Children's Home run by Supreme Child Care Ltd in Oldham

Inspection report for children's home: 2627737 1 Registered provider: Supreme Child Care Limited. Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

This privately run children’s home is registered to provide care for up to four children who may have social and emotional difficulties.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in August 2023.

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

p.1

requires improvement to be good

How well children and young people are helped and protected requires improvement to be good

p.1

requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

p.1

requires improvement to be good

The children’s home is not yet delivering good help and care for children and young people. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

p.1

requires improvement to be good

Date of last inspection: 26 September 2023

p.1

requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

p.1

requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children's home: 2627737 2

p.1

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

26/09/2023 Full Good 05/07/2022 Full Good Inspection report for children's home: 2627737 3

p.2

improvement to be good

The same three children have lived in the home since the last full inspection. They are all very settled and are making progress in areas specific to their different needs. This is largely due to the positive relationships enjoyed by staff and children.

p.3

improvement to be good

There has been some damage to the drawers and curtain poles in some of the children’s bedrooms. Managers have not ensured that the damage is quickly repaired or items replaced. This delay leaves children’s bedrooms in a less than suitable condition and is not conducive to creating a homely environment where children feel valued.

p.3

improvement to be good

Children’s physical health needs are met well. Children are registered with health professionals, and appointments are made as necessary. Medication is stored safely, and records are maintained on the administration of medication.

p.3

improvement to be good

Children attend educational settings according to their needs and abilities. Staff work in partnership with education departments and other relevant professionals to make sure that children have every opportunity to increase their academic ability and reach their full potential.

p.3

improvement to be good

Staff hold key-work sessions with the children. These sessions cover a range of topics, including the dangers of vaping and managing behaviours and anxieties. Consequently, children feel listened to and valued and make safer decisions about matters that affect them.

p.3

improvement to be good

Staff encourage children to take part in a wide range of activities available in the home and in the local community. These include day trips to local attractions, going to the gym, learning martial arts, as well as games and crafts that entertain them in the home. The activities help the children keep active and have fun.

p.3

improvement to be good

Children’s time with their families is actively supported and promoted by staff. Staff are effective at improving and sustaining relationships between children and members of their family, even when there are challenges with this. This means that children experience greater opportunities to sustain important relationships and attachments with those who are significant to them

p.3

improvement to be good

The use of physical intervention in the home is low. On occasion, staff who have been involved in a physical restraint are the same staff involved in the debrief with the child, which means that there is no independent oversight. Lack of oversight and evaluation of restraint means that it is not clear if restraint practice is proportionate, safe or effective. Inspection report for children's home: 2627737 4 There are insufficient staff providing care to children overnight to meet their required supervision levels this means that assurances cannot be given that children are suitably and safely cared for. Furthermore, not all staff caring for children have completed safeguarding training as part of their induction to the home. This means that they are not familiar with the procedure for reporting and managing safeguarding concerns.

p.3

improvement to be good

Individualised risk management plans are in place for each child. These plans help the staff to safeguard children by identifying their risks and vulnerabilities and setting out strategies to minimise risks. The review and development of the plans are ongoing as risks change, to ensure that the plans remain effective.

p.4

improvement to be good

Staff know how to implement and follow the local authorities’ joint protocol and procedures for reporting children who are missing from care. Staff take appropriate action to locate children quickly and promote their safe return by keeping in touch with the children and liaising closely with the police and other agencies. There is a process in place for children to be seen by an independent person on their return. This gives assurance that any issues in the home that have led to the missing-from-home episode will be identified and acted on.

p.4

improvement to be good

Children live in a home that is physically safe and secure. Regular environmental safety checks are undertaken, and staff and children regularly practise emergency evacuation procedures.

p.4

improvement to be good

Children are protected by the organisation’s effective recruitment practices. Staff are vetted and assessed as suitable before any appointment is confirmed. This helps to prevent unsuitable adults working with children.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The manager does not have effective monitoring systems in place that allow her to have effective oversight of the home. For example, the location risk assessment has old information in it and requires reviewing. There is no management oversight of consequences that are given to children to see if they are proportionate and effective.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The specialist input for children from the organisation’s therapist, as detailed in the home’s statement of purpose, is not occurring. There are no monthly reports, and there is no evidence of the progress children have made. This does not support staff in managing the complex care for children.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

One child’s case file does not include all the required information from the placing authority. There is evidence of the manager escalating concerns to the local authority. However, requested information is still not available. As a result, staff do not always have the most up-to-date information that they need to provide coordinated care.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Staff are positive about the support they receive from the manager. They have regular supervision with the home’s manager, which includes the opportunity to discuss Inspection report for children's home: 2627737 5 children’s progress, the quality of teamworking and their training and professional development.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The manager has established good working relationships with external professionals, including the police, education professionals and placing social workers. This partnership approach means that children are benefiting from the full range of support provided by other professionals. Inspection report for children's home: 2627737 6

p.5

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.

p.6

Requirement Due date

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

p.6

Requirement Due date

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

p.6

Requirement Due date

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

p.6

Requirement Due date

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

p.6

Requirement Due date

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

p.6

Requirement Due date

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

p.6

Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the home environment being maintained to a suitable standard. 14 June 2024

p.6

Requirement Due date

The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

p.6

Requirement Due date

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

p.6

Requirement Due date

that the home’s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(b))

p.6

Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that there is an appropriate number of staff on shift at night to safeguard children. 14 June 2024 Inspection report for children's home: 2627737 7 The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that—

p.6

Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

p.7

Requirement Due date

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

p.7

Requirement Due date

lead and manage the home in a way that is consistent with the approach and ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set out in the home’s statement of purpose;

p.7

Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child; and

p.7

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)(a)(c)(h))

p.7

Requirement Due date

This relates to ensuring that there is oversight of the consequences that have taken place in the home, ensuring that staff training is up to date, ensuring that the statement of purpose reflects the arrangements for therapeutic care in the home and updating the location risk assessment. 14 June 2024

p.7

Requirement Due date

The registered person must prepare and implement a policy ("the behaviour management policy") which sets out—

p.7

Requirement Due date

how appropriate behaviour is to be promoted in the children’s home; and

p.7

Requirement Due date

the measures of control, discipline and restraint which may be used in relation to children in the home.

p.7

Requirement Due date

The registered person must keep the behaviour management policy under review and, where appropriate, revise it.

p.7

Requirement Due date

within 48 hours of the use of the measure, the registered person, or a person who is authorised by the registered person to do so ("the authorised person")—

p.7

Requirement Due date

has spoken to the user about the measure; and 14 June 2024 Inspection report for children's home: 2627737 8 has signed the record to confirm it is accurate. (Regulation 35 (1)(a)(b) (2) (3)(b)(i)(ii))

p.7

Requirement Due date

This relates to ensuring that staff involved in physical interventions are not completing the management oversight.

p.8

Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain records ("case records") for each child which—

p.8

Requirement Due date

include the information and documents listed in Schedule 3 in relation to each child. (Regulation 36 (1)(a)) 14 June 2024

p.8

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: 2627737 9

p.8

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Supreme Child Care Limited

p.9

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 3.10, 3rd Floor Universal Square, Devonshire Street North, Manchester M12 6JH

p.9

Inspectors

Dave Carrigan, Social Care Inspector Genevieve O’Reilly, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: 2627737 10 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.

p.9

Inspectors

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.10

Inspectors

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.10

Inspectors

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.10