Children's home run by Happy Group (UK) Limited

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1270393 1 Happy Group (UK) Ltd

p.1

Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The home is owned and managed by a private provider. It is registered to provide care for up to three children who may have social and emotional difficulties.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in June 2021.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

There were three children living at the home at the time of the visit.

p.1

This monitoring visit

This visit took place in response to two notifications received by Ofsted.

p.1

This monitoring visit

One of the notifications relates to historical allegations concerning a member of staff working in the home. The provider has submitted a safety plan to enable the member of staff to remain working in the home. The second notification is in response to a child going missing from the home.

p.1

This monitoring visit

This monitoring visit explored the effectiveness of the provider’s safety plan in response to the allegations in the first notification, and the home’s procedures around children who go missing.

p.1

This monitoring visit

The safety plan is not effective, and leaders and managers have already failed to adhere to it on several occasions. In addition, not all staff understand the roles and responsibilities that the plan ascribes to them. These shortfalls compromise the safety and welfare of the children living in the home and demonstrate the lack of contingency planning and thought given to the concerns by the provider. A further review of the safety plan is requested. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1270393 2 Staff do not always follow children’s individual risk assessments and missing-from- home plans. On one occasion, there was a significant delay in staff looking for a child when they went missing from the home. This does not help children to feel cared for and does not protect them from harm should they go missing.

p.1

This monitoring visit

Staff support children to build positive relationships. One child said that they are ‘happy and safe’ and are settled and relaxed in the home. Children are helped by the staff to personalise their rooms and staff support children to take part in activities they enjoy. This helps to enhance their day-to-day experiences in the home and promotes their sense of belonging.

p.2

This monitoring visit

The inspector did not review the progress of leaders and managers in respect of the requirement and recommendations made at the full inspection in April 2023. These will be reissued and additional requirements under Regulations 12 and 13 are raised as a result of this visit. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1270393 3

p.2

Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 19/04/2023 Full Good 30/08/2022 Full Good 28/09/2021 Full Good 11/02/2020 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1270393 4

p.3

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 with the given timescales.

p.4

Requirement Due date

within 24 hours of the use of a measure of control, discipline or restraint in relation to a child in the home, a record is made which includes—

p.4

Requirement Due date

details of the child’s behaviour leading to the use of the measure;

p.4

Requirement Due date

the date, time and location of the use of the measure;

p.4

Requirement Due date

a description of the measure and its duration;

p.4

Requirement Due date

details of any methods used or steps taken to avoid the need to use the measure;

p.4

Requirement Due date

the name of the person who used the measure ("the user"), and of any other person present when the measure was used;

p.4

Requirement Due date

the effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the measure; and

p.4

Requirement Due date

a description of any injury to the child or any other person, and any medical treatment administered, as a result of the measure;

p.4

Requirement Due date

within 48 hours of the use of the measure, the registered person, or a person who is authorised by the registered person to do so ("the authorised person")—

p.4

Requirement Due date

has spoken to the user about the measure; and

p.4

Requirement Due date

has signed the record to confirm it is accurate; and 29 May 2023 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1270393 5 within 5 days of the use of the measure, the registered person or the authorised person adds to the record confirmation that they have spoken to the child about the measure. (Regulation 35 (3)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(viii)(b)(i)(ii)(c)(iv))

p.4

Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered provider must ensure that records are evaluated within timescales and that the provider does not review any incidents in which they themselves have been involved.

p.5

Requirement Due date

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

p.5

Requirement Due date

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

p.5

Requirement Due date

that staff assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child’s relevant plans, and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child. (Regulation 12 (1)(a)(i))

p.5

Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that staff take immediate action in line with children’s risk assessments and follow children if they leave the home in an emotionally distressed state. In addition, ensure that staff promote children’s safety and well- being and reduce the risk of them going missing from home. 1 February 2024

p.5

Requirement Due date

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

p.5

Requirement Due date

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

p.5

Requirement Due date

that staff understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person. (Regulation 12 (1)(a)(v))

p.5

Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that staff are helped to understand the safety plans that are in place and adhere to them. 1 February 2024

p.5

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—

p.5

Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and 1 February 2024 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1270393 6 promotes their welfare.

p.5

Requirement Due date

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

p.6

Requirement Due date

lead and manage the home in a way that is consistent with the approach and ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set out in the home’s statement of purpose. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a))

p.6

Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered provider must ensure that, when concerns arise regarding a member of staff and their conduct, robust plans are in place to safeguard the children in the home and that these are followed by all staff, including the registered manager.

p.6

Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that children’s plans reflect changes to family time and that they are written in a way that is helpful to children. Records should evidence the voice of the child and be written in child-friendly language. Staff should consistently record the steps that they have taken to support children in line with their plans, such as checking social media and mobile phone content. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 14.3 to 14.5)  The registered person should ensure that when tasks for staff are agreed in supervision, the records include timescales for their completion. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.3)  The registered person should ensure that where steps to improve performance are identified in staff appraisals, there is a clear plan as to how measurable

p.6

Recommendations

progress is to be achieved. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.5)  The registered person should ensure that children’s bedrooms are welcoming and that staff provide children with additional support to maintain their rooms to the highest standard they are able to achieve. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 151, paragraph 3.7)

p.6

Information about this inspection

The purpose of this visit was to monitor the action taken and the progress made by the children’s home since its last Ofsted inspection. This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1270393 7

p.6

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Happy Group (UK) Ltd

p.7

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: West Walk House, 99 Princess Road East, Leicester, Leicestershire LE1 7LF

p.7

Inspector

Rachel Fairhurst, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1270393 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.

p.7

Inspector

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 . 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.8

Inspector

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

p.8

Inspector

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

p.8