Children's Home run by VCare24 Limited in East Riding of Yorkshire

Inspection report for children’s home: 2561726 1 Registered provider: Vcare – 24 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

The home is owned and managed by a private provider. The home provides care for one child who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of inspection, one child was living in the home. One child was spoken to as part of this inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager has been in post since March 2024 and is suitably skilled and qualified.

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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: 2561726 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

30/08/2023 Full Good 02/08/2022 Full Good 13/12/2021 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2561726 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff have built positive and trusting relationships with the child who currently lives in the home in a short amount of time. The child often enjoys spending quality time with staff, who will sit with the child for long periods to watch their favourite programmes at the child’s request. This promotes positive relationship-building.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child’s physical and emotional health is promoted in the home and staff work alongside health professionals to ensure the child’s needs are met and supported. Support for the child’s specific needs is often sought from specialised agencies such as child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) and the staff at the home ensure they keep in regular communication with these professionals for regular review and updates. This helps to support and develop the child’s overall health and well-being needs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

One parent spoken to gave positive feedback about the staff at the home and commented that their child ‘is the healthiest they have looked in years’, despite only being at the home for a short amount of time. The parent said that they feel confident in the staff team to support their child.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The staff at the home value education and have worked hard to ensure the child has access to the right educational provision that suits their needs. Staff have worked alongside a range of professionals and challenged where necessary to ensure the child’s educational needs are met. When the child has not been able to access formal education for a while, the staff have encouraged educational activities in and out of the home. This supports the child’s learning and development.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The staff have identified that there are some risks for the child in the local community. However, staff have assessed and managed these risks, and supported the child to progress to having free time with their friend and to engage in activities they enjoy, which has benefited their social and emotional health. This also promotes the independence and rights of the child.

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

The staff at the home work effectively with other agencies to safeguard the child. When the staff have safeguarding concerns about the child, these concerns are raised immediately with the appropriate agencies and action is taken to protect the child from harm. If it is considered that other agencies do not respond in a timely matter, the staff at the home will continue to make contact to raise concerns and advocate for the child’s needs. These measures promote the child’s safety.

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

Staff understand the risks for the child and can talk about how they manage these. Risk assessments are up to date and contain the required information to support staff to do Inspection report for children’s home: 2561726 4 this. Staff also support the child to understand their risks and how to keep themselves safe through key-working sessions and regular conversations.

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

Staff take appropriate measures to keep the child safe by conducting room searches when required. The staff have previously supported children at the home who have demonstrated self-injurious behaviours. They have a good understanding of how to safeguard children who show these behaviours while also respecting their privacy and supporting them emotionally.

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

Incidents are recorded in detail, including a chronology of events leading up to the incident. The child and staff have access to debriefs after incidents, especially where a physical intervention has been used. The child has key-working sessions around the incident to give them further opportunities to explore their feelings with staff who will support them. This helps to promote the voice of the child and keep them safe from harm.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The management team challenges the local authority and other professionals effectively when needed to secure the best outcomes for the child. The members of the management team have the child’s safety and overall well-being at the centre of what they do and at times have taken action to conduct their own meetings when there have been delays from other professionals. This demonstrates their dedication to supporting the child.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff feel supported by the manager. One staff member said that she ‘could not ask for a better manager’ and ‘could not praise them enough’. One member of staff said that it does not feel like you are coming to work, as it feels like a family home. Staff have also commented that the manager has created helpful guidebooks for them around the processes in the home. Staff say they feel valued and supported.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The staff rotas have been planned to ensure the child has a consistent staff team to support them at all times. The home does not use agency staff, which ensures the child sees familiar faces each day. The home does have access to staff who work in the provider’s other homes when required and the child is supported to get to know them. This supports the child’s sense of security.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager and the staff are strong advocates for the child. The management team and staff know the child well and consistently make child-centred decisions regarding any admissions or discharges from the home. They make difficult decisions, often under pressure from other agencies, to do what is best for the child.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Notifications are often sent to the regulator when required. However, there have been missed opportunities to inform the regulator of a serious event with appropriate context and detail which may have prevented further regulatory oversight. Inspection report for children’s home: 2561726 5

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Recommendation

 The registered person should notify the regulator of events considered to be serious. Notifications sent under Regulation 40 should be of sufficient detail to accurately demonstrate the safeguarding incident, especially when a physical intervention has been required. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 63, paragraphs 14.10 and 14.11)

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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: 2561726 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Unit 10, Halifax Way, Pocklington Industrial Estate, Pocklington, York YO42 1NP

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Inspector

Ladean Wilson, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2561726 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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