Children's home run by Skyline Child Care Ltd

Inspection report for children’s home: 1265096 1 Registered provider: Skyline Child Care Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is operated by a private company. It is the only home that this company currently operates. The home is registered to provide care for up to two children who may have learning disabilities.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of this inspection, two children were living in the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted on 20 May 2020 and is suitably qualified and experienced.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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outstanding

How well children and young people are helped and protected outstanding

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outstanding

The effectiveness of leaders and managers outstanding

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outstanding

The children’s home provides highly effective services that consistently exceed the standards of good. The actions of the children’s home contribute to significantly improved outcomes and positive experiences for children and young people who need help, protection and care.

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outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 1265096 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

31/07/2023 Full Good 04/05/2022 Full Good 10/11/2021 Full Good 29/01/2020 Interim Declined in effectiveness Inspection report for children’s home: 1265096 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Both children living in the home were spoken to as part of this inspection. Since the last inspection, one child has moved on from the home, after living in the home for nearly six years. They moved into supported accommodation, in line with their care plan. One child has recently moved into the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children are thriving due to the exceptional level of individualised care and experiences that staff provide for them. All children have made significant and sustained progress from their starting points in areas such as communication, education, independence skills and relationships with others. Children’s life chances are enhanced because of the experiences and opportunities afforded to them by staff and due to the encouragement they receive to support their aspirations.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children are supported by a nurturing, stable, highly skilled and experienced staff team. Children have developed long-lasting, trusting relationships with staff who are attuned to their needs and differing communication styles. As a result, children are cared for, valued and loved. Both children said that they are happy living in the home. One child rated the home ‘100 out of 10’.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff ensure that children have a positive experience when they move into or on from the home. Before children move into the home, staff visit the child and support them to visit the home to meet the other children and staff. Similarly, when children move out, staff support children to visit their new homes. They help children to prepare and plan for the move and have a leaving party where all the staff and the child’s family and friends attend. This helps children to feel included and more comfortable in their new surroundings.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff support children’s education and learning. Both children are in education and have good attendance. Staff work closely with education professionals to share information and what is working well for children. Staff have been into one child’s school to better understand the child’s communication style. This proactive approach to partnership working promotes consistency for children and supports their learning.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff support children to develop their hobbies and interests and to try new things. Children have participated in a variety of activities out in the community, including trips to theme parks, the seaside, local parks and swimming. They have also experienced a summer holiday. This supports children to have fun, learn social skills and build their self- confidence.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff help children to develop their independence skills in line with their level of understanding and capabilities. Staff encourage children to develop skills in areas such as personal hygiene, making choices, cleaning, making meals, shopping and budgeting. This helps to prepare children for their future transitions into adulthood. As a result, one Inspection report for children’s home: 1265096 4 child is now able to wash themselves, prepare food and communicate their preferences. This is significant progress from when they first moved into the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff ensure that children are supported to maintain positive health and well-being. Both children are registered with local health professionals and attend regular health check- ups. When required, staff support children to seek specialist support. When children have health conditions, the manager ensures that this information is shared with staff and sources additional training. This ensures that staff have the knowledge and skills to meet children’s individual needs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff understand the importance of family relationships for children. Staff have developed good relationships with children’s families and strive to include them in children’s care. For example, staff have included one of the children’s family in behaviour management training. This has helped the family to have a better understanding of their child’s behaviour and respond more effectively. As a result, their relationship with their child has significantly improved and the child can now spend more time with their family.

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

The manager and staff’s approach to safeguarding is highly effective. Staff know the children extremely well and understand their behaviours, challenges and needs. Staff follow detailed, regularly updated care and risk management plans that provide clear guidance for staff on how to reduce risks and keep children safe. As a result, additional concerns for children are rare.

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

There have been no allegations or incidents of children going missing from home. However, staff are aware of their roles and responsibilities in keeping children safe should these occur.

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

There have been no complaints from children about this home. Children know how to make complaints and are supported to raise concerns about others when they feel that they are not being listened to. For example, the manager supported one child to complain to staff in their new home when they were not allocated the bedroom that they had previously been promised. This supports children to have their voices heard and be treated with dignity and respect.

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

Staff understand children’s different communication styles. Staff have been innovative in adapting one child’s method of communication to better meet their needs. As a result, the child is better able to communicate their wishes, feelings and preferences. Staff use this adapted method of communication to determine how the child is feeling and give them an opportunity to reflect, when they have been upset or anxious. This approach helps children to have a voice and keeps them safe.

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

Staff are excellent at helping children to manage their emotions. They understand what can upset or unsettle children and use highly effective de-escalation techniques to support children when they are feeling anxious. As a result, incidents requiring physical intervention have significantly reduced. Since the last inspection, there have been five Inspection report for children’s home: 1265096 5 incidents when staff have used physical intervention techniques to keep children safe. The manager has robust oversight of all incidents. He ensures that children and staff have opportunities to reflect. This ensures that interventions are necessary and proportionate. However, incidents are not always recorded as well as they could be. For example, in one report, the duration of the hold has not been recorded. In addition, it is not always clear where staff are positioned when they have held children. These

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

omissions have the potential to impact on the manager’s ability to review incidents effectively.

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

The manager and staff are effective in monitoring children’s behaviours. They use antecedent behaviour management charts to track children’s behaviours. This has enabled the manager to identify potential patterns in children’s behaviours and make amendments to practice to better support children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager is aspirational. He wants the very best for children and has high expectations for staff to make a positive difference in children’s lives. This ethos is shared by staff, who put the children at the front and centre of their practice. The manager and staff have an excellent understanding of the children and their achievements since living in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager uses highly effective monitoring systems to support him to quickly identify and take action to rectify shortfalls in staff practice. He uses an abundance of audits, monitoring systems, development plans and has robust oversight of all children’s records. The manager has a good understanding of his strengths and areas for development and strives to continually develop and drive forward the quality of care in the home. The manager includes staff in the development of the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff say they feel extremely well supported by the manager. They are happy with the professional development opportunities made available to them. Staff receive regular, good-quality and practice-related supervision. They have a comprehensive training programme in place and attend monthly staff meetings. The manager is continually looking for ideas to develop the home and staff. He has introduced quizzes, and staff participate in research sessions that further support their learning. These practices support staff to feel valued and ensure that they have the knowledge and skills to meet children’s needs effectively.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Managers and staff have built excellent relationships with external agencies. This ensures effective communication and helps children to receive well-coordinated good- quality care, which supports their positive outcomes. Feedback received is consistently exceptional. One professional said, ‘Communication between myself and the home is fantastic. I consider this home to be the gold standard of care. I cannot praise them enough. [Name of child] has thrived since being with them, in all aspects.’ A parent said, ‘This home has been a godsend for me, my family and [name of child]. If I had to mark them out of 100, I would say 500 and that still wouldn’t be enough.’ Inspection report for children’s home: 1265096 6

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that records of restraint consistently include all the information detailed in regulation 35. This specifically relates to ensuring that there is a clear description of the measure, including where staff were positioned during the hold, and the duration of the hold. This is to enable the registered person and staff to review the use of control, discipline and restraint effectively to identify effective practice and respond promptly where any issues or trends of concern emerge. The review should provide the opportunity for amending practice to ensure that it meets the needs of each child. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 49, paragraph 9.59)

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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: 1265096 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Skyline Child Care Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 29 Old Farm Drive, Wolverhampton, West Midlands WV8 1GF

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Inspector

Sonia Sullivan, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 1265096 8 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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