Children's Home run by Helpful Investments Ltd in Lancashire

Inspection report for children’s home: 2645858 1 Registered provider: Helpful Investments 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 operated by a private provider. It is registered to provide care for up to three children who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The home registered with Ofsted in September 2021 and the manager registered in February 2024.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of this inspection, two children were living in the home.

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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 requires improvement to be 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: 2645858 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

30/08/2023 Full Good 21/02/2023 Full Requires improvement to be good 31/08/2022 Full Inadequate 23/03/2022 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2645858 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Since the last inspection, one child has moved on from the home and two children have moved into the home. The staff and leaders are knowledgeable about the children’s needs and understand their past experiences. Staff support the children to work towards meeting their individual development targets. The children have made good progress from their starting points.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The needs of one child living at the home are not in line with the homes conditions of registration and within the range of needs of children as set out in the home’s statement of purpose.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children benefit from having a consistent care team. Staff invest in the children and have their best interests at the centre of their practice. Staff build trusting and nurturing relationships with the children. These relationships support children to make progress in different areas of their lives.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

One child has a formal education provision. This child has excellent attendance and is doing well. One professional said, ‘[Name of child] is making good progress in school’. One child has recently moved into the home and does not always engage in education opportunities. This means that there is a lack of structure for the child during the day. This is a missed opportunity to support the child’s structured learning. The manager is persistent in their attempt to secure education for the child.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The staff have a calm and warm rapport with the children. Staff balance parental guidance with humour and nurture. The children are in good health. Children attend health appointments supported by the staff. However, on one occasion a child’s medication was missed. Staff sought medical advice and ensured there was no risk to the child.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children and staff eat their meals together around the dining table. Planning meals with children means that these meals incorporate the children’s choices. For one child staff also cook an alternative meal, so the child has an option to try new foods. This encourages the child to eat well and have a balanced diet.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children enjoy a range of activities and positive experiences. These include holidays, football, and attending activity centres. The children help with age- appropriate tasks around the house. This increases their sense of belonging while teaching the children important life skills.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

There is a relaxed atmosphere in the home. The children’s bedrooms are personalised and have plenty of storage space. However, the home environment requires some repair work to be completed, this includes repairs in the kitchen and making improvements to the shower rooms. Inspection report for children’s home: 2645858 4

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

Staff understand children’s risks and vulnerabilities. Children’s risk assessments are regularly reviewed and updated. Staff communicate regularly with children about any safeguarding concerns and risky behaviours, which helps children to understand how to keep themselves safe. Staff have a good understanding of the missing from- home procedures.

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

There have been occasions when the use of physical intervention was necessary. The manager evaluates physical intervention records, ensuring that interventions are proportionate, and reflection is undertaken by children and staff.

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

There are clear routines and boundaries in place that children understand and respond to well. This helps the children to manage their behaviours more effectively. One professional said, ‘Boundaries are in place but done in a nurturing way’.

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

Positive recognition and praise outweigh negative consequences. Childrens certificates are displayed in the home and staff celebrate all of their achievements. The manager evaluates consequences, ensuring that consequences are proportionate and restorative in nature.

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

There is good multi-agency working. The manager and staff work closely with professionals to ensure that the children receive appropriate support.

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

Staff are provided with regular training; this includes identified areas of training to help them meet the specific needs of the children in their care. Training topics include first aid, fire safety awareness, safeguarding, medication, Autism awareness, emotional regulation, and sensory development. This ensures that staff have the skills to support children’s individual needs.

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good

The manager is working towards gaining a relevant leadership and management qualification. The manager and staff speak about the children with warmth and enthusiasm. They advocate well for the children in all aspects of their lives.

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good

One child’s care plan was not up to date, including changes in routines. This means there are opportunities for inconsistencies in staff practice.

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good

The manager has good oversight of children’s progress and any changes needed. However, the manager and staff do not always record feedback to the children and document work that has been completed.

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good

The manager has a good understanding of the strengths and areas for development of the home. However, this could be strengthened with more rigorous monitoring and Inspection report for children’s home: 2645858 5 reports from the independent person. This is a missed opportunity to help leaders and managers to identify and address areas for development.

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good

The manager completes internal monitoring. However, the manager does not consistently record their reflection of incidents and how different strategies have enhanced the quality of care.

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good

When serious incidents have occurred, the provider has not always notified Ofsted in line with regulation.

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good

The manager must ensure that the needs of children moving into the home can be met in line with the statement of purpose.

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good

The manager and staff maintain good levels of communication with other professionals. One professional said, ‘The process and communication has meant that we have developed a very trusting relationship with staff’.

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good

Staff say that they feel well supported by the manager. Staff members have regular supervision. This provides opportunities for the staff to reflect on and develop their practice and ways to support the children.

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good

The manager and staff work closely with the home’s psychologist. The psychologist attends staff meetings to offer guidance to staff to ensure that they can offer the best support to the children. Inspection report for children’s home: 2645858 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

This relates specifically to ensuring that the home is maintained to a high standard.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that the kitchen is in a good condition and is free from hazards. 30 August 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

a child is involved in or subject to, or is suspected of being involved in or subject to, sexual exploitation;

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Requirement Due date

an incident requiring police involvement occurs in relation to a child which the registered person considers to be serious;

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Requirement Due date

there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there; 19 July 2024 Inspection report for children’s home: 2645858 7 a child protection enquiry involving a child —

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Requirement Due date

concludes (in which case, the notification must include the outcome of the child protection enquiry); or

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Requirement Due date

there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40 (4)(a)(b)(c)(d)(i)(ii) and (e))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure when a serious incident occurs that a notification is made to Ofsted.

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Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children—

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Requirement Due date

receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home; and

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Requirement Due date

have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home.

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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

that children are admitted to the home only if their needs are within the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the home is to provide care and accommodation, as set out in the home’s statement of purpose. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b) and (2)(a))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that children are admitted to the home in line with the statement of purpose. 19 July 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

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to— 19 July 2024 Inspection report for children’s home: 2645858 8 use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) and (2)(h))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that internal monitoring of the home is carried out and review incidents that occur to make improvements to the care provided.

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that staff support children to engage in suitable structured activities when they are not in school. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 28, paragraph 5.15)  The registered person should ensure that any individual appointed to carry out visits to the home as an independent person must make a rigorous and impartial assessment. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 65, paragraph 15.5)  The registered person should ensure that they make suitable arrangements to manage and administer medication. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 35, paragraph 7.15)

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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: 2645858 9

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Helpful Investments Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 31 Bridge Street, Aberystwyth, Ceredigion, Wales SY23 1QB

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Inspectors

Stacey Ilaboya, Social Care Inspector Sally Croft, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2645858 10 regulates and inspects 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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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