Children's Home run by Stepping Stones Care (Midlands 1) Limited in Staffordshire

Inspection report for children’s home: 2772529 1 Registered provider: Stepping Stones Care (Midlands 1) Limited

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is operated by a private company. It is registered to provide care for three children who have had adverse childhood experiences.

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Information about this children’s home

The home was registered in March 2024 and children moved into the home in April 2024. An experienced, qualified manager is in post and is registered with Ofsted.

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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: not previously inspected

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: not applicable Inspection report for children’s home: 2772529 2

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Two children were living in the home at the time of the inspection. Managers and staff plan well for new children moving into the home. Careful consideration of children’s needs and wishes is central to the process. This helps children and staff to prepare for their move. Children receive a warm welcome, including a hamper, which is a nice touch, and this helps them to settle in.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are positive about the care they receive and can identify trusted staff they can talk to. Staff provide good child-centred care to help children feel secure and safe. Staff talk with affection and pride about children’s achievements, talents and progress. Children enjoy a range of hobbies and interests and have some really positive experiences.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff understand children’s identities and treat children with dignity and respect. They receive training in diversity, specific to children’s individual needs. This enables staff to help children to explore their identity, and staff are sensitive and responsive when they provide this support to them. There is a culture of acceptance and this helps children to develop confidence and flourish.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are in good health and access local universal services. When there is a need for specialist support, the manager will seek to provide this for children. As a result, children’s emotional and physical well-being are promoted.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children continue to attend the same school that they did before moving into the home. This provides them with consistency. Previously, children experienced gaps in their school attendance and learning. Staff are working with the children to address this. They are working collaboratively and creatively with the school to support one child’s attendance, through an agreed start and finish time to avoid episodes of absence through social anxiety.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

A therapeutic approach underpins the care provided to children. Therapeutic clinicians provide weekly support to the children and meet with the staff team monthly. Staff are developing skills which ensure that the children receive a consistent and therapeutic approach to their care.

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

Children feel safe and are safe. Individualised plans and risk assessments outline measures to support staff to manage identified risks. Staff follow the strategies outlined in these plans, which remain under review and are updated to reflect change.

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

When one child moved in, staff needed to use physical intervention frequently during the first month. Restraint is used as a last resort to keep a child safe. Children have the Inspection report for children’s home: 2772529 3 opportunity to talk through what happened and consider how to reduce the likelihood of future occurrences. The child has lived in the home for two months now and restraint incidents have reduced by more than half. This is good progress and the child is developing strategies to self-regulate their emotions. However, there are shortfalls in the recording of some physical interventions because staff do not always include a description of the hold.

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

Positive behaviour is promoted and reinforced by staff. Children receive praise for making positive choices. Staff understand how to implement boundaries for the children, but also understand when their behaviour may be because of anxiety or fear. Staff respond accordingly and are sensitive to children’s needs.

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

There have been no episodes of children going missing since the home opened. Each child has a missing-from-care protocol and staff are confident in how to respond and follow procedure should a child go missing from home.

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

Bedroom door alarms are in use. The use of these alarms is proportionate to the current needs of both children. Social workers were aware of the use of door alarms when children moved into the home, but their consent given in relation to one child was only for four weeks and has now expired.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

A child-focused manager leads the home. She has an exceptional understanding of the children’s experiences, personalities, needs and risks. As this is a new home, the staff team is forming and there have been changes since the home opened, with three staff leaving. Shortfalls in staffing are covered by existing staff or by staff from other homes in the company who are known to the children. This means that, while recruitment is under way, the children receive care from staff that they know.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managers use effective monitoring systems which help them to identify strengths in practice and areas for improvement. For example, managers recognise the importance of building a confident and resilient staff team and the need to support staff with case recording and report writing. Team meetings and good supervision promote staff development and help to bring about change.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff are safely recruited. New staff attend a two-week induction programme and shadow more experienced colleagues working in the home. There is a comprehensive training matrix and staff are expected to complete all mandatory courses within 12 weeks of joining the home. However, not all staff have done so.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home is spacious and well maintained in some areas. However, damage caused in one child’s room to the walls and furniture is yet to be repaired, and the outside of the property is unkempt.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager communicates well with children’s social workers. Both social workers described the sharing of information from the manager about their children as ‘perfect’. Inspection report for children’s home: 2772529 4 In addition, they said that they are happy with the support provided and the progress their children are making.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff strive to build positive relationships with children’s families and other significant people to help children build and maintain their social networks outside of the home. Inspection report for children’s home: 2772529 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

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

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;

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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)(a)(c))

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Requirement Due date

This relates to staff completing core training in line with the home’s statement of purpose. 1 November 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 child’s placing authority consents in writing to the monitoring or surveillance. (Regulation 24 (1)(b)) 15 September 2024

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Requirement Due date

within 24 hours of the use of a measure of control, discipline or restraint in relation to a child in the home, a record is made which includes—

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Requirement Due date

a description of the measure and its duration. (Regulation 35 (3)(a)(iv)) 15 September 2024 Inspection report for children’s home: 2772529 6

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that the home is a nurturing and supportive environment that meets the needs of their children and is a homely, domestic environment. In particular, children’s bedrooms and outdoor spaces should be well maintained. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9)

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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: 2772529 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Stepping Stones Care (Midlands 1) Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Camomile House, 6 Embassy Drive, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 1TP

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Inspector

Joanne Hawkins, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2772529 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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