Children's Home run by The Partnership of Care Today in Stoke-on-Trent

Inspection report for children’s home: SC356318 1 SC356318 Registered provider: The Partnership of Care Today

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

A large national provider of children’s services operates this home. The home provides care for up to two children who may have emotional and behavioural difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

Since the last inspection, a new manager has started working in the home and has applied to Ofsted to be registered.

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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: 14 February 2023

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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: SC356318 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

14/02/2023 Full Good 25/01/2022 Full Good 15/01/2020 Full Outstanding 15/01/2019 Full Outstanding Inspection report for children’s home: SC356318 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Two children have moved out of the home and one child has moved in since the last inspection. Children are involved in planning their moves and benefit from visiting their new home and meeting the staff and children they will be living with. This helps children to prepare for this significant change in their lives.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child currently living in the home now attends a local school. Staff and teachers supported the child to prepare for the move. Pupils from the school wrote welcome letters and sent pictures of the school. This has contributed to how well the child has settled in. When there are barriers to the child’s learning, the manager works well with other professionals to keep the child’s education plans under review.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff understand the child’s health needs. They support them to manage their health condition and to understand the importance of taking their prescribed medication. Staff ensure that the child accesses health services when required. They work well with external professionals to identify suitable services to support the child’s emotional health and well-being.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff act as advocates to ensure the child’s views are considered when reviewing arrangements for them to spend time with people who are important to them. Staff are sensitive about family circumstances and prepare the child to manage their emotions on days such as Mother’s Day.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child enjoys a range of activities with staff. Doing activities together has helped to build trusting relationships between the child and the team of staff who care for them. A strong relationship between the child and a member of the staff team, who also cared for them in a previous home, has supported the child to feel able to speak openly about their feelings and take part in work that will help with their emotional and social development.

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

There are detailed assessments of risk in place that provide staff with guidance on reducing and managing risk. Staff have a good understanding of children’s identified risks and behaviours and effective strategies for managing these. As a result, the child feels safe and secure. There has been a reduction in incidents in recent months and the child is now able to reflect and apologise for behaviours that are considered unacceptable.

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

Staff are trained in behaviour management techniques that focus on de-escalation. However, there have been occasions when the manager and staff use physical intervention to prevent the child from harming themselves or others. Staff keep records of these incidents which include a brief description of holds used. The manager and staff Inspection report for children’s home: SC356318 4 reflect on the incident with a person who was not involved. However, an independent person has not had oversight of the incident record or evaluated the effectiveness of the measure used when the manager is involved in holding a child.

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

The child has not gone missing or raised concerns about staff who care for them. Eight compliments have been received since the last inspection about the care and support children are given. There have been no complaints.

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

Since the last inspection, the registered manager and one member of staff have left. Three members of staff have joined the team. Managers have effective recruitment systems in place. This reduces the risk of children been cared for by unsuitable individuals.

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

The manager has reviewed risks in the home’s locality, however, they have not included known information about children who live nearby who may befriend children living in the home and encourage them to engage in anti-social behaviours.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager ensures that staff receive regular supervision, and their performance is appraised during their probation period or annually. These meetings provide opportunities for staff to reflect on how they contribute to the care children receive. It helps them to identify training that will support their continual personal development.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Team meetings usually take place each week. The focus of these meetings is to review children’s experiences of living in the home and their plans, to ensure that children are supported to make progress. Discussions help staff to work consistently with the child, which provides them with stability.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is working towards a qualification that is specific to managing a children’s home. Two staff hold a relevant qualification in caring for children who live in residential care. Another two staff are enrolled on the course and working towards a qualification. One staff member plans to enrol following completion of their induction training.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager ensures that staff attend short courses that help them to develop their skills and knowledge specific to their job roles and meeting the individual needs of the child who lives in the home. This practice helps children to receive individual care that considers their circumstances.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The quality of records varies. The manager reviews records and documents, however, does not always identify where improvements need to be made. For example, the workforce development plan includes information about the organisation’s structure that does not reflect the structure of the home. While supervision arrangements for new staff are outlined, there is no guidance on supervision arrangements for staff who have passed their probation period. This does not help staff to understand what support they should receive. Inspection report for children’s home: SC356318 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 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

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))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered manager should ensure that a suitable person who has not been involved in physical interventions monitors the appropriateness and effectiveness of the hold used. Furthermore, information used to support the monitoring of the care provided should be kept up to date and identify issues in records. 23 April 2024

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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: SC356318 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: The Partnership of Care Today

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 2nd Floor, Lansdowne House, 85 Buxton Road, Stockport, Cheshire SK2 6LR

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Inspector

Helen Dunn, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC356318 7 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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