Children's home run by Watermead Care Ltd

Inspection report for children's home: 2713730 1 Registered provider: Watermead Care Limited

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is privately owned. It is registered to provide care for up to three children with emotional and social difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The home is led by an experienced registered manager.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, there were three children living at the home.

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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 good

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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: good

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outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children's home: 2713730 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

30/05/2023 Full Good Inspection report for children's home: 2713730 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children receive a high level of individualised care, enabling them to flourish. Children feel cherished and their needs are deeply understood by staff. Children who have struggled to settle in previous placements enjoy living at this home and make excellent progress. A legal guardian for a child said, ‘In foster care, the children were failing to thrive. Since they have been at the home, I have seen their incredible transformation and development. They are thriving.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff communicate with children exceptionally well. Children with complex communication needs are embraced with patience, understanding and nurture. Staff are proactive and creative in helping children to engage with them. Children are helped to find their own way of expressing themselves, allowing their character and personalities to shine through and meaningful relationships with staff to develop.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children enjoy very good healthcare. The manager is tenacious and consults with medical professionals to ensure children’s health needs are well met. One child who is fearful of health appointments is being extremely well supported to receive a series of dental treatments. Other children are being supported by mental health services and occupational therapists. As a result, children’s health and overall well-being improve significantly. For example, one child diagnosed with elective mutism now speaks freely.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children excel in education when considering their starting points when coming to the home. The manager has been instrumental in supporting one child to be accepted into a specialist provision. Other children who have been out of education for several years are exceptionally well supported in transitioning back into school. A professional from the virtual school said, ‘For the children to be in mainstream classes and making progress is not anything I would have ever imagined.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The manager and staff go above and beyond to continue supporting children who have left the home. Staff provide practical and emotional support which replicates how parents would support their own children. They have supported one older child to move house, helping them to decorate and furnish their new home. They have also visited late at night when the young person is feeling low. This enables young people with complex needs to have successful transitions to adult life.

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

Staff understand the risks that children can be exposed to. Each risk is assessed and reviewed regularly. Staff support children to make more informed choices. There is a balanced approach to risk management, which helps to keep children safe while allowing them to take age-appropriate risks. This ensures an effective approach to safeguarding children. Inspection report for children's home: 2713730 4 Staff respond well to children who go missing from home. Missing protocols are followed and appropriate agencies are informed. Staff make every effort to find children. Staff try to understand why children go missing and provide the relevant support. Effective strategies are implemented to prevent further incidents. For example, activities are set up around the outside of the home to engage children when they leave the home. For one child, this has resulted in them no longer going missing from home.

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

Children trust staff and feel safe. Due to trauma-informed training, staff understand how children’s past experiences can shape how they think and behave. In dealing with behaviours that are difficult to manage, staff are skilled and confident in their responses. Staff implement firm boundaries with warmth and empathy. This helps children to learn, while feeling understood and accepted. As a result, behaviours that are difficult to manage have dramatically reduced.

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

Staff use physical restraint as a last resort to keep children and others safe. The least restrictive measure and force are used. Children and staff receive appropriate support following each incident of restraint. However, staff do not always provide sufficient detail in their records. This is an area for development.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager is an inspirational leader who is motivated by achieving the best outcomes for children. She leads by example, with passion, dedication and commitment. Staff admire and respect her leadership and feel well supported in their roles. She sets high expectations for her staff and supports them to develop their practice. Staff enjoy working at the home and receive well-being support from an external psychologist.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager is an exceptional advocate for children. She respectfully challenges the wider system when necessary and is unwavering in her approach to meeting children’s needs. A professional from the virtual school said, ‘She just won’t let anything lie. She will challenge until she gets the answer she needs.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager and staff work incredibly well with external professionals, such as teachers, social workers and health staff. Feedback from these professionals is exemplary. This multi-agency approach ensures children receive comprehensive and coordinated care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff are highly trained. The manager undertakes regular research-based practice. This is carefully considered in relation to children’s specific needs and informs staff training and development. For example, grounding techniques are used effectively to help a child with sensory processing difficulties to regulate. Other research-based practice has upskilled staff in communicating with children diagnosed with elective mutism.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager has excellent oversight of the home and knows what is happening daily. There are robust quality assurance processes in place. Any shortfalls are promptly identified and changes to practice are implemented. Independent audits are periodically undertaken by external agencies to provide further scrutiny. Feedback from external Inspection report for children's home: 2713730 5 stakeholders and children is regularly sought and used to make improvements to the service. This ensures standards of care remain high. Inspection report for children's home: 2713730 6

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that records of restraint are kept that enable the registered person and staff to review the use of control, discipline and restraint to identify effective practice and respond promptly where any issues or trends of concern emerge. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 49, paragraph 9.59)

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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: 2713730 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Watermead Care Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Suite 135, 1 Hanley Street, Nottingham NG1 5BL

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Anne-Marie O’Reilly

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Inspector

Emma Dacres, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: 2713730 8 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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