Children's home run by Oracle Care Limited in Central Bedfordshire

Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC469686 1 SC469686

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Registered provider: Oracle Care Limited

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is owned by a private company. It provides care for up to three children who may experience complex social and emotional difficulties and require attachment-aware and trauma-informed care and support.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted on 27 May 2021. She has an appropriate qualification and is suitably experienced.

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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: SC469686 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 build positive and trusting relationships with staff. Since the last inspection, one child has moved on from the home. Although this child’s move was not in line with their care plan at the time, the plan for them to move on was thoughtful and well managed. The child’s views were at the centre of this. As a result, the move was a positive experience and the child felt supported and listened to.

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Findings from the inspection

The registered manager and staff team work collaboratively with other agencies. For example, they liaise with the in-house clinical therapist to support children’s emotional needs. Staff also receive good support and guidance, which is helping them to understand and meet the children’s needs well.

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Findings from the inspection

Children spend time with people who are important to them. In addition, further arrangements are being explored for a child who wishes to spend time with friends who do not live locally. The manager is working collaboratively with the child’s placing authority to manage these arrangements in a safe way.

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Findings from the inspection

Children are making progress from their starting points in education. Although children are not attending an education provision full time, plans are person-centred, and based on their education and health care needs. One child is making progress with a varied timetable of classroom based work and vocational educational activities. As a result, they have built up their own self confidence and are making good progress academically from their starting point. For another child, the staff helped the child to reintegrate back into education following a period of exclusion.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff understand children’s risks and vulnerabilities. There are clear risk assessments in place to provide staff with clear guidance. Staff help children to participate in one- to-one sessions exploring a wide range of topics. This supports children’s understanding of risks and how they can keep themselves safe. For example, staff support children to understand online safety. They have well-developed strategies in place to keep children safe online and support their learning through informal conversations.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff respond well to incidents when children go missing from home. However, the manager does not always review information following the children’s independent return home interview. As a result, this information is not considered to make suitable arrangements for the children to promote their welfare.

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Findings from the inspection

Since the last inspection, staff have required the support of the police and the home’s on-call arrangements to help them manage the behaviour of one of the children. Children are supported and spoken to after incidents, and their views, wishes and feelings are captured. However, the manager has not responded to some Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC469686 3 of the children’s views. In addition, when a significant incident has occurred, the manager has not spoken with the staff involved to reflect and explore any further learning or support required. This is a missed opportunity to review and improve practices.

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Findings from the inspection

Children know how to make complaints. When complaints are made, the manager responds in a timely manner and children’s views are explored further. Outcomes are shared with children. This shows children’s complaints are taken seriously and resolutions are explored, which helps children to feel listened to and confident that when they have a worry, this will be acted on.

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Findings from the inspection

Some progress has been made since the last inspection. For example, staff have had refresher training in topics that help them to understand risks and the needs of the children. This has helped staff to adapt their approaches to employ more therapeutic approaches and to better understand trauma and attachment difficulties. Recording in children’s records has also improved, which is supporting better practice.

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Findings from the inspection

The manager has created additional monitoring and review systems to provide oversight of the quality of care provided to children, including monitoring children’s care records. This has supported the manager to identify areas of strength and areas requiring improvement.

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Findings from the inspection

Children are supported by a stable and experienced staff team. Staff receive regular supervision from the manager. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC469686 4

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

12/07/2023 Full Requires improvement to be good 13/12/2022 Full Good 09/03/2022 Full Good 03/09/2019 Full Good Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC469686 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

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

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(f)(h))

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Requirement Due date

This relates to the registered manager ensuring that there are effective monitoring and review systems in place to review and improve the quality of care provided for children. In particular, when incidents have occurred, the manager’s oversight and evaluation must reflect all the information provided and they should act accordingly. They should then evidence clear actions taken to review and improve practices. 5 May 20024 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC469686 6

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Recommendation

 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 must provide an opportunity for the child to have an independent return home interview. The registered manager should take account of information provided by such interview when assessing risks and putting arrangements in place to protect each child. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 45, paragraph 9.30) Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC469686 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Oracle Care Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Suites 1 & 5, Riverside Business Centre, Foundry Lane, Milford, Belper, Derbyshire DE56 0RN

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Inspector

Joanne Humphreys, Social Care Inspector Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC469686 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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