Children's Home run by Unique Care Homes Support Limited in Cambridgeshire

Inspection report for children’s home: SC481015 1 SC481015 Registered provider: Unique Care Homes Support Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is owned and operated by a private provider. It is registered to provide care for up to six children with social and emotional needs.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager is registered, suitably experienced and has been in post since July 2023.

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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

Date of last inspection: 26 January 2022

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: declined in effectiveness

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC481015 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

26/01/2022 Interim Declined in effectiveness 22/06/2021 Full Good 16/12/2019 Full Good 11/12/2018 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: SC481015 3 As

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

At the time of this inspection, two children were living at the home. There is a warm, welcoming atmosphere at the home. Both children seek out staff to spend time with them. Children said they like the staff very much and said they are happy in the home as they know that the staff love being with them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support and encourage children to improve their health. Staff attend health appointments with the children. One of the children said that they had had a very difficult time recently, and staff had helped them to attend the hospital and engage with specialist services. As part of independence planning, staff help children to design healthy menus and then cook them together. One of the children attends a gym regularly and goes swimming with staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

To help support the children’s emotional well-being, staff bought them a miniature living Christmas tree each. The children have cared for the trees during the school holidays and plan to plant them in the garden. Both the children felt a sense of achievement looking after the trees. They feel they will be something they can look back on. They talk about returning to the house in the future and seeing the trees they planted.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

As part of exploring identity, children were encouraged to consider how other communities celebrate Christmas. Staff have taken the children to see the Christmas light displays in London, Norwich and Milton Keynes. Staff challenge the children to think about how culture and religion can be a big part of individual identity.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

One child attends an alternative school that has an emphasis on outdoor activities as well as classroom teaching. Staff take the child to school each day as there is no direct bus route. This ensures that the most appropriate school placement for the child is achieved. One of the children has had a difficult time at school, resulting in them being excluded for a short time. The child has been supported by staff to complete a level 2 peer mentoring course. This has helped the child to re-engage with education, and now staff are advocating for a return to full-time school.

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

The manager understands that trauma affects how children behave. She has initiated reflective team meetings that are supported by a therapist. These provide staff with strategies that help them engage with children and understand their emotional responses. When children feel overwhelmed, they know that staff will be kind to them and that staff will respond with curiosity and empathy.

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

When children behave in ways that could harm themselves, staff respond quickly and effectively. They know how to talk to children to support behavioural change, and they adapt risk assessments accordingly. Inspection report for children’s home: SC481015 4 No children have gone missing from the home since the last inspection. There have been no physical interventions used at the home. When a significant incident resulting in a physical intervention occurred at a child’s school, leaders, staff and managers managed the consequences very well.

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

Staff understand how to escalate concerns. They know how to report any issues to the appropriate agencies.

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

The staff spend time with the children to address issues of concern. For instance, staff have researched and used resources on a range of topics, including substance misuse, bullying, self-harm and healthy relationships. Staff work sensitively and are thoughtful about how they challenge children in the sessions. Children said they enjoy working with staff because they make learning interesting.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is highly motivated in her role. She has excellent relationships with the children, taking time to listen to them and respond to their views. Children are confident that the manager cares about them and can make changes that improve their lives.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Safer recruitment processes are followed, with a comprehensive induction period for staff before shadowing other staff during shifts in the home. Staff praise the quality of the in-house training, which includes supporting staff resilience, leading shifts and working reflectively. Staff feel appreciated by the leaders.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

This is a very new staff team. The manager makes sure staffing levels are adequate for the children to take part in the activities they choose. There is an experienced and suitably qualified member of staff on each shift. The deputy manager also works on a shift pattern, which helps to support less experienced staff.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is providing additional training for new members of staff. Scenario- based coaching ensures that staff respond consistently and in line with the home’s processes and policies. Practice is shared in team meetings and the emphasis for the manager is to educate staff to work in a trauma-informed way. Staff said the manager works in a child-centred way, providing examples of good practice for newly appointed staff.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff supervisions are valued by the team. They know that this time is set aside to have conversations that include how their role impacts on them emotionally, how to apply theoretical models of care and how they can work more reflectively with the children. Staff say that they look forward to supervision and feel it is an invaluable part of their role. Inspection report for children’s home: SC481015 5

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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: SC481015 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Unique Care Homes Support Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 2nd Floor Maybrook House, Queensway, Halesowen, Worcestershire B63 4AH

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Children’s home details

Registered manager: Barbara Velasco Valdes

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Inspector

Trudy Potter, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC481015 7 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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