Children's Home run by The Partnership of Care Today in Staffordshire

Inspection report for children’s home: 2526875 1 Registered provider: The Partnership of Care Today 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 runs this home, which is situated in a rural location. The home provides care for up to five children who have experienced trauma.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in September 2022. She holds a level 5 qualification in leadership and management for residential care.

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Information about this children’s home

There is a registered school attached to the home. This is registered separately and was not inspected on this occasion.

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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: 2526875 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

14/02/2023 Full Good 18/01/2022 Full Good 21/02/2020 Interim Not judged Inspection report for children’s home: 2526875 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The registered manager ensures that children who move into the home are welcomed, and children are prepared well when they move out. Five children live in the home; three of the children are siblings. All of the children attend the school which is part of the same organisation and adjacent to the home. Children attend school daily and are making progress with their learning.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Healthy lifestyles are promoted. Structured daily routines help children to manage their personal care. Children are members of local gymnastic and swimming clubs and attend weekly sessions. This encourages children to be active and improves their fitness. Staff ensure that children eat a balanced diet. Their health needs are understood by staff, who ensure that children attend health appointments and seek medical advice when necessary.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s achievements are celebrated, which helps them form positive relationships with staff who care for them. Children feel able to speak with staff about things that might be worrying them. Staff help children to manage peer friendships and support them to keep in touch with people who are important to them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The views and wishes of children are sought regularly. On most occasions, the manager responds well to any request children make. However, children have a limited choice in terms of the colour they can have their bedrooms decorated. Instead, they are encouraged to personalise their bedrooms with soft furnishings and accessories. Children understand how to make a complaint and have access to complaint forms and prepaid envelopes addressed to the organisation’s head office.

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

Children feel safe and enjoy living in the home. The registered manager and staff have a good understanding of children’s behaviours and the risks they face. There are clear plans in place that help staff to understand effective strategies to reduce and manage risk.

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

Staff help children to reflect on their behaviours and to develop skills that help them to manage the emotions that influence behaviours. Incentive schemes are used to motivate children to make progress in areas they find difficult. As a result, risky behaviours have been reduced.

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

Occasionally, staff physically intervene to prevent children from harming themselves or others or from damaging property. Clear records of any incidents are kept and the registered manager ensures that staff and children are spoken with after each incident. This helps the manager to evaluate the appropriateness and effectiveness of the measure used. Inspection report for children’s home: 2526875 4 Staff use rewards and consequences to help children to understand acceptable behaviours. While there is a focus on praise and rewards, children’s experiences of consequences vary. On some occasions, consequences are restorative and relate well to behaviours displayed. However, there are occasions when consequences are not proportionate or well considered.

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

Since the last inspection, the registered manager has recruited new staff. Effective employment checks are in place to reduce the risk of children being cared for by unsuitable individuals. Staff are familiar with the whistle-blowing procedure and know how to report safeguarding concerns. This practice helps to keep children safe.

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

There have been two occasions when children have raised a concern about a staff member who works in the home. A further concern was reported by a child who moved out of the home about a former staff member who no longer works in the organisation. Children’s concerns are shared with relevant safeguarding partners and children are kept informed of the investigation outcomes.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home is sufficiently staffed. Changes within the staff team are managed well. Children are involved in planning parties for staff who leave. This helps them to experience positive endings and provides them with an opportunity to process changes to the care they receive.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There are effective monitoring systems in place. This helps the registered manager to understand the home’s strengths and identify areas they intend to develop. The registered manager is committed to child-centred practice and has a clear vision for the home, which is understood by staff.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Reflection is embedded in staff’s practice. Regular team meetings and supervisions provide staff with opportunities to discuss children’s experiences and review the arrangements for how they are cared for. The registered manager works well with children’s relatives and other professionals who support children. She ensures that staff provide care that is in line with the local authority’s care plans.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Most staff are qualified. Those who do not hold a relevant qualification are working towards this and are expected to complete the qualification within a reasonable time frame. The registered manager monitors staff’s training needs. She ensures that staff receive training specific to their job role and that it enables them to understand how to support the individual needs of children who live in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff have their performance reviewed during their probation period and on an annual basis. These meetings provide staff with an opportunity to reflect on how they contribute to children’s experiences and the running of the home. Discussions identify learning needs and career progression. Inspection report for children’s home: 2526875 5 The registered manager informs Ofsted of incidents that she considers to be serious. However, on occasion, there have been delays in Ofsted receiving this information. Inspection report for children’s home: 2526875 6

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that children are consulted with regularly about their views on the home’s care. Children should be able to see the results of their views being listened to and acted upon. In particular, children should have an opportunity to decorate their bedroom and choose from a range of colours. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 22, paragraph 4.11)  The registered person should ensure that all incidents of control, discipline and restraint are subject to systems of regular scrutiny to ensure that their use is fair. In particular, the manager should ensure that consequences for behaviours displayed are restorative and support children’s social and emotional needs. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 46, paragraph 9.36)  The registered person should notify Ofsted and other relevant persons of any

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Recommendations

incident relating to the protection, safeguarding or welfare of a child living in the home which the registered person considers to be serious. This relates to notifying Ofsted within a reasonable timescale. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 63, paragraph 14.10)

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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: 2526875 7

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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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Inspectors

Helen Dunn, Social Care Inspector Kirsty Truesdale, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2526875 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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