Children's Home run by Core Children Ltd in Staffordshire

Inspection report for children’s home: 2731377 1 Registered provider: Core Children Ltd Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

This home is owned and managed by a private company. It is registered to provide care for up to three children who have had adverse childhood experiences that have led to associated trauma, and social and emotional difficulties.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

This is the home’s first inspection since it was registered with Ofsted.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The manager has been registered with Ofsted since the home opened and is appropriately qualified.

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

p.1

good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

p.1

good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

p.1

good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

p.1

good

Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable

p.1

good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2731377 2

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Three children have moved into the home since it was registered. At the time of the inspection, two children were living in the home. One child moved out of the home in a planned move that was in line with their care plan. Managers ensure that children move into the home in a planned way. The manager encourages children to visit the home and meet their new carers. Children are also provided with information about the home, including routines and expectations before they move in. This helps children to feel less anxious about the move.

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The manager ensures that pre-admission documents are carefully analysed, and discussions take place with senior managers and the social worker before agreeing for a child to move in. Although managers complete an initial assessment, this assessment does not always carefully consider children’s needs alongside the needs of children already residing in the home. This practice could impact on children’s care-planning and their experience living in the home.

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Managers and staff are committed to supporting children to achieve good educational outcomes. They advocate for children to ensure that they receive appropriate support tailored to their individual needs. As a result, both children currently living in the home are making good progress with their education. One child is now attending school and engaging with the curriculum after not being in education for over two years. The other child is also enrolled in school, with excellent attendance after difficulties attending school previously. Both children are achieving age-related expectation.

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Managers and staff are committed to promoting children’s health and well-being needs. Children have access to local health services when they need them. Managers and staff seek specialist help when this is required. The manager advocates for children and challenges professionals when there is delay to children receiving the support they require from specialist services. Children are also supported to achieve good physical health through a balanced diet and regular exercise.

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are extremely positive about the care and support they receive from managers and staff. Managers and staff use shared interests and hobbies to develop extremely warm and nurturing relationships with children. One child attends football sessions, a weekend park run, the gym and other extra-curricular activities with managers and staff. Children are supported to engage in a variety of other social and recreational activities. These include day trips to other cities, and trips to major UK attractions and theme parks. These experiences add positive memories to children’s life stories, and support children’s self-confidence and self-worth. Inspection report for children’s home: 2731377 3 The staff are committed to promoting children’s relationships with the people who are important to them. This includes supporting family time for children whose family live a considerable distance from the home, and celebrating special events by

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

facilitating family time in the home. The commitment of managers and staff has contributed to children repairing relationships with the people who are important to them. This individualised care promotes children’s well-being and the development of their identity.

p.3

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

Children are safeguarded and protected from harm. Managers ensure that there are comprehensive risk management and behaviour support plans in place for children. They ensure that these are regularly reviewed, and there are clear strategies in place for staff to follow to reduce risks for children.

p.3

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

Staff educate and support children to understand risks and keep themselves safe. Children have built strong relationships with the staff who care for them. Children said that they feel safe and could identify a trusted adult they can share their concerns with. This support, alongside the positive relationships with staff, contributes to children making safe decisions. As a result, incidents where children are at risk of harm are rare.

p.3

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

Managers and staff respond well on the rare occasion when children go missing. When children are not where they are expected to be, staff take prompt and urgent action to ensure that they are safe. They search for children and share their concerns with the relevant professionals. When children are found, staff ensure that their emotional needs are met, and they are provided with an opportunity to speak with an independent person.

p.3

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

Managers take prompt action when there are allegations, or concerns regarding staff practice. Information is shared with external professionals. Safeguarding records are comprehensive and investigations are conducted thoroughly. This helps children to feel safe and listened to. The manager supports children and staff to restore their relationship following an investigation outcome. This reassures children when staff return to work. However, there was one occasion where the manager’s review of an incident did not thoroughly reflect the concerns raised by a child.

p.3

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

Clear boundaries and routines and strong relationships with staff help children to feel settled and secure. As a result, children are more able to manage their emotions and incidents have decreased. Staff have used physical intervention on one occasion to ensure a child’s safety and the safety of others. Records of the incident are clear, and de-escalation strategies were exhausted before staff held the child. The manager seeks the views of children and staff afterwards. This response ensures that children’s behaviours are managed safely, and any practice issues are identified and addressed promptly.

p.3

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

Managers and staff ensure that the physical environment is safe for children. Children live in a home that is well maintained and decorated to a high standard. Inspection report for children’s home: 2731377 4 The warm and nurturing relationships observed between the children and staff contribute to a nurturing and homely environment.

p.3

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

A suitably qualified and experienced manager leads the team. The manager’s approach to care-planning is underpinned by a relationship- and activity-based ethos. This approach contributes to children feeling settled and making good progress from their starting points.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Parents and professionals are extremely positive about the support and care provided to children by managers and staff. One parent commented that the support from staff is ‘outstanding’, and the communication is ‘excellent’. Professionals have a shared view that the support from staff contributes to children making good progress.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff morale is high and staff are passionate about the support they provide to children and the progress children are making. One staff member said, ‘It is the best work environment I have known and the support is outstanding.’

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

All staff have undertaken mandatory training and additional training suitable to the children’s neurodiverse needs and any risks identified. Most staff have the appropriate qualification for the role, or there are plans to enrol new staff after their probation.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive monthly supervision sessions that are child-centred. Additional sessions are undertaken to promote staff development and improve practice. However, the trainee manager has not received regular supervision sessions. This prevents the trainee manager from reflecting on their own well-being, development needs or practice issues.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Overall, the monitoring and reviewing systems used are good. For example, there is a comprehensive system to support the manager’s oversight of the home. This system is implemented and aids the manager’s detailed knowledge of children’s needs, safeguarding incidents and children’s progress.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager completed a review of the quality of care provided to children. The document clearly set out the children’s experiences and the impact the care is having on the outcomes they achieve. However, the manager did not include children’s views of the care they are receiving in the report. Inspection report for children’s home: 2731377 5

p.4

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.

p.5

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—

p.5

Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

p.5

Requirement Due date

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

p.5

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)(h))

p.5

Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the registered person ensuring that, when incidents are reviewed, the actions taken to resolve children’s concern are clearly recorded.

p.5

Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that impact risk assessments carefully consider children’s needs alongside the needs of children already residing in the home.

p.5

Requirement Due date

In addition, the registered person should ensure that children are consulted and their views included in the quality-of-care review report. 30 June 2024

p.5

Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees—

p.5

Requirement Due date

receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience. (Regulation 33 (4)(b))

p.5

Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the registered person ensuring that the trainee manager receives regular supervision sessions where their well-being, practice issues, training and development needs are discussed. 30 June 2024 Inspection report for children’s home: 2731377 6

p.5

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: 2731377 7

p.6

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Trent House, 234 Victoria Road, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire ST4 2LW

p.7

Inspector

Nateisha Cardoza-Evans, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2731377 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.

p.7

Inspector

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.8

Inspector

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.8

Inspector

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.8