Children's home run by Ubuntu Group Limited

Inspection report for children’s home: 2650948 1 Registered provider: Ubuntu Group 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 is registered to provide care for up to three children with social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

There have been three managers at the home since the last inspection. A new manager started working at the home in May 2024. She 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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requires improvement to be good

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

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requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

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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.

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2650948 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

04/10/2023 Full Good 10/05/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children’s home: 2650948 3

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improvement to be good

At the time of this inspection, two children were living in the home. Both children were spoken to during the inspection. Both said that they feel safe living in the home.

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improvement to be good

Since the last inspection, two children have moved into the home and two children have moved out. One child moved to be closer to their family and in preparation for step down to foster care, in line with their care plan. Another child moved on from the home because staff were unable to keep them and others safe.

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improvement to be good

There have been some high-risk safeguarding incidents that have had an impact on children’s progress and experiences while living in the home. As a result, one child had to move on from the home in an unplanned way. This resulted in the child not having a positive experience of leaving the home.

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improvement to be good

Despite difficulties, most children’s education outcomes are positive. One child is in full- time education, with excellent attendance. When children move into the home and are not in education, the manager is proactive, working closely with education professionals to ensure that they have access to education.

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improvement to be good

Staff support children to attend their routine health appointments and seek specialist support when required. This supports children to have good physical and mental health.

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improvement to be good

Staff ensure that children enjoy a range of activities, both in and outside the home. Children are encouraged to develop their own hobbies and interests. For example, one child attends Yu Gi Oh and Warhammer clubs. Because of this, children’s social skills, confidence and self-esteem improve.

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improvement to be good

Staff support children to spend time with their family and friends. This ensures that children continue to build relationships and attachments with those people who are significant to them.

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improvement to be good

Managers and staff do not always take appropriate and effective action to keep children safe. For example, despite escalating risks around fire safety, the manager did not take effective action to reduce the risk of fire-setting. As a result, there was a fire in the home, which resulted in the emergency services being called and one child and a member of staff needing to go to hospital for treatment to minor injuries. On another occasion, a child was given access to a substance not intended for use by children. The child used this inappropriately and had to go to hospital. This poor approach to risk management puts children at risk of harm. Inspection report for children’s home: 2650948 4 There has been one occasion when the previous manager did not share a safeguarding concern with the appropriate external professionals. The manager did not seek guidance from the local authority designated officer in line with the organisation’s policies and

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improvement to be good

procedures when a child made an allegation against an adult working in the home. This lack of transparency and partnership working does not help to keep children safe.

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improvement to be good

Staff respond quickly when children go missing from the home or are away from the home without authority. Staff follow missing-from-home procedures. They search for children and consult with the local police until children are found. When children return, staff warmly welcome them. The current manager has worked with one child and their social worker to enable the child to have time with their friends in a planned way. As a result, missing-from-home incidents are reducing.

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improvement to be good

Physical intervention is used only when necessary and as a last resort. There is management oversight of all incidents. Following the use of physical restraint, managers ensure that children and staff are spoken to. This ensures that children’s views are captured and that staff can reflect on their practice.

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improvement to be good

Staff talk to children about important topics, such as internet safety, healthy relationships and substance misuse. This supports children to understand risks and to know how to keep themselves safe.

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improvement to be good

Managers follow safer recruitment practices. As a result, they have confidence that the staff working in the home are safe.

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

The changes in the management team have had an impact on the continuity of care for children.

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

Management oversight of the home has not always been robust and effective. For example, there were shortfalls in the oversight of complaints and allegations and there were delays in the reporting of significant incidents to Ofsted. In addition, managers have not always managed the home in line with the ethos of the organisation as stated in the statement of purpose. There were incidents of poor decision-making when assessing children’s risks, which affected children’s safety. The responsible individual and new manager have acknowledged these shortfalls and are committed to making improvements to the quality of care for children.

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

Despite management changes, staff say they feel well supported by the management team. There is a good induction for new staff, regular practice-related supervision and effective training. This supports staff development and ensures that staff have the skills to meet children’s needs.

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

Managers and staff have built positive relationships with parents and external professionals. This ensures effective communication. Overall, feedback from parents and Inspection report for children’s home: 2650948 5 professionals was positive. One parent said, ‘Communication is fantastic. [Name of child] seems happy, they are well cared for and have a good relationship with staff. Staff have been amazing.’ Inspection report for children’s home: 2650948 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

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm;

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Requirement Due date

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare;

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Requirement Due date

are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies; and

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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)(a)(i)(iii)(vi)(vii)(b))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, leaders and managers must take effective action to keep children safe against the risk of fire and substances that can be hazardous to children’s health. In addition, managers must ensure that they follow safeguarding policies and share all allegations with the local authority designated officer. 9 August 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 9 August 2024 Inspection report for children’s home: 2650948 7 promotes their welfare.

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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

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;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child; and

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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)(e)(h))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, leaders and managers must ensure that oversight is consistent and changes in the management of the home do not impact on the continuity of care for children and that there are effective monitoring systems in place to identify shortfalls in practice. In addition, managers’ decision-making must promote children’s welfare.

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Recommendation

 The registered person should promptly notify Ofsted and other relevant persons if one of the situations specified in regulation 40(4)(a)-(d) occurs, or if there is an incident relating to the protection, safeguarding or welfare of a child living in the home which the registered person considers to be serious. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 63, paragraph 14.10)

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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: 2650948 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Ubuntu Group Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Suite 4, Kingsland House, Stafford Park 1, Telford, Shropshire TF3 3BD

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Inspector

Sonia Sullivan, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2650948 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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