Children's home run by Restorative Social Care Services Ltd

Inspection report for children’s home: 2692022 1 Registered provider: Restorative Social Care Services Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home registered in October 2022 and is owned and managed by a private company.

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Information about this children’s home

The home provides care for up to three children who experience social and/or emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in October 2022. She is experienced and suitably qualified.

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Information about this children’s home

Three children were living at the home at the time of the 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 requires improvement to be 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: 11 January 2023

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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: 2692022 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

11/01/2023 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2692022 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s day-to-day experiences are positive because they receive a high standard of individualised care. Children respond to the structure and routines and to the consistent nurturing care provided by staff, who they have secure and trusting relationships with. The children are happy, settled and making progress.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children enjoy going to school. They make progress and are aspirational about their education. One professional said, ‘[Name of child] is the most settled she has been in school since she moved into this home. She has improved attendance and she is flourishing in school.’ Some children are involved in school council groups. This enables children to have a voice and share their opinions about the education they are receiving.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are reported to be in good physical health. Children with identified additional health needs are accessing specialist support services. Mental health professionals work collaboratively with staff to equip them with the skills to support children’s emotional health and well-being.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Family time is promoted in line with children’s plans. Children enjoy spending time with their friends, and they are helped to do this in a safe and positive way. The children living at this home have positive relationships with each other and enjoy spending time together.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are provided with activities in line with their individual hobbies and interests, such as horse riding, football, gaming, and attending local youth groups. Children enjoy day trips out, and one child has enjoyed a holiday abroad.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are consulted with regularly about the running of the home and the care they receive. Records show that children’s wishes and feelings are listened to and acted on.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff have open and honest conversations with children about topics that are specific to their individual needs. They talk to children about how they are feeling, and they respond sensitively to children when they are experiencing difficult emotions.

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

Staff understand how children’s past experiences have an impact on their lives. They are committed to providing children with consistent care and unconditional positive regard, which means that children feel secure and cared about. This positive approach has led to a reduction in the number of incidents and fewer risks to children. Inspection report for children’s home: 2692022 4 Staff understand children’s individual vulnerabilities and risks and are clear about the steps to follow to mitigate some of those risks.

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

Children living at this home do not go missing. There are plans in place with clear guidance for staff to follow should this happen, and staff understand their responsibilities to children who go missing.

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

Incidents of children being held have reduced. When children have been held, the measure used has been necessary and proportionate. While children and staff are provided with the opportunity to talk about the incident, the manager has not always had full oversight of these conversations.

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

Children’s online safety is well managed. Staff ensure that there are safeguards to monitor children’s access to the internet if this is needed, and they talk to the children about the risks. Staff escalate concerns to the police as needed to help keep children and others safe.

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good

The manager’s oversight of records is poor. Records do not always provide an accurate reflection of the actions taken in the home, such as in response to an allegation a child made and then later retracted. The steps taken have not been recorded and the manager was not aware of the outcome. When an incident of concern about one child’s safety was reported to the police, it is unclear what steps were taken during the investigation and whether there was a multi-agency response, given the gaps in records and lack of audit trail.

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good

The manager has not always ensured that safer recruitment procedures are followed. One member of staff started employment at the home without an up-to- date police check.

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good

There is an established core staff team at this home, which means that children are provided with consistent care. Staff are up to date with core training, and they have completed additional training to ensure that they can meet the needs of the children living at the home. One staff member has not attained the relevant qualification within the expected time frame.

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good

Staff receive regular supervision that is reflective and provides them with the opportunity to discuss children’s plans. Staff said that they feel supported and that their professional development is promoted. Records show that poor performance is challenged by the manager.

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good

The manager has built positive relationships with other professionals involved with the children. All professionals spoken to during the inspection said that children are settled in the home because of the relationships they have with staff and the high- quality care they receive. One professional said, ‘The manager and staff are amazing, they don’t give up on the child, and this has allowed him to thrive.’ Inspection report for children’s home: 2692022 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, 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 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 (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 (1)(a)(b) (2)(h)) 8 January 2024

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety.

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Requirement Due date

employ an individual to work at the children’s home; or

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Requirement Due date

if an individual is employed by a person other than the registered person to work at the home in a position in which the individual may have regular contact with children, allow that individual to work at the home,

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Requirement Due date

if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3).

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Requirement Due date

full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2.

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Requirement Due date

For the purposes of paragraph (3)(b), an individual who works in the home in a care role has the appropriate qualification if, by the relevant date, the individual has attained— 8 January 2024 Inspection report for children’s home: 2692022 6 the Level 3 Diploma for Residential Childcare (England) (“the Level 3 Diploma”); or

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Requirement Due date

a qualification which the registered person considers to be equivalent to the Level 3 Diploma.

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Requirement Due date

in the case of an individual who starts working in a care role in a home after 1st April 2014, the date which falls 2 years after the date on which the individual started working in a care role in a home. (Regulation 32 (1) (2)(a)(b) (3)(d) (4)(a)(b) (5)(a))

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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: 2692022 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Restorative Social Care Services Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Restorative Social Care Services, 8 Victoria Street, Greetland, Halifax HX4 8DF

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Christopher Kershaw

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Inspector

Rachel Webster, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2692022 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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