Children's Home run by Five Rivers Child Care Limited in Somerset

Inspection report for children's home: 2642842 1 Registered provider: Five Rivers Child Care Limited

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is owned by a private provider and offers care for up to three children with social and emotional difficulties. At the time of this inspection, two children under the age of 10 were living in the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has been registered with Ofsted since 19 February 2024.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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requires improvement to be good

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

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requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

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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.

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children's home: 2642842 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

06/06/2023 Full Requires improvement to be good 07/03/2023 Full Requires improvement to be good 24/01/2022 Full Good Inspection report for children's home: 2642842 3

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improvement to be good

The children who live in this home do have some notable positive experiences. However, improvements are needed in safeguarding and the management of risk in the home. The shortfalls identified in these areas impact negatively on the overall effectiveness judgement.

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improvement to be good

Children like living at this home and have good relationships with the staff. Staff care about the children and speak about them with love and affection. Staff help children to express their views and take these views into account in the development of the home.

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improvement to be good

Children take part in a very wide range of activities that they enjoy. There were clear plans in place for the summer holiday, when children will go on day trips and on individual holidays. Children proudly talked about their gymnastic skills and experiences at the local bike track.

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improvement to be good

Staff understand children’s individual needs and help them to make progress. Children are developing their social skills and age-appropriate independence skills and are learning how to recognise and express their emotions safely.

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improvement to be good

Children’s plans are current and reflect their needs. While these plans provide staff with a lot of information, they are very long, which reduces their effectiveness as working documents. Reviewing the effectiveness of these plans was raised as a recommendation at the previous inspection but has yet to be addressed by leaders and managers.

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improvement to be good

With children’s input, staff have provided them with a comfortable, well-furnished home. Plans are progressing for the fitting of a new kitchen and new windows. Children’s bedrooms are personalised spaces which the children love. The ample outside space has a range of play equipment for children and areas for the children to grow their own fruit and vegetables.

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improvement to be good

Safeguarding practices require improvement. One safeguarding event has not been recorded appropriately or reported as required. In addition, when a subsequent safeguarding event happened, it was not reported to the required professionals in a timely manner. Failure to report these concerns effectively has meant that the local authority designated officer has not had full information to make an informed decision about the action needed regarding a member of staff’s practice. The provider’s investigation into these concerns was completed and lessons learned have been used to improve practice. Inspection report for children's home: 2642842 4 Behaviour is well managed. Since the last inspection, there have been further reductions in the number of incidents and the use of restraint. Staff support children to recognise and label their emotions, and to develop strategies for managing them. Records of behavioural events are detailed. However, as with some of the home’s other records,

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improvement to be good

they sometimes contain vague and emotive language. This does not help evaluate the event or understand the assessment of the actions taken.

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improvement to be good

The management of risk is variable. Some risk assessments are very detailed and provide clear guidance for staff. However, some events have either not been risk assessed or the potential risks had not been recognised. This could potentially place both children and staff at risk.

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improvement to be good

There are clear processes in place should a child go missing. Due to the age of the children, leaders and managers understand their increased vulnerability. There has been one incident when a child went missing. Lessons learned from this incident have been used to improve staff practice.

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

Since the previous inspection, the manager has registered with Ofsted. The manager has an appropriate understanding of the home’s strengths and areas for development. He has a clear vision for the home and is ambitious for the outcomes for the children and the development of the staff team.

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

The manager advocates for the children. Recent examples of positive practice include ensuring a child was involved in the discussions and decisions about their schooling and potential fostering arrangements. However, when responses from other agencies are lacking, the manager has not ensured he escalates this to ensure appropriate and timely action.

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

A full staff team is in place, meaning temporary agency staff or staff from the provider’s other homes have not been used in recent months. Having a full and stable staff team enhances the quality and consistency of care the children receive.

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

Staff are very positive about working in the home. They say they love their work and feel supported and well trained. Staff receive regular supervision sessions. However, records of these sessions vary in quality. There is a consistent lack of detail about the discussions held or guidance for staff regarding development of their practice. This is particularly important when managers have raised concerns about staff practice.

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

Social workers are positive about the care and support the children they have placed at the home receive. Inspection report for children's home: 2642842 5

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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

In meeting the quality standards, the registered person must, and must ensure that staff—

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Requirement Due date

seek to involve each child’s placing authority effectively in the child’s care, in accordance with the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

seek to secure the input and services required to meet each child’s needs. (Regulation 5 (a)(b)) 27 September 2024

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Requirement Due date

The quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children;

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Requirement Due date

use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential.

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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

provide personalised care that meets each child’s needs, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans, taking account of the child’s background. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(b)(iv))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person should ensure children’s plans are effective working documents that support their development. 27 September 2024

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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. 30 August 2024 Inspection report for children's home: 2642842 6 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

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm;

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare; and

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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)(iii)(v)(vi)(vii))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if—

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Requirement Due date

there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there. (Regulation 40 (4)(c)) 30 August 2024

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure the records of staff supervision sessions are of a good quality and reflect the discussions held. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.3)

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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 for children's home: 2642842 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Five Rivers Child Care Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Five Rivers Childcare, 47 Bedwin Street, Salisbury SP1 3UT

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Timothy-John Matthews

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Inspector

Wendy Anderson, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: 2642842 8 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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