Children's Home run by SureCare Residential Limited – The White Trees Group in Essex

Inspection report for children’s home: 2661812 1 Registered provider: SureCare Residential Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is privately owned and provides care for up to five children who experience social and emotional difficulties and/or have learning disabilities. At the time of this inspection, four children were living at the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in March 2023.

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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: 2661812 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

02/08/2023 Full Requires improvement to be good 21/06/2022 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2661812 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

At the time of this inspection, four children were living at the home. All the children were present during the inspection and spoke with the inspector. Since the last full inspection in August 2023, no children have moved into the home and no children have moved on.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff provide high levels of supervision to manage children’s complex behaviours. Staff understand the risks that children face. They have developed trusting relationships with children, which helps children feel able to express their wishes and feelings. Children happily talk to staff about the issues that affect them because they know that staff will offer advice and support.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

One child has recently refused to attend school. Staff have been exceptionally proactive in supporting the child to explore the reasons for this. Staff are engaged with the child and their social worker to consider the child either attending college or applying for a job. One of the older children is going to college in the autumn term. To support the child’s move to a more adult-based environment, the tutor has been visiting the home each week to get to know the child. This has meant that related visits to the college have been positive and enjoyable for the child, and they are looking forward to attending full time.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children actively seek out staff to spend time with them. There is an air of mutual love and respect in the home. Children know that they can trust the staff and they spend time developing humorous relationships with them. Staff enjoy listening to what children have to say. Children have a sense of belonging and enthusiastically contribute their thoughts about how the home should be run. This helps to support change in the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff help children to spend time with their families and friends whenever possible. They also support significant occasions so that children maintain close relationships with the people they care about and who are important to them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Partnership working between staff in the home and professionals associated with the children is very positive. Managers and staff encourage children to attend or contribute in writing to care meetings. They ensure that the voice of the child is represented and clearly heard. A social worker described the progress for the child they work with as ‘phenomenal’. He said that the manager and staff team are a good network around the child.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home benefits from a large rear garden with an elevated decking area. However, some parts of the decking need to be swept and kept clean so that there are no trip hazards. Where wooden rails are deteriorating, they should be replaced to keep children safe. Inspection report for children’s home: 2661812 4

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

When children make allegations, staff respond consistently. They understand their responsibilities and share any incidents with the allocated social worker. Leaders and managers have worked closely with a child’s social worker to devise an effective safety plan to manage allegations. The social worker provided positive feedback on how he and the staff were able to maintain effective safeguards and to work thoughtfully with the child. Sensitive work by staff ensures that children understand how safeguarding is part of the protective network around them.

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

Incidents of children going missing from the home are rare. When this happens, staff respond using agreed protocols and procedures. Children know that staff will look for them. When incidents have occurred, therapeutic conversations are held with children to help them understand why staff were worried. Staff request return home conversations for children with their social workers.

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

Restraint is used only when necessary and it is a considered and proportionate response. Staff have conversations with children about restraint so that they know what to expect. Staff provide an understanding for children of behaviour management strategies to help develop a relationship of trust in what could be an overwhelming experience.

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

Staff receive training that helps them to work with children who have experienced high levels of trauma and who may engage in risky behaviour. Behaviour plans are individually tailored for children by staff who understand them and know how to manage incidents of high emotion. When staff see a child becoming anxious or upset, they respond with care and empathy.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager is suitably qualified in leadership and management. The manager is focused on the children’s progress and is a true advocate for them. His warm nature and positive modelling help children to feel safe and secure. The manager spends quality time with children when they return from school. Children look for him to talk about their day and to share their experiences.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff have regular reflective individual and group supervision meetings. These are valued by staff and provide the opportunity to talk about the children, any concerns and professional development. Leaders use scenario-based training in team meetings, which staff enjoy. This supports staff to consistently meet children’s needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and staff are trained to recognise the benefits of a therapeutic model. There is a well-being lead who meets with staff to help them have a better understanding of trauma and how it influences the function of the brain. This assists staff to develop strategies that work with trauma-affected children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers have high aspirations for children. They provide them with experiences and opportunities that they may not have had before. Two of the children Inspection report for children’s home: 2661812 5 recently had driving lessons at a taster day for children under the age of 14, which they loved. One child, a fan of ‘Doctor Who’, attended a comic convention where they met An actor who has played Doctor Who. These experiences have a significant and lasting impact on children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Internal monitoring continues to provide a detailed and comprehensive overview of the home. Monthly reviews by senior managers contribute to the overall picture of the progress of the home. The manager is dedicated to drive improvements so that children continue to thrive.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff have not ensured that sensitive conversations with children take place confidentially. One child was spoken to in the dining room about their personal relationships. This led to other children hearing a conversation that could add to their own trauma and did not consider the privacy of the child being spoken to. Inspection report for children’s home: 2661812 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

help each child to understand how to keep safe;

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Requirement Due date

understand the roles and responsibilities in relations to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person;

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Requirement Due date

are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(v) vii))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that staff choose an appropriate time and place to have in-depth personal discussions with children who they know are trauma affected and could be adversely affected by the conversation. 5 July 2024

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that the outside area of the home is suitably maintained to create a more welcoming space that is free of hazards. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9) Inspection report for children’s home: 2661812 7

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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: 2661812 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: SureCare Residential Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: The Old Snap Factory, Twyford Road, Bishop’s Stortford CM23 3LJ

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Inspector

Trudy Potter, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2661812 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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