Children's Home run by T-Junction Children’s Services in Leicestershire

Inspection report for children’s home: 2495951 1 Registered provider: T-Junction Children’s Services Ltd

p.1

Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

This home is owned by a private provider. It provides care for up to three children who may experience social and emotional difficulties due to adverse childhood experiences. One child was living in the home at the time of inspection.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The home is led by an experienced registered manager.

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

Overall judgement at last inspection: inadequate

p.1

Enforcement action since last inspection:

Following the last full inspection, a compliance notice was set under regulation 12 (the protection of children standard). At a monitoring visit in June 2024, it was deemed that sufficient progress had been made and the compliance notice was met. Inspection report for children’s home: 2495951 2

p.1

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

03/04/2024 Full Inadequate 23/05/2023 Full Good 28/09/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good 20/06/2022 Full Inadequate Inspection report for children’s home: 2495951 3

p.2

improvement to be good

Since the last inspection, one child has moved into the home.

p.3

improvement to be good

The child experienced a positive transition into the home. Leaders and managers developed a comprehensive and child-focused transition plan with external professionals. The staff have built positive relationships with the child in a timely manner. This has supported the child to settle quickly and experience a period of stability.

p.3

improvement to be good

The manager and staff supported a successful transition by developing relationships with partner agencies and the child’s family before they moved in. This allowed the staff to understand the child’s likes and dislikes. Staff have encouraged the child to explore activities and hobbies. This has resulted in the child having a variety of positive experiences. It has also supported the child to make friends outside of the home and develop confidence and increased independence skills.

p.3

improvement to be good

As the child has recently moved to the home, they are not yet in education. The manager has proactively registered the child with local health services. However, the child does not yet have their required specialist services in place and is awaiting these services being transferred to the local area. Furthermore, the placement planning meeting, care planning meeting and social work visits to the child have been delayed. While managers attribute this shortfall to the local authority, the manager could have taken more pro-active steps to address and challenge these shortfalls.

p.3

improvement to be good

The environment has undergone significant repairs and redecorations, which are nearing completion. This has created a more homely feel. One of the child’s family members advised, ‘The house is spotlessly clean; the home has been done for [the child] and is really nice and welcoming.’ The garden area is also undergoing significant renovation to provide a suitable outdoor space for the child. This remains an area for development.

p.3

improvement to be good

Leaders and managers have ensured that there are always enough staff on duty to ensure that the child receives appropriate supervision and support. The manager is actively recruiting additional staff members as, once the child is settled, the manager will consider another child joining the home. The manager will not consider this until additional staff have been recruited.

p.3

improvement to be good

Risk assessments have been created and are updated following any incidents. As the child is very new to the home, the risk assessments are still embedding as staff get to know the child and identify any emerging or reducing risks. Staff consistently implement and follow risk assessments. As a result, the child has started to receive stable and Inspection report for children’s home: 2495951 4 consistent care, they have settled into the home, and they have developed routines and an understanding of how staff will care for them.

p.3

improvement to be good

Staff have completed training refreshers in all areas, including safeguarding. Staff report finding this beneficial. Staff described this allowing the team to go back to basics and learn new ways of doing things. However, one member of staff has not yet completed the necessary qualification within the required timescales.

p.4

improvement to be good

Staff have used physical interventions, including the use of restraint as a last resort. When physical interventions have been used, the vast majority have been proportionate and appropriate. However, on one occasion, the manager identified, in her oversight, that staff could have considered alternative strategies. Staff learned from this incident following a debrief with the manager.

p.4

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

The manager has increased her oversight in the home and has taken action to strengthen the areas previously identified for development. The members of the staff team are more stable, which allows the manager and deputy manager to focus on leading improvements to meet the child’s needs. Some areas for improvement have been slow to embed. For example, there was a delay in implementing and managing an on- call rota. The responsible individual has now developed an on-call rota to provide clarity for leaders, managers and staff.

p.4

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

Staff receive regular supervision which considers planning for the child and the staff’s own needs and welfare. The manager has introduced developmental supervision to target areas for improvement in staff practice. It is also used to celebrate areas of good practice and encourage career development, although this is not yet fully embedded. The manager receives regular supervision, which supports her own development, care planning for the child and management of the team.

p.4

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

The manager holds regular team meetings. The in-house therapist joins these meetings once a month. Using a joined-up approach, the meeting attendees review and assess the child’s progress and areas where the child requires additional support. As the child is new to the home, it is too soon to see the impact of these meetings.

p.4

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

Staff reported that managers included them in planning for the child to move to the home. This has allowed the staff to feel valued and supported, and prepared for the child to move in. As a result, staff are confident in caring for the child and meeting their needs. Staff and the managers are ambitious for the child to receive a good standard of care.

p.4

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

The independent visitor to the home has not provided sufficient scrutiny to support the manager in identifying areas for development. Inspection report for children’s home: 2495951 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 quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who— understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children; use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential.

p.5

Requirement Due date

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

p.5

Requirement Due date

ensure that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed and furnished so as to—

p.5

Requirement Due date

enable each child to participate in the daily life of the home. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b)(2)(c)(i)(ii))

p.5

Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that improvements required around the home are addressed without delay. 20 September 2024

p.5

Requirement Due date

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

p.5

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; and

p.5

Requirement Due date

to inspect the premises of the home and such of the home’s records (except for a child’s case records, unless the child and the child’s placing authority consent) as the independent person requires. 20 September 2024 Inspection report for children’s home: 2495951 6 The independent person must produce a report about a visit ("the independent person’s report") which sets out, in particular, the independent person’s opinion as to whether—

p.5

Requirement Due date

children are effectively safeguarded; and

p.6

Requirement Due date

the conduct of the home promotes children’s well-being.

p.6

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 (2)(a)(b) (4)(a)(b) (5))

p.6

Requirement Due date

the individual has the appropriate experience, qualification and skills for the work that the individual is to perform;

p.6

Requirement Due date

For the purposes of paragraph (3)(b), an individual who works in the home in a care role has the appropriate qualification if, by the relevant date, the individual has attained—

p.6

Requirement Due date

the Level 3 Diploma for Residential Childcare (England) ("the Level 3 Diploma"); or

p.6

Requirement Due date

a qualification which the registered person considers to be equivalent to the Level 3 Diploma.

p.6

Requirement Due date

in the case of an individual who starts working in a care role in a home after 1st April 2014, the date which falls 2 years after the date on which the individual started working in a care role in a home. (Regulation 32 (3)(b) (4)(a)(b) (5)(a))

p.6

Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all staff are registered on the diploma and complete this within the set timescale. 20 September 2024

p.6

Recommendations

 It is crucial that the home works in close partnership with all those who play a role in protecting and caring for the child, but particularly with the child’s local authority and statutory social worker. The registered person and staff at the home cannot force a relevant person to engage or work productively with them and regulation does not require this. The registered person should evidence what they Inspection report for children’s home: 2495951 7 have done to achieve engagement, including any actions taken to escalate concerns. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 11, paragraph 2.3) Inspection report for children’s home: 2495951 8

p.6

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: 2495951 9

p.8

Children’s home details

Registered provider: T-Junction Children’s Services Ltd

p.9

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 27 The Pastures, Narborough, Leicester LE19 3DS

p.9

Inspector

Caroline Coop, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2495951 10 regulates 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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

p.9

Inspector

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 . 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

Inspector

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

p.10

Inspector

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

p.10