Children's Home run by Semi-independent House Limited in Peterborough

Inspection report for children’s home: 2604898 1 Registered provider: Semi-independent House Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is privately owned and provides care for up to three children who have experienced neglect and/or abuse and have social or emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager was appointed in January 2024 but is yet to register with Ofsted.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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requires improvement to be good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

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requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The children’s home is not yet delivering good help and care for children and young people. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: not applicable Inspection report for children’s home: 2604898 2

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improvement to be good

Since the home opened in October 2023, one child has moved in. However, this child is not making enough expected progress. They experience emotional difficulties, and the staff have not developed creative ways to help the child improve their health, well-being and education.

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improvement to be good

The child has been out of education for a number of years and has struggled to access alternative provisions. When the child moved into the home, the staff failed to provide alternative education. This meant that the child had no structure or routine for over two months. Since January 2024, the local authority has provided a daily tutor who attends the home. Although the staff have tried to encourage education, the child is yet to engage with the tutor or any other education opportunities.

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improvement to be good

Staff have registered the child with local health services and arranged health appointments. However, the child has not attended these. The child struggles with healthy eating, sleep hygiene, personal hygiene and emotional well-being. The staff do not sufficiently support the child’s health and well-being needs. The registered manager had not pushed for help, and therefore staff did not encourage and expect a routine that improves the child’s well-being. Although staff offer fruit and vegetables and healthier meal options, more could be done to encourage the child to make healthier food choices.

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improvement to be good

The staff are unclear about boundaries and routines for the child. They allow the child to spend lots of time gaming in their bedroom until the early hours of the morning. Staff have not offered the child sufficient support to stop smoking. The child is confused about the rules and staff’s expectations. The interim manager has devised some clearer routines to guide staff. However, these are yet to be embedded.

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improvement to be good

Staff suggest different activities, including go-karting, trips to the cinema and to the coast. The child has been to the cinema and watches films with staff. However, the child spends most of their time in the bedroom and does not benefit from physical activity and fresh air. The staff have not yet used a creative or informed approach to build relationships with the child and improve their overall well-being.

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improvement to be good

The staff are unable to get the child to help with daily living chores. This fails to prepare the child for their future or increase their independence skills. At times, the staff help the child to access the local community and go to local shops. This is helping the child to experience the staff food shopping and budgeting.

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improvement to be good

Since moving to the home, the child lives nearer to their family home and this is important. They spend regular time with their family, and staff fully support them to Inspection report for children’s home: 2604898 3 visit their family in the evening and at weekends. A grandparent said, ‘I know that he is happy,’ and went on to say, ‘It’s one of the best places he has got.’

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improvement to be good

The house is comfortable and has new furnishings. The child was given a welcome bundle of toiletries and small gifts when they moved in. The staff help the child to maintain their bedroom and keep it clean and hygienic. There is a large outdoor garden, which is tidy with a garden bench. However, there are no resources in the garden. This does not make the space inviting for the child or encourage them to spend time outside.

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

The staff encourage the child to keep safe. However, they do not have to manage many risks because the child prefers to spend time at the home. The child rarely challenges the staff, and staff do not need to use physical interventions. They provide verbal reassurance and advice to help the child to understand their difficult feelings. The staff understand the child’s vulnerabilities in the community and are clear about the actions to take if the child were to go missing from the home.

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

Staff have regular conversations with the child about their life experiences, things that may be worrying them and their needs and vulnerabilities. The child is not always receptive to these conversations because the staff have not built a strong rapport. Staff’s recording of these important conversations is inconsistent, and some of the records lack detail. This does not help the staff to support the child to understand the issues in their life.

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

Staff support the child in regard to substance misuse. They reviewed the risk with the child’s social worker and together they have created a plan that has kept the child safer while allowing regular time away from the home. This has helped to support the child’s wishes for more time with their family.

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

There has been one whistle-blowing concern about staff practice. This was suitably investigated by another manager and actions taken. This information was shared appropriately with the local authority designated officer and Ofsted. In addition, the child shared some concerns and preferences about the staff. These were not recorded as a complaint. The child was spoken to about their views. However, they were not given any feedback to understand the outcome of their concerns and what would happen next.

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

The staff recruitment practices are safe. They include appropriate checks for new staff, which helps to make sure adults are safe to work with children.

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good

The home was registered with Ofsted in August 2023.The registered manager and deputy manager left the home in December 2023. A new deputy manager is acting Inspection report for children’s home: 2604898 4 as the interim manager. The interim manager holds a level 3 qualification but is not yet enrolled on a level 5 qualification and has not applied to register with Ofsted. Overall, the number of management changes have resulted in limited management oversight and a decline in the effectiveness of leadership and management.

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good

Staff do not always have regular supervision sessions. When supervision takes place, the records are detailed and explore the child’s and staff’s experiences. However, some new staff have not had regular supervision meetings. This does not help the manager or staff understand how the child’s needs continue to be met.

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good

Staff receive mandatory training, and for most staff their training records are up to date. However, four members of staff have not yet completed mandatory training in supporting children when they go missing from care. Four staff have not had additional training that could help them better understand the child’s needs. This does not help staff to provide the child with good care and support.

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good

Leaders and managers support new staff to work through induction and then enrol on the relevant level 3 qualification. Two staff have a relevant level 3 qualification. Others are working towards it within the required time frame. However, one member of staff has been employed for over two years and has not achieved a relevant level 3 qualification within the timescale.

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good

The interim manager has kept the statement of purpose under review. The location risk assessment has also been kept under review. However, feedback from relevant local agencies is not included in this assessment. This does not help the manager understand changing risks and needs in their local area. Inspection report for children’s home: 2604898 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

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;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child;

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Requirement Due date

understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home;

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Requirement Due date

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(c)(f)(h))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that staff have the relevant training and supervision to help them understand the child’s needs, and ensure that the manager has effective oversight of the child’s day-to-day experiences and progress. 1 May 2024

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Requirement Due date

The education standard is that children make measurable progress towards achieving their educational potential and are helped to do so. 1 May 2024 Inspection report for children’s home: 2604898 6 In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand the importance and value of education, learning, training and employment;

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Requirement Due date

promote opportunities for each child to learn informally;

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Requirement Due date

help each child who is above compulsory school age to participate in further education, training or employment and to prepare for future care, education or employment. (Regulation 8 (1) (2)(a)(iv)(v)(ix))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, develop plans regarding the child’s education and provide structure and learning opportunities for days when the child is not participating in education.

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Requirement Due date

The health and well-being standard is that—

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Requirement Due date

the health and well-being needs of children are met;

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Requirement Due date

children receive advice, services and support in relation to their health and well-being; and

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Requirement Due date

children are helped to lead healthy lifestyles.

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

achieve the health and well-being outcomes that are recorded in the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

understand the child’s health and well-being needs and the options that are available in relation to the child’s health and well-being, in a way that is appropriate to the child’s age and understanding;

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Requirement Due date

take part in activities, and attend any appointments, for the purpose of meeting the child’s health and well-being needs; and

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Requirement Due date

understand and develop skills to promote the child’s well- being. (Regulation 10 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)) 1 May 2024 Inspection report for children’s home: 2604898 7 In particular, ensure that the child’s health and well-being needs are advocated for by the manager and staff and that the child receives specialist support.

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Requirement Due date

In addition, support the child to lead an active, healthy and balanced lifestyle, and ensure that they receive support for smoking cessation and sleep hygiene.

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Requirement Due date

The children’s views, wishes and feelings standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

develop positive relationships with them;

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Requirement Due date

take their views, wishes and feelings into account in relation to matters affecting the children’s care and welfare and their lives.

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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

ascertain and consider each child’s views, wishes and feelings, and balance these against what they judge to be in the child’s best interests when making decisions about the child’s care and welfare;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand how the child’s views, wishes and feelings have been taken into account and give the child reasons for decisions in relation to the child. (Regulation 7 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(i)(iii))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that the child’s concerns are recorded as a complaint and that the outcome of the complaint is shared with them. 15 March 2024

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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

use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential. 1 May 2024 Inspection report for children’s home: 2604898 8 In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

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Requirement Due date

help each child to develop resilience and skills that prepare the child to return home, to live in a new placement or to live independently as an adult. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(b)(vi))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety.

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Requirement Due date

the individual has the appropriate experience, qualification and skills for the work that the individual is to perform.

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Requirement Due date

For the purposes of paragraph (3)(b), an individual who works in the home in a care role has the appropriate qualification if, by the relevant date, the individual has attained—

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Requirement Due date

the Level 3 Diploma for Residential Childcare (England) ("the Level 3 Diploma"); or

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Requirement Due date

a qualification which the registered person considers to be equivalent to the Level 3 Diploma.

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Requirement Due date

in the case of an individual who starts working in a care role in a home after 1st April 2014, the date which falls 2 years after the date on which the individual started working in a care role in a home; or

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Requirement Due date

in the case of an individual who was working in a care role in a home on 1st April 2014, 1st April 2016. (Regulation 32 (1) (3)(b) (4)(a)(b) (5)(a)(b)) 1 July 2024

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that children’s homes staff seek to identify and provide appropriate opportunities for children to develop themselves in accordance with their wishes and feelings and as part of the home’s plan for their care. In particular, ensure that the child is supported to have healthy daily Inspection report for children’s home: 2604898 9 routines, to access their local community and to try new activities. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 31, paragraph 6.4)  The registered person should ensure that the home is a nurturing and supportive environment that meets the needs of children. In particular, ensure that the garden provides a welcoming environment for children. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9)  The registered person should review the appropriateness and suitability of the

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Recommendations

location and premises of the home at least once a year and consult relevant persons in doing so. In particular, gain relevant feedback from local partner agencies and services that provide support to children. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 64, paragraph 15.1)

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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: 2604898 10

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Semi-independent House Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 51 Ploverly, Peterborough PE4 6HZ

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Inspector

Rebecca Hannell, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2604898 11 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

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted Inspection report for children’s home: 2604898 12

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