Children's home run by Empower Residentials Limited

Inspection report for children’s home: 2779972 1 Registered provider: Empower Residentials Limited

p.1

Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

This home is part of a private organisation and offers care for up to three children. The provider states in the home’s statement of purpose that care is provided for children with social, emotional and learning difficulties. At the time of this inspection, one child was living in the home.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

This home registered with Ofsted on 30 April 2024. In accordance with the social care common inspection framework, this inspection was carried out shortly after registration following the departure of the registered manager. A new manager has been appointed but has not yet started in post. The responsible individual supported this inspection.

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

p.1

requires improvement to be good

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

p.1

requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

p.1

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.

p.1

requires improvement to be good

Date of last inspection: Not previously inspected

p.1

requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable

p.1

requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: not applicable Inspection report children’s home: 2779972 2

p.1

improvement to be good

The child’s move to the home was carefully planned and included visits from managers and staff in addition to teatime visits for the child to the home. The child is supported to develop trusting relationships with the adults who look after them.

p.2

improvement to be good

Despite this positive start, the child’s needs are not fully understood and sometimes this makes it difficult for staff to be able to respond to their distress. Consequences for the child’s behaviours are not always trauma-informed or proportionate to the behaviour. The child does not have access to advocacy and does not have a clear understanding of how to make a complaint.

p.2

improvement to be good

Discussions with the child take place regularly and cover a wide range of subjects. There are some good examples of staff using positive praise and encouragement. However, records of these discussions are not always in depth and do not include actions to support the child with further exploration of feelings or behaviours.

p.2

improvement to be good

The child’s health needs are not consistently met. The child is not able to access all of the services prescribed to them and there is not enough challenge from leaders and managers to address this.

p.2

improvement to be good

The home is decorated to a high standard and is welcoming and homely. There is a large, well-kept garden with play equipment and the child is encouraged to be involved in the ongoing development of this outdoor space. There are pictures, photos, artwork and matching soft furnishings throughout the house. The child’s bedroom is personalised and decorated in line with their tastes.

p.2

improvement to be good

Staff ensure that children’s educational needs are met, and they support the child to attend school. Staff ensure that the child has a range of social and recreational activities which also complement their education, such as horse riding, youth groups and home- based art and craft projects.

p.2

improvement to be good

Staff understand the importance that the child places on spending meaningful time with their loved ones. Staff take time to understand a child’s family network and regularly speak to family to support the time that the child spends with their family to be a positive experience. Family members are welcome to visit the home. As part of these arrangements, they are able to sleep over. This helps to ensure that the child enjoys significant, valuable time with people who are important to them. Inspection report children’s home: 2779972 3

p.2

improvement to be good

Staff are not always clear on the most effective ways to minimise risk and respond to the child’s distress. This means that the staff are not always able to keep the child safe. There are several plans which describe risk and ways to reduce harm, but it is not clear which plan should be followed. As a result, staff are not always clear on the use of restrictions or de-escalation methods to keep the child as safe as possible.

p.3

improvement to be good

Restraint is used at times to safeguard the child from harming themselves or others. Records do not thoroughly describe the incident or de-escalation techniques used by staff prior to the restraint. Managers have some oversight of the incident reports but there is limited learning identified to prevent further incidents and reduce harm.

p.3

improvement to be good

Staff are not always proactive in preventing the child from leaving the home and return home interviews are not being completed. After the child leaves the home, missing-from- home protocols are understood and followed. Staff are persistent in their attempts to keep the child in line of sight and involve other agencies appropriately. Staff understand the child’s vulnerabilities and are further developing their understanding of when they may be upset or distressed.

p.3

improvement to be good

The child says that they feel safe in the home and trusts the adults who look after them. Safeguarding concerns and complaints are understood and responded to in a timely way. When safeguarding concerns are raised about staff’s practice, action is taken to help keep the child safe. Concerns are shared with the relevant professionals and actions and outcomes are agreed. Feedback is provided to the child so that they know they are being protected from harm. Safer recruitment is robust and followed for all newly recruited staff, including agency staff.

p.3

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

A manager was in post and registered at the time this home opened. They have since left the organisation. A new manager has been appointed but not yet started work in the home or begun registration with Ofsted.

p.3

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

Weaknesses in leadership and management have had a negative impact on the child’s overall experiences and progress and undermine their safety and well-being. Leaders and managers have not always provided the child with consistency of care. Since the registered managers departure, the responsible individual has been overseeing the home. They understand the areas of weakness and have appropriate plans in place to address them. Many improvements are in the early stages of development and require time to embed.

p.3

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

Supervision has been taking place frequently for most staff. Most supervision sessions do not demonstrate reflection or challenge about staff practice to help improve the quality of care. There is a lack of measurable actions to progress improvements and there is Inspection report children’s home: 2779972 4 little oversight of training. Consequently, there are gaps in training and not all staff have the appropriate skills and experience to meet the child’s needs. More recently, supervision is stronger in its quality and recording and shows oversight of staff practice and training.

p.3

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

Managers ensure that the case file is up to date but there are examples of dual systems being used. This is confusing for staff and impacts on their ability to care for the child.

p.4

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

Team meetings have not taken place regularly. When team meetings have taken place, they have not always been recorded consistently and there is a lack of oversight, discussion and direction on the part of leaders and managers. However, there has been an improvement in very recent team meetings and there is some evidence of strong oversight.

p.4

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

Leaders and managers take appropriate action regarding shortfalls and poor practice. Timely investigations and dismissal of staff have led to improvements in the staff’s morale and ability to focus on the child. Professionals and family have praised leaders and managers for their action in addressing concerns. Inspection report children’s home: 2779972 5

p.4

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.5

Requirement Due date

The children’s views, wishes and feelings standard is that children receive care from staff who—

p.5

Requirement Due date

develop positive relationships with them;

p.5

Requirement Due date

take their views, wishes and feelings into account in relation to matters affecting the children’s care and welfare and their lives.

p.5

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

p.5

Requirement Due date

ensure that an explanation is given to each child as soon as reasonably practicable after the child’s arrival about—

p.5

Requirement Due date

how to make a complaint or representations in relation to the home or the care the child receives and how any such complaint or representations will be dealt with. (Regulation 7 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(b)(iii)(d)(ii)

p.5

Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person should ensure that each child is aware of their right to make a complaint and have access to independent advocacy. 8 August 2024

p.5

Requirement Due date

The health and well-being standard is that—

p.5

Requirement Due date

the health and well-being needs of children are met;

p.5

Requirement Due date

children receive advice, services and support in relation to their health and well-being; and 8 August 2024 Inspection report children’s home: 2779972 6 children are helped to lead healthy lifestyles.

p.5

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

p.6

Requirement Due date

that each child has access to such dental, medical, nursing, psychiatric and psychological advice, treatment and other services as the child may require. (Regulation 10 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(c))

p.6

Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person should ensure that each child has access to appropriate mental health services.

p.6

Requirement Due date

The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

p.6

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

p.6

Requirement Due date

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

p.6

Requirement Due date

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(v)(vi))

p.6

Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person should ensure that staff understand plans to keep each child safe, and take appropriate action in response to risk. 8 August 2024

p.6

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—

p.6

Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

p.6

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

p.6

Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child; 26 September 2024 Inspection report children’s home: 2779972 7 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;

p.6

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)(c)(f)(h))

p.7

Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person should ensure that there is an appropriately qualified registered manager and staff team in place; in addition, the registered person should ensure that there are systems in place to monitor and improve practice.

p.7

Requirement Due date

The registered person must prepare and implement a policy (“the behaviour management policy”) which sets out—

p.7

Requirement Due date

how appropriate behaviour is to be promoted in the children’s home; and

p.7

Requirement Due date

the measures of control, discipline and restraint which may be used in relation to children in the home.

p.7

Requirement Due date

The registered person must keep the behaviour management policy under review and, where appropriate, revise it. (Regulation 35 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2))

p.7

Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person should ensure that staff are clear about the use of restraint to protect each child. 8 August 2024

p.7

Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that when a child returns to the home after being missing from care or away from the home without permission, the responsible local authority provides an opportunity for the child to have an independent return home interview. Homes should take account of information provided by such interviews when assessing risks and putting arrangements in place to protect each child. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 45, paragraph 9.30) Inspection report children’s home: 2779972 8

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 children’s home: 2779972 9

p.8

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Empower Residentials Limited

p.9

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Unit 2, Prockters Farm, West Monkton, Taunton, Somerset TA2 8QN

p.9

Inspectors

Stacey Pellow, Social Care Inspector Nicola Lownds, His Majesty’s Inspector Inspection report children’s home: 2779972 10 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.9

Inspectors

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.

p.10

Inspectors

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.10

Inspectors

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

p.10

Inspectors

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

p.10