Children's Home run by Unity Residential Care Services Limited in Staffordshire

Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 1249326 1 Registered provider: Unity Residential Care Services Limited

p.1

Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

This home is owned by a private company. It provides care for up to four children who experience social and emotional difficulties.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

There is a suitably experienced manager at the home. An application to register with Ofsted has been made.

p.1

Inspection date: 9 January 2024

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

p.1

Inspection date: 9 January 2024

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

p.1

Information about this inspection

At this inspection, the inspectors evaluated:

p.1

Information about this inspection

 the care of children  the safety of children  the effectiveness of leaders and managers. Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children, using the social care common inspection framework. This assurance 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’. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 1249326 2

p.1

Findings from the inspection

We did not identify any serious or widespread concerns in relation to the care or protection of children at this assurance inspection.

p.2

Findings from the inspection

Three children were living at the home at the time of the inspection. Overall, staff provide care that gives children a good experience, with a focus on keeping them safe. However, managers made a poor decision to admit another child to the home. Managers and staff did not have sufficient understanding of her needs and did not plan her care effectively. As a result, the child did not settle and moved on after just one week.

p.2

Findings from the inspection

The home is warm and welcoming. It is furnished and maintained to a very high standard. Children take great pride in their bedrooms, and they contribute to tidying and cleaning their rooms.

p.2

Findings from the inspection

Staff are enthusiastic in building and sustaining relationships with children. As a result, children have trusted relationships with staff and enjoy spending time with them. Children are relaxed in the company of staff and the home is filled with laughter.

p.2

Findings from the inspection

Leaders and managers are effective advocates for children. For example, for one child approaching adulthood, staff listened to their views about moving on from the home and advocated for them to be able to complete their college course, before moving away from the area.

p.2

Findings from the inspection

Children have occasionally gone missing from the home. Staff are vigilant and take prompt action to respond in this event and to prevent reoccurrence. However, children’s plans are not consistently clear about action staff should take, and return home interviews have not taken place.

p.2

Findings from the inspection

Staff promote positive routines for all children at the home. As a result, children’s needs are met, and they are making progress. Children are all developing their independence skills in a planned way that helps them to manage their individual risks, such as travelling independently and going out with friends.

p.2

Findings from the inspection

Behavioural incidents are infrequent, and staff only physically intervene when necessary. While children are given rewards and consequences, their plans are not consistently clear about when these should be applied. This could reduce their effectiveness.

p.2

Findings from the inspection

While there has been a complete change in the staff team, there is now a stable and experienced staff team at the home. The home has sufficient staff, and any shortfalls are covered by familiar staff from the provider’s other local home. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 1249326 3 Management at the home is strengthened by the trainee manager and a deputy manager. This aids the manager to balance her time effectively, as manager of two homes. The manager has met the requirements and recommendations from the last inspection. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 1249326 4

p.2

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

18/07/2023 Full Requires improvement to be good 25/05/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good 18/08/2021 Full Good 11/02/2020 Full Outstanding Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 1249326 5

p.4

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.

p.5

Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children—

p.5

Requirement Due date

receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home; and

p.5

Requirement Due date

have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home.

p.5

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

p.5

Requirement Due date

that children are admitted to the home only if their needs are within the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the home is to provide care and accommodation, as set out in the home’s statement of purpose. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a))

p.5

Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that managers make a thorough and realistic assessment, before deciding that a child can move into the home.

p.5

Requirement Due date

This also relates to ensuring that children’s plans are sufficiently clear to achieve a consistent approach to rewards and consequences. 31 March 2024

p.5

Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that they specify the procedures to be followed and the roles and responsibilities of staff when a child is missing from care or away from the home without permission. When a child returns to the home, the responsible local authority must provide an opportunity for the child to have an independent return home interview. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 45, paragraphs 9.28 and 9.30) Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 1249326 6

p.5

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Unity Residential Care Services Limited

p.6

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 2 Lymevale Court, Lyme Drive, Parklands, Stoke- on-Trent ST4 6NW

p.6

Inspectors

Alison Snell, Social Care Inspector Laura Norcop, Social Care Inspector Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 1249326 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.

p.6

Inspectors

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.7

Inspectors

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.7

Inspectors

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.7

Inspectors

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

p.7