Children's home run by Arnfield Care Limited in Cheshire East

Inspection report for children’s home: SC020171 1 SC020171 Registered provider: Arnfield Care Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is registered to provide care for up to seven children who experience social and emotional difficulties. The home and the registered school on site are owned and operated by a private provider. This inspection only looked at the social care setting.

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Information about this children’s home

There is a registered manager in post. At the time of the inspection, five children were living at the home. One of these children moved out during the inspection on a planned transition to be closer to home.

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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

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC020171 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

02/08/2022 Full Good 10/05/2021 Full Good 15/07/2019 Full Good 02/05/2018 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: SC020171 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have positive relationships with staff. They like to spend time with staff and confide in them. Children and staff share meals together, which creates a family environment. Children feel valued and have a sense of belonging. They like living at the home and make good progress.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are helped to have fun and achieve. They enjoy outdoor activities, including abseiling, caving and paddleboarding. One child is learning how to swim, and another child enjoys playing football. Two children have been supported by staff to complete a mountain trekking challenge. This helps to build children’s confidence and self-esteem.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children do well in education. Education provision is tailored to suit each child’s needs. For example, three children access the on-site school. Another child attends a mainstream school part-time with additional tutoring, and an older child is studying bricklaying at college.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff respond well to children’s health needs. They support children in attending all health appointments. If children are admitted to hospital, staff remain with them. This ensures continuity of care and comfort to children when they are away from the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s transitions are well supported. Plans are centred around children’s needs and wishes. When children move out of the home, staff provide a positive ending. For example, there is a goodbye dinner and children are presented with a thoughtful gift, memory book and box. This helps them to feel loved and valued.

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

Staff know the risks that children can be exposed to. Each risk is assessed and regularly reviewed. Decisions about risk are made in collaboration with other agencies, such as police, school staff and social workers. There is a balanced approach to risk management, which helps to keep children safe while allowing them to take age-appropriate risks. This ensures an effective approach to safeguarding children.

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

The risk of exploitation is well managed by staff. The manager attends regular network meetings with police, where pertinent information is shared. Where risks of exploitation arise, appropriate safeguards are implemented. This proactive approach to safeguarding helps to reduce the risks children are exposed to.

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

Staff respond well to children who go missing from care. They make every effort to find children and support them when they return. Staff liaise with relevant agencies, Inspection report for children’s home: SC020171 4 such as parents, social workers and the police. Staff try to understand why children go missing so that they can provide them with the relevant support.

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

Children are supported to live safely alongside their peers. The home currently utilises bedroom door alarms to safeguard children at night. The use of alarms is regularly reviewed and is dependent on the level of risk. Details of the alarm use are included in children’s risk assessments. However, there is a shortfall in written consents from social workers.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager is a strong leader. She is dedicated and passionate and has a warm and nurturing approach. The manager sets high expectations for staff. She encourages staff development and sensitively challenges poor practice. Staff enjoy working at the home and feel well supported.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff are well trained and supported in their role. Therapeutic support is provided to staff and children from professionals such as an art psychotherapist and educational psychologist. Staff receive trauma-informed training. This has developed staff’s responses to children’s behaviours and strengthened their relationships with children. For some children, behaviours that are difficult to manage have reduced.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has good working relationships with parents and other professionals, such as teachers, social workers and police. She works well in collaboration with others and communicates effectively. This helps to provide coordinated care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has good oversight of the home. Effective quality assurance systems are in place to monitor all aspects of the service. The manager reviews all incidents and discussions with children. Learning from incidents is shared with the team through team meetings, supervision sessions and training. This helps to develop the team and prevent incidents from reoccurring.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Children know how to make a complaint. Complaints are responded to promptly and children receive a written reply. However, two complaints should have been dealt with as allegations against staff. As a result, the manager has failed to notify the relevant agencies of safeguarding concerns. This was rectified during the inspection and is an area for development. Inspection report for children’s home: SC020171 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 registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if—

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Requirement Due date

there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there. (Regulation 40 (4)(c))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to notifying Ofsted and the local authority designated officer when a child alleges they have been harmed by staff. 1 March 2024

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Requirement Due date

The registered person may only use devices for the monitoring or surveillance of children if—

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Requirement Due date

the child’s placing authority consents in writing to the monitoring or surveillance. (Regulation 24 (1)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to having written consent from children’s social workers for the use of door alarms. 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: SC020171 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Arnfield Care Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Arnfield Tower Activity Centre, Manchester Road, Tintwistle, Glossop SK13 1NE

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Inspector

Emma Dacres, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC020171 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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