Children's Home run by The Partnership of Care Today in Wolverhampton

Inspection report for children’s home: SC390576 1 SC390576 Registered provider: The Partnership of Care Today

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

A large private company owns the home. The home provides care for up to four children who have experienced childhood instability, resulting in trauma and associated complex behaviours.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in December 2022 and holds a level 5 diploma in leadership and management for residential childcare.

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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: good

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC390576 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

14/06/2023 Full Good 01/03/2023 Full Requires improvement to be good 30/06/2021 Full Good 12/12/2019 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: SC390576 3

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improvement to be good

There were four children living in the home at the time of the inspection, and all four were present and spoken to.

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improvement to be good

Children have made some progress since the last inspection. However, some safeguarding arrangements and management systems require improvement. Consequently, shortfalls in these systems have had an impact on children’s overall experiences of living in the home.

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improvement to be good

Overall, some areas of the home are homely and welcoming for children. Children’s bedrooms are personalised and suitable to meet their individual interests. However, there are areas in the home and the garden that require some improvement and maintenance. There is also excessive fire signage on display. This has the potential to undermine the home’s ethos and create an institutionalised feeling.

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improvement to be good

Since the last inspection, two children have moved in, and two children have left the home. The transitions were managed well and both children moving in were able to visit and meet the staff before they moved in. Consequently, they felt reassured and settled well into the home.

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improvement to be good

Staff use their positive relationships with children to ensure that children’s views, wishes and feelings are captured well. This is done through direct work, one-to-one conversations and well-planned meetings. Children were positive about the home, the staff and the care they receive. One child said, ‘I trust [name of staff] and am close to her.’ Another said they rated the home ‘eight out of 10’ and that ‘it was a good place to live’.

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improvement to be good

Children’s education outcomes are good. Staff promote and support children to do well at school. For example, two children are awaiting their GCSE results and are applying for apprenticeships and work. Two other children are in education and making progress. These outcomes help children to feel that they are achieving, and they grow in confidence.

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improvement to be good

Staff support children’s health needs well. They encourage children to attend health appointments. Furthermore, staff work effectively with professionals to ensure that children have access to specialist health support, which promotes and supports their emotional well-being and sexual health. Medication is stored safely, and records are kept on the administration of medication.

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improvement to be good

Children are supported to spend time with their families and friends when it is safe to do so. Staff encourage and welcome children’s friends into the home. Children regularly spend time with, and see, the important people in their lives. Inspection report for children’s home: SC390576 4

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improvement to be good

Children who go missing from care and have free time in the community are not always safeguarded effectively. Staff do not consistently use professional curiosity when children are out of the home or take action to reduce children’s risks. Management oversight of some of the incidents has not been effective and the registered manager has not always supported staff to reflect and learn from incidents. These shortfalls have the potential to compromise children’s safety.

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improvement to be good

Tailored risk assessments help to inform staff about the issues pertinent to each child. However, risk assessments do not reflect all known risks, or provide staff with clarity on the actions they should take. Consequently, staff are not informed of all risks, or the actions they should take to protect children.

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improvement to be good

Systems to safeguard children at risk of exploitation are inconsistent. For example, following an increase in incidents relating to one child going missing, substance misuse and child exploitation, staff and leaders did not assess the risks effectively or make changes to reduce these risks. In contrast, on other occasions, staff did act to safeguard children. Staff engage children in direct safety work about the risks of exploitation. They have attended multi-agency meetings and shared intelligence with the police and local authority. Inconsistent staff approaches have the potential to leave children vulnerable.

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improvement to be good

Despite some of the above shortfalls, all children said that they feel safe. Staff use their positive relationships with children to manage and de-escalate any significant incidents. As a result, there have not been any incidents requiring physical restraint since the last inspection. Consequences are rarely used, and children understand boundaries and know what is expected of them.

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improvement to be good

Leaders respond effectively when children disclose sensitive information relating to their experiences. They work with and notify the relevant professionals, and take action when there are concerns about staff practice. Children are spoken to, updated and provided with outcomes to the information they have shared. This approach means that children feel reassured by staff and leaders during times when their vulnerability increases.

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improvement to be good

Staff ensure that systems are in place for managing children’s use of the internet safely. For example, a system is used that allows parental controls to be implemented to ensure that children access age-appropriate material. In addition, staff conduct checks of children’s devices if they have any concerns for children’s welfare. These actions help children to access the internet to communicate with their friends in a safe way.

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

The registered manager is suitably qualified to lead the home. At the time of the inspection, she was on leave and the inspection was led by the home’s trainee manager and a senior manager in the company. Inspection report for children’s home: SC390576 5 Management oversight and monitoring of children’s care requires improvement. For example, the registered manager submitted their six-month review of the quality of care at the home to Ofsted. However, this report lacked evaluation and analysis of safeguarding incidents, and failed to provide a good overview of the care that children receive. In addition, the management team has failed to notify Ofsted of three significant safeguarding incidents involving children. As a result, Ofsted is not routinely updated about children’s care and safety.

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

An independent person has conducted external monitoring of the home every month. The visits do not fully focus on improving the home. For example, the independent person’s monitoring has failed to identify improvements in safeguarding and leadership systems. Furthermore, the independent person does not regularly speak to all children and seek their feedback. Consequently, external monitoring systems do not improve the quality of care for children.

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

The registered manager ensures that the home is suitably staffed. Staff feel supported and speak positively about the home. Staff remain working in the home and staff retention is good. As a result, children receive care from staff who know them well.

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

Regular staff meetings take place and staff receive supervision. Staff receive training that supports them in their roles. All staff are qualified to level 3 in residential childcare or are working towards the qualification within the regulatory timescale.

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

The staff and registered manager have established good working relationships with a range of agencies and external professionals who are involved in children’s care. Staff work closely with social workers, missing from home support workers, youth offending staff and the police. One social worker said that they were very happy with one child’s progress since living at the home and that the ‘family unit’ created by staff has helped the child to settle. Inspection report for children’s home: SC390576 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; and

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Requirement Due date

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm. (Regulation 12(1)(2)(a)(i)(iii))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that staff are equipped with the skills to assess children’s risks effectively and take action to reduce risks to children.

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Requirement Due date

Additionally, the registered manager must ensure that staff are provided with clear guidance and specific strategies to implement to keep children safe. 29 August 2024

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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

lead and manage the home in a way that is consistent with the approach and ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set out in the home’s statement of purpose; and 29 August 2024 Inspection report for children’s home: SC390576 7 use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13(1)(a)(b)(2)(a)(h))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that they have clear monitoring and review systems in place to identify shortfalls, improve practice and understand the impact the home has on children’s progress and experiences. The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if—

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Requirement Due date

a child is involved in or subject to, or is suspected of being involved in or subject to, sexual exploitation;

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Requirement Due date

an incident requiring police involvement occurs in relation to a child which the registered person considers to be serious; and

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Requirement Due date

there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40(4)(a)(b)(e))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that they notify Ofsted of serious incidents that relate to the exploitation of children and matters that involve police assistance. 29 August 2024

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that an independent person visits the children’s home at least once each month.

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Requirement Due date

When the independent person is carrying out a visit, the registered person must help the independent person—

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Requirement Due date

if they consent, to interview in private such of the children, their parents, relatives and persons working at the home as the independent person requires.

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Requirement Due date

The independent person’s report may recommend actions that the registered person may take in relation to the home and timescales within which the registered person must consider whether or not to take those actions. (Regulation 44(1)(2)(a)(5))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the independent person’s oversight of children’s safeguarding must be robust, and reports should provide relevant actions that the registered person may take to improve the quality of care received by children in the home. The independent person must ensure that they make attempts to 29 August 2024 Inspection report for children’s home: SC390576 8 speak to or seek feedback from all children living in the home on a regular basis. The registered person must complete a review of the quality of care provided for children ("a quality of care review") at least once every 6 months.

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Requirement Due date

In order to complete a quality of care review the registered person must establish and maintain a system for monitoring, reviewing and evaluating—

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Requirement Due date

the quality of care provided for children;

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Requirement Due date

the feedback and opinions of children about the children’s home, its facilities and the quality of care they receive in it; and

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Requirement Due date

any actions that the registered person considers necessary in order to improve or maintain the quality of care provided for children.

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Requirement Due date

The system referred to in paragraph (2) must provide for ascertaining and considering the opinions of children, their parents, placing authorities and staff. (Regulation 45(1)(2)(a)(b)(c)(5))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered manager must ensure that they effectively assess and review the quality of care provided to children in the home, with an emphasis on providing a review of children’s safety in the home. The review should also use feedback provided by children and the important people involved in children’s lives to make improvements to the care that children receive. 29 August 2024

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that the children’s home is a nurturing and supportive environment that meets the needs of their children. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9).

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Information about this inspection

Inspection report for children’s home: SC390576 9 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: SC390576 10

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: The Partnership of Care Today

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 2nd Floor, Lansdowne House, 85 Buxton Road, Stockport, Cheshire SK2 6LR

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Inspector

Dean Wilton, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC390576 11 and inspects to 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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