Children's Home run by Oracle Care Limited in Bedford

Inspection report for children’s home: SC484114 1 SC484114 Registered provider: Oracle Care Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This privately owned home provides care, education and support for up to three children.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in June 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: 9 November 2021

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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: SC484114 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

09/11/2021 Full Good 13/11/2019 Full Good 14/06/2018 Full Good 13/03/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report for children’s home: SC484114 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

This home closed for a period and reopened in July 2023. This is the first full inspection of the service since reopening. There were two children living at the home at the time of this inspection.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff provide children with genuine nurturing care, and this is evident from the way the children are welcomed with hugs and affection when they return from school. Staff talk about children with fondness and pride and there is a sense of community amongst staff and children. Staff make efforts to make children’s time while they are at the home enjoyable. This means children have positive relationships with staff and enjoy spending time with them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff make sure children’s education is promoted. One child had no school place when they moved in, but now both children attend mainstream school and have achieved full attendance. Staff work well with schools when issues arise. This promotes children’s life chances and builds their confidence.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s health needs are met. One child had an accident resulting in a broken bone. Staff responded quickly and thoughtfully to ensure that the child received appropriate care. Children feel comfortable to talk to staff when they are experiencing health issues. This helps children to understand their own health needs and create habits that will benefit them now and in the future.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support children to see their families. One child requested to see their family after a prolonged break. This has resulted in regular visits, including a family Christmas day, which are providing positive experiences. This means that staff show children that they understand who is important to them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The manager and staff ensure that the environment is that of a family home. The home is decorated, maintained and furnished to a high standard. It is warm and welcoming. Staff take care to ensure that children’s bedrooms reflect each child’s tastes and preferences. This helps children feel valued and take pride in where they live.

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

Staff understand the children. They understand the way that children are feeling. Staff are effective at managing children’s behaviours, resulting in no incidents that require physical intervention. This means children live in a home where they can flourish.

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

Staff have a good understanding of children’s needs. This is complemented by effective care plans and risk assessments that assist staff to know the areas children need support in. Inspection report for children’s home: SC484114 4 Staff are proactive regarding risks of child sexual exploitation. Where risks have increased, the manager and staff act quickly and work with involved professionals to mitigate risks. Direct work to help a child to understand child sexual exploitation and other associated risks, such as online safety and healthy relationships, is creative and of good quality. This has resulted in risks reducing for a child.

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

The location risk assessment is regularly reviewed. The manager seeks the views of relevant professionals and uses this external insight effectively to help keep children safe.

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

There has been one safeguarding concern raised by two children. This was reported to the relevant professionals and an internal investigation was carried out. However, the investigation lacked sufficient curiosity. This does not ensure that children’s concerns have been taken seriously.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is experienced and is working towards the level 5 qualification. She was on annual leave at the time of the inspection.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staffing is consistent and well planned. There is a small team in place. Staff feel happy with the support that they receive from the management team and staff feel valued by the wider organisation. An insightful therapist is available for individual clinical supervision sessions to provide staff with additional support. This helps to create a positive culture for staff.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager provides regular supervision sessions, which focus on children’s needs as well as those of staff. Within these sessions, actions are set for staff and these are regularly reviewed. This provides good oversight of staff development.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff training is good. All staff are trained at an appropriate level to meet the needs of each child such as child sexual exploitation. This provides assurance that staff have the knowledge and skills to meet these needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

When the manager has made a medication error, she has taken accountability and action to learn from it and mitigate against such errors happening again. This role models taking responsibility for actions to the team.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Feedback from a professional and a family member is excellent.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The children have each made a complaint. These complaints were investigated and responded to in a timely way. However, the investigations lacked depth. There has been little restorative work for the children to repair relationships between each other and staff. This limits the learning that staff can take from these complaints and does not fully recognise the children’s feelings. Inspection report for children’s home: SC484114 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

demonstrate that practice in the home is informed and improved by taking into account and acting on—

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Requirement Due date

feedback on the experiences of children, including complaints received. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(g)(ii))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that the management investigations into complaints and safeguarding concerns demonstrate sufficient curiosity and focus on the views and experience of children. 1 March 2024

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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: SC484114 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Oracle Care Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Suites 1 & 5, Riverside Business Centre, Foundry Lane, Milford, Belper, Derbyshire DE56 0RN

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Chelsea Lightfoot

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Inspector

Hannah Phillips, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC484114 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 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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