Children's home run by Stoke-on-Trent City Council

Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 1259118 1 Registered provider: Stoke-on-Trent City Council

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is operated by a local authority and provides care for up to two children who experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

There is a registered manager in post, who is suitably experienced and qualified.

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Inspection date: 9 January 2024

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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Inspection date: 9 January 2024

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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Information about this inspection

At this inspection, the inspector evaluated:

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Information about this inspection

 the care of children  the safety of children  the effectiveness of leaders and managers. The inspector has 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: 1259118 2

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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.

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Findings from the inspection

Two children live at the home. Since the last inspection, one child has been welcomed into the home. She has established trusting relationships with staff and feels safe and well cared for. The other child has lived at the home for a long time and was included in welcoming the new child into the home. In general, children’s views and wishes are listened to and acted on.

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Findings from the inspection

The registered manager and staff team work collaboratively with other agencies. For example, they liaise with mental health agencies to support children’s emotional needs. Staff also receive good support and guidance, which is helping them to understand and meet the children’s needs well.

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Findings from the inspection

Both children now attend education provisions full time. This has provided both children with a structured daily routine and supports their learning.

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Findings from the inspection

Children enjoy extra-curricular activities. One child attends a wide range of activities every week and has joined local clubs such as jujitsu. The other child enjoys spending time with friends in the local area.

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Findings from the inspection

Communal areas are homely and nicely decorated. However, children’s bedrooms need redecorating and they lack suitable storage for personal items. The registered manager has not escalated this with senior managers to ensure that this is addressed promptly. In addition, staff do not help the children to keep their rooms tidy.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff are clear about the risks posed to the children. The children’s plans are reviewed in light of emerging risks, and there is guidance for staff to follow to help them to keep the children safe. Staff respond well to incidents when children go missing from home. Such incidents have reduced since the last inspection.

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Findings from the inspection

Since the last inspection, one child has moved on from the home, following a period of risk-taking behaviours which required police involvement. Staff were not able to encourage the child to engage positively with them. Although the child moved on sooner than anticipated, he received good support from staff to do so and moved on in a planned and considered way.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff explore a wide range of topics as part of one-to-one sessions with children. This supports children’s understanding of risks and how they can keep themselves safe. However, staff do not explore ways to help children to develop positive peer relationships or have a proactive approach to the issue. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 1259118 3 Some progress has been made since the last inspection. For example, the manager has reviewed the quality of care and made improvements which have enabled the children to develop more structured routines. In addition, challenging incidents have reduced. The registered manager understands the home’s areas for development and is continuing to strive for improvement.

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Findings from the inspection

Work is ongoing to improve monitoring and oversight of the quality of care provided to children. However, managers need to ensure that when shortfalls are identified, these are acted on promptly. In addition, the manager has not identified that when children have been prescribed a course of medication, this is not recorded clearly.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff are experienced and qualified. They have a nurturing approach to supporting children, based on the home’s therapeutic model.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

22/05/2023 Full Requires improvement to be good 06/02/2023 Full Requires improvement to be good 29/06/2021 Full Good 19/11/2019 Full Good Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 1259118 4

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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 quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children.

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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

provide to children living in the home the physical necessities they need in order to live there comfortably;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed and furnished so as to—

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Requirement Due date

enable each child to participate in the daily life of the home. (Regulation 6 (1)(a) (2)(vii)(c)(i)(ii))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the registered manager ensuring children’s bedrooms are redecorated following any repairs. In addition, ensure that children have suitable storage for personal items in their bedrooms. 28 February 2024

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Requirement Due date

The positive relationships standard is that children are helped to develop, and to benefit from, relationships based on—

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Requirement Due date

an understanding about acceptable behaviour; and

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Requirement Due date

positive responses to other children and adults. (Regulation 11 (1)(a)(b)(c)

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to children being supported to develop positive relationships in and out of the home. 28 February 2024 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 1259118 5 The registered person must make arrangements for the handling, recording, safekeeping, safe administration and disposal of medicines received into the children’s home.

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Requirement Due date

In particular the registered person must ensure that—

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Requirement Due date

medicine which is prescribed for a child is administered as prescribed to the child for whom it is prescribed and to no other child. (Regulation 23 (1) (2)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that the details of prescribed medication for children are clearly recorded in the children’s records. 28 February 2024 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 1259118 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Stoke-on-Trent City Council

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: City of Stoke-on-Trent, Swann House, Boothen Road, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire ST4 4SY

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Inspector

Joanne Humphreys, Social Care Inspector Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 1259118 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.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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