Children's home run by 24/7 Support UK Limited

Inspection report for children's home: 2638148 1 Registered provider: 24/7 Support UK Limited

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This privately owned home provides care for up to three children with social and emotional needs.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager’s registration ended on 15 November 2023. The new manager started in post in February 2024 and has applied 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 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: 2638148 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

11/04/2023 Full Good 18/10/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good 30/11/2021 Full Good Inspection report for children's home: 2638148 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

This inspection was brought forward to address specific concerns received by Ofsted. No evidence to support the concerns was found. There were two children living at the home at the time of this inspection. The children are both settled and talk positively about the support that they receive.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s moves to the home are well supported. One child has moved in since the last inspection. No children have left the home. Children’s needs and the risks to them are considered in a risk assessment at the point of referral, to ensure that the staff are equipped to meet those needs. Refresher training was put in place for staff to enable them to support the children’s identified needs. Some information about a child was not supplied by the placing local authority. Managers challenged the local authority when this became evident.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff encourage children’s school attendance. Staff are working with external professionals to support one child’s education and to identify a new provision which is more suited to their needs. When children do not attend education due to incidents at school, staff encourage them to do schoolwork while at home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

There are high levels of support for children. Staff act in accordance with court orders made for children. Managers and staff work with the placing authorities to explore ways to safely reduce staffing levels to encourage children’s independence.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

There is a homely feel to the house. The manager has plans to change the use of some rooms in the home, using ideas from the children. Children are encouraged to personalise their bedrooms. Children’s families are regularly invited to the home. This helps children to maintain their family relationships and to know that these are supported by staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

There are positive relationships between staff and children. Conversations about risks take place. However, staff do not always explore these more deeply. This means that children may not fully understand risks to them or develop new ways to manage them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

When there are concerns about relationships between staff and children or following allegations against staff, conversations with the staff member take place. However, there are only limited discussions by staff with the child. This could mean that children are not supported to help repair and rebuild relationships. Inspection report for children's home: 2638148 4

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

There has been a reduction in the use of restraint. When restraint is required, its use is proportionate. Both children recognise that they have been involved in fewer incidents in which restraint was required, and they are proud of their achievements.

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

There have been no episodes of children going missing from home. When a child leaves the home without agreement, staff follow and encourage them to return. Children have not been out of staff sight for long periods of time.

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

Safer recruitment processes are followed for new members of staff. Temporary staff are not used. This enables children to build relationships with staff who consistently work at the home.

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

There have been some concerns about the dynamics between the children. Specific risk assessments are in place to monitor the children when they are together. The concerns are shared with children’s social workers. There was an incident in which staff did not follow children’s risk assessments and children were not supervised as they should be. The manager is currently investigating this concern. Staff were reminded by the manager of the importance of supervising the children and understanding risk assessments to try and prevent further incidents.

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

When a child makes an allegation against a member of staff, the local authority designated officer (LADO) and the child’s social worker are informed. Staff do not work at the home while allegations against them are being explored. The manager follows the LADO’s advice and has taken immediate action to safeguard children. However, there have been several occasions when the referral to the LADO was delayed.

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

Some records of incidents are brief and would benefit from additional information to provide more context. In contrast, some records of restraint are very long and make it difficult to identify the information about the restraint.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager stepped down from their post in November 2023. A new manager was identified in November 2023; however, they were unable to fulfil the role of manager. A new manager started in February 2024 and they applied to register with Ofsted in April 2024. The previous registered manager is still involved and has supported the new manager. The new manager understands the home’s areas for development and has plans for some changes that she will be implementing. She knows the children well.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has oversight following all incidents or use of restraint. Investigations by the manager into allegations are thorough and detailed. The manager identifies and implements learning following investigations. Inspection report for children's home: 2638148 5 Supervision sessions and team meetings take place regularly. This supports staff to develop their knowledge and to reflect on their practice. Staff feel supported by the managers.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Notifications to Ofsted are not always made within the required time frame. This has been raised at the last two inspections and a requirement is restated. Most notifications to Ofsted are made promptly. However, several have been delayed. The manager takes appropriate action to safeguard children following incidents, so there has been no impact on children from these delays . The delays do, however, prevent Ofsted’s timely oversight of the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive appraisals of their performance. However, one staff member’s appraisal is overdue and there is no feedback from professionals, colleagues or children as part of appraisals. This limits staff’s ability to reflect on their practice and identify areas for development.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager welcomes external scrutiny from the independent person. However, only one out of 12 of the independent person’s reports contains feedback from families. This means that the independent person is not gaining a thorough insight into the home. Inspection report for children's home: 2638148 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 protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

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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

assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child’s relevant plans, and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand how to keep safe;

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Requirement Due date

manage relationships between children to prevent them from harming each other; and

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Requirement Due date

understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iv)(v))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that staff follow children’s risk assessments, that referrals to the LADO are made promptly and that staff are curious in their discussions about risks with children. 28 June 2024

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if—

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Requirement Due date

there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there. (Regulation 40 (4)(c))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was raised at the last inspection and is restated. 28 June 2024

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Requirement Due date

When the independent person is carrying out a visit, the registered person must help the independent person— 26 July 2024 Inspection report for children's home: 2638148 7 if they consent, to interview in private such of the children, their parents, relatives and persons working at the home as the independent person requires. (Regulation 44 (2)(a))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that the views of children’s families are regularly obtained by the independent person.

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that staff build positive relationships with each child and help the child to develop skills to have positive relationships with others, including staff working at the home. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 38, paragraph 8.6)  The registered person should ensure that all staff have their performance and fitness to carry out their role formally appraised at least once annually. This appraisal should take into account, when reasonable and practical, the views of other professionals who have worked with the staff member over the year and of children in the home’s care. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.5)  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

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Recommendations

recording. In particular, ensure that all records are clear and detail the information in a concise and easy-to-read way. (‘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: 2638148 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: 24/7 Support UK Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 81 Broadway, Peterborough PE1 4DA

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Inspector

Leanne Lyon, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: 2638148 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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