Children's home run by Young Foundations Limited

Inspection report for children’s home: 2613661 1 Registered provider: Young Foundations 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 owned by an independent provider. It provides care for up to two children who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in November 2020.

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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: 2613661 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

11/07/2023 Full Good 15/11/2022 Full Good 18/10/2021 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2613661 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The staff are caring and nurturing and have developed good relationships with the children. Staff take time to get to know the children and this helps the children to build trusting relationships with staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support children to attend school and they are making progress with their education. Children attend a school run by the same organisation, and staff work closely with teachers so that children are supported appropriately. Staff help children to overcome any barriers to their learning and ensure those living in the home have education that meets their needs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are registered with local services and are up to date with all of their regular health appointments. Children are supported to overcome any fears of health services to ensure there are no barriers to their well-being. As a result, the children are in good health and get the support they need.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff are interested in what the children like to do and gather their views through a variety of ways. Children therefore engage in a range of activities individualised to their needs, which contributes to developing their self-esteem.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff produce a children’s guide which provides useful information to children to prepare them for moving in. The guide is written to children and provides space for them to record their own information, questions and comments. This is a useful personalised guide.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported to develop the skills they need as they approach adulthood. Children are given chores to complete around the house to help them to learn skills that are age-appropriate. In their own time, children are encouraged to use public transport where appropriate to build their confidence in travelling independently.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is clean and decorated in a way that enhances the homely feel. The children have personalised bedrooms, providing them with a space of their own. The bathroom downstairs is referred to as a staff bathroom; this creates a barrier for the children accessing all parts of their home.

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

Risk assessments are detailed and helpful in directing staff actions. They are updated following any incidents or new behaviours that children present with. The staff have a good understanding of the children’s risks and the actions needed to mitigate the risks. This helps to ensure an effective and consistent response to the children’s risks and behaviour. Children say they feel safe in the home. Inspection report for children’s home: 2613661 4 Staff have a good understanding of child exploitation and the signs that children may be at risk. Staff respond to concerns proactively and include multi-agency partners in their management of risk. Children are referred for specialist support to help in reducing the risks and ensuring that children are safeguarded appropriately.

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

Staff consistently reinforce children’s positive behaviour. Consequences are rarely used, but when they are, their application is fair and proportionate. Staff respond to children in a nurturing and empathetic way. As a result, staff do not need to hold children to manage their behaviour.

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

There is a missing-from-home policy and a robust procedure in place to guide staff practice when children go missing. Staff follow each child’s individual care plan and risk assessment and keep a detailed record of events while children are missing. Staff and children confirm that return home interviews take place. This helps to build a picture of why children go missing and what their experiences are. As a result, children’s assessments and plans can be updated to reflect their most recent vulnerabilities.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager leads a committed and passionate staff team who have a close working relationship. The manager has a nurturing approach to supporting the staff. This contributes to a family orientated atmosphere in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Team meetings take place monthly and are well attended. Staff discuss how best to meet the needs of the children. This means that the care provided for each child is consistent across the staff team.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The independent visitor’s reports are provided monthly to the manager. She oversees the quality of the report to ensure there is a robust evaluation of the care provided to children. The manager feeds back any questions or concerns related to the quality of the report. This helps to ensure that reports continue to be a useful tool, helping the manager to maintain oversight of the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Professionals hold the manager and staff at the home in high regard and staff have good working relationships with partner agencies. The manager raises her concerns with those professionals if she does not believe the planning is in the child’s best interests. However, the home does not have a policy to escalate those concerns if action is not taken. This hinders the manager in ensuring that issues or concerns are followed up and addressed in a timely way.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager ensures that staff have the necessary skills and experience to work in the home. New staff are appropriately checked and vetted, and complete a thorough induction programme. Staff are enrolled on the required qualification to further their learning and development. However, two staff have not completed this qualification within the relevant timescales. Inspection report for children’s home: 2613661 5

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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

In meeting the quality standards, the registered person must, and must ensure that staff—

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Requirement Due date

if the registered person considers, or staff consider, a placing authority’s or a relevant person’s performance or response to be inadequate in relation to their role, challenge the placing authority or the relevant person to seek to ensure that each child’s needs are met in accordance with the child’s relevant plans. (Regulation (5)(c)) 30 June 2024

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Requirement Due date

For the purposes of paragraph (3)(b), an individual who works in the home in a care role has the appropriate qualification if, by the relevant date, the individual has attained—

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Requirement Due date

the Level 3 Diploma for Residential Childcare (England) (“the Level 3 Diploma”); or

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Requirement Due date

a qualification which the registered person considers to be equivalent to the Level 3 Diploma.

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Requirement Due date

in the case of an individual who starts working in a care role in a home after 1st April 2014, the date which falls 2 years after the date on which the individual started working in a care role in a home. (Regulation 32 (4)(a)(b) 5(a)) 30 June 2024

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that the children are able to access all shared areas of their home unless there are specific reasons why this would not meet a child’s needs. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.10) Inspection report for children’s home: 2613661 6

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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: 2613661 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Young Foundations Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Alexander House, Highfield Park, Llandyrnog, Denbighshire, Wales LL16 4LU

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Inspector

Lisa Gordon, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2613661 8 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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