Children's Home run by Care 4 Every Child Limited in Salford

Inspection report children's home: 2590699 1 Registered provider: Care 4 Every Child 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

The home is operated by a private organisation and is registered to care for four children who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection four children were living at the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has been registered with Ofsted since 16 May 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

Date of last inspection: 11 October 2023

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children's home: 2590699 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

11/10/2023 Full Good 31/05/2022 Full Good 02/11/2021 Interim Sustained effectiveness 11/05/2021 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report children's home: 2590699 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

No children have moved in or out of the home since the last inspection. During the inspection all of the children were spoken to.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children live in a homely environment that is decorated to a good standard. Minor repairs to the home were identified at the inspection. Specifically, uneven floorboards on the first-floor hallway and in one child’s bedroom. These were quickly addressed by the manager. Children’s bedrooms are styled in a manner that reflects their personal choices.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children receive care from nurturing and supportive staff, who listen and provide them with positivity and guidance. For example, children are greeted with a hug when they return from school and receive positive praise for their achievements. Predictable caregiving contributes to children learning to trust staff and speak about their feelings. A social worker commented, ‘[Name of the child] has excellent relationships with staff. They have been really settled.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children continue to make good progress from their starting points. Staff have a good understanding of children’s specific physical and emotional health needs. For example, a focus on healthy eating and building children’s confidence and self-esteem, has resulted in a reduction in weight for one child and their increased involvement in community social activities.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children benefit from time with their family. This is carefully assessed by managers and staff to ensure that measures are in place to keep them safe. Leaders and managers have good relationships with children’s family, which helps family time to be a positive experience for children. A family member said, ‘They are nice people. They bring [name of the child] to me for contact and collect them.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children learn the importance of education. Staff work effectively with education professionals to ensure that when there are challenges for children in education, they receive the necessary support to help them remain in school. Consequently, children’s attendance is high, and they have opportunities to learn and develop with their peers.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s wishes and feelings are routinely considered and acted on. Children confirm they regularly take part in activities of their choice. These include horse riding, dancing, rugby, and cubs. Children develop their knowledge and skills from these positive experiences. During the inspection one child spoke confidently about common health conditions for horses and how these can be managed. Inspection report children's home: 2590699 4

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

The response to children going missing from home is good. Detailed missing from home protocols guide staff practice when searching for children. Leaders, managers and staff use support from the police to widen the search so children’s time away from home, and risks associated with this are reduced. Children are welcomed by caring staff when they return, which lets them know they are valued.

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

Staff are trained to use restraint practice safely. Incident records demonstrate that children are restrained in response to concerns about their welfare and only when various de-escalation techniques have been ineffective. Children are encouraged to talk about the incident with someone who was not part of the hold. Reflective staff debriefs are included in the managers rigorous review to ensure that lessons learnt improve staff practice. However, records do not include details of when debriefs happen.

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

There is an effective response to allegations made by children. Leaders and managers follow the home’s safeguarding procedures in line with regulations. Information about the allegation is shared with safeguarding professionals to ensure that a fair and transparent investigation is conducted. Children are told about the outcome of the investigation so that they know staff take their worries seriously.

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

Safety plans are influenced by staff knowledge of children’s behaviours and known strategies that are effective. However, children have door alarms on their bedroom doors even though the use of these is not reviewed or considered as part of their individual risk management plans.

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

Leaders, managers and staff understand their role and responsibilities to safeguard children. When necessary, measures such as room searches are used to protect children from further harm. Details of the search are well documented and evidence consultation with the child.

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

Safe and effective recruitment processes help to safeguard children. Since the last inspection, leaders and managers have improved their pre-employment checks to identify concerns about the conduct of candidates when previously working with vulnerable people. This reduces the risk of children being cared for by staff who may compromise their safety and wellbeing.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is suitably qualified and experienced. He is a strong advocate for children and demonstrates that he is ambitious for them to reach their full potential. Staff speak highly of his leadership.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager provides a supportive environment for staff, who praised the manager for his helpful and encouraging leadership style. Staff routinely receive practice led supervision. The manager uses this forum to discuss the positive work staff do with Inspection report children's home: 2590699 5 children and address any areas of improvement. This increases staff morale and confidence to complete their role well.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Training, development and induction activities are effective. A new member of staff said they feel supported and have had opportunities to take part in shadowing activities. There is a comprehensive training programme for new and established members of staff. However, not all staff have completed needs led training in respect of one child, to ensure that they have additional skills to support the child effectively.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Some of the children’s placing authority plans require updating. Leaders and managers have not been able to demonstrate that they have effectively challenged partners to ensure that they have access to plans that reflect children’s current care needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders, managers and staff have high aspirations for children. They speak positively about children’s achievements and share their pride in children’s successes with them. Children are supported to make positive contributions to society. For example, one child volunteers at a stable for horses. Another child organised a fund-raising activity to raise money for their cubs group. This helps children develop their self-esteem.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager understands the importance of staffing stability. Consequently, children are looked after by a team of staff that understand their needs and routines. Staff absences are covered by bank staff who have established relationships with children and can provide consistent care. This helps children feel safe.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The managers oversight of the day to day running of the home is good. Incidents are reviewed to ensure that staff actions are appropriate and help children. Debriefs routinely take place with staff to consider any further learning needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has developed good networks with partners. Significant events related to the welfare and protection of children are shared with the appropriate authorities. The manager responds quickly to safeguarding concerns, such as disclosures, to avoid delays in action being taken to safeguard children. Inspection report children's home: 2590699 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, 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 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

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child. Regulation 13 (1) (a) (b) (2) (c)).

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Requirement Due date

This relates to leaders and managers ensuring that staff complete needs led training. 15 August 2024

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Requirement Due date

The registered person may only use devices for the monitoring or surveillance of children if—

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Requirement Due date

the monitoring or surveillance is for the purpose of safeguarding and promoting the welfare of the child concerned, or other children;

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Requirement Due date

the child's placing authority consents in writing to the monitoring or surveillance;

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Requirement Due date

so far as reasonably practicable in the light of the child's age and understanding, the child is informed in advance of the intention to do the monitoring or surveillance; and

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Requirement Due date

the monitoring or surveillance is no more intrusive than necessary, having regard to the child's need for privacy.

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Requirement Due date

This regulation is subject to any monitoring or surveillance requirements imposed by a court. Regulation 24 (1) (a) (b) (c) (d) (2)). 15 August 2024 Inspection report children's home: 2590699 7 Specifically, leaders and managers must ensure that the use of alarms on children's bedrooms are regularly reviewed.

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Requirement Due date

Furthermore, leaders and managers must ensure that they consider whether the use of bedroom alarms are necessary and meet the criteria set out in legislation.

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that debriefs with the child and staff following a physical intervention, include the date when the debrief took place. ('Guide to the Children's Homes Regulations, including the quality standards', page 50, paragraph 9.60)

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that when children’s placing authority documents are not received within the correct timescales, they escalate their concerns to the relevant persons within the placing authority. ('Guide to the Children's Homes Regulations, including the quality standards', page 11, paragraph 2.3)

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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 children's home: 2590699 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Care 4 Every Child Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Library Chambers, 48 Union Street, Hyde SK14 1ND

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Angela Hodgkinson

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Inspector

Chibuzo Otache, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children's home: 2590699 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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