Children's Home run by We are Juno CIC in Wirral

Inspection report for children’s home: 2722941 1 Registered provider: We Are Juno CIC

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is a not-for-profit Community Interest Company and provides care for up to four children who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in May 2023.

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Information about this children’s home

One child was living in the home at the time of the inspection.

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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

Date of last inspection: 23 January 2024

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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: 2722941 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

23/01/2024 Full Good 26/09/2023 Full Inadequate Inspection report for children’s home: 2722941 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

One child was living at the home at the time of the last inspection. Since then, another child has moved in. One child then moved out and one child continues to live at the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child has lived at the home for a short period of time, and this has been an unsettled time for the child and staff. However, more recently, staff have been able to start building relationships with the child. There has been a marked reduction in incidents since they have been the only child living at the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child who is currently living at the home has some health issues. Staff have worked proactively to monitor and manage these concerns, including receiving training from relevant medical professionals before the child moved into the home. Staff have also registered the child with health professionals, such as doctors, dentists and opticians, and are ensuring that the child attends regular appointments to promote their general health.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child is starting to enjoy a range of activities with staff, as well as with friends in the local community.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Although the child does not currently have a formal education placement, their engagement in education has increased since living at this home. Staff have taken the child out on educational trips, with mixed success. However, individual tutoring has now been secured at a local library. The child was pleased to hear about this and was looking forward to the sessions starting.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Arrangements for the child to keep in touch with family are clear. Staff help the child to maintain relationships with their family and try to help with any family issues.

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

There have been a number of serious incidents that have required police assistance to manage the behaviours of children. Staff have been able to manage some incidents well and have successfully defused situations. However, at other times, staff have been slow to act to manage relationships, resulting in incidents continuing for longer than necessary. This has been recognised by the manager and additional training has been identified for the team.

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

There have been relatively few incidents of physically holding children. The manager evaluates the incidents to ensure that the use of any hold is appropriate and proportionate.

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

Staff are aware of their safeguarding responsibilities and have involved relevant professionals when necessary. However, risk management plans are not always Inspection report for children’s home: 2722941 4 updated following incidents at the home, in particular, the decision for one child to remain with family, rather than return to the home,while their placing authority sought a new placement. However, staff did carry out some good work with the child while they stayed with family and promoted the child’s safety and well-being. In addition, staff had not risk assessed the ongoing relationship between these two children outside the home while one child was staying with their family, and this did not therefore fully safeguard children.

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

An allegation has been managed appropriately. The local authority designated officer was involved throughout the investigation and was satisfied with the action taken to consider all aspects of the allegation. The organisation has taken action by bringing in an independent company to review incidents and consider any learning that can improve future practice.

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

Consequences are used to address negative behaviour, and these are then evaluated by the manager to ensure that they are fair and effective. However, staff prefer to motivate children by rewarding positive behaviours.

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

There has been some damage caused in the home during incidents. Areas for repair have been addressed quickly and are ongoing. There were no issues identified in the main areas of the home or the bedroom of the child who is living at the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is experienced in residential care and holds a relevant childcare qualification. She is reflective in her practice and staff say that she is supportive of them. One member of staff said, ‘She empowers us and makes us believe that we can manage situations.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

A detailed process was followed to ensure that the needs of both children were considered before the second child moved into the home. However, this process took place over a period of time and the manager had not updated the relevant documents to manage emerging risks relating to an increase in substance misuse.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

As a result of additional training, staff feel that they work together well as a team to manage children’s behaviour. Staff are able to reflect following incidents to identify any areas of learning for them as individuals and as a team.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

During the unsettled period at the home, the manager and responsible individual took action to strengthen the staff team by increasing staffing levels and holding daily team meetings to allow staff an opportunity to reflect and ‘offload’. Staff spoke about this time and said that the team meetings were supportive and helpful. Staff said they did not feel obliged to attend daily and that team members were able to use the supportive measures in line with their own needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has reflected on the unsettled period at the home and has taken action to address the capabilities of some individual staff. The manager has also arranged for further training for staff in supporting positive relationships between Inspection report for children’s home: 2722941 5 children in residential settings. The manager has arranged additional training for staff in regard to non-epileptic seizures.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

A wide range of internal monitoring is completed by the manager weekly and monthly, and regular reports are provided to the responsible individual on safeguarding and performance. In addition, the responsible individual is held to account by the board of directors on all aspects of the children’s home. Inspection report for children’s home: 2722941 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

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

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Requirement Due date

In particular, that the missing-from-home protocol contains specific strategies for staff to follow when children are missing from home, or there are plans for them not to return. 31 October 2024

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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

an understanding about acceptable behaviour; and

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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 that staff–

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Requirement Due date

help each child to develop socially aware behaviour;

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Requirement Due date

encourage each child to take responsibility for the child’s behaviour, in accordance with the child’s age and understanding; 31 October 2024 Inspection report for children’s home: 2722941 7 help each child to develop and practise skills to resolve conflicts positively and without harm to anyone and that staff de-escalate confrontations with or between children, or potentially violent behaviour by children. (Regulation 11 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(ii)(iii)(iv)(xi))

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Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children 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)) 31 October 2024

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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. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)) 31 October 2024

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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: 2722941 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 3A Queen Insurance Building, 24 Queen Avenue, Liverpool, Merseyside L2 4TZ

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Inspector

Julia Toller, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2722941 9 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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