Children's home run by Monarch Intervention Services Ltd

Inspection report for children’s home: 2671457 1 Registered provider: Monarch Intervention Services Ltd Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is owned by a private company, and it is registered to provide care for up to three children. The children may have complex emotional and social needs.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in April 2022 and is suitably experienced and qualified.

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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

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2671457 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

21/03/2023 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2671457 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are very settled in their home. The three children living at the home have all lived there for over a year. There is a plan for a child to move on from the home. The child has been involved in planning and has had opportunities to visit their new home and decorate their new bedroom. Well-planned moves, which consider children’s views, ensure that children feel well prepared and settle quickly.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children live in a home that is well maintained, clean and welcoming. Soft furnishings are of a high quality and contribute to the nurturing environment. Photos of children and artwork by a child are on display around the home. Children’s rooms are personalised to their interests. Children also can look after a pet rabbit, and a child has their own pet that they care for well. As a result, children feel a sense of belonging and feel comfortable in the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff prioritise children’s education, and education is an integral part of the home routine. As a result, children make good academic progress. Two children attend full- time schools that suitably meet their needs. Education professionals comment positively on the quality of communication with staff at the home. A teacher said that the home is ‘the best I’ve ever seen,’ and they called the communication with the staff team ‘phenomenal’. The manager ensured that when a child was not attending school, he had access to tuition in the home. The manager has advocated and challenged appropriately to ensure that the child has access to a school that will meet his needs, and he has now received several offers of a place.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children make good progress at this home, and progress is recognised and celebrated by staff. For example, a child enjoyed a celebratory meal out to recognise a personal achievement. Professionals comment that children’s outcomes have significantly improved from living at this home. A professional said, ‘I’m really pleased with the progress she is making. I feel she has got a future now.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children enjoy activities and holidays that enhance their experiences. Children enjoyed preparing for a prom, and a child goes regularly to a Girl Guide group. All children enjoy trips out to theme parks and holidays at the seaside. Children plan activities alongside staff at regular meetings, where they also give feedback on their care. Children receive a response to their feedback and say they feel listened to at the home. As a result, children are settled at the home and say they enjoy living there.

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

Staff know the children well and understand their individual risks. Staff know the steps that they need to take to keep children safe. Children are supported to develop an understanding of risk through regular key-work discussions that are well documented and progressive. As a result, children’s risks are reducing, and they are Inspection report for children’s home: 2671457 4 able to enjoy more independent experiences. For example, all three children now safely enjoy unsupervised time in the community.

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

Children and staff benefit from the support and guidance of a specific therapist who they see regularly. Therapeutic needs assessments are completed for all children when they arrive at the home and set out a plan around each child’s individual needs. Staff benefit from training that is individualised to each child and supports them to understand the child and deliver care that meets their specific needs. All staff receive training on the model of therapeutic care used in the home. Staff understand the model and how it underpins their practice. As a result, children receive effective support and make good progress.

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

Medication administration procedures are robust, and there have been no errors in administration. However there have been errors in how medication has been recorded. This was due to confusion when a child spent time away from the home. The manager completes regular audits and identifies recording errors. The manager amended the record and spoke to the staff involved. The manager has also discussed recording at a team meeting. The manager has a plan to keep this under regular review and revisit it as required.

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

Children’s plans are comprehensive and individualised. Plans include creative strategies that have been effective at supporting children to stay safe from harm. Strategies to manage risk have been captured across multiple documents. Some information from risk assessments has not been captured in the corresponding support plan. This oversight has a low impact on risk as staff read and understand both documents and use them in combination. The manager has a plan to review these documents and update them with all relevant information.

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

Incidents in the home are rare. Since the last inspection, there have been no occasions when children have been missing from care. There has only been one incident involving physical intervention, which is a significant reduction for one child and reflects the excellent progress they have made in managing their emotions. When physical intervention is used, records are detailed and clear. Children and staff are given the opportunity to reflect after any physical intervention through discussions. The manager has good oversight of incidents and uses the learning to improve planning and care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is dedicated to maintaining high-quality care and leads a child-centred approach that is reflective of the organisation’s ethos. The manager is supported by an experienced deputy manager who is equally passionate about maintaining high standards in the home. There is a plan for the deputy manager to take over the manager role at the home. The manager is staying in the organisation. The change in leadership is well planned and will help to ensure consistency and stability for staff and children as they know the deputy manager well. Inspection report for children’s home: 2671457 5 Recruitment processes are robust, and manager oversight of recruitment is effective. For example, the manager ensured that gaps in a staff member’s employment history were suitably explored during recruitment. Effective oversight and robust recruitment processes help to ensure that staff are suitable to care for children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff benefit from regular supervision meetings and an annual appraisal. Supervision meetings are both planned and take place in response to emerging needs. Supervision records are comprehensive and reflect clear targets. Staff say that they feel supported well by the manager. A staff member said that they feel ‘100%’ supported. Another staff member called the manager ‘fantastic’ and commended the positive impact the manager’s leadership has on children and staff. Children benefit from the support of staff who have the relevant skills and are happy in their roles.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff benefit from a well-organised training programme, and the manager ensures that staff take part in additional training that is individualised to the children’s needs. Staff recognise the impact that training has on their development and speak clearly about how they incorporate learning into practice. As a result of comprehensive training, staff have the appropriate knowledge and understanding to provide safe care for children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager fosters positive relationships with other agencies, and professionals commend how well the manager and staff advocate for children. A social work manager commented, ‘They advocate for her really well. They challenge us when they need to. If they don’t get a response in the time they need, they challenge well.’ They commented that this works well for their child. As a result of the manager’s proactive approach, children have what they need. Advocating for children supports them to feel valued and listened to. Inspection report for children’s home: 2671457 6

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that staff are familiar with the home’s policies on record-keeping and understand the importance of careful, objective and clear recording, including in relation to medication. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4)  The registered person should ensure that staff continually and actively assess the risks to each child and the arrangements to protect them. When there are safeguarding concerns for a child, their placement plan, agreed between the home and their placing authority, must include details of the steps the home will take to manage any assessed risks on a day-to-day basis. Children’s risks should be clearly identified, including actions for staff to take, in all relevant plans. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 42, paragraph 9.5)

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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: 2671457 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Monarch Intervention Services Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: The Glades, Festival Way, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire ST1 5SQ

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Inspector

Laura Norcop, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2671457 8 and inspects 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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