Children's Home run by Resicare Alliance Limited in North Northamptonshire

Inspection report for children’s home: 2737316 1 Registered provider: ResiCare Alliance Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is privately owned. It is registered to provide care for up to two children with emotional and social difficulties. At the time of the inspection there was one child living at the home.

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Information about this children’s home

This is the home’s first inspection since being registered with Ofsted in August 2023. The registered manager position has been vacant since 3 January 2024.

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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 requires improvement to be 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

Date of last inspection: Not previously inspected

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: not applicable Inspection report for children’s home: 2737316 2

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child has formed positive relationships with staff, particularly with the senior team. Relationships with support workers are developing. The interim manager knows the child very well. He has an established relationship with the child and speaks highly of them. This has helped the child to settle at the home and make good progress.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The manager ensured that the child’s move to the home was extremely well planned. There was close work with the staff where the child was living including the staff from this home visiting the child. All professionals say that this contributed to the positive start made by the child.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child’s views and wishes are sought regularly. This includes one-to-one discussions between staff and the child. There are also meetings to ensure that the child is involved in decision-making. The manager reviews the outcomes of these meetings to help inform plans. Therefore, the child feels listened to and involved with their care.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child is helped to lead a healthy lifestyle. This includes exercise and encouragement to eat healthily. The child’s medication is well managed. It is safely stored and administered by trained workers. Specialist health workers are appropriately involved.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child has no current educational provision. Their specific needs and experiences have resulted in them not being in school for a long time. There is an external team of professionals working closely with the manager. This is to identify a suitable way forward for the child’s education.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child’s care plan is clear and detailed. It gives staff the information needed to care for the child well. However, the records are not always written in a way that is helpful or personable to the child.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child is helped to maintain positive relationships with their family.

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improvement to be good

The child’s risk assessment is clear and detailed. It gives information about known risks, a risk rating and strategies to manage these. There is clear guidance for the highest known risk of self-harm. The child has not self-harmed since living at the home.

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improvement to be good

The child has a behaviour support plan. It is detailed and guides staff on how to support the child when they are struggling. Inspection report for children’s home: 2737316 3 The child does not go missing from the home. Plans for staff to follow, should the child go missing, are clear and reflect the level of risk. However, not all staff were able to communicate the plans effectively and knew where they were held.

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improvement to be good

The manager has not ensured that safe recruitment processes were followed for one member of staff on one occasion. There was evidence of a record of discussion but this was not followed up in detail during supervision. As a result, the staff member started in their role without the risk being fully explored.

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improvement to be good

The child’s complex needs were clearly identified before their move to the home. Staff received training on these specific needs. As a result of robust planning by the provider, essential professional support is in place. This partnership working has meant that the child is receiving the help they need.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager left the home recently. She had led this newly formed team well. A suitable interim manager was identified. Recruitment processes have taken place and an appointment has been made. The responsible individual has created a clear plan to support and develop the new manager.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff felt well supported by the previous manager, the senior team and the organisation. A good induction programme and training are in place. All new staff have been enrolled on the required qualifications. This has been less effective for one new member of staff.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has ensured that staff receive regular supervision. Staff feel supported by this process. However, some supervision records lack content.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager ensures that they have good oversight of practice at the home. This is evident through comments and feedback in records and documents. The manager spoke of the importance of observing staff in their work and reflective practice. There are quality assurance processes in place, including an audit by a senior manager within the organisation.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has ensured that team meetings are regular and effective. Core issues are identified and addressed well.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has not ensured that the statement of purpose for the home is accurate. The document does not correctly identify the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The responsible individual is extremely knowledgeable about all aspects of the home. She is supportive to the manager and knows the staff and child well. She has very high expectations and excellent oversight of future planning. Inspection report for children’s home: 2737316 4

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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 protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

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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

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm;

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Requirement Due date

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare; and

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Requirement Due date

are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(iii)(vi)(vii))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically refers to all staff being confident with missing-from-care procedures that reflect the child’s risk assessment and to staff knowing the location of plans in the event of an occurrence. 31 January 2024

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Requirement Due date

keep the statement of purpose under review and, where appropriate, revise it; and

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Requirement Due date

notify HMCI of any revisions and send HMCI a copy of the revised statement within 28 days of the revision. (Regulation 16 (3)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically refers to the statement of purpose accurately reflecting the details of the property. 29 February 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. 31 January 2024 Inspection report for children’s home: 2737316 5 The registered person may only—

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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

The individual is of integrity and good character;

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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

The registered person may permit an individual to start work at the home despite the fact that the requirement in paragraph (3)(d) has not been met if—

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Requirement Due date

The registered person has taken all reasonable steps to obtain full information about each of the matters in Schedule 2 in respect of the individual, but the enquiries in relation to any of the matters in paragraphs 3 to 6 of Schedule 2 are incomplete;

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Requirement Due date

The registered person may permit an individual to start work at the home despite the fact that the requirement in paragraph (3)(d) has not been met if—

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Requirement Due date

the registered person has taken all reasonable steps to obtain full information about each of the matters in Schedule 2 in respect of the individual, but the enquiries in relation to any of the matters in paragraphs 3 to 6 of Schedule 2 are incomplete;

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Requirement Due date

full and satisfactory information in respect of the individual has been obtained in relation to the matters in paragraphs 1 and 2 of Schedule 2;

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Requirement Due date

the registered person considers that the circumstances are exceptional; and Inspection report for children’s home: 2737316 6 the registered person ensures that the individual is appropriately supervised while carrying out the individual’s duties, pending receipt of any outstanding information on the matters in paragraphs 3 to 6 of Schedule 2, which is then considered satisfactory by the registered person.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must take reasonable steps to ensure that any individual who is working at the home and who does not fall within paragraph (2)(a) and (b) is appropriately supervised while carrying out the individual’s duties. (Regulation 32 (1) (2)(a)(b) (3)(a)(d) (7)(a)(b)(c)(d) (8))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically refers to full and proper processes for one appointment being incomplete in relation to their recruitment.

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that staff are familiar with and understand the importance of careful, objective, and clear recording. Staff should record information on individual children in a non-stigmatising way that distinguishes between fact, opinion and third-party information. 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: 2737316 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: ResiCare Alliance Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 147 Stamford Hill, London N16 5LG

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Inspector

Shaun Caplis, Social Care Inspector Chris Haines, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2737316 8 regulates and inspects 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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