Children's home run by Stepping Stones Care (Midlands) Limited

Inspection report children's home: 2686012 1 Registered provider: Stepping Stones Care (Midlands 1) 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

The home is privately owned and 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 registered manager’s post has been vacant since October 2023. A new manager was appointed in January 2024 and has submitted an application to register with Ofsted.

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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 requires improvement to be 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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Enforcement action since last inspection:

Inspection report children's home: 2686012 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

18/04/2023 Full Good Inspection report children's home: 2686012 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Two children were living at the home at the time of the inspection. One of the children has lived at the home for over 18 months and the other child moved to the home four months ago. Both children are settled and are happy with the care and support they are receiving from staff and the manager. They enjoy positive relationships with them and feel loved and valued.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

During the inspection, staff and the manager were supporting a third child to visit the home and meet staff and peers. The visit also gave her the opportunity to get a feel of the home and to view her bedroom. Good planning enables children to have a positive experience and reduce some of the anxieties that they might have about moving into a new home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Two children moved on from the home after living there for over six months. This was sooner than anticipated and their experiences were mixed. Staff and managers have reflected and recognise that at the time they did not have the necessary skills and experience to meet the children’s complex needs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The new manager, with support from the clinical team, has used team meetings, training and supervision to upskill staff. The staff have continued to develop and learn. In addition, the new manager has also recruited more experienced staff. As a result, the staff team is now in a stronger position to meet children’s needs consistently well and are doing so. One child said the home now feels like a family home again. He was pleased that he had formed a positive relationship with his peer.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children, including those who have moved on, made progress considering their starting points. One child has done well with their exams and is looking forward to progressing with his learning at college. Staff support children to join after-school clubs and form friendships with peers outside of the home. Some children had a lovely holiday at the seaside last summer and are looking forward to this year’s summer holidays. Children are given opportunities to make some lovely memories that they can cherish.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are generally supported well by staff to be healthy. For one child, managers and staff have not considered how they can safely support one child to self-administer medication when he is capable of doing so to further promote his independence skills.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support children to spend quality time with close family and friends. This enables children to maintain positive relationships with those that are important to them and are part of their support network.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home environment continues to be warm and welcoming, where children can relax and unwind after a day at school or during the weekend. Children personalise their bedrooms and make them their own, which helps to give them a sense of belonging. Inspection report children's home: 2686012 4

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improvement to be good

During an unsettled period, staff and the previous manager struggled to manage children’s behaviours. Staff were not always effective in de-escalating situations. There was an increase in the use of physical restraints by staff in their bid to keep the children safe.

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improvement to be good

Children are not always spoken with after a restraint incident to talk about what happened and have the opportunity to raise any concerns. Managers have not identified this as part of their monitoring activities. In addition, managers do not fully evaluate the effectiveness of the restraint. This is a missed opportunity to help staff reflect on and develop their practice when needed.

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improvement to be good

Children living at the home now get on well. There was a period when the children who lived at the home previously were unkind to each other. Staff did not always respond promptly and this affected some children’s experiences living at the home during this time.

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improvement to be good

When children make allegations of harm against staff, managers inform social workers and the local authority designated officer. They seek advice and follow due process. However, managers do not always notify Ofsted and this does not enable the regulator to keep abreast of what is happening in the home.

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improvement to be good

The new manager has reviewed children’s safety plans in liaison with social workers. This has been positive and is enabling children to be able to take age-appropriate risks and is supporting them to develop their independence skills.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Senior managers reflect and learn. Following an unsettled period, managers recognised that staff needed further support and training to develop their skills and confidence. This has now been implemented and has had a positive impact on the quality of care being provided to children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Senior managers recognise that at times staff were not supported consistently well. Although staff morale was affected, staff did not raise concerns about this and the lack of support. All staff have revisited the whistle-blowing policy and have been reminded of their responsibility to raise any worries and that it is appropriate to do so.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The new manager in post is child-focused and has extensive skills, experience and qualifications. She has promptly put in place effective monitoring and review systems. This helps her to understand the strengths and needs of the home and make plans to develop the service. Staff and children feel well supported, valued and heard by this manager. Inspection report children's home: 2686012 5 Staff have received training from the manager and clinical team to support them to understand why the children are in their care and how they can best support them. Staff work with the children and involve them in making decisions about their care. Children are receptive to this and are responding well to the support in place and are achieving positive outcomes.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

A social worker fed back that although there had been some staff turnover, senior managers and the new manager had managed this well and with the children in mind. The social worker is confident that their child receives good care and remains happy and settled living at the home. Inspection report children's home: 2686012 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, 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 positive relationships standard is that children are helped to develop, and to benefit from, relationships based on—

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Requirement Due date

positive responses to other children and adults.

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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

help each child to develop and practise skills to resolve conflicts positively and without harm to anyone;

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Requirement Due date

communicate to each child expectations about the child’s behaviour and ensure that the child understands those expectations in accordance with the child’s age and understanding;

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Requirement Due date

understand how children’s previous experiences and present emotions can be communicated through behaviour and have the competence and skills to interpret these and develop positive relationships with children;

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Requirement Due date

de-escalate confrontations with or between children, or potentially violent behaviour by children.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 11 (1)(c) (2)(a)(iv)(v)(viii)(ix)(xi)) 28 June 2024

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Requirement Due date

within 24 hours of the use of a measure of control, discipline or restraint in relation to a child in the home, a record is made which includes—

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Requirement Due date

details of the child’s behaviour leading to the use of the measure; 28 June 2024 Inspection report children's home: 2686012 7 details of any methods used or steps taken to avoid the need to use the measure;

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Requirement Due date

a description of the measure and its duration;

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Requirement Due date

the effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the measure; and

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Requirement Due date

within 5 days of the use of the measure, the registered person or the authorised person adds to the record confirmation that they have spoken to the child about the measure. (Regulation 35 (3)(a)(ii)(iv)(v)(vii)(c))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there. (Regulation 40 (4)(c )) 28 June 2024

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that children who wish to keep and take their own medication should be supported to, if they are able to do so safely. Staff should be mindful that children holding their own prescribed medication must only use it for themselves in accordance with the prescription. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 35, paragraph 7.16)

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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 children's home: 2686012 8

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Children's home details

Registered provider: Stepping Stones Care (Midlands 1) Limited

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Children's home details

Registered provider address: Camomile House, 6 Embassy Drive, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 1TP

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Inspector

Rumbi Mangoma, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children's home: 2686012 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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