Children's Home run by Momentum Residential Care Home Ltd in Essex

Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2621215 1 Registered provider: Momentum Residential Care Home Limited

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is owned by a small organisation and provides care for up to four children with social and emotional difficulties. There were three children living at the home at the time of inspection and one child was spoken to.

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Information about this children’s home

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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Information about this children’s home

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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Information about this inspection

At these inspections, the inspectors evaluated:

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Information about this inspection

 the care of children  the safety of children  the effectiveness of leaders and managers. Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children, using the social care common inspection framework. This assurance 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’. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2621215 2

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Findings from the inspection

We did not identify any serious or widespread concerns in relation to the care or protection of children at this assurance inspection.

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Findings from the inspection

Three children were living at the home at the time of this inspection. Two children have moved in since the last inspection. One child spoke with the inspectors; the other children were not present during the inspection.

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Findings from the inspection

Children can identify an adult who they trust to talk to if they have a complaint or issue. There is also a ‘grumble box’ to capture written complaints. Children’s meetings take place regularly.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff enable children to take part in activities, hobbies and leisure interests. Staff supported one child to have a pet rabbit. This has helped the child’s self-esteem and taught them responsibility through feeding and looking after the rabbit.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff are positive and respectful with the children. They understand children’s triggers and difficulties, and respond appropriately to these. Staff understand and implement the safeguarding protocols, such as the procedures to use in the event children go missing from the home.

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Findings from the inspection

Professionals have described different experiences. One social worker said, ‘It’s the most significant progression [for the child] we have seen. We’re amazed with how much they’ve done with her.’ However, staff did not pack the correct items for another child who was staying at their residential school, and staff arrived late to collect a child for a family visit.

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Findings from the inspection

The management team has not assessed the suitability of children coming into the home. The assessment for one child identified behaviours that had not been mitigated adequately and occurred frequently. One professional said that a child was not in the right home to meet their needs, due to the child’s young age.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff and managers have assessed risks around the home and put measures in place to mitigate these. These include restricting easy access to cutlery and providing plastic mirrors that cannot break into sharp pieces. These measures are not needed for all children; however, alternative measures have not been offered. Children are not given an appropriate degree of freedom based on their individual needs.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff keep children safe. One child has made significant progress since moving to the home. By building relationships with staff, the child has found ways to regulate their emotions and find alternative methods for managing conflict. However, when children make positive progress with their behaviour, the supporting records are not always changed to reflect this. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2621215 3 Staff have systems in place to support children who self-harm. When this happens, staff are supportive and empathetic towards the child. The staff make the home safe for them, reducing the risk of this reoccurring. Room searches are undertaken with the children present, as a safeguarding measure.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff use appropriate methods to safeguard everyone, and carry out physical intervention as a last resort. Records of interventions include debriefs with the staff and conversations with children.

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Findings from the inspection

When children raise concerns, staff take them seriously and make sure that children feel listened to and their views are validated.

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Findings from the inspection

There has been a change in management since the last inspection. The manager left in July 2024. There is an interim manager who will remain in post until a permanent manager is appointed. The senior management team is actively recruiting for a replacement for the manager.

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Findings from the inspection

When there are issues in the local community, leaders and managers make sure that they speak with local neighbours to attempt to resolve conflicts and offer them reassurance. However, serious incidents are not always shared with Ofsted. This means that Ofsted cannot ensure that the appropriate response has been given.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff supervision sessions are frequent and effective. Staff are provided with the opportunity to reflect on their own feelings and behaviours. Staff feel listened to, and the staff team is increasingly stable.

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Findings from the inspection

Leaders and managers ensure that staff are trained and have the necessary skills and experience to fulfil the responsibilities of their role. The manager makes sure that staff are upskilled during team meetings and group supervisions. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2621215 4

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

16/04/2024 Full Requires improvement to be good 31/07/2023 Full Requires improvement to be good 16/05/2023 Full Inadequate 12/07/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2621215 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 registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if—

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Requirement Due date

an incident requiring police involvement occurs in relation to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40 (4)(b)) 30 October 2024

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Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children—

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Requirement Due date

receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)) 30 October 2024

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Recommendations

 The registered person must ensure that children’s care plans are kept up to date to reflect the progress that children have made. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.3)  The registered person should ensure that children are given an appropriate degree of freedom and choice in relation to day-to-day arrangements for their care, based on their individual needs. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 17, paragraph 3.21) Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2621215 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Momentum Residential Care Home Limited

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Inspectors

Dan Williams, Social Care Inspector Daniel Rankin, Social Care Inspector Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2621215 7 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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