Children's Home run by Nottinghamshire County Council in Nottinghamshire

Inspection report children's home: SC036737 1 SC036737 Registered provider: Nottinghamshire County Council Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children's home

Local authority children’s home that provides residential care and a short break service for up to 16 children with disabilities and complex healthcare needs.

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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: Outstanding

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outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: None Inspection report children's home: SC036737 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

04/10/2022 Full Outstanding 06/01/2022 Full Outstanding 15/05/2019 Full Outstanding 16/07/2018 Full Outstanding Inspection report children's home: SC036737 3

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outstanding

Childrens outcomes get progressively better by being at this home, and those having their short break. Children who initially could not wear clothes, and were highly distressed, are now much more settled. Because they are much more settled, other areas of their lives have improved. For one child this has meant speaking short sentences, this is lifechanging.

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outstanding

Children who live at this home, and those that have a short break have an extremely high level of care. This care is provided by a trained, experienced, and motivated staff team. Due to the dual role of this setting, and where appropriate, friendship groups are encouraged. Children who live at the home often spend time with those having their short break.

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outstanding

Staff enable children to join in all activities and at their own pace. Staff know the children extremely well and know when some activities may be too much. For instance, when children have a special celebration, all children are invited and contribute in any way they can. For some children this is staying for a very short period. Success, however small, is always celebrated.

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outstanding

Children are encouraged to make choices about all aspects of their care. Staff have listened to children’s views wishes and feelings. Changes have taken place. For instance, the outside of this home and short break service is being further developed into a sensory area, with specific areas for children’s interests.

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outstanding

The home and short break services environment is highly specialist. Because many children have a physical disability, and complex health care needs, equipment to ensure that their stay is safe and comfortable is provided. Ceiling track hoists in most areas means that children can be safely moved by staff. Soft flooring means that children can spend safe time out of their wheelchairs, giving them opportunities to be free and to explore. Additionally, there is a cinema room which houses a specialised bed that children with spinal conditions can use, to relax if they are unable to safely spend time on the floor.

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outstanding

Staff ensure that children are fully involved and have a voice in many aspects of their care. Keyworkers ensure that although some children do not attend their reviews, their voice is heard. Significant work to seek the children’s views, wishes and feelings is undertaken prior to review. This means children can provide their views about independence skills, contact with family, and their hopes and dreams.

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outstanding

Children are encouraged to develop their independent living skills. For older more independent children, this is increasing their knowledge and skills about becoming an adult. For other children with higher care needs, this is learning how to keep glasses clean. Further essential life skills, such as how to call for emergency services Inspection report children's home: SC036737 4 are also taught. This means that regardless of ability and disability, children leave this home with an improved sense of independence.

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outstanding

Medication administration processes are safe. Administration is only performed by staff who are trained and who are competent. Multiple checks and balances including auditing by a manager, minimises errors. However, when there are changes to children’s medication protocols, on one occasion this was not clear when the updates had been made.

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outstanding

On one occasion staff spoke about children’s personal care needs, over them, and not to them.

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outstanding

Children are involved in a low level of incidents. However, when an incident does occur, staff ensure that these are recorded in detail. Staff explore the antecedents to any incident. They reflect on what action they took, and if any different approaches could have been taken to better keep children safer. Managers provide a thorough oversight of all incidents. When required, risk assessments are reviewed and changed.

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outstanding

Handover of information between shifts is exceptional. This well organised and effective meeting enables the sharing of information to an extremely high level of detail about children. Childrens health needs, risk profile and any other important detail is meticulously gone through. Staff speak confidently about all aspect of the children’s complex care and health care needs.

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outstanding

Managers have ensured that fire safety is a key consideration at this home and short break service. Because of an effective system of checks and balances, children with a high level of dependency are safer. Staff understand their responsibilities of what they must do in the event of a fire.

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outstanding

There have been no complaints since the last inspection. However, children know how to make a complaint. Complaints have been discussed with children in their regular meetings. Children have co-produced a pictorial and accessible book which shows who they must contact if they have any worries or concerns. For some children with more complex and individual communication systems, staff know to look for signs and changes in their usual behaviour, which may indicate they are worried about an aspect of their care. Staff are outstanding advocates for those children.

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outstanding

Only staff that have been through a thorough, and robust safer recruitment checking process, can work with highly vulnerable children at this setting. Managers have ensured that processes are improving in the employment and induction of new staff. Inspection report children's home: SC036737 5

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager is a highly dedicated and passionate advocate for children in their care, and those receiving short breaks. With a senior staff team, they effectively manage a large team of care staff. Together, they form a coherent team around each child. A shared team vision means that all staff are helping children to make individual progress in relation to their targets and aspirations.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Families of children say staff are incredible. Families are always listened to, and they hold their keyworkers in high regard. They value a consistent approach to care for their children. Families describe feeling secure. The staff fully understand and acknowledge the impact of caring for a child who has a physical disability together with complex health care needs. The positive impact on a short break for families cannot be underestimated.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Managers ensure that staff receive regular and effective supervision. Supervision provides support and guidance, development, and training. The staffs understanding of the children’s care needs is assessed. Staff are always asked if they have any safeguarding concerns.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Managers have ensured that there is a robust and regular oversight of all areas of care. The registered manager, with care managers undertake a scheme of checks including medication audits, incidents, and children’s care plans.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff say they really love their job. When staff are new, they benefit from a thorough induction, and essential training. Staff say this gives them confidence. Once established, training and development continues to ensure that staff are up to date with their skills and knowledge. For some training, competency is checked.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

A strong and effective relationship with professionals means that all successes, and any concerns are quickly shared. Social workers trust the care staff to be advocates for the children, so they always receive the very best care. Professionals say that a great strength of this team is the support and tenacity of maintaining contact with families. When children are preparing to move on, staff are at the very centre of this transition planning, and all decisions are in the best interests of the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

One requirement and two recommendations from the last inspection have been met. At this inspection two recommendations have been made. Inspection report children's home: SC036737 6

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that medicines are administered in line with a medically approved protocol which is clear for staff to follow. These are fundamentally the same arrangements as a good parent would make but are subject to additional safeguards. (‘Guide to children's homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 35, paragraph 7.15).

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that staff work to make the children's home an environment that supports children's physical, mental and emotional health, in line with the approach set out in the Statement of purpose. (‘Guide to children's homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 33, paragraph 7.3).

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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 children's home: SC036737 7

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Children's home details

Registered provider address: Nottinghamshire County Council, County Hall, Loughborough Road, West Bridgford, Nottingham NG2 7QP

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Children's home details

Responsible individual: Jennifer Whiston

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Inspector

Simon Hunter, social care inspector Inspection report children's home: SC036737 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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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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