Children's Home run by United Children's Services Limited in Leicestershire

Inspection report for children’s home: SC489970 1 SC489970 Registered provider: United Children’s Services Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

This home is privately owned and provides care for up to four children who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

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

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The home is led by a suitably experienced registered manager.

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

p.1

good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

p.1

good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

p.1

good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

p.1

good

Date of last inspection: 21 November 2023

p.1

good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

p.1

good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC489970 2

p.1

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

21/11/2023 Full Good 29/06/2022 Full Good 22/03/2022 Interim Sustained effectiveness 30/11/2021 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children’s home: SC489970 3

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is welcoming and feels like a family home. It is furnished and decorated to a high standard. The home has plenty of space. This allows for individualised areas for children and means that children can have time independently to pursue hobbies such as gaming. The home has large communal areas that children like to spend time in. There are photos of all the children around the home and in their bedrooms. This helps children to hold on to positive memories they make with each other and the staff.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

All children are making progress since moving into the home. The staff have high aspirations for the children. Children are supported to build positive relationships with the staff and each other. The manager ensures that firm and consistent boundaries are in place, as any good parent would. For some children, these have been difficult to accept. Staff persevere to repair relationships and understand the reason behind behaviours. Children respond positively to this support. Children share their interests with staff. This is supported by a diverse team of staff and the experiences they bring.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are making progress with their education. They all have identified school places. If children have been excluded from an education setting, staff support education to continue in the home. The manager advocates strongly for children where an alternative provision is needed. Professionals from education speak highly of the home and the positive communication. This means that children receive more-informed support when in school.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have good emotional and physical health. The staff support and encourage children to take part in a range of activities outside the home. Children go on holiday together. The organisation makes positive use of a holiday home, which children love to visit. The manager monitors the time that children spend gaming. This hobby is celebrated and supported but measured. This means that children rest well and access different experiences.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home has a therapeutic arm to the care provided. There has been disruption to this after the therapist left the service. This meant that children did not have access to therapeutic input for several weeks. The organisation has created a temporary solution while it recruits to the post. This is positive, and all the children are using the support.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

All children see their families. This is important to the children, and the staff prioritise the planning of family time. Staff are aware of the impact that time with family can have on children. The manager works closely with professionals to ensure that family time is supported and facilitated effectively. A parent spoken to said, ‘How they manage those dynamics is faultless and I don’t know how they do it.’ Inspection report for children’s home: SC489970 4

p.3

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

Children feel safe living in the home. Children do not go missing or seek experiences that may cause them harm. Some children struggle to regulate their emotions because of past experiences and trauma. Staff understand children’s experiences and see past the behaviour. This helps children to restore and repair after significant incidents. Consistent boundaries and behaviour support help children to make progress in building safe relationships.

p.4

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

Children know how to make complaints and are supported to share any concerns they have. The children’s guide is clear and sets out the expectations for supporting a complaint. One child who raised a complaint saw a positive outcome. Issues were resolved so that they could move forward. The manager did not ensure that external support was offered to the child. This did not impact the positive outcome.

p.4

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

Risks for children are understood by the staff team. Risk assessments and behaviour support plans are clear and effective. Plans are reviewed following incidents, and staff familiarise themselves with changes. Sometimes, staff inexperience has led to incidents that could have been avoided. The manager reflects and reviews each incident. Learning is used to help the staff to improve practice as a team. This has a positive impact on children being safe.

p.4

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

Consequences are used in the home when children cause damage or ignore staff’s advice at a cost to the home. Consequences are recorded but are not always reviewed by someone independent to the incident. There is a lack of evidence of different options to address the situation being explored. This does not reflect the home’s statement of purpose.

p.4

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

New staff in the home are subject to safer recruitment checks. However, references have not been verified or explored in relation to a staff member’s previous roles. The manager could not be assured of all previous child-facing roles carried out by the staff member.

p.4

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

Medicines for children are stored safely, and records of administration are clear. One prescribed medicine was not labelled. It was not clear who the medication was for or what dose had been prescribed. This has not had an impact on the child.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home is managed by an experienced and qualified registered manager. They are supported by an experienced deputy manager and responsible individual. The leaders in the home have high aspirations and expectations of the children and staff. They know the children’s plans well. They ensure that individualised care plans are followed consistently by the staff.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff feel supported by the managers. One staff member said, The manager is approachable and responsive, fostering a collaborative and positive work culture.’ Inspection report for children’s home: SC489970 5 Supervision in the home happens regularly. Informal reflection and discussions are welcomed by the manager. The manager has an open-door approach. The staff team is new and developing. Training and increasing staff’s skills are a priority. Staff who have completed their probation are enrolled to attain the qualification required.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has good oversight of the home. The quality assurance processes are effective. They ensure that areas for development are identified. The managers address shortfalls in an open and transparent way. The manager takes effective action, and general practice in the home improves as a result.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Professionals speak highly of the home and the relationships they have with the manager and the team. The manager works collaboratively with other services to improve outcomes for children.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The managers listen and respond to the voice of the child. The children and the staff respect the manager’s values and aspirations. This creates a positive culture for children living in the home. Inspection report for children’s home: SC489970 6

p.5

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.

p.6

Requirement Due date

The registered person must make arrangements for the handling, recording, safekeeping, safe administration and disposal of medicines received into the children’s home.

p.6

Requirement Due date

In particular the registered person must ensure that—

p.6

Requirement Due date

medicine which is prescribed for a child is administered as prescribed to the child for whom it is prescribed and to no other child; and

p.6

Requirement Due date

a record is kept of the administration of medicine to each child. (Regulation 23 (1) (2)(b)(c))

p.6

Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that prescribed medicines are labelled appropriately and that the necessary checks of medicines are recorded. 27 July 2024

p.6

Requirement Due date

The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety.

p.6

Requirement Due date

employ an individual to work at the children’s home; or

p.6

Requirement Due date

if an individual is employed by a person other than the registered person to work at the home in a position in which the individual may have regular contact with children, allow that individual to work at the home,

p.6

Requirement Due date

if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3)

p.6

Requirement Due date

full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2. (Regulation 32 (1) (2)(a)(b) (3)(d)) 27 July 2024 Inspection report for children’s home: SC489970 7 This specifically relates to all employment checks being satisfactory in relation to safer recruitment.

p.6

Recommendations

 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. This specifically relates to all the necessary steps being taken by the registered person when a child makes a complaint. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 22, paragraph 4.13)  The registered person should ensure that any consequences used to address poor behaviour are restorative in nature, to help children recognise the impact of their behaviour on themselves, other children, the staff caring for them and the wider

p.7

Recommendations

community. In some cases, it will be important for children to make reparation in some form to anyone hurt by their behaviour, and the staff in the home should be skilled to support the child to understand this and carry it out. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 46, paragraph 9.38)

p.7

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: SC489970 8

p.7

Children’s home details

Registered provider: United Children’s Services Limited

p.8

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: The Old Coach House, Drinsey Nook, Lincoln, Nottinghamshire LN1 2JJ

p.8

Inspector

Chris Haines, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC489970 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.

p.8

Inspector

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.9

Inspector

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.9

Inspector

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.9