Children's Home run by Beacon Residential Homes Ltd in Slough

Inspection report for children’s home: 2734210 1 Registered provider: Beacon Residential Homes Ltd

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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 provides care for up to four children with social and emotional difficulties. Four children were living in the home at the time of the inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

An interim manager has been in post since June 2024 and is in the process of applying to register 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: 13 February 2024

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2734210 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

13/02/2024 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2734210 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children make positive progress from their starting points when they move into the home. The members of the staff team have been particularly effective at supporting the presenting health needs of two children, and this has improved their quality of life. All children receive the health care they require.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported to attend education placements. While children’s level of engagement in education varies, there is a strong and aspirational focus on enabling children to have positive educational achievements.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff respect children’s wishes and feelings and encourage children to participate in decisions about all aspects of their lives. The new management team has introduced a range of clear boundaries for children. Staff have very quickly adapted to these and work hard to embed these into children’s daily lives. For example, children benefit from improved sleep routines as they are not allowed to use their mobile phones through the night.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are welcomed into the home in a careful and sensitive manner, and this helps them to settle well. The peer dynamics between children are generally positive. The management team has demonstrated a good understanding of the needs of children already living in the home and how they are compatible with children who move in. Staff are eager to develop positive relationships with children and value the important roles they have in children’s lives.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children benefit from a range of positive experiences and are actively encouraged to explore their interests and self-identity. In one example, a member of staff has taught a child how to pray, as they had forgotten how to do this, and this has helped to reconnect this child to their cultural identity.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

While most children receive the care and support that they require, the effectiveness of the support offered to one child has been limited. The manager recognises that this child may benefit from more specialist support to provide a deeper understanding about their background and how the staff team can best support them.

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

The new management team has implemented several changes in the home which have had a positive impact on children’s safety. For example, there is improved monitoring and oversight of children’s social media activity. This has enabled greater transparency and ensured that staff can undertake more focused discussions with children about how to stay safe online. Inspection report for children’s home: 2734210 4 Staff demonstrate a good understanding of children’s vulnerabilities, and they regularly update individual risk assessments in response to children’s changing needs. Children’s wishes and feelings about their own safety and physical and emotional well-being form a strong foundation for this. Staff communicate effectively with the wider network supporting children in order to ensure a coordinated approach to promoting children’s well-being.

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

Staff who are new to the home are carefully recruited and benefit from a structured induction. The manager also has robust oversight of the recruitment records of all agency staff who work in the home. The frequency of the use of agency workers is low, and, wherever possible, only agency staff who are familiar with the home are permitted to work there. This promotes consistency for children.

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

Children are supported to develop their independence and self-care skills in accordance with their individual plans. The manager is in the process of developing an independence workbook to further assist children to learn important life skills and gain knowledge that will be beneficial for them now and in the future.

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

Staff know the actions that they must take to ensure that children are protected from harm. Staff encourage children to think appropriately about their own responsibilities regarding their safety, and they encourage children to make safe choices. Children benefit from child-led therapeutic support from the home’s linked therapist.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is a strong leader who has instigated a range of changes to the home since the last inspection. These had a positive impact on children’s progress and the quality of care they receive. Additionally, the changes in the home have enhanced the involvement of staff in reviewing children’s plans and have contributed to wider team development.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

While staff have access to a range of training opportunities, not all staff training is completed within agreed timescales. Staff have benefited from specialist training to assist them to meet one child’s health needs, and there is a clear quality assurance process to ensure staff competency.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager demonstrates a clear understanding of the home’s strengths and areas for improvement. The manager has a clear vision for the home and is keen to embed this across all areas of practice. While the new management structure has only been present in the home for a short period, this has had a positive impact on staff and children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The interim manager has a clear sense of the progress that children are making and what needs to be in place to support this. For example, the manager has challenged appropriately decisions from placing authorities regarding children’s care plans and has advocated strongly for children. Inspection report for children’s home: 2734210 5 One potential incident of staff misconduct was not fully investigated by the previous management team. This did not have a negative impact on children.

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that all information is fully considered as part of monitoring staff performance and appropriately investigated in accordance with relevant performance and conduct policies. (‘Guide to the Children’s Home Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.1)  The registered person should work with the placing authority to ensure that specialist help is made available for children in relation to emerging patterns of behaviour, taking into account their assessed needs and any relevant safeguarding concerns. (‘Guide to the Children’s Home Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 14, paragraph 3.2)  The registered person should ensure that records demonstrate that staff can access appropriate facilities and resources to support their training needs and that the registered manager understands their key role in the training and development of

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Recommendations

staff in the home. They are to ensure that staff complete training in a timely manner. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 53, paragraph 10.11)

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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: 2734210 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Beacon Residential Homes Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: First Floor, 8-12 London Street, Southport, Merseyside PR9 0UE

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Inspector

Ashley Edwards, Social Care Regulatory Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2734210 7 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.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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