Children's home run by Care2Care Children’s Home Ltd

Inspection report for children’s home: 2624784 1 Registered provider: CARE2CARE CHILDREN’S HOME Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

This home is privately run and provides care for up to four children who experience social and emotional difficulties.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The home registered with Ofsted in April 2021. The post for the registered manager has been vacant since December 2023.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

There was one child living in the home at the time of this inspection.

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: good

p.1

requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2624784 2

p.1

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

26/07/2023 Full Good 21/06/2022 Full Good 02/03/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children’s home: 2624784 3

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: requires

This report covers the experiences of all the children that have lived at the home since the last inspection.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: requires

Children do not always experience positive relationships with staff, and this has impacted on the judgement of the home. There have been a number of incidents involving the police and the local authority designated officer. These incidents impact on children’s experiences and do not help children to feel accepted or settled in the home.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: requires

Children make progress in relation to their health needs, and staff support children to take their medication and attend health appointments. Staff ensure that children have access to specialist advice and support to promote the children’s well-being. However, there was an incident when a child was able to access and take prescribed medication without consent. This could have posed serious health risks to the child.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: requires

Children make progress in their education, considering their starting points. Children are encouraged to access educational provisions that support their needs. One child was supported by staff to complete their final exams despite having changed from mainstream school to home-tutoring.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: requires

Children are encouraged to learn independence skills, such as cleaning, cooking, and washing, according to their age. The transition plans for children moving into semi- independent accommodation are detailed. Staff supported children to gain independent living skills, and this has enabled them to settle in their new homes.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: requires

Children are supported to maintain relationships with people who are important to them. Contact arrangements with families are consistent and in line with children’s care plans.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: requires

Staff provide children with a range of activities in the home and in the community. Children are given opportunities to have new experiences and to develop their social skills. Staff have been unsuccessful in encouraging one child to engage fully in these activities, and sometimes the child spends lengthy periods of time online.

p.3

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

The admissions process for new children moving into the home is not sufficiently robust. The manager carries out an assessment of risk based on the information provided in the referral and meets with children before they move into the home. However, the assessment do not always consider the children’s needs and vulnerabilities. This can hinder the ability of the manager to ensure that staff have the skills to meet children’s needs and lead to children leaving the home sooner than anticipated. Inspection report for children’s home: 2624784 4 Children receive individualised care that addresses their risks and support needs. Staff use key-worker sessions, children’s meetings, and informal discussions to ensure that the child’s voice is considered. This has enabled some children to talk to staff about their wishes and feelings.

p.3

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

Leaders and managers have not always ensured safer recruitment practices. For example, managers did not always verify the reasons for staff leaving their previous jobs, and there was no evidence of staff’s original Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) forms being checked. These practices could lead to unsuitable people working at the home.

p.4

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

Children know how to raise any worries or concerns. The manager takes children’s concerns seriously and makes an effort to resolve issues quickly.

p.4

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

Staff have undertaken safeguarding training and demonstrate a good understanding of the policies and procedures to follow if allegations are made against staff. Furthermore, staff have a good understanding of whistle-blowing procedures. This increases children’s safety in the home.

p.4

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

The home has not had a registered manager since December 2023, and this has impacted on the judgement given for leadership and management. The previous interim manager submitted an application to register, but has since left the role. Another interim manager was appointed in July 2024.

p.4

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

Since the last inspection, there have been changes in the management and staffing of the home. It has been a challenge for leaders and managers to recruit and retain staff. Recruitment of permanent staff is one of the areas that the manager is prioritising to improve the quality and consistency of practice and to provide stability for children.

p.4

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

Children’s case records reflect their everyday lives. They are meaningful and capture important details about children’s lives and experiences.

p.4

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

Staff training does not always ensure that staff are able to meet the needs of children. Although staff are offered a range of training, the training does not always support staff to understand the specific and individual needs of the children. This means that not all staff are able to meet the needs of children effectively.

p.4

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

The interim manager continues to encourage staff to provide good care for children. The interim manager understands the needs of the children well and recognises the importance of supporting staff. Staff said that they receive good support from her, which allows them to put children’s needs at the centre of what they do.

p.4

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

Staff have regular supervision sessions and team meetings. They discuss children’s needs as well as their own development and learning. Inspection report for children’s home: 2624784 5

p.4

What does the children’s home need to do to improve?

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 protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

p.5

Requirement Due date

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

p.5

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;

p.5

Requirement Due date

help each child to understand how to keep safe;

p.5

Requirement Due date

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

p.5

Requirement Due date

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

p.5

Requirement Due date

that the home’s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm; and

p.5

Requirement Due date

that the effectiveness of the home’s child protection policies is monitored regularly. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(v)(b)(e))

p.5

Requirement Due date

In particular, leaders and managers must ensure that staff supervise children appropriately and take reasonable measures to protect children from harm. 1 November 2024

p.5

Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children—

p.5

Requirement Due date

receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home; and 1 November 2024 Inspection report for children’s home: 2624784 6 have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home.

p.5

Requirement Due date

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

p.6

Requirement Due date

that children are admitted to the home only if their needs are within the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the home is to provide care and accommodation, as set out in the home’s statement of purpose;

p.6

Requirement Due date

manage and review the placement of each child in the home; and

p.6

Requirement Due date

plan for, and help, each child to prepare to leave the home or to move into adult care in a way that is consistent with arrangements agreed with the child’s placing authority;

p.6

Requirement Due date

that each child’s relevant plans are followed;

p.6

Requirement Due date

that the child’s placing authority is contacted, and a review of that child’s relevant plans is requested, if—

p.6

Requirement Due date

the registered person considers that the child is at risk of harm or has concerns that the care provided for the child is inadequate to meet the child’s needs. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(ii)(iii)(c)(e)(i))

p.6

Requirement Due date

In particular, leaders and managers must ensure they complete robust assessments that consider their staff’s ability to meet the needs of children moving into the home.

p.6

Requirement Due date

The registered provider must appoint a person to manage the children’s home if—

p.6

Requirement Due date

there is no registered manager in respect of the home.

p.6

Requirement Due date

If the registered provider appoints a person to manage the home, the registered provider must, without delay, give HMCI notice of—

p.6

Requirement Due date

the name of the person so appointed; and

p.6

Requirement Due date

the date on which the appointment takes effect. (Regulation 27 (1)(a) (2)(a)(b)) 30 September Inspection report for children’s home: 2624784 7 The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety.

p.6

Requirement Due date

employ an individual to work at the children’s home; or

p.7

Requirement Due date

if an individual is employed by a person other than the registered person to work at the home in a position in which the individual may have regular contact with children, allow that individual to work at the home,

p.7

Requirement Due date

if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3).

p.7

Requirement Due date

the individual is of integrity and good character;

p.7

Requirement Due date

full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2. (Regulation 32 (1) (2)(a)(b) (3)(a)(d))

p.7

Requirement Due date

In particular, leaders and managers must ensure that references are appropriately verified and that there is evidence of original DBS certificates being reviewed prior to employment. 1 November 2024

p.7

Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that positive behaviour and relationships are reinforced, praised, and encouraged; poor behaviour should be challenged and discussed. In particular, the development of safe, stable, and secure relationships with staff in the home should be central to the ethos of the home and support the development of secure attachments that, where appropriate, persist over time. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards,’ page 39, paragraph 8.11)  The registered person should ensure that staff understand factors that affect children’s motivation to behave in a socially acceptable way. In particular, staff should encourage an enthusiasm for positive behaviour through the use of positive behaviour strategies in line with the child’s relevant plans. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards,’ page 39, paragraph 8.13)

p.7

Recommendations

 The registered manager should know that it is essential that homes understand what will be required of them before they accept responsibility for a child’s placement, to avoid disruption and instability for the child in future and for other children in the home. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards,’ page 56, paragraph 11.5) Inspection report for children’s home: 2624784 8

p.7

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: 2624784 9

p.8

Children’s home details

Registered provider: CARE2CARE CHILDREN’S HOME LTD

p.9

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Room 147, 981 Great West Road, Brentford TW8 9DN

p.9

Inspector

Ann Adesoye, Social Care Inspector Natalie Marshall, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2624784 10 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