Children's home run by Holistic Approach Limited

Inspection report for children’s home: 2509838 1 Registered provider: Holistic Approach Limited

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is owned and managed by a private provider. The home provides care for up to three children who may experience emotional and social difficulties and/or learning disabilities.

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Information about this children’s home

An interim manager is in place and has submitted their application to register with Ofsted.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, one child was living in the home.

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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: 2509838 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

07/06/2023 Full Good 19/07/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good 29/04/2021 Full Outstanding 09/03/2020 Interim Improved effectiveness Inspection report for children’s home: 2509838 3

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improvement to be good

The child living in the home says that they are happy. However, the home conditions do not provide a warm and nurturing environment for the child to live in.

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improvement to be good

Since the last inspection, action has not been taken to undertake maintenance work or rectify damages to the home. Furthermore, uneven paving outside poses a risk to the child. Plans are not in place to address this in a timely manner. The kitchen door was locked which restricted the child’s access to all areas of the home. However, this lock was removed during the inspection.

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improvement to be good

There have been delays in the child accessing support for their emotional health due to staff not ensuring services are in place in a timely manner. Staff meet the child’s physical health needs and support the child to attend medical appointments.

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improvement to be good

Staff support the child through a trauma-informed approach to their practice. However, the child’s records do not consistently use child-friendly or trauma-informed language. Management oversight of incidents focuses on the child’s behaviour and does not capture any shortfalls in staff practice.

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improvement to be good

The child is taken on outings and takes part in activities with staff in line with their interests. However, there are missed opportunities for the child to be supported to access clubs and activities with peers that would develop their social skills and development.

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improvement to be good

Staff ensure that the child attends school on a regular basis. As a result, their attendance is good. Staff maintain regular communication with education professionals. This means that there is a consistent approach to behaviour at school and home.

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improvement to be good

Since the last inspection, two children have moved on from the home. When children move on, staff support them to settle into their new homes and maintain relationships should they wish. This supports the children to have positive transitions. The child is settled in the home and has positive relationships with staff. Staff have supported the child to personalise their bedroom with a football theme. Staff support the child to spend time with people who are important to them. Staff provide opportunities for the child to express their religious beliefs. They respect the wishes of the child when they decline to engage in these. Inspection report for children’s home: 2509838 4

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improvement to be good

De-escalation techniques to manage the child’s challenging behaviour in the home are not always effective. This means that the child is physically held on a regular basis. Behaviour management plans do not demonstrate that the child’s lived experiences and past traumas have been considered. Physical intervention records do not provide clear descriptions of how incidents are managed by staff. The manager’s oversight of these records does not identify shortfalls in the staff’s recording of incidents. This means that it is not clear whether the interventions used with the child are appropriate and proportionate.

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improvement to be good

Staff do not always respond to concerns raised by children when they have been physically held or following incidents in the home. Action has not consistently been taken to support children when they have raised concerns about having suffered injuries or when staff responses to them are not appropriate.

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improvement to be good

Records of accidents sustained by the child do not always include accurate information about injuries or treatment offered and provided. As a result, it is not clear what support is offered to the child. Records do not always include managerial oversight. Therefore, shortfalls in staff practice are not identified, and actions to address these are not recorded.

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improvement to be good

Staff do not always ensure that devices that the child can use to access the internet have appropriate parental controls in place. As a result, the child has inappropriately accessed social media and messaged a teacher without the knowledge of staff. Staff subsequently took action to address this when notified by school.

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improvement to be good

The door sensors installed on bedroom doors alert staff to the child’s movements in the home. Local authority permissions are not in place to ensure that there is agreement for such use.

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improvement to be good

There have been no incidents of the child being missing from home. High levels of supervision in the home and community mean that the child does not go missing from home. On the occasions where the child has attempted to leave the home, staff have responded and managed the situations appropriately.

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

The home does not have a registered manager. There has been a change in management arrangements since the last inspection. The current interim manager has submitted her application to register with Ofsted as an interim arrangement while a permanent registered manager is recruited.

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

Management internal monitoring systems are not always effective. Staff practice is not always evaluated to highlight areas for reflection and development to improve the Inspection report for children’s home: 2509838 5 quality of care afforded to the child. The manager does not consistently review the child’s plans and incident records. Records do not reflect the effectiveness of strategies used to support the child or identify alternative interventions.

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

Staff are not provided with regular, individual supervision. This means that they do not have access to individual support or guidance. This is also a missed opportunity for managers to address any practice issues or provide support for staff’s professional development. Child-centred team meetings do take place on a regular basis. This provides staff with the opportunity to reflect on their practice as a group.

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

The home has sufficient staffing to meet the needs of the child. However, safer recruitment procedures are not in place. This means that it is not clear if staff are safe to care for the child.

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

Staff access required training. However, records do not reflect that casual staff are provided with this training. Following one specific incident, refresher training was not provided to staff to ensure learning from practice.

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

The manager has not ensured that shortfalls identified by the independent visitor have been actioned. Furthermore, the manager has not notified the regulator of all serious incidents in the home.

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

Staff say they enjoy working in the home and feel supported by the manager and each other. The manager has positive relationships with professionals. Professionals say staff communicate well with them, and they speak positively of the care provided to the child. Inspection report for children’s home: 2509838 6

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person 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 must comply within the given timescales.

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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

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

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Requirement Due date

meet the needs of each child. (Regulation 6 (2)(c)(i))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that action is taken to address the internal and external maintenance of the home. In addition, ensure that the furnishing of the home is maintained to a good standard. 3 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.

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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

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;

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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. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(iii)(v)(vi)(vii)(b)) 3 September 2024 Inspection report for children’s home: 2509838 7 Specifically, the registered person must ensure that allegations are recorded and clearly detail the nature of the allegation; that appropriate support is provided to the child when concerns are raised; and that the child’s accident records reflect the extent of the injury and the treatment offered and provided to the child.

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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

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

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child;

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Requirement Due date

understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home;

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Requirement Due date

demonstrate that practice in the home is informed and improved by taking into account and acting on—

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Requirement Due date

feedback on the experiences of children, including complaints received; and

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Requirement Due date

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (2)(c)(f)(g)(ii)(h))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that staff receive individual supervision; complete refresher training as required; and that systems are in place to monitor and evaluate staff practice and the care being provided in the home. 3 September 2024

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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

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; 3 September 2024 Inspection report for children’s home: 2509838 8 there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there;

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Requirement Due date

a child protection enquiry involving a child —

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Requirement Due date

concludes (in which case, the notification must include the outcome of the child protection enquiry); or

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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)(c)(d)(i)(ii)(e))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety.

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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,

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Requirement Due date

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

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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)(b) (3)(d))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that they have all the relevant documentation and qualifications when recruiting staff. 3 September 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)) 3 September 2024 Inspection report for children’s home: 2509838 9

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that children’s records are objective and non- stigmatising. Specifically, ensure that children’s plans use language that is child- focused. (‘Guide to The Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards,’ page 62, paragraph 14.4)  The registered person should ensure that they work with the child’s placing authority to enable timely access to specialist care in respect of the child’s emotional well-being. (‘Guide to The Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards,’ page 34, paragraph 7.10)  The registered person should ensure that staff seek to identify and provide appropriate opportunities for the child to develop, and staff should support the child to try activities that are new for them. (‘Guide to The Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards,’ page 31, paragraph 6.4)

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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: 2509838 10

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Holistic Approach Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 99 Parkway Avenue, Sheffield, Sheffield S9 4WG

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Inspectors

Donna Ryan, Social Care Inspector Claire Hobbs, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2509838 11 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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