Children's Home run by Sunlight Children’s Care Limited in Derby

Inspection report for children’s home: 2591911 1 Registered provider: Sunlight Children’s Care 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 privately owned children’s home provides care for up to two children with social and emotional difficulties. At the time of this inspection, there was one child living in the home. The child moved into the home on 9 May 2023.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager is suitably qualified and is registered 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: requires improvement to be good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2591911 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

17/05/2023 Full Requires improvement to be good 04/01/2023 Full Inadequate 11/01/2022 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2591911 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

There was one child living in the home at the time of the inspection. This child was seen and spoken with by the inspector.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child is gradually achieving improved outcomes in several areas. This is because of the care provided by the dedicated staff team. This dedication has meant the child is building stronger relationships based on trust with the staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff understand and support children’s social and individual identity needs. Staff support children to take part in their community, for instance, the child has a local paper round. The staff are also exploring a women-only boxing class for the child.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Healthy living is an improving feature of the home. Although there continue to be challenges, especially around substance misuse, staff promote sporting and active lifestyles. The manager and staff quickly take action to help children with any health issues.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child is not in school. Managers are working with other professionals in trying to secure a school place for the new term. However, interim education measures in place are not structured or consistent. There has been drift and delay. This means that the child, who wants to be in school, has missed out on formal learning opportunities.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are valued, and the home environment reflects this. There are numerous pictures on the walls celebrating fun activities. The home is clean and there are good standards of decoration and furnishings. The exterior and interior of the home have areas for the child to relax. The outside area is being developed with a colourful raised flowerbed. However, the child’s bedroom has been left to become untidy and is not always a welcoming and relaxing space.

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

Risk is decreasing over time. Managers review risk assessments, which are then adapted when needed to reflect the changing and dynamic nature of risk. This means that when risks reduce for this child, they gain a higher level of independence.

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

Children have, at times, had to be physically restrained. However, over time, incidents of any interventions have reduced. This is because of the strong relationships between staff and the child, further consistency in staffing and the focused efforts of staff to reduce these incidents. Inspection report for children’s home: 2591911 4 Safeguarding incidents are rare. However, when safeguarding concerns have arisen, these have been promptly reported to the designated safeguarding lead This promotes external examination of safeguarding practices to ensure that children are being safeguarded.

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

Recruitment records for residential staff show attention to detail. They show that clear vetting and safe recruitment practices are taking place.

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

The home has a complaints procedure. There have been no complaints made. However, the child does not always have free access to this complaints process. This means that opportunities could be missed to hear the child’s concerns or worries, which they are unable to verbalise.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There are changes in the leadership and management of this home. The registered manager is leaving. An experienced manager is in post and is in a period of handover. This means that they can share this home’s ethos in supporting the child to reach their individual potential.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has a detailed understanding and awareness of the child’s history and their individual needs. She articulates their progress and how staff support them to continue making progress in all areas of their development, including the management of risk.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The staff team is experienced and knowledgeable. Staff are either qualified or enrolled on suitable qualification pathways to enhance their knowledge. However, not all staff have had essential training, including training in child exploitation. When staff take on more senior roles, further training is provided, such as on supervision.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff enjoy a good level of management support. They receive meaningful and professional supervision and appraisals of their care practice. However, for some staff, this is not always an individual opportunity to speak with a manager, but a group supervision. This means that the managers cannot always ensure the regular and effective monitoring of individual staff performance.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has a method for the monitoring and analysis of care. This provides evidence that she is identifying areas for development and improvement. However, managers have not ensured that the monitoring of the child’s bedroom is effective. They have not ensured that this space is always free from hazards.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managers and senior staff have built up strong links with the local community. Regular communication with the local police community support officer and community leaders means that any barriers created by myths about residential childcare can be broken down. Inspection report for children’s home: 2591911 5 Two recommendations from the last inspection were fulfilled. From this inspection, two requirements and three recommendations have been made. Inspection report for children’s home: 2591911 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 education standard is that children make measurable progress towards achieving their educational potential and are helped to do so.

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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

help a child who is excluded from school, or who is of compulsory school age but not attending school, to access educational and training support throughout the period of exclusion or non-attendance and to return to school as soon as possible. (Regulation 8 (1) (2)(a)(viii))

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Requirement Due date

This relates to a child being out of school and a delay in organising an alternative educational package. 23 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—

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Requirement Due date

understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(f)) 23 July 2024 Inspection report for children’s home: 2591911 7 This relates to a lack of a structured plan to help a child keep their bedroom clean and tidy and safe from health and safety risks.

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that staff are ambitious for every child in the home and gain skills and experience that enable them to actively support each child to achieve their potential. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 52, paragraph 10.5)  The registered person should ensure that staff encourage children to share any concerns about their care or other matters as soon as they arise. Children must be able to take up issues or make a complaint with support and without fear that this will result in any adverse consequences. Regulation 39 sets out the requirements on the registered person to have a complaints procedure. Children must be aware of this procedure and be reminded of it as necessary. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 22, paragraph 4.13)  The registered person should ensure that systems are in place so that all staff,

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Recommendations

including the manager, receive supervision of their practice from an appropriately qualified and experienced professional, which allows them to reflect on their practice and the needs of the children assigned to their care. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.2)

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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: 2591911 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Sunlight Children’s Care Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 73 Francis Road, Edgbaston, Birmingham B16 8SP

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Children’s home details

Registered manager: Ashley Harta and Juliet Kanda

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Inspector

Simon Hunter, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2591911 9 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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Inspector

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Inspector

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