Children's home run by Impact For Change Ltd

Inspection report for children’s home: 1264756 1 Registered provider: Impact For Change Ltd

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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 part of a small private organisation. The home is registered to care for up to two children.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has been registered with Ofsted since October 2021.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of this inspection, two children were living in the home. One child has left the home since the last inspection and another child moved in on the day of the inspection.

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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 November 2023

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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: 1264756 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

28/11/2023 Full Good 09/08/2022 Full Good 14/09/2021 Full Good 10/06/2021 Full Inadequate Inspection report for children’s home: 1264756 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have made tangible progress while living in this home. They have enjoyed positive experiences, while developing new interests and living amicably with other children. Children’s relationships with the manager and staff are positive and stable. Children trust the guidance given to them by staff and know that they have their best interests at heart. Children say they feel happy and safe in the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children who have previously not engaged with education now attend school and college, and are progressing with their qualifications. One child who lived in the home for several years has recently moved out to live independently. They have secured qualifications, maintained an apprenticeship, and passed their tests and have their own motorbike.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff have successfully supported children to keep fit and healthy. Children have been introduced to the gym and other activities, and have learned how to shop for, cook and enjoy nutritious meals. This has increased their self-confidence and emotional resilience and helps prepare them for adulthood.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff are clear about what goals they need to help children achieve, and seek advice from professionals to do this, for example, from a speech and language therapist. This advice helps staff respond in the best way to increase one child’s positive communication skills.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

When a new child moved into the home, staff did everything that they could to make the child feel welcome and cared for. Due to an extended period of introductions, to ensure that both children in the home felt comfortable with the change, the new child had already started to form bonds with staff. This time spent together greatly contributed to the child’s move being a positive experience. The child was also involved in planning and choosing things for their new bedroom.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Feedback from three social workers was very positive. They are really pleased with the progress children have made, the caring team and the excellent communication. Equally, a parent was delighted with their child’s progress and said, ‘The experience has been amazing, it doesn’t feel like they [the child] are in care.’ Staff work closely with parents, listening and responding to concerns when they are raised, so that issues can be resolved quickly. Staff understand the importance of children having and maintaining positive family relationships, taking children to visit their family and friends and welcoming them to the home.

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

Due to staff understanding children’s needs and how best to meet them, situations rarely escalate. Physical intervention has not been used. When there have been difficult Inspection report for children’s home: 1264756 4 situations, a robust approach has been taken, ensuring that conversations are held with children to support them and repair relationships. Debriefs are held with staff and management oversight is thorough and supports learning.

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

On the two occasions that a child has gone missing since the last inspection, it was for less than two hours. Staff searched for the child and took appropriate action.

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

The team is alert to the risks around safeguarding, self-harm and exploitation, and have completed the necessary training. Any concerns are raised openly with children and risk management meetings are held with social workers, to stop any concerns developing.

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

When complaints are made, these are investigated thoroughly. Recruitment processes are thorough, to support the safe care of children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager’s leadership style and experience enable children and staff to feel confident in her guidance and support. Staff feel valued. They benefit from team meetings and meet regularly to discuss how the home runs and how best to support children. The team works well together, striving for good communication between themselves to support consistent care for children, including having comprehensive handovers. The manager and staff have regular supervision, which encourages reflection and considers children’s progress.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is child-focused and aware of most of the home’s strengths and weaknesses. However, some aspects of recording and plans need specific attention to address a lack of clarity, some inaccuracies and timeliness. This applies in particular to the written arrangements for placement planning when new children arrive, including medication administration and how to respond to self-harm, children’s placement plans and the missing protocol. While this has not had a negative impact on the care of the children, due to good communication, it gives the potential for mistakes to be made. It is also important that children who may wish to read their files when they are older have accurate records, to understand why decisions were made about them.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home is warm and welcoming, and furnished in a way that helps children to feel valued and as comfortable as possible. It is clean and well maintained, and is a lovely environment for children to live in. Inspection report for children’s home: 1264756 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

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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

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

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

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Requirement Due date

The registered manager must ensure that arrangements for placement planning for children already living in the home and those moving in are clear, accurate and completed in a timely manner. Additionally, other plans including medication administration and how to respond to self-harm, children’s placement plans and the missing protocol must also be up to date and give clear guidance to staff. 27 September 2024

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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: 1264756 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Impact For Change Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Canns Down Press, Beaford, Winkleigh, Devon EX19 8LZ

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Nicholas Scribbins

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Inspector

Sarah Canto, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 1264756 7 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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