Children's Home run by United Children's Services Limited in Nottinghamshire

Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC488961 1 SC488961

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Registered provider: United Children’s Services Limited

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is owned by a private company. It provides care for up to five children who may experience social and emotional difficulties. Three children were living in the home at the time of the inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

A manager has been in post since August 2023 and has submitted their application to register with Ofsted.

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Inspection date: 26 March 2024

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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Inspection date: 26 March 2024

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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Information about this inspection

At this inspection, the inspector evaluated:

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Information about this inspection

 the care of children  the safety of children  the effectiveness of leaders and managers. The inspector has looked closely at the experiences and progress of children, using the social care common inspection framework. This assurance 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’. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC488961 2

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Findings from the inspection

We did not identify any serious or widespread concerns in relation to the care or protection of children at this assurance inspection.

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Findings from the inspection

Children have good relationships with staff. Staff encourage children to take part in activities that they enjoy. Staff support children to establish positive peer relationships. There are regular trips and activities, supporting social and emotional development.

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Findings from the inspection

Children’s views are sought through ‘house meetings’ and one to one sessions with staff. One to one sessions are tailored to the specific needs of children. Children are listened to by staff.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff provide support to children with education. One child who has had minimal education has recently secured a placement at an alternative provision. This was supported by the manager and staff and carefully considers the individual needs of the child.

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Findings from the inspection

Overall, children are cared for in a homely environment. However, one child’s bedroom requires improvement. General maintenance around the home is not addressed in a timely manner.

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Findings from the inspection

The manager and staff update children’s risk assessments to reflect known concerns and how staff can best support children. Staff do not always follow the risk assessments. Incidents where children are struggling with their emotions are not always supported effectively by staff.

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Findings from the inspection

The home is regularly reviewed by an independent visitor. However, the independent visitor does not always provide the additional layer of scrutiny and oversight they should. Manager’s oversight has improved since the last inspection with plans in place to continue development of this. Where there are shortfalls in staff practice, these are addressed robustly in a planned way.

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Findings from the inspection

Professional supervision and team meetings are now held regularly. Good practice is highlighted and discussion about children’s needs and focus areas for progress are discussed.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff receive a range of online training. There is a lack of face-to-face training, despite staff identifying this as a need. Experience, qualifications, and skills in the team are varied. There is a high proportion of staff new to working with children in care. This is not always considered when planning rotas. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC488961 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

16/08/2023 Full Requires improvement to be good 29/11/2022 Full Good 16/11/2021 Full Good 11/11/2019 Full Good Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC488961 4

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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 protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

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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

assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child’s relevant plans, and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand how to keep safe;

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Requirement Due date

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm;

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Requirement Due date

manage relationships between children to prevent them from harming each other;

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Requirement Due date

understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person;

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Requirement Due date

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare; and

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Requirement Due date

that the home’s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(b))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that staff are equipped with clear and concise information needed to help reduce children being exposed to risk of harm and that staff follow this guidance consistently. 21 May 2024 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC488961 5 The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that—

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Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

lead and manage the home in a way that is consistent with the approach and ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set out in the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child;

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Requirement Due date

understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home;

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Requirement Due date

demonstrate that practice in the home is informed and improved by taking into account and acting on—

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Requirement Due date

research and developments in relation to the ways in which the needs of children are best met. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(c)(d)(e)(f)(g)(i))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that staff are supported to access training to meet the individual needs of children. The registered person must also ensure that the mix of staff for each shift has the necessary experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child who lives at the home. 21 May 2024

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Requirement Due date

The quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who— 21 May 2024 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC488961 6 understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children;

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

protect and promote each child’s welfare;

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Requirement Due date

treat each child with dignity and respect;

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Requirement Due date

provide to children living in the home the physical necessities they need in order to live there comfortably;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed and furnished so as to—

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Requirement Due date

meet the needs of each child. (Regulation 6 (1)(a) (2)(b)(ii)(iii)(vii)(c)(i))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that improvements required in a child’s bedroom and general maintenance of the home is addressed without delay.

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Requirement Due date

When the independent person is carrying out a visit, the registered person must help the independent person—

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Requirement Due date

if they consent, to interview in private such of the children, their parents, relatives and persons working at the home as the independent person requires; and

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Requirement Due date

to inspect the premises of the home and such of the home’s records (except for a child’s case records, unless the child and the child’s placing authority consent) as the independent person requires.

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Requirement Due date

The independent person must produce a report about a visit (“the independent person’s report”) which sets out, in particular, the independent person’s opinion as to whether—

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Requirement Due date

children are effectively safeguarded; and

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Requirement Due date

the conduct of the home promotes children’s well-being.

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Requirement Due date

The independent person’s report may recommend actions that the registered person may take in relation to the home 21 May 2024 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC488961 7 and timescales within which the registered person must consider whether or not to take those actions. (Regulation 44 (2)(a)(b) (4)(a)(b) (5))

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Requirement Due date

In order to complete a quality of care review the registered person must establish and maintain a system for monitoring, reviewing and evaluating—

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Requirement Due date

the quality of care provided for children;

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Requirement Due date

the feedback and opinions of children about the children’s home, its facilities and the quality of care they receive in it; and

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Requirement Due date

any actions that the registered person considers necessary in order to improve or maintain the quality of care provided for children. (Regulation 45 (2)(a)(b)(c))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure there is a suitable monitoring system in place to enable evaluation and reflective practice in order to improve care provided to children. 21 May 2024 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC488961 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: United Children’s Services Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: The Old Coach House, Drinsey Nook, Lincoln, Nottinghamshire LN1 2JJ

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Inspector

Kathryn Hurley, Social Care Inspector Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC488961 9 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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