Children's home run by Willcob Care Ltd

Inspection report for children’s home: 2651802 1 Registered provider: Willcob Care 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

A private provider operates this residential children’s home, offering both long term residential care and short breaks services. The home provides residential short breaks for up to seven children at any time and provides permanent care for up to five children. The service is for children with emotional and social difficulties and/or learning disabilities, including autism.

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Information about this children’s home

The home and the manager registered with Ofsted in May 2023. The manager is suitably qualified.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of inspection, two children were living at the home and two children were having a short break.

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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

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2651802 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

14/06/2023 Full Good 18/10/2022 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2651802 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children living in the home are making good progress from their individual starting points. For example, one child now washes their plate after dinner, while another can put on their own shoes. Parents, carers and professionals have noticed these improvements in the children. Children who access short breaks in the home are also supported to make good progress. Children are particularly better with their independence skills.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children living in the home attend school. One child’s school uses an online communication book that helps staff and teachers work well together. Staff and teachers support children’s learning and share the same goals for independent living. If children struggle at school, staff advocate for them to help keep children in education.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Each child receives one-to-one support from staff who know them well. The staff understand how each child communicates. Children who do not express themselves verbally use different methods of communication, such as signs and pictures. This enables staff to understand each individual child’s wishes and feelings.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Leaders, managers and staff encourage people who are important to children to visit them whenever possible. Parents also receive a weekly video diary. Staff place high importance on family relationships and this helps children to feel settled. A family fun day took place in the home so that children could enjoy time with all their carers and relatives. The important people in the children’s lives said that they feel included when their children live or stay at the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children explore the community by going to the park, swimming and bowling. They also use an outdoor garden space with swings and a trampoline. The children have toys, but staff only allow access to them at specific times that they approve. This hinders children from fully enjoying playing with them.

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

There is a high level of supervision of children, which means that staff can safeguard them and others in the home and in the community. Children’s risk assessments include how to reduce the risk of harm and the staff are alert to the children’s risks and vulnerabilities. This ensures that support can be offered to the children to de-escalate situations.

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

Incidents in the home are minimal and are managed well. The home has an ethos which means that restraining a child only takes place if the child is unsafe. Only one restraint has taken place since the last inspection. The registered manager has a system for managing allegations and has clear oversight. One allegation has been made since the Inspection report for children’s home: 2651802 4 last inspection and the system that is in place ensured that it was managed robustly. The registered manager has oversight of all incidents and opportunities are provided to staff to reflect and learn from these.

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

Staff have training in de-escalation and restraint techniques. Leaders and managers encourage staff to focus on support rather than restraint. Additionally, one child arrived using a buggy in the community, limiting their movement. In response, the team devised strategies to encourage the child’s independence and now the child no longer uses the buggy.

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

Children are registered with local health services. Strict medication protocols are in place and staff must complete rigorous training that includes two manager-set tests before staff can administer medication to children. This comprehensive approach ensures that there is safe medication management for children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers share a commitment to supporting children. They have a good understanding of children’s needs and take part in their lives. Furthermore, they use language that is friendly and easy for children to understand. This is then role modelled to the team.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers develop talent through training and practice. The home develops staff for career moves and fosters shared ambitions. Staff said that the support and learning they have received is good and helps them develop their skills.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers monitor children’s care at different times of the day by making unannounced visits to the home. These unannounced visits aid training and reflection. Leaders and managers said that these visits help to ensure that there are high standards, and promote improvement and hold people accountable. Staff also said that these visits have led to improved practices in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Oversight of home maintenance is not robust. Property upkeep and damage in the home are not managed effectively. This presents some hazards to children. The house, while equipped with essentials, lacks warmth and children’s personalisation. This was raised at the last inspection and is now a requirement. Inspection report for children’s home: 2651802 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 quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff

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Requirement Due date

understand the children's home's overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children;

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Requirement Due date

use this understanding to deliver care that meets children's needs and supports them to fulfil their potential.

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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 and apply the home’s statement of purpose; ensure that staff—

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Requirement Due date

provide to children living in the home the physical necessities they need in order to live there comfortably;

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Requirement Due date

provide to children personal items that are appropriate for their age and understanding; and

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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

enable each child to participate in the daily life of the home. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(vii)(viii)(c)(i)(ii))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, leaders and managers must ensure that maintenance and repairs are undertaken swiftly. They must ensure that the environment is more personalised to children and that they have access to their toys. 7 October 2024 Inspection report for children’s home: 2651802 6

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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.’

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Information about this inspection

I re Inspection report for children’s home: 2651802 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Cavendish House, Hoddesdon EN11 0LB

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Inspector

Jo Tarbie, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2651802 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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