Children's home run by True Care Northwest Limited

Inspection report for children’s home: 2722666 1 Registered provider: True Care NW Limited 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 two children with social and emotional difficulties. Children may also have learning disabilities.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in April 2023. This is the home’s first inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

One child was living at the home at the time of this inspection.

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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: not applicable

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2722666 2

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child moved into the home in a sensitively planned way. Before the child moved in, staff spent time getting to know them and provided them with information about the home and the staff who work there. This helped the child settle into the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The manager and staff provide the child with individualised care. The child’s plans are understood and followed by staff. The manager advocates on behalf of the child to ensure their needs are met, and they receive consistent care from a stable staff team.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff have a very good understanding of the child’s needs. Thorough care planning and positive risk management help staff to provide very good care and support. The child can make choices and express their preferences. They are aware of, and are involved in, the plans about their care.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support the child with their education. Alternatives are in place when the child cannot go to school. This has enabled the child to continue to receive education from their school while the manager has worked tirelessly to find an appropriate education provision.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The registered manager and staff provide the child with a warm and nurturing home environment. Staff speak about the child with warmth and enthusiasm. They demonstrate unwavering commitment to the child. A social worker said, ‘It is the stability that the child has been striving for. Staff are able to see beyond [the child’s] behaviour and are sticking with [the child].’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child enjoys good health. Staff understand the child’s healthcare needs well. They encourage and support the child to attend health appointments as required. Staff motivate the child and encourage a healthy lifestyle. A clinical team supports the manager and staff to ensure they can meet the child’s emotional health and well-being needs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The staff ensure that the child has time with people who are important to them. Staff communicate exceptionally well with the child’s family and recognise the importance of these relationships.

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

The child is kept safe, and they feel safe. Staff have a good understanding of safeguarding processes and know what they should do if they have a concern. The child’s parent said, ‘This is the safest place that my child has lived.’

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

The child’s individual risk management plan, safety plan and positive behaviour support plan are regularly reviewed and updated. They help staff understand the Inspection report for children’s home: 2722666 3 risks to the child. The risk management plan provides staff with direction around how to reduce and manage any risks, to help keep the child safe.

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

Detailed plans give a real sense of the child’s character. Staff share these plans with social workers to aid their understanding of the child and inform future plans for the child. On occasion, institutional language is used to describe the child’s behaviour or aspects of the service they receive. This detracts from the child-centred approach the manager and staff strive for.

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

Staff use a variety of strategies to help the child if they are upset. After an incident, managers and staff reflect on what happened and what led up to it, to identify new ways of working with the child to prevent further occurrences.

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

Electronic documents have been developed to guide staff to reflect and learn after incidents of physical intervention. In general, these are comprehensive, with documented debriefs which include staff and the child. However, despite the manager having this overview, on one occasion he did not record his management summary. This had no impact on the child.

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

Staff consistently promote and reward the child’s positive behaviour. Targets are set for the child to encourage positive behaviour. Staff use effective de-escalation techniques and creative strategies, such as distraction and humour, to promote positive behaviour, and these are well received by the child.

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

Regular consultation with clinicians is used well and is effective in improving staff practice. This allows staff to understand the reasons behind some behaviours and provides a nurturing environment for the child.

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

Recruitment procedures are extremely thorough. Leaders and managers carefully recruit and select staff who are suitable to care for children and keep children safe.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager promotes a positive culture in the home. He is focused on the needs of the child and supports a reflective and learning environment for the staff team and the child. He understands the service’s strengths and weaknesses and has a development plan that focuses on improving the care for the child.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff work hard to have positive relationships with the people who are important to the child. A parent said communication from staff is good, and that staff keep them updated about their child’s progress.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager’s monitoring system helps him track patterns and progress. His tracking system allows him to identify any shortfalls as they arise so he can take swift action to address them.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff team meetings and supervision sessions are regular and effective. They focus Inspection report for children’s home: 2722666 4 on the child’s well-being and progress. These meetings encourage staff to reflect on their practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The child lives in an environment like that of a positive family home. Managers and staff deliver care with both passion and compassion. The child said, ‘I know that they care about me.’ Staff cultivate a comfortable, clean space filled with toys and games for the child.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff morale is high. Staff were very positive about the support they receive from the manager. They feel well supported, valued and equipped to fulfil their roles.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Management oversight is comprehensive. Records are monitored regularly by the manager, with meaningful evaluation and comment. Internal and external monitoring systems are used to review the home’s progress. This oversight of the home ensures that ongoing improvements are made. Inspection report for children’s home: 2722666 5

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that all incidents of restraint are subject to systems of regular scrutiny and are recorded in the child’s records. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 46, paragraph 9.36)  The registered person should ensure that staff understand the importance of careful, objective and clear recording. Information about the child must always be recorded in a way that will be helpful to the child. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4)

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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: 2722666 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: True Care NW Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 107 Ditchfield Road, Widnes WA8 8RF

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Inspector

Elaine Allison, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2722666 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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