Children's Home run by Thrive Childcare Services Ltd in Dudley

Inspection report for children's home: 2590832 1 Registered provider: Thrive Childcare Services Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

A private provider operates this home. It provides care for up to three children with social, emotional and/or behavioural difficulties due to past trauma.

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Information about this children’s home

The home is led by a qualified manager who registered with Ofsted in June 2022.

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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: requires improvement to be good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children's home: 2590832 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

13/07/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good 24/11/2021 Full Good Inspection report for children's home: 2590832 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Three children live in the home. One child has lived there for two years and has made good progress in all areas. Another child has lived at the home for four months and has quickly settled. A third child has lived at the home for a few weeks. Despite having a well-planned move, this child has not settled. Managers are consulting with social workers to plan the next steps in meeting the child’s needs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Since the last inspection, three children have moved into the home, and three have moved on. Managers and staff supported two children to move on in a positive way. However, they did not have sufficient understanding of one child’s behaviours and could not keep them safe. Managers felt that full information had not been shared about the child before they moved into the home, compromising how staff could meet their needs. As a result, the child moved on after two weeks. The manager did not escalate concerns appropriately and failed to challenge the local authority.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported by a core team of staff who know children well. Staff are nurturing in their approach, and there are warm and good-humoured interactions between staff and the children. Staff build relationships with children by supporting their interests and hobbies, such as going fishing and swimming. Staff transport children to spend time with their friends in the way a good parent would. Creating opportunities to spend time with children enables meaningful relationships between children and staff to develop.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Managers and staff actively promote and support children’s education. Two children attend schools that meet their needs. Staff enable children to achieve good attendance, and both children say they enjoy school. One child does not have a school place. Managers are working with social workers and the virtual school to get them a place that meets their needs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Managers and staff work with health professionals and the company clinician to ensure the children’s physical and emotional health needs are understood and supported well. Additionally, staff use resources to educate children about their developing emotional and physical health needs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support children to maintain relationships with people who are important to them. A family member of one child said, ‘Staff have been brilliant. They come in my home, talk and help me get to know [name of child] more.’ Ensuring that children maintain relationships with their families and friends helps children to maintain a positive cultural identity and a sense of belonging.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Areas of the home are not well maintained. One door and a wall have damage. The outside of the home looks uncared for. The home stands out from other homes in the area because the facias and door furniture need cleaning. Internally, the home lacks homely touches. There are minimal photos of children or possessions. This does not promote a sense of ownership in the home for children. Inspection report for children's home: 2590832 4

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

The children’s lived experiences and the impact on their behaviour are well understood by the staff team. Strong boundaries and routines, developed with children, contribute to a sense of security for children. Clear risk management plans, agreed with clinicians, guide staff on how to manage children’s complex behaviours. As a result, physical intervention is rarely used to keep children safe.

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

In recent weeks, children’s complex behaviours have escalated. Close, consistent supervision minimises the risks to children and to staff. Staff have consulted therapists to understand the triggers for children’s behaviours. Managers have taken action to minimise potential risks by spending increased time in the home supporting and educating staff.

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

When children go missing from the home, staff follow their missing-from-care protocols effectively. Additionally, staff anticipate and manage the risks associated with children going missing. Staff share plans with the police, and they benefit from information-sharing about risks in the local area. This proactive approach ensures that staff can respond quickly and effectively when children are at risk in the community.

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

When children make allegations, managers ensure that there is independent oversight of staff practice by consulting with social workers and the local authority designated officer. When appropriate, managers ensure that thorough investigations take place.

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

Measures are in place to ensure that children are kept safe online. Additionally, staff talk with children about online risks, and they educate children using good resources. Staff work with social workers and support children to engage in their own online safety planning. This positive work enhances the children’s knowledge of risk and allows them to keep themselves increasingly safe.

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

Staff consistently promote positive relationships in the home and challenge unkind behaviour and bullying. Children who bully other children are supported to understand the impact of bullying on themselves and others. Children who are bullied are given the opportunity to talk about how they feel.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager is developing in their role and demonstrates good leadership skills. The manager places the children at the centre of their practice and is a strong advocate for children. The manager is confident in challenging other professionals when they believe that those professionals are not acting in children’s interests or fulfilling their responsibilities to children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is supported by the responsible individual, who has a strong presence in the home. The manager and the responsible individual work as a team, and they maintain constant oversight of the home, using a range of review and monitoring Inspection report for children's home: 2590832 5 systems. These effective systems provide a clear understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the home. This means that managers can quickly address issues and plan developments and improvements across the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The staff are experienced and well qualified. Six of the seven staff have a relevant qualification. The manager ensures that staff receive regular supervision and an annual appraisal. New staff receive a well-planned induction and a six-month probation review. Staff say that the manager is approachable and supportive, and that morale is good.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Children are cared for by a consistent team of core staff. Shortfalls in staffing are covered by core staff, or staff from other homes, and agency staff who are known to the children. This means that children develop trusting relationships with adults who know them well.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Records show shortfalls in the training of staff. For example, two staff have not updated their behaviour management training within agreed timescales. This means that staff skills in de-escalating children’s complex behaviours are compromised. Only two staff have received training in the organisation-approved therapeutic model of care as stated in the home’s statement of purpose. Staff are therefore not suitably trained to meet the therapeutic needs of the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The statement of purpose does not meet regulatory requirements. This is because the details of a clinician are missing. This means that local authority commissioners and Ofsted do not have important information about the qualifications and experience of people working with vulnerable children. Inspection report for children's home: 2590832 6

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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

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c))

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Requirement Due date

Managers should ensure that staff receive the specific training specified in the statement of purpose to meet children’s needs and that staff complete behaviour management training within agreed timescales. 18 February 2024

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Requirement Due date

In meeting the quality standards, the registered person must, and must ensure that staff—

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Requirement Due date

if the registered person considers, or staff consider, a placing authority's or a relevant person's performance or response to be inadequate in relation to their role, challenge the placing authority or the relevant person to seek to ensure that each child's needs are met in accordance with the child's relevant plans. (Regulation 5 (c))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the manager ensuring that there is effective challenge to the local authority regarding withholding information. 18 February 2024 Inspection report for children's home: 2590832 7

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that the children’s home is a nurturing and supportive environment that meets the needs of their children and is a homely, domestic environment. The children’s home must comply with relevant health and safety legislations (alarms, food hygiene etc.); however, in doing so, the home should seek as far as possible to maintain a domestic rather than ‘institutional’ impression. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’ page 15, paragraph 13.9)

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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: 2590832 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Thrive Childcare Services Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 72 Oakdale Drive, Heald Green, Cheadle SK8 3SW

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Inspector

Karen Gillingwater, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: 2590832 9 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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