Children's home run by Central Bedfordshire Council in Central Bedfordshire

Inspection report children's home: SC391464 1 SC391464 Registered provider: Central Bedfordshire Council Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children's home

A local authority operates this home. It provides care for up to eight disabled children aged up to 18 years of age.

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Information about this children's home

The premises are organised into three living areas: short breaks, permanent placements and a self-contained flat.

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Information about this children's home

The manager registered with Ofsted in June 2016.

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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 children's home: SC391464 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

25/07/2022 Full Good 27/05/2021 Full Good 05/09/2019 Full Good 12/02/2019 Full Good Inspection report children's home: SC391464 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

At the time of this inspection, five children were living at the home. This group of children spends time overnight with their families as part of an agreed plan. This approach has helped children to maintain healthy relationships with their families. One parent said, ‘The staff work with me collaboratively to bring my son up together.’ One child was staying overnight for their short break. In total, four children visit for overnight short breaks on a rotational basis.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Managers are skilled at planning children’s overnight stays and who they live with. Managers know the children well and consider their hobbies, interests, sensory and health needs. This makes certain that children have positive experiences, enjoy each other’s company and build friendships.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children make good progress. Each child has an individualised target. Staff are consistent in supporting children to achieve and they record in detail how each child is progressing. One child has learned to read Braille and to use a mobility cane successfully. One child has learned to use picture communication systems meaningfully. Staff help children to feel proud and build self-esteem.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff plan activities that they know the children will enjoy. Children have been on holiday together, to activity centres, theme parks, theatre trips and smaller activities in the community. In addition to this, staff plan sensory activities that help children to explore touch, sight, hearing and smells. Staff encourage children to interact with their environment and the community and build confidence while having fun.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff are skilled and qualified to support children with complex medical conditions. Staff work closely with healthcare professionals to deliver care that helps to maintain children’s health. One child requires immediate medical support when they are unwell. Staff have competently carried out this delegated task on more than one occasion, which has saved the child’s life.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

All children are in education and their attendance is good. Staff work closely with teachers. Resources and training opportunities are shared. This ensures that children receive consistent approaches from staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is spacious and includes a sensory room with a large ball pool. However, damage to walls from doors being opened into them has not been repaired. One child would like to use a bath but, because of its positioning, the child is unable to access it.

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

Staff understand their roles and responsibilities to report any safeguarding concerns without delay. All staff have attended safeguarding training. Professionals hold the Inspection report children's home: SC391464 4 staff and manager in high regard. One social worker said that if there are concerns staff quickly communicate with her.

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

Staff understand children’s vulnerabilities well. This is because risk assessments are detailed and consider a wide range of factors including sensory and health needs. One child requires their temperature to be taken regularly to keep them well. Staff understand the importance of doing this to keep the child safe. Staff know that routine and familiarity are important factors to help children feel safe. Staff are skilled in protecting children.

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

Staff understand that children communicate through their behaviour. They respond to this communication with consistent and respectful care. Individual plans help staff to understand what a child may be experiencing. An external sensory specialist has delivered bespoke training to the staff. This has helped staff to understand how to support children when the children feel overwhelmed. As a result, behavioural incidents for one child have decreased significantly.

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

If there are concerns about staff practice, the manager takes immediate action. Thorough investigations are completed. The manager works with the local authority designated officer and social workers to keep children safe.

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

Staff only use physical interventions as a last resort and to keep children and staff safe. However, staff records do not consistently describe the measures used or the duration. This means it is difficult to judge proportionality. This was raised at the last inspection and is restated.

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

Children who require additional monitoring for medical reasons are observed by staff through audio monitoring. However, there was no written consent on file from the placing local authority.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager is qualified and experienced. He is child-centred and advocates for the children in his care. Two deputy managers support the registered manager. Managers know the children and staff well.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive structured and supportive supervision which focuses on the children and staff’s well-being. Managers understand the importance of staff feeling supported to ensure that children receive positive experiences. Staff have regular appraisals. They said that they feel supported by the management team.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager regularly reviews and tracks the quality of care that children receive. The manager has effective monitoring systems which help him to identify emerging themes and shortfalls. As a result, a review of roles, responsibilities and paperwork has meant that staff now spend more time with children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Children are meaningfully involved in the interview process and selection of staff. Inductions include a detailed training programme and regular guidance from Inspection report children's home: SC391464 5 managers. The registered manager signs staff off as competent to work with children. This ensures that children are cared for by staff who can meet their needs. However, disclosure and barring service checks are not consistently obtained to the staff member’s specific role of working with vulnerable children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff are either qualified or working towards a relevant level 3 diploma within timescales. Staff receive additional training to ensure that they can meet the needs of children. However, staff have not received formal training in alternative methods of communication. This means that staff may lack the skills to help children to develop and communicate their wishes and feelings.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager has met two requirements and two recommendations from the previous inspection. Inspection report children's home: SC391464 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, 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

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—

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Requirement Due date

a description of the measure and its duration. (Regulation 35 (3)(a)(iv)) 29 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

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

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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

meet the needs of each child. (Regulation 6 (1)(a) (2)(c)(i))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to repairing damage to the walls from door handles and ensuring that children can easily access a suitable bath. 24 May 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)) 29 March 2024 Inspection report children's home: SC391464 7

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that staff can access appropriate facilities and resources to support their training needs. In particular, they should ensure that staff are offered training in using alternative communication systems with children. ('Guide to the Children's Homes Regulations, including the quality standards', page 53, paragraph 10.11)  The registered person should maintain good employment practice. In particular, ensure that disclosure and barring service checks reflect the individual’s role. ('Guide to the Children's Homes Regulations, including the quality standards', page 61, paragraph 13.1)

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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 children's home: SC391464 8

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Children's home details

Registered provider: Central Bedfordshire Council

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Children's home details

Registered provider address: Priory House, Monks Walk, Chicksands, Shefford SG17 5TQ

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Inspector

Mandy Start, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children's home: SC391464 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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