Children's Home run by The Place Young People’s Company in Leicestershire

Inspection report for children’s home: 1241261 1 Registered provider: The Place Young Peoples Company 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 two children who may have social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

Since the last inspection, one child has moved out of the home and one child has moved in. At the point of inspection, there was one child living at the 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: 1241261 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

04/01/2023 Full Good 07/03/2022 Full Good 04/02/2020 Full Good 24/10/2018 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 1241261 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have meaningful relationships with staff. Staff spend time with children and know them well. Children experience a family environment, where they cook and share meals together. Activities such as ice-skating and badminton are also enjoyed together. As a result, children settle and have a sense of belonging.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children do well in education. Staff have supported one child to return to school after a long period of home schooling. Staff advocate strongly for children, professionally challenging the wider system when necessary.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s health needs are met well by staff. Staff are proactive in seeking assessments and support from relevant professionals, such as occupational therapists, psychologists and diabetes nurses. This individualised care promotes children’s health and overall well-being.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support children to spend time with people who are important to them. One child is helped to maintain relationships with family members who live far from the home. This helps to minimise the child’s sense of loss and aids their sense of self and identity. Staff listen to and act on the child’s wishes and feelings around seeing family. This helps to ensure that time spent with family is a positive experience for the child.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s care plans are well considered. Children receive bespoke care and support. Training for staff is tailored to meet children’s specific needs, such as that related to diabetes and pathological defiance avoidance. However, staff do not always record information about children in a non-stigmatising way. This is an area for development.

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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 school, health professionals and social care. There is a balanced approach to risk management, which helps to keep children safe while allowing them to take age-appropriate risks. For one child, this means they are no longer subject to a deprivation of liberty order.

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

Children know how to make a complaint. Children’s concerns are taken seriously and investigated promptly. Children receive a written response from the manager. Staff also promote the use of advocacy services. For one child, an advocate represents their wishes and feelings at care review meetings. This practice helps children to feel heard and valued, and ensures they have a say in their day-to-day care. Inspection report for children’s home: 1241261 4 Staff are well trained and supported in their role. Therapeutic support is provided to staff and children by the home’s psychotherapist. Staff receive trauma-informed training. This develops staff’s responses to children’s behaviours. For one child, instances of behaviours that staff found difficult to manage have significantly reduced.

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

Allegations against staff are duly managed. Relevant agencies are promptly consulted, such as Ofsted and the local authority designated officer. Appropriate safeguards are put in place while investigations are carried out. Any shortfalls identified in staff’s practice or training are addressed effectively.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The acting manager is passionate about achieving the best outcomes for children. She has a wealth of experience and knowledge, which is being used to upskill staff. She is a strong role model, and staff feel confident under her leadership. Team morale is good, and staff enjoy working at the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The acting manager has good oversight of the service. Effective monitoring and quality assurance systems are in place and ensure that she knows what is happening in the home daily. Comprehensive evaluations of incidents are completed by the acting manager. Learning from these informs staff’s training and changes to policy and practice. This helps the team to develop and maintain good standards of care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The acting manager and staff work in collaboration with other professionals, such as teachers and social workers. Regular network meetings are held with professionals to discuss a child’s needs and progress. This ensures effective and coordinated care planning.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff are safely recruited. All necessary checks and processes are followed. During the probationary period, staff are required to complete a reflective workbook to evidence their learning. This helps the acting manager to identify if staff are competent in their role and highlights areas of shortfall.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff do not receive regular supervision. While progress is being made, this continues to be an area for development. Inspection report for children’s home: 1241261 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 compile in relation to the children’s home a statement ("the statement of purpose") which covers the matters listed in Schedule 1.

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Requirement Due date

Subject to paragraph (6), the registered person must ensure that the home is at all times conducted in a manner which is consistent with its statement of purpose. (Regulation 16 (1) (5))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically refers to the supervision of staff taking place in line with the home’s policy of monthly supervision and supervision every two weeks during induction.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated. 30 April 2024

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that staff are familiar with the home’s policies on record-keeping and understand the importance of careful, objective and clear recording. Staff should record information on individual children in a non-stigmatising way that distinguishes between fact, opinion and third-party information. Information about the child must always be recorded in a way that will be helpful to the child. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4)

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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: 1241261 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: The Place Young Peoples Company Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 2 Lymevale Court, Lyme Drive, Parklands, Stoke- on-Trent ST4 6NW

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Inspector

Emma Dacres, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 1241261 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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