Children's home run by Total Care Matters Limited

Inspection report for children's home: 2532661 1 Registered provider: Total Care Matters Limited

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This children’s home is owned and operated by a private provider. It is registered to provide care for up to three children who may require support with their social and emotional needs.

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Information about this children’s home

One child was living at the home at the time of the inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in December 2023.

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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 outstanding

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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: 14 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: 2532661 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

14/11/2023 Full Good 27/09/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good 30/11/2021 Full Outstanding 06/02/2020 Full Outstanding Inspection report for children's home: 2532661 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child has made good progress in all areas of their development since living at the home. They have developed and maintained trusting relationships with staff and benefit from the good-quality care and support provided by staff. The child speaks positively about living at the home and says that they really like the staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff have a good knowledge and understanding of the child’s needs and risks. The care practice of staff is guided and informed by psychotherapeutic approaches. This helps to ensure that care practice is constantly reviewed to provide the child with good care and support that meets their emotional needs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff encourage the child to take part in activities to promote their socialisation and routine. The child has had positive experiences such as going on holiday, which they enjoyed. Staff deliver good-quality key-working sessions with the child to help them talk about important things in their life. This helps to develop good relationships and explore pertinent issues for the child.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child has continued to make significant progress in their educational attainment. Before living in the home, the child did not attend education, and they have recently celebrated passing GCSEs. The registered manager is proactive in working with partner agencies to ensure the child’s post-16 education plans are promoted and supported.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support the child’s health and well-being needs by helping them to access specialist services relating to their emotional and psychological needs. Staff have had training and therapeutic supervisions which have improved their understanding of the child and their own confidence in using therapeutic responses that support the child’s needs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child is supported to express their wishes and feelings. This has contributed to positive progress in the child’s relationships with family members. Family time now involves more family members. Staff offer support to the child and their family when needed to nurture these relationships.

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

Staff have a good knowledge and understanding of the child’s risks, needs and vulnerabilities. The child’s assessments and plans are regularly reviewed when there are any changes to the child’s needs or risks. Staff can recognise, assess and record risks as they change and develop.

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

Safety planning is effective and completed in consultation with the child, which means the child understands the reasons for measures being implemented. Staff communicate effectively with external safeguarding partners and the child’s family when concerns have arisen. Immediate action is taken to safeguard the child and others. Inspection report for children's home: 2532661 4 Staff keep the child safe online. Should concerns arise, they review safety plans and take steps to reduce any risk. However, safety plans restrict the child’s ability to develop independent living skills and restrict their day-to-day opportunities. A balance of promoting the child’s independence and managing risk could ensure that the child’s life chances are enhanced.

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

Incidents relating to behaviour that challenges staff have reduced. The child trusts staff and feels safe in their care. Staff understand the child’s behaviours and use the home’s therapeutic approach to respond to the child’s needs and behaviours.

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

The manager has enabled staff to access training specific to the child’s risks, needs and vulnerabilities. This enhances their ability to safeguard and protect the child. The manager recognises that staff require ongoing guidance and training around areas of safeguarding and works with partner agencies to access additional training and resources from specialist services.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager leads by example and supports staff in their care and safeguarding of the child. The manager is creative in response to staff’s training and development needs and ensures that staff receive the training and development they need to provide very good care to the child. The manager is inspirational, having a positive impact on staff. The staff say that they feel supported by managers and know they can turn to the managers for support and guidance.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Team meetings and individual supervision for staff take place regularly and are reflective. This means staff consider with the manager their approaches to their own care practice and can raise any concerns or issues they might have. Support for staff is ongoing and not restricted to formal supervision. The manager has created a culture where staff feel supported by one another and are able to speak openly about challenges. Team morale is high and this is reflected in how resilient staff are when faced with challenges, and they remain ambitious and motivated to help the child succeed.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager has developed systems to monitor, review and track the child’s progress, providing excellent oversight of the child’s development and areas of need. The manager has shared his monitoring systems with the staff team. The staff value his approach and use the guidance and support of the manager to improve their care practice and planning for the child. This provides staff with a deeper understanding of the child’s journey and gives them greater skills in progressing this.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager has effectively challenged and escalated concerns with external safeguarding partner agencies to address issues in the best interests of the child. The manager is an excellent advocate for the child and ensures that their views are gathered and shared with other agencies in regard to all aspects of their life. Inspection report for children's home: 2532661 5

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Recommendation

 Children’s home staff should take reasonable precautions and make informed professional judgements, based on the individual child’s needs and developmental stage, about when to allow a child to take a particular risk or follow a particular course of action. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 42, paragraph 9.7)

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Recommendation

This specifically relates to ensuring staff support children to develop their independence and enhance their life opportunities safely.

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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: 2532661 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Total Care Matters Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 230 Bathley Street, The Meadows, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire NG2 2ER

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Inspector

Chloe Harvey, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: 2532661 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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Inspector

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