Children's home run by Invigor Adolescent Care Limited

Inspection report for children’s home: 2680860 1 Registered provider: Invigor Adolescent 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 owned by a private company and cares for up to three children who may have social or emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in December 2023.

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Information about this children’s home

Three children were living in the home at the time of the inspection.

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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: 2680860 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

14/06/2023 Full Good 07/02/2023 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children’s home: 2680860 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Since the last inspection, two children have moved out of the home and two children have been welcomed into the home. One of these children moved in very recently, in a well-planned transition, and is getting to know the staff and their peers.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children make good progress due to the care and support provided by the staff. The children are in good physical health. Staff support children to eat a balanced diet and take part in exercise. Staff work well with their clinical team and external professionals to assist the children in making progress with their emotional well-being.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are making progress from their starting points. All progress, regardless of how slight, is recognised and celebrated. One child has made significant progress in education, which means they are shaping their future.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s views are listened to, and they take part in weekly discussions with staff. Children can plan individual activities, meals for the week and shared activities. The children say they enjoy some of these activities, such as visiting theme parks and taking part in go-karting, and would very much like to do them more often.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s care plans and behaviour support plans are thorough and detailed. This ensures staff understand how children need to be cared for. Plans guide staff on the practical steps needed to care for children appropriately.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

One child is not currently in a formal education setting. The manager has escalated concerns about the child’s lack of educational provision. Staff have identified that the child engages more effectively with physical and practical activities; however, this is not consistently implemented.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

On occasion, changes to staffing ratios have not been as outlined in the statement of purpose.

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

When children go missing from the home, they receive a well-coordinated response, which has led to a reduction in the number of times that children have gone missing. There is a clear plan of action in place to protect children and to reduce further harm. Staff understand the risks and are proactive and effective in helping and protecting children. The manager has worked closely with the police to provide the best plans of care for children when they have gone missing.

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

The risks associated with children offending, misusing drugs or alcohol and being criminally exploited are known and understood by staff. Risk assessments are individual to the child and up to date. They clearly address any known vulnerabilities for each Inspection report for children’s home: 2680860 4 child and set out the actions needed to manage risks. The combination of effective planning and staff’s actions have led to the reduction of some concerning behaviours.

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

Children receive help and support to manage their behaviour and feelings. Staff understand children’s experiences and seek to understand the triggers for behaviour. This means that children have trusted members of staff to whom they can talk.

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

Physical intervention is rarely used in this home. When incidents occur, staff use their knowledge to de-escalate them and offer assurance to children. The manager has oversight of all incidents in the home. Staff complete regular and detailed direct work exploring the incidents; these are reflective, supportive and purposeful. Incidents in the home are well managed and are reducing in number.

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

The home environment is tidy; however, the environment lacks personalisation and homely touches. The children’s bedrooms are not personalised in the style of their choosing. There is also some damage that has not been promptly repaired, for example damage to air vents in children’s bedrooms. This does not show children that they are valued.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

A committed and enthusiastic manager leads the home. She has been a consistent presence for staff and children and has worked in this home since it opened. The manager is registered and suitably experienced.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager knows and understand the home’s strengths and weaknesses and has plans to ensure effective action is taken. The manager has worked hard to improve the standard of written records in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has excellent oversight of the home and evaluates information to improve practice within the team. The manager sets targets for the staff to achieve, which ensures consistent practice among the team.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The staff have undertaken relevant training, including for safeguarding and physical intervention. A number of the team are enrolled on the level 3 qualification and are within timescales for completion. The manager has started the level 5 qualification. This means that children are cared for by staff who have appropriate knowledge to meet their needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff do not receive consistent practice-related supervision meetings. This limits the opportunity for staff’s reflection and learning.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff pull together as a team and cover shifts when needed. They recognise that this offers consistency to the children and prevents them being cared for by staff who do not know them as well. Inspection report for children’s home: 2680860 5 Staff are not consistently supportive of one another. Children have observed and heard some negative or unproductive discussions between staff. This means that there is a divide between management and staff. Inspection report for children’s home: 2680860 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

ensure that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed and furnished so as to—

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Requirement Due date

enable each child to participate in the daily life of the home. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c)(i)(ii))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that the home environment is homely, clean and well cared for and that any damage is repaired as quickly as possible. Additionally, children’s bedrooms must be suitably personalised.

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Requirement Due date

In addition, changes to staffing must reflect the statement of purpose. 1 August 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 promotes their welfare. 1 August 2024 Inspection report for children’s home: 2680860 7 In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff work as a team where appropriate. (Regulation 13 (1) (2)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the manager and staff must work together as a team to provide consistent care for the children who live in this home.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees—

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Requirement Due date

receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience. (Regulation 33 (4)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the manager must ensure that supervision is completed in accordance with the statement of purpose. 1 August 2024

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Requirement Due date

The education standard is that children make measurable progress towards achieving their educational potential and are helped to do so.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

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Requirement Due date

support each child’s learning and development, including helping the child to develop independent study skills and, where appropriate, helping the child to complete independent study;

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Requirement Due date

understand the barriers to learning that each child may face and take appropriate action to help the child to overcome any such barriers;

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Requirement Due date

promote opportunities for each child to learn informally;

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Requirement Due date

help each child who is above compulsory school age to participate in further education, training or employment and to prepare for future care, education or employment;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to attend education or training in accordance with the expectations in the child’s relevant plans. (Regulation 8 (1) (2)(a)(ii)(iii)(v)(ix)) 1 August 2024 Inspection report for children’s home: 2680860 8 In particular, the registered provider must ensure that when children are not in education, there is clear structure and routine in place at the home to support educational activities.

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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: 2680860 9

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Invigor Adolescent Care Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Warren Bruce Court, Warren Bruce Road, Trafford Park, Manchester M17 1LB

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Inspector

Sally Mitchell, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2680860 10 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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