Children's Home run by 4d Care Ltd in Cambridgeshire

Inspection report for children's home: SC064557 1 SC064557 Registered provider: 4d Care Limited

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This privately owned home is registered to provide education and residential care for up to six children who may have experienced neglect, abuse or trauma that has left them vulnerable. There were four children living at the home at the time of this inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

There is a day school on the same site. The inspectors only inspected the social care provision on this site.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has been registered with Ofsted since 2009.

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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: 28 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: SC064557 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

28/02/2024 Full Good 13/02/2023 Full Good 18/05/2021 Full Good 03/03/2020 Full Outstanding Inspection report for children's home: SC064557 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

This inspection was brought forward to address specific concerns received by Ofsted.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Three children have moved out since the last inspection as the home could no longer meet their changing needs. One child gave his views on living at the home. One child was away on holiday and two other children were not involved in the inspection as they were busy with activities.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff build positive relationships with children. They spend time with them and get to know them well. Staff spoke fondly of children who have moved out.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

There is a school on site that children can attend. Each child has an education plan that is tailored to their individual needs. One child is starting at a mainstream school in September. Their plan has been carefully considered by staff and their social worker. Children’s school attendance and attainment have improved since being at the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported to spend time with their families. Staff understand that this is important. Social workers said that staff are very good at maintaining family relationships.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

One child has been living at the home for over four years. They have recently turned 18 and celebrated this milestone with staff. The staff have supported the child to build independence skills and have helped them apply for housing and benefits. They have extended the child’s time at the home to ensure a suitable flat can be found. This child has been given a sense of permanence that will help them as they move into adult life.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

An independent therapist is employed by the home. He provides support to children and staff. He helps staff to understand children’s trauma and how it affects their behaviour, which informs the care they provide. He also offers individual sessions to children.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff have worked with a school in Poland who were organising fundraising events for families from Ukraine. Children have taken part in fundraising efforts. They visited Poland and were able to meet some of the children they raised money for. This was a wonderful experience for children and helped them to learn about helping others and to build their own self-esteem.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff are proactive in organising holidays and activities for children. Children take part in mechanics classes and go on visits to the aquarium, the zoo and the beach. Staff also take children away on holidays and they have recently returned from a holiday in Devon. Children go to a recording studio each year and record a Christmas song. They also have access to a farm at their sister home where they each have a chicken that they care for and where they grow vegetables. Offering children the opportunity to take part in a range of activities helps them to enjoy worthwhile experiences and build memories. Inspection report for children's home: SC064557 4

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

The home has recently been through an unsettled period. Children’s behaviour has challenged staff at times and there have been a high number of incidents. These incidents have recently decreased. Children have been well supported through difficult times. Staff have taken action to keep children safe and manage conflict. Despite the challenging incidents, local authority social workers gave very good feedback on how children have been supported. One team manager said staff went ‘above and beyond’ to keep children safe. Another social worker said their child’s needs were fully met at the home and staff ‘really understood them’.

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

The physical intervention policy has been updated. It has clear direction for staff. There have been some physical interventions. These have been proportionate and have helped to keep children safe. These have reduced in frequency more recently.

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

Children have gone missing from the home. Staff search for children and use their knowledge of past events to find children in the local area. Children are welcomed back warmly and given reassurance. These incidents have recently decreased.

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

On one occasion, a child was missing overnight. Although staff alerted the police, there was a delay in doing so. Despite this, the manager had not reviewed this incident. The child returned safely, however, the lack of a review limited the manager’s ability to ensure safeguarding practice was consistent and effective.

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

When children have raised safeguarding concerns, these have been appropriately shared with the local authority designated officer (LADO). However, on two occasions, actions set at LADO meetings to conduct internal investigations and return this information have not been clearly recorded. Although these have not affected the safety of children, it reduces opportunities to learn from practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home is managed by a manager who has been in post for 15 years. He works alongside a deputy manager and together they make a good team. Leaders and managers have reflected on the challenges they have faced and are open and honest. They have taken action that has the potential to improve the oversight of the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff feel supported by the management team and find them approachable. They receive regular supervision and discuss strategies to support children in weekly staff meetings. Staff are encouraged to share good practice, and they ensure that children’s achievements are understood and celebrated by all staff. This contributes to a culture of high aspiration for children. Leaders and staff regularly tell children they are proud of them.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managers ensure staff receive training that is relevant to the children they care for. This includes online safety, which has been an important area for them recently. Inspection report for children's home: SC064557 5 The home’s statement of purpose has recently been updated. It reflects the approach the home uses. The manager has begun to implement plans to develop the staff team and increase their knowledge of therapeutic parenting.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managers have taken steps to protect children from harm, and they discuss concerns with the police, family members and social workers. However, on two occasions, Ofsted has not been notified of significant incidents. This does not allow the regulator to have effective oversight.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Daily records do not always reflect what has happened. On two occasions, there have been significant incidents. These have been shared with the relevant people and included in a weekly summary for each child. However, there is no account of them in the daily records. This makes it difficult to effectively review incidents. Managers have not been curious enough around these incidents and they have not identified the gaps in records. Inspection report for children's home: SC064557 6

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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 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

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)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, all actions set by the local authority designated officer must be carried out. 9 September 2024

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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

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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

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(h))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, leaders and managers must fully review any incidents. 23 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

an incident requiring police involvement occurs in relation to a child which the registered person considers to be serious; 9 September 2024 Inspection report for children's home: SC064557 7 there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious.

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Requirement Due date

A notification made under this regulation—

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Requirement Due date

the other persons, bodies or organisations (if any) who or which have been notified;

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Requirement Due date

and any actions taken by the registered person as a result of the matter;

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Requirement Due date

must be made or confirmed in writing. (Regulation 40 (4)(b)(e) (5)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(b))

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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: SC064557 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 8a New Road, Mepal, Ely, Cambridgeshire CB6 2AP

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Inspectors

Mary Costello, Social Care Inspector Natalie Day, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: SC064557 9 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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