff. One child said, ‘I love living here so much, they care about me.’

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outstanding

Children have made excellent progress because of the care and support offered by staff. For example, episodes of children going missing from the home have significantly reduced, physical intervention is rarely used to manage behaviours and children’s relationships with their family and friends have significantly improved.

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outstanding

Staff’s day-to-day practice is informed by a researched-based model. This means that staff are well equipped to meet children’s needs. Staff demonstrate empathy and understanding and use playfulness to promote positive behaviour. Staff use their curiosity to understand the underlying causes for any negative behaviours displayed. Staff are continually developing this practice from a strong and confident base.

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outstanding

Staff continually review what is working well for the children and adapt their approach as needed. As a result, the quality of care delivered to the children is continually improving and making an exceptional difference to the lives and experiences of children.

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outstanding

Children are in good health and have no outstanding health needs. Children are supported by staff to develop healthy habits that they will be able to sustain after they have left the home. For example, children have learned how to make healthy meals. Children are taken to the gym and supported to understand health and nutrition.

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outstanding

Both children attend appropriate educational provision. One child is attending college and is progressing well. The other child has a bespoke educational timetable that is tailored around their individual needs and interests. Staff support and encourage the child’s attendance and use praise and rewards effectively to promote their engagement. Inspection report for children’s home: 2571031 4 Children are supported to keep in contact with the people who are important to them. Family and friends are invited and welcomed to the home. Both children are rebuilding relationships with family members. For one child, exceptional progress has been made to rebuild family relationships. Staff have worked alongside the child’s parents to develop their skills in implementing consistent boundaries and routines in line with those used in the home.

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outstanding

Staff support children to give back to the community. Each month, staff carry out activities with the children for local charities. The children have baked cakes to hand out during visits with local care homes. The children have made meals and taken these to the local homeless shelter. This month, staff are supporting the children to make food hampers to take to the local homeless shelter for Christmas. One child said, ‘It’s really made me think about other people.’ As a result, children are learning how to help others and have positive self-esteem.

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outstanding

In response to one child using homophobic language, the manager and staff carried out research to support conversations around equality and diversity. As a result, the child developed their understanding around the words they had used and the impact their actions can have on others.

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outstanding

The home has a warm and cosy feel to it and feels like a family home. There are photos of the children throughout the home, and their bedrooms are personalised. As a result, the children have a real sense of belonging.

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outstanding

Detailed assessments are carried out to understand the children’s needs. The children are involved in developing plans to manage any known risks. This means that staff have clear guidance on how to respond to any risk-taking behaviours.

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outstanding

Staff use empathy, understanding and distraction to de-escalate situations and encourage positive behaviour. One child, who was frequently restrained at their previous home, has only been restrained once in the last year. Children are spoken to after any physical interventions, and staff have thorough debriefs undertaken by the manager. Physical intervention is only used when necessary to protect children.

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outstanding

Staff implement proactive safeguarding practices, which are based on highly effective planning. Risks are reducing for both children. For example, since May 2023, there has only been one occasion in which a child has been missing from care. This is significant progress for one child, who frequently went missing from their previous home.

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outstanding

Consequences and rewards are used consistently in the home to promote and celebrate positive behaviours and achievements. The children are regularly consulted about rewards and incentives and are involved in developing their own goals to work towards. Consequences are used infrequently. However, when they Inspection report for children’s home: 2571031 5 are imposed, they are appropriate. As a result, children have clear boundaries and routines in place and positive behaviour is promoted.

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outstanding

Staff work together to provide excellent consistency of care for children. They use a model of practice that supports children and helps them to understand their behaviours. Staff communicate well with each other and are offered support from the in-house therapist to understand what is working well for the children and to reflect on areas of development and their therapeutic needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager has been in post since December 2021. The manager is inspirational, confident and ambitious for the children. He has high expectations of his staff team and aspirations for the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Communication between the manager and the professionals involved with children is excellent and a key strength to the home. One social worker said, ‘It is the best home I have ever worked with.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Management oversight of the home is excellent. The manager carries out monthly evaluations of the children’s daily records, highlighting key strengths and areas of progress from that month. These audits highlight areas of development for the staff team to work on with the children. These are then discussed in team meetings and reflected in the children’s monthly targets in their care plans.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager also carries out six-monthly reviews of the children’s progress and uses an analytical tool to identify any patterns or emerging themes. For one child, these evaluations highlighted an escalation in consequences being used at the time the child began therapy. As a result, staff have an excellent understanding of children’s individual needs and can identify any emerging issues.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff development is a priority. Staff have individual development plans which identify key strengths and areas for further development. Staff are provided with a wide range of training to attend to meet children’s individual needs. The manager uses quizzes and scenarios during regular team meetings and supervision sessions to test staff’s knowledge of safeguarding practices. As a result, staff have the necessary knowledge and skills to promote the safety and welfare of the children. Inspection report for children’s home: 2571031 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: 2571031 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Onextra Care Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 443 Houldsworth Business and Arts Centre, Houldsworth Street, Stockport SK5 6DA

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Inspectors

Leanne Carr, Social Care Inspector Cathy Wilkins, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2571031 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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