Children's Home run by SureCare Residential Ltd in Essex

Inspection report for children’s home: 1256452 1 Registered provider: SureCare Residential Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is privately operated and provides support, education and care for up to five children who may have experienced neglect, abuse or trauma that has left them vulnerable.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in June 2020.

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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: 29 January 2024

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 1256452 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

29/01/2024 Full Requires improvement to be good 05/12/2022 Full Good 23/08/2021 Full Good 05/09/2019 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children’s home: 1256452 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

At the time of the inspection, five children were living at the home. Staff work hard to provide a supportive atmosphere for the children. All children are making progress. They know that staff will help to keep them safe, which is aiding them in building secure attachments with the adults who care for them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

When the children are together, there is a lot of conversation, joking and general good humour. Children seek out staff for a hug and to spend time together. Everyone in the home is very complimentary about each other.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

All the children attend education. One child has started attending an alternative venue part time, which they love. This is providing a suitable alternative to full-time education until an appropriate school is identified. When children find education difficult, staff work with them to explore what this means. Therapeutic conversations help children to identify emotions and to consider the impact of those feelings. When children are not in full-time education, staff work with the school and help the child to undertake educational activities during school hours.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s views are valued. Staff seek children out to gain their opinions. One child has recently enjoyed a ‘carpet picnic’ after staff realised that they had never been on a picnic. Staff listened to the child and organised a picnic in the house, due to cold weather. Staff are keen that children get to enjoy new experiences and interesting activities. One child attends a dance group in London every Saturday. As part of the dance group, they have recently released a video online. One child goes horse riding each week, and another has a pet rabbit.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s health is encouraged through exercise, a good diet, healthy sleep patterns and support for their emotional well-being. All children are registered with appropriate health agencies and staff accompany them to all appointments. Staff recognise when children need additional specialist help and advocate for them to receive this. There is access to a therapist in the home, who supports the children’s emotional welfare. The therapist provides strategies for the staff to help children who have been affected by trauma and experience low mood and anxiety. Staff know how to respond to children with empathy and understanding.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Culture and ethnicity are celebrated in the home. Staff understand how to provide care for children who require specialist hair services. The home is also supporting a child to understand the Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities so that they better understand what it means to be part of this culture.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

During the inspection, one child’s bed had a stained mattress cover and the mattress itself had little covering. The mattress and cover were replaced the following day during the inspection. Inspection report for children’s home: 1256452 4

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

In response to the requirements raised at the last inspection, leaders have initiated a new management monitoring form to support audits. These reviews result in set actions on a ‘live’ document that is quality assured by senior management. This helps to ensure that managers respond to safeguarding incidents effectively and in a timely way. Patterns and trends in behaviour are identified and discussed in team meetings. Learning is shared with partner agencies and training is reviewed to ensure that there is a consistent approach to safeguarding children.

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

There are some missing-from-home incidents for one child. Staff understand and implement the missing-from-care protocol appropriately. The social worker and the child’s independent reviewing officer praised the staff’s diligence in following the child and helping to keep them safe. Staff understand why the child leaves and who they go to see. Staff have also met with the professional network of the children who the child is meeting. Open and honest discussions about safety and risky behaviour are regularly carried out with the child. As a result, there has been a significant reduction in incidents of the child going missing.

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

Staff are supported by regular individual supervision sessions with the home’s manager or the deputy manager. Team meetings are well attended, and staff meet with the home’s therapeutic lead as a reflective group. She uses scenario-based training to develop strategies and responses to issues that the staff identify. This helps staff to embed the model of care and share ideas. The therapist discusses the children’s targets and how the current strategies and techniques are working. Staff praise the opportunity to be part of this learning process.

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

The manager has had some periods of time off recently, coming back to work with a comprehensive risk assessment. There has been oversight by the responsible individual and a manager from another home. This has provided the deputy manager with additional skills to manage the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is suitably experienced and qualified for the role. She has initiated a comprehensive response to the requirements raised during the last inspection. Both the manager and responsible individual recognise that further improvements will continue to support good practice in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff describe the manager as ‘supportive’ and a ‘good role model’. Staff said that the manager advocates strongly for the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Professionals report good working relationships with the manager and staff, and they praise the communication they have with them. A social work team manager talked about a ‘shared vision’ with the staff which is helping to support a vulnerable child to be open to new possibilities. Inspection report for children’s home: 1256452 5 The manager and staff support children and their families to maintain positive relationships. Staff recognise when children need emotional support to do this by providing one-to-one time that helps the child to explore how they can manage their feelings.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff understand the procedure for whistle-blowing and are confident in their ability to do this. They are trained to recognise the signs of child exploitation and there are regular conversations between managers and staff regarding this.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

During the inspection, it was noted that the March health and safety audit had set a target to remove broken garden furniture. Due to the manager’s absence, this has not happened. There are new procedures in place for notifications to go to the whole management team to avoid this happening again. Inspection report for children’s home: 1256452 6

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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 quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children;

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Requirement Due date

use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential.

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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 and apply the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

provide to children living in the home the physical necessities they need in order to live there comfortably. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(vii))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that children’s bedrooms have clean and comfortable beds. 8 April 2024

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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)) 8 April 2024 Inspection report for children’s home: 1256452 7 In particular, ensure that monitoring is effective and that broken garden furniture is removed.

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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: 1256452 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: SureCare Residential Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: The Old Snap Factory, Twyford Road, Bishop’s Stortford CM23 3LJ

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Inspector

Trudy Potter, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 1256452 9 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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