Children's Home run by Blossom Children’s Homes Limited in North Northamptonshire

Inspection report for children's home: 2732125 1 Registered provider: Blossom Children’s Homes 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 privately owned and provides care for up to five children with learning disabilities.

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Information about this children’s home

The home is led by a registered manager.

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Information about this children’s home

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

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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: not previously inspected

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: not applicable Inspection report for children's home: 2732125 2

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff provide children with a good standard of care. The home is large and comfortable, with a homely feel. This home meets the needs of children who have a range of abilities and disabilities. For example, two rooms have multisensory activities and soft furnishings.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children make good progress. They are helped to develop their independent living skills in line with their age and developmental goals. This is regardless of ability or disability. One child is learning how to wash up after eating, while another is helped to choose the most appropriate clothing to wear depending on the weather. For some children, this has meant they are more independent with their own personal care.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

All children attend education daily, which is helping them to make progress. When children are not attending school, staff help them to engage in educational activities that support their ongoing learning. Staff encourage all children to attend education because they know how important this is for their future.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff recognise the value of children maintaining links with people who are important in their lives. The manager and staff work collaboratively with other professionals to enable children to maintain these important relationships. Staff work creatively to ensure that children spend quality time with those who are important to them. This helps to promote and encourage positive relationships in the children’s lives.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff ensure that when children need specialist equipment to help them communicate, this is always available. For one child, this means having a visual aid to help augment language. Because verbal language is reinforced with a visual aid and uncertainty is reduced, children are more likely to have lower anxiety and the likelihood of incidents is reduced.

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

Staff know the children well and can identify potential risks, triggers and any additional impacts due to increased vulnerability. Plans to reduce risks are detailed and effective, providing staff with guidance on how to keep children safer.

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

When risks are identified, these do not impede children’s progress. For example, when children have a fear of animals, staff are effective in planning activities that enable children to play an active part in their local community. Robust planning means that children can still enjoy their activities outside the home on a regular basis and in safety.

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

Medication systems are now effective and secure. Any errors are met with reflection and learning. Processes are reviewed and changes to practice are made, including Inspection report for children's home: 2732125 3 competency checks of staff. Because of this reflection and changes to processes, medication administration has become progressively safer.

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

The manager has carried out a detailed risk assessment on the location of the home. They have considered that they are caring for very young children and children who need help to keep safe. Effective relationships with the local police have meant that the manager is kept updated on changing risks relating to the location of the home. Practical measures such as an electric closing gate and an enclosed play area mean that, together with a higher level of staffing, children remain safer.

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

Managers have ensured that the developing staff team has received training on how to safeguard children with disabilities. However, on one occasion, staff had not shared their concerns with a manager in a timely way. This meant there was a delay in managers being able to begin a robust investigation into staff practice.

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

Children receive a copy of the home’s complaints procedure as part of their guide to the home. The guide details, in a format children can understand, who they can speak to if they want to raise a concern or if they want to make a complaint.

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

Managers have ensured that only staff who go through a safer recruitment checking process are employed to work with children who have a high level of vulnerability due to their young age and disabilities.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers are all fully committed to making this new home a success. The registered manager, supported by a deputy manager, is passionate about improving the lives of the children they are looking after. They lead a knowledgeable and motivated team of staff who know the children very well.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager is part of the team and leads from the front. They have a scheme for monitoring all aspects of the home, together with the children’s care plans and risk assessments. However, this monitoring has not always identified the need for clearer and more concise recording by staff.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff undertake a thorough programme of training, including in safeguarding disabled children, fire safety and Makaton. When managers identify additional learning and development needs in the team, training is sourced and provided. Safeguarding training is delivered by a registered person.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managers ensure that staff have a regular pattern of formal supervision. This enables managers to check staff’s competence and knowledge of children, and to guide and support staff with their professional development.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managers have ensured that, where appropriate, children maintain regular and positive contact with their families and other people who are important in their lives. For some Inspection report for children's home: 2732125 4 families, social media has been used effectively to share and celebrate the children’s progress.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

This is the home’s first inspection since registration in December 2023. Following this inspection, two recommendations have been made. Inspection report for children's home: 2732125 5

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that staff continually and actively assess the risks to each child and the arrangements in place to protect them. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 42, paragraph 9.5)  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. Information about the child must always be recorded in a way that is helpful to the child. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4)

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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: 2732125 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Blossom Children’s Homes Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: County Private Client, Unit 7-8, Moran House, 449-451 High Road, London NW10 2JJ

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Matthew Wakeling

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Inspector

Simon Hunter, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: 2732125 7 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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