Children's Home run by Time-Out Children’s Homes Limited in Calderdale

Inspection report for children’s home: SC450728 1 SC450728

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Registered provider: Time-Out Childrens Homes Limited

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is run by a private company. It offers care for up to two children who may experience social and emotional difficulties. At the time of the inspection, two children were living in the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has been registered with Ofsted since November 2017.

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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

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC450728 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

15/08/2023 Full Good 16/08/2022 Full Good 22/09/2021 Full Good 25/06/2019 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: SC450728 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have warm and natural relationships with the manager and staff. Staff provide supportive and nurturing care and understand the needs and vulnerabilities of the children. Staff are knowledgeable and skilled in using de-escalation techniques and promote a good life experience for children. Positive behaviour is consistently promoted. One child was spoken with during the inspection, and one child chose to provide written feedback. Children feel safe and secure in this home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children attend school. They are learning and making good progress. Staff are ambitious for children. They support children to attend and do well in their education. When children have been unable to attend school, the manager challenges outside agencies, and staff support educational activity in the home. This includes workbooks and trips with children to theatres to watch relevant plays. One child said that the support given by staff helped them to keep up with their learning and not fall behind their peers. The child said, ‘The staff did not give up on me.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are also making progress at managing their own physical and emotional health. Children are encouraged to have input into their care plans, and the staff ensure that children can express themselves and voice their wants and needs. The children are supported to use creative ways to show how they feel. This includes the use of slideshow presentations to represent their views. The voices of the children are heard and respected.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Information and guidance are available to children if they wish to make a complaint or highlight any concerns. These are dealt with seriously and investigated by the manager, and the child is given feedback. The sensitive management of complaints enables children to feel valued.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

When children are welcomed into the home, the needs, and feelings of other children in the home are taken into account. The manager ensures that children have as much information as possible about their new home and that staff have the skills to meet the child’s needs. When children move out of the home, this is well managed. The well-being of the child is paramount. Bright and colourful journey books are given to children to show their experiences of living in the home and their achievements.

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

Children at this home feel safe. This is evidenced in their playful and comfortable interactions with the staff. Children will seek out staff for comfort. One child said they felt supported by staff and that ‘they will not let you down.’ Children at this home are enabled to build stable and trusting relationships. Inspection report for children’s home: SC450728 4 Staff have a good understanding of the needs of the children. Staff understand how children’s past experiences have affected them. Up-to-date and regularly reviewed support plans and risk assessments reflect the known individual risks to children. There is protected time for skilled staff to support new and less-experienced staff to understand their roles and their care for the children.

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

Staff understand the risks that using the internet and social media may pose for children. They support children to learn how to keep themselves safe. There are regular discussions and key-work sessions that are interesting and engaging for children. Staff use appropriate resources, including books and websites, to promote these discussions, and children benefit from this support and guidance from staff.

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

Children in this home do not go missing from home. If this was to occur, there are protocols and plans in place to reduce harm and direct staff to the right course of action. When children are distressed and leave the home, staff walk with them. Staff use their skills in support and de-escalation and their relationships with children to help the child to return home safely.

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

When necessary, staff intervene and hold children to keep them safe. All incidents of physical intervention are reviewed by the manager and the in-house therapy team. Following incidents, the children can talk to staff or the manager about any worries. The manager may offer staff additional support and training if she feels this will help them to improve their skills and rebuild relationships with the child. The team works closely with therapy and psychology colleagues. This joined-up approach to caring for children is contributing to a reduction in incidents and the feeling of security that children display. Staff can also access personal support from the therapy team.

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

When allegations are made, they are well managed to keep children safe. There is external management oversight, consultation with outside professionals and an open and honest approach. However, allegations are not always reported to the regulator. This prevents the regulator from reviewing the quality of care and action taken by the provider to safeguard the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager of this home is highly ambitious for the children. She advocates strongly for children and ensures that the right people are involved in their lives so that they can achieve their full potential. This includes regular therapeutic support and consultation with outside agencies when appropriate and necessary. The support in place for children is nurturing and highly individual.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager is a great role model and has high expectations of herself and the staff. Regular research-based staff meetings, which enable staff to develop and learn, are valued. Children are the focus of these meetings. There is consistent, strong support and information for staff, who continue to implement research into their practice. Practice development is further supported by staff members who have been championed by the manager to develop additional knowledge and skills. The Inspection report for children’s home: SC450728 5 manager ensures that these staff have protected time to share their knowledge and skills with the team.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Supervision sessions are regularly held with staff. Staff describe the help that they receive from the manager as amazing. Staff say supervision sessions are very supportive and help them to develop in their role. The induction process for new employees is extremely comprehensive. This process is led by the manager, who offers constant guidance and encouragement, while giving new staff a clear structure and understanding of the expectations of their role. The ethos of the home is one of support and learning and where staff are happy in their roles.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

There is a culture of aspiration, support and development that extends outside of the home. The manager delivers training sessions for new staff and to other less- experienced managers. She was recently awarded the ‘Care Mentor of the Year’ for the organisation.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The home is warm, homely, and welcoming. The decoration and furnishings are in good condition and reflective of a family home. The manager maintains oversight of the home, the children’s plans, and staffing needs. She completes regular audits to ensure a high-quality home is maintained. The manager also regularly seeks and responds to feedback from children and professionals.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Feedback from professionals about the home is overwhelmingly positive. Professionals said they could not praise the manager and staff highly enough. They said the team really understands the children. Professionals said the manager is an effective communicator and a role model for her team. Professionals also noted that staff help the children to maintain their relationships with their families and with other significant people.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff speak very positively about the manager. They speak positively about the team and say that they all work well together. Staff described the home as a family. Staff said the manager promotes their development and helps them to be better at their job. The manager of this home is inspirational, confident, and ambitious for the children in her care and her staff team. Inspection report for children’s home: SC450728 6

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that if there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there, they notify Ofsted as specified in regulation 40. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards,’ page 63, paragraph 14.10)

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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: SC450728 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Time-Out Childrens Homes Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Unit 2, Ripponden Mill, Mill Fold, Ripponden, Sowerby Bridge, West Yorkshire HX6 4DH

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Dominic Macauley

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Inspector

Jo Cansfield, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC450728 8 regulates and inspects to 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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