Children's home run by Ar Curam Limited

Inspection report for children’s home: 2731332 1 Registered provider: Ar Curam Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

A private company owns and manages this children’s home. It provides care for up to two children who may have social and/or emotional difficulties, learning disabilities and/or sensory impairment.

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Information about this children’s home

There was one child living in the home at the time of the inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in August 2023.

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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

Date of last inspection: not previously inspected

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: not applicable Inspection report for children’s home: 2731332 2

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The staff have built a trusting and secure relationship with the child. Staff take time to listen and spend time with the child, which supports a sense of belonging and promotes progress. The child said ‘they like me’ and referred to the home as ‘my home’.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child’s well-being and care are prioritised throughout the model of care provided. Staff are knowledgeable about the models of care, and they are skilled at de-escalating situations. Staff use their relationship and understanding of the child to inform their approach and disrupt behaviours early to prevent escalation and reduce risk. This has resulted in fewer incidents of children going missing from home and fewer incidents of physical intervention being used as a last resort.The child’s achievements are celebrated. Positive rewards are given by staff to support the child in recognising success and to feel supported. This means the child is encouraged to make progress and engage in all aspects of planning to inform their own future.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child’s voice is heard. Staff use different ways to capture the child’s voice and act on the views to make changes, which are then shared with the child. This means the child trusts that their views are listened to and acted on. The home has a suggestions box which is easily available to the child and can be used to make a confidential complaint if required.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child is developing independence skills. The staff have developed an independent living plan for the child to support them in learning the skills needed to live independently. The plan is reflective of the child’s current starting point and the child’s long-term plan to promote effectiveness. This means the child will have knowledge that will help them to make safe choices.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child is not engaged in education, which means that they have missed significant periods of learning. The child is not supported with opportunities in the home to promote independent study consistently to address learning and development. Barriers to learning have been identified by the registered manager. Staff do not use a consistent approach to help the child overcome these barriers, to re-engage with learning in a way that secures progress and achievement to fulfil future aspirations.

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

Staff are knowledgeable and understand the risks for the child and how to keep the child safe. Risk assessments are completed and reviewed regularly to ensure that they are current and relevant. Strategies for staff to use are recorded to mitigate risk. Staff are trained and knowledgeable in the models of care, and they are skilled at de-escalating situations, which has resulted in incidents of harm to the child being minimised. Inspection report for children’s home: 2731332 3 The admission process is planned for the child. The process is dynamic and places the child as the focus for how it progresses and considers the potential impact of change. Impact risk assessments are completed and reviewed regularly to ensure that they remain current and appropriate.

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

The child feels safe in the home. The child said, ‘They don’t give up.’ The child is supported to understand risk and make safe decisions. Direct work is completed frequently, which means the child can explore making choices in a safe environment. The child is encouraged to be reflective in this process, and staff use a positive approach to encourage engagement.

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

The registered manager has built strong relationships with safeguarding agencies and professionals working with the child. Information-sharing is a proactive process which informs plans being updated to keep the child safe. The registered manager will challenge professionals to ensure that the most recent information is known so their risk assessments are current and effective in ensuring the child’s safety.

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

The home environment is maintained to a high standard. The child’s bedroom is lockable from the outside, and the child is provided with a key, which means they can keep their personal possessions safe. The child has been supported to personalise the bedroom space in line with their likes and interests. Damaged or broken items are replaced or mended as soon as possible to ensure that standards are maintained.

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

When a child goes missing from home, they are not always offered an independent return home interview. This means that important safeguarding information may be missed that would prevent further incidents from occurring.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager is qualified and experienced. The staff team is permanent and accesses a robust training programme to support development in staff’s knowledge and skills. Safer recruitment checks mean the staff can deliver high- quality safe care. Any issues are identified by the registered manager and addressed quickly in supervision to ensure that there is minimal impact on the standard of care provided to the child.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager has systems in place to review progress and the level of care being provided to the child. The information from monthly audits is gathered and used to implement change effectively.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive regular supervision that is child-focused. Staff are supported to reflect on their role, the care they provide to the child and on themselves in that role. Staff are given protected time for supervision to take place. Supervision is used to recognise good practice and to ensure the recognition of staff in their role of supporting children to achieve. Inspection report for children’s home: 2731332 4 Staff receive training to support their knowledge and provide good-quality informed care for the child. The registered manager promotes the training culture with staff and uses different opportunities to develop the training offer. This includes asking external professionals to join team meetings and holding team development days.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Recording is completed to a high standard. Written records are quality assured by the registered manager to ensure that they are relevant and meet expectations. This means that if the child returns to read their records in the future, they are accessible and easy to read.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff are supported and provide consistency. Staff work as a team to provide care, and one staff member said, ‘All the staff work together’. The registered manager sets clear responsibilities for individual staff which are reviewed to ensure that quality is maintained. The registered manager and assistant manager are visible in the home and approachable to support staff. One staff member said they are ‘totally confident to raise any issues with managers’. Inspection report for children’s home: 2731332 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 must comply within the given timescales.

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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.

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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

support each child’s learning and development, including helping the child to develop independent study skills and, where appropriate, helping the child to complete independent study;

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Requirement Due date

understand the barriers to learning that each child may face and take appropriate action to help the child to overcome any such barriers;

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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)(ii)(iii)(ix)) 20 May 2024

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that when a child returns to the home after being missing from care or away from the home without permission, the responsible local authority provides an opportunity for the child to have an independent return home interview. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 45, paragraph 9.30) Inspection report for children’s home: 2731332 6

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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: 2731332 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 2nd Floor, Richard House, Sorbonne Close, Thornaby, Stockton-on-Tees TS17 6DA

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Inspector

Kate Jackson, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2731332 8 regulates and inspects 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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