Children's home run by 4TH Care Ltd

Inspection report children's home: 2738777 1 Registered provider: 4TH Care Ltd

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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 home registered in July 2023. No children accessed the service until March 2024. This home is operated by a private organisation. It is registered to provide residential short breaks for children with learning disabilities. Children can attend for short breaks in small groups of up to three children.

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Information about this children's home

There is a permanent registered manager at the home, who is experienced and qualified.

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Information about this children's home

At the time of the inspection, one child was at the home for a short break. This is currently the only child using the service.

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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: not applicable

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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good

An Assurance Inspection took place on 8 March 2024. We did not identify any serious or widespread concerns in relation to the care or protection of children at this inspection. Inspection report children's home: 2738777 2

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child has a good experience when spending time at the home for short breaks. Staff interact with the child in an enthusiastic and attentive way.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Managers have devised care plans for the child that clearly identify their needs and provide staff guidance for providing quality care. The child’s health needs are well understood, and staff have received specialist training. Staff are developing a greater understanding of the child’s methods of communication; this helps staff pre-empt and meet their needs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff help the child to enjoy a variety of activities at the home. For example, sensory- based play with water and slime. Staff have taken the child to spend time at another home to enjoy the space and sensory facilities there. This provided an opportunity to spend time alongside other children. This is also part of the planning for when there are more children at the home, to assist the child to adjust to this change.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff are creative in helping the child to make choices. For example, food choices at the supermarket. The manager also gave the child a choice of blankets to purchase for the home. The child values the blanket and gains comfort from this during their breaks. Staff encourage the child to work towards targets that promote development of their independence skills, in line with their ability.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Managers and staff have built a trusted relationship with the child’s parents. Managers have listened to initial feedback from parents, about their communication being inconsistent. The parent is now happy and confident in entrusting the care of their child for short breaks, describing the staff as ‘amazing’.

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

Staff understand the child’s risks and vulnerabilities. Staff supervise the child in line with care plans and are vigilant about their safety and well-being. Staff provide clear direction to the child, so they are developing an understanding of what is expected of them.

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

Staff are calm and consistent in their approach. As a result, the child seeks out their company and interaction for sensory input and affection.

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

Staff act promptly to de-escalate the child's anxieties using planned strategies. As a result, the child is helped to remain calm and settled. Managers review the child’s records and update care plans with new strategies for staff to utilise when appropriate.

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

Health and safety is well managed at the home. As a result, the home is a safe space. External fire and health and safety assessments are commissioned, and the manager has ensured that all required actions are completed. The manager ensures that safety checks Inspection report children's home: 2738777 3 The manager and staff are motivated to help children have fun and enjoy new experiences at the home. are made each week, despite the home currently only operational for minimal periods of time.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has a clear vision for the service to provide good quality short breaks to children. The manager is now being well supported by the wider organisation to develop the service to become fully operational.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home is significantly understaffed which prevents them from providing short breaks to more than one child currently. Staff retention at the home has been poor. Waking night care currently must be provided by a staff member from another home. There was an occasion where a short break was cancelled at short notice due to staffing availability.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The provider is taking action to address recruitment and retention of staff. The manager ensures that familiar staff are present to care for the child during their short breaks.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff at the home have completed or are working through the required training. Training is enhanced by the clinical lead and equips staff well for their roles. However, there is only the manager who has completed training in a specific communication tool. The current child does not use this specific form of communication. However, given the specialism of the home this is a shortfall.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff are in receipt of regular supervision. The manager seeks feedback from the managers of other homes where staff are working, and also visits them there. As a result, the manager has good oversight of staff wellbeing and development.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager and staff are working in partnership with the family and are part of the child’s multi-agency team. For example, the home has provided additional day care for over the summer holiday byworking with the commissioning authority. Inspection report children's home: 2738777 4

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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 promotes their welfare.

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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 the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(d))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that the home has a permanent staff team. 27 September 2024

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that staff can access appropriate facilities and resources to support their training needs and should understand the key role they play in the training and development of staff in the home. Specifically, ensuring that staff are trained in communication tools specific to the needs of the children. (‘Guide to the Children's Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 53, paragraph 10.11)

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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: 2738777 5

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Children's home details

Registered provider address: 115-119, C/O Erdingsworth Business & Tax Advisors Ltd Unit, Fort Dunlop Fort Parkway, Birmingham B24 9FE

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Inspector

Alison Snell, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children's home: 2738777 6 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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