Children's home run by Invested Childcare Ltd

Inspection report for children’s home: 2584899 1 Registered provider: Invested Childcare 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 four children who may have social and/or emotional difficulties. There were three children living at the home at the time of the inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in June 2020.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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outstanding

How well children and young people are helped and protected outstanding

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outstanding

The effectiveness of leaders and managers outstanding

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outstanding

The children’s home provides highly effective services that consistently exceed the standards of good. The actions of the children’s home contribute to significantly improved outcomes and positive experiences for children and young people who need help, protection and care.

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outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2584899 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

24/05/2022 Full Good 08/07/2021 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2584899 3

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outstanding

The care provided to the children is exceptional. Staff use the model of care to provide an approach that is customised to each child as an individual. With the help of the staff, children are making sustained progress in overcoming their own needs. Children benefit from staff having regular access to a clinician who ensures staff are able to reflect on the care they provide to the children. This provides research- informed learning for staff to develop the care being provided, ensuring care is of excellent quality.

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outstanding

All the children have made considerable progress from their starting points. Children feel safe in the home and have built relationships with staff they trust. Children are accepted without question for who they are and what they want to be. If children change in their understanding of themselves, this is embraced by staff who nurture the level of acceptance in all elements of care.

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outstanding

Children feel safe and happy. All the children spoke positively about their experiences of living in the home. One child said, ‘Honestly, they care too much,’ and ‘I have never felt so loved.’ Children access a wide variety of experiences to support their progress and enhance their life opportunities. Children are supported to have aspirations and to believe they are achievable in the future. One child’s aspirations require them to drive. The staff have ensured this is part of their activities to support the child in achieving their goal.

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outstanding

Staff support the children to access and experience new opportunities and to explore hobbies and interests. Children benefit from a widened experience base and learning opportunities. Children make memories that are captured by the staff team and seen in the photos around the home.

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outstanding

Education is promoted, and children engage in their learning. When this is not school-based learning, staff engage children in educational activities. This means all children are engaged in a level of learning and education that is more than their starting point. Achievements are celebrated to support attendance and engagement in learning, however large or small these may be. One child who wants to explore art is being supported in the home to develop artistic skills. This has included using their artwork and their interest in upcycling to personalise and furnish their bedroom.

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outstanding

The care of children is provided by a strong team of staff who benefit from research and feedback. Staff have regular refresher training on the model of care to enhance their skills and knowledge to provide the most effective care for children. Children and staff benefit from clinician input to offer insight into the children who have suffered trauma. Staff are provided with guidance on how to provide care that can support children to overcome their barriers, which could prevent sustained progress. Inspection report for children’s home: 2584899 4 The child’s voice is promoted. Staff are innovative in gathering children’s views in creative ways that enhance engagement. Children are regularly consulted to inform their care and ensure their voice is heard in a wider context, including their care planning meetings. This means children are listened to in influencing their future plans and decision-making.

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outstanding

Children are cared for and feel safe. Clear systems are in place to ensure the plans made to support the care provided by staff to each child are as individual as they are. Plans are reviewed regularly to ensure they are effective; they address current risks and minimise the risk of harm to each child.

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outstanding

The child’s voice is heard. Children are supported to attend their meetings and empowered to share their views. If a child does not feel able to share their views, staff advocate for the child. Staff write a summary of any children’s meeting held so that each child has something to reflect on afterwards. This supports their understanding and their ability to make informed choices in their own plans.

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outstanding

Children benefit from advocacy. Each child has access to an advocate and is supported to make a complaint if they want to. Children can access complaints through their advocate, a staff member or confidentially through a QR code that is easily available to them in the home. Complaints made are investigated robustly, and outcomes are shared with the child at each stage of the investigation. This ensures children feel listened to and have a voice in the process.

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outstanding

Risk assessments are effective at keeping children safe. Each child has an individual risk assessment, which is reviewed regularly. Risks are well understood and identified as directly relevant to each child. They are supported further by the group risk assessment; this ensures the impact of a child’s individual risk is considered in the wider context of the children in the home. The guidance given to staff is based on both individual and group risks to promote safety and minimise the impact of potential harm.

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outstanding

The staff are skilled at de-escalation techniques. There are few incidents of harm recorded, and children do not regularly go missing from home or require physical interventions. Incidents are managed effectively with a consistent positive approach. Staff and children participate in a high level of reflection to promote learning from incidents that do happen and implement any changes if needed.

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outstanding

Missing-from-care plans are individual for each child and reflect different risk factors for different relationships with each child. When a child returns from a period of missing from home, a return home interview takes place. One child did not receive an independent return home interview following a missing-from-home episode. The social worker attended to speak to the child, but this resulted in a period of crisis for that child. This was not challenged by the registered manager. Inspection report for children’s home: 2584899 5

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager and deputy manager are highly ambitious for children. This positive approach to care is modelled by them and has created a culture in the home across the staff team. One staff member said this approach is ‘inspirational’ and supports them and the staff team in providing the quality of care needed to improve the lives of the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Children benefit from the care of staff who feel supported in their roles. The ethos in the home is one of high expectations and is aspirational for all the children. The registered manager and deputy manager are clear that staff do what is needed to support children in staying safe and achieving their goals.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager is knowledgeable about the strengths and weaknesses of the home. The registered manager ensures quality of care and challenges where necessary. The use of language is being challenged in all written records, which are now written to the child in a kind and compassionate way. The written documents covering all aspects of the care provided serve as a valuable record for children to review in the future, reflecting the care they received at the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Changes made to the model of care approach are sustained. The registered manager and deputy manager ensure the quality of care is continuing to evolve. The registered manager ensures all staff attend the model of care refresher training every three weeks, and staff understand this expectation. This means all training is regularly reviewed as effective and current, so each child benefits. The registered manager and deputy manager model this in the home, and this ensures staff have the knowledge to provide care at the highest level.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff receive regular supervision that is child-focused and reflective. The registered manager and deputy manager support staff to reflect on the care children receive and on themselves. The written records recognise good practice and ensure staff are recognised for supporting children to make progress.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The statement of purpose is a comprehensive document that supports the reader to understand what care is offered to the children by the staff team. However, it does not include a photo or directions to the home, which is rather difficult to find.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The safe area assessment is detailed. It includes relevant information about risks in the locality and guidance on what control measures are in place to ensure children are safe. The document does not include views or consultation, which limits its effectiveness. Inspection report for children’s home: 2584899 6

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Recommendations

 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)  The registered person should review the appropriateness and suitability of the location and premises of the home at least once a year. The review should include the identification of any risks and opportunities presented by the home’s location and strategies for managing them. (Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards, page 64, paragraph 15.1)  The information set out in the statement of purpose is an essential part of the process of agreement between the registered person and placing authority that a placement in that home is the right one for that child. (Guide to the Children’s

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Recommendations

Homes Regulations, including the quality standards, page 14, paragraph 3.5)

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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: 2584899 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Invested Childcare Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Acklam Hall, Hall Gardens, Middlesbrough TS5 7BJ

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Inspectors

Kate Jackson, Social Care Inspector Lisa Finch, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2584899 8 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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