Children's Home run by Quality Care Homes (UK) Limited in Slough

Inspection report for children’s home: 1183799 1 Registered provider: Quality Care Homes (uk) Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is privately owned and can care for up to four children with learning disabilities. The home provides long-term and short-breaks care.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in November 2018 and is suitably qualified.

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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: 1183799 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

10/05/2022 Full Good 08/06/2021 Full Good 10/09/2019 Full Good 12/02/2019 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 1183799 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Since the last inspection, two children have remained living in the home and one child has come to stay at the home for short breaks. One young person has been supported with becoming an adult, having recently turned 18. Staff have been thoughtful, planning regular meetings with professionals and pathway planning in place to support this young person.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The staff sensitively help children to understand why they live at the children’s home. For one child, who previously had caring responsibilities and wishes to return home, social stories have been used to help them understand why this isn’t possible and give reassurance and comfort to be able to accept this.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

All of the children are attending school or college. One child found the transition from school to college difficult for the first academic year, and was supported by staff to develop relationship skills and an understanding of the environmental changes. This has led to the second year of college being a great success and this child is making lovely progress in their studies.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

There is effective care planning in place to guide staff on how to look after the children and young people. Children and young people are regularly consulted on their views and how they are cared for, what they might like to change and their feelings on living at the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

All of the children are generally healthy and attend regular appointments and annual health reviews. For children with specialist health needs, there are plans in place to guide staff, including emergency care plans for any children with epilepsy.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children and young people have busy and active lives. They enjoy visiting local attractions and events such as the king’s Coronation. Children’s cultures are respected, and events celebrated to support children’s religious beliefs.

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

Due to the needs and understanding of the children and young people, consequences are not used by staff. Equally, while all staff have appropriate training to support children’s emotional well-being and response to trauma, there has been no use of restraint or physical intervention used in the home. Staff work holistically with children to support them to express themselves in a safe and caring way.

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

There are effective safeguarding measures in place to prevent children from going missing from home. This is risk assessed to ensure that staffing levels are sufficient and safety measure are in place to keep children safer. Inspection report for children’s home: 1183799 4 The staff work with children to manage their relationships and understand boundaries. For example, respecting each other’s personal space is very important for one child. Direct work was completed when a new child came to stay at the home to ensure that this didn’t impact the children’s experiences.

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

The staff are confident in their safeguarding responsibilities and what action to take if there were any concerns for children. They have all attended safeguarding training and are aware of children’s risks and the plans to reduce these risks.

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

The staff and children share positive relationships. The staff know the children and young people well, and their care is full of reassurance, nurture and kindness.

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

Processes to ensure that safer recruitment checks are in place so that staff are suitably vetted. However, while senior leaders ensure to review staff disclosure and barring checks, this is not recorded.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager is dedicated and ambitious for the children and young people. There is a focus on ensuring that children’s pathways are planned from when they move into the home as children. The transition to adulthood and the progress, skills and experiences children have while living in the home is good.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Families and professionals are complimentary of the care and support provided to the children and young people and feel they are happy, safe and well cared for. There is good communication and effective working relationships between the staff and school leaders.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The staff are well supported by the registered manager and confident to raise any concerns should they arise. There is a small and consistent staff team to support the children and young people. The registered manager ensures that he has oversight of children’s care and often works directly with children and young people.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered provider has not included information in relation to staffing, leadership and management in the statement of purpose as is required, or sent this to Ofsted when updated. Senior leaders have undertaken a quality review of the care provided to the children. However, these reports have not covered the required period and been submitted to Ofsted in a timely way. It is important that these records are sent to the regulator to ensure they have an overview of the care and support provided to children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Arrangements are now in place to ensure that an independent person visits the home to undertake a review of the quality of care for the children and how they are safeguarded. However, there have been two occasions where a visit has not taken place, with no contingency plans to ensure visits are not missed. Inspection report for children’s home: 1183799 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 ensure that an independent person visits the children’s home at least once each month. (Regulation 44 (1)) 31 May 2024

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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. The registered person must—

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Requirement Due date

keep the statement of purpose under review and, where appropriate, revise it; and

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Requirement Due date

notify HMCI of any revisions and send HMCI a copy of the revised statement within 28 days of the revision. (Regulation 16 (1) (3)(a)(b)) 31 May 2024

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Recommendations

 The registered person should develop and keep under review a ‘Statement of Purpose’ (regulation 16 and schedule 1). (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 14, paragraph 3.5)  The registered person should ensure that children experience a nurturing and supportive environment. Staff should use language that is child friendly and nurturing. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9)

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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: 1183799 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Quality Care Homes (uk) Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 6th Floor, Amp House, Croydon CR0 2LX

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Balwinder Randhawa

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Inspector

Sara Stoker, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 1183799 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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