Children's Home run by HAVEN CARE GROUP LIMITED in Staffordshire

Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC474179 1 SC474179 Registered provider: Haven Care Group

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children's home

This home was registered with Ofsted in April 2014. It provides care for up to four children who have been affected by adverse childhood experiences that have led to associated trauma and complex behaviours.

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Information about this children's home

This home has applied to re-register under a different provider.

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Information about this children's home

There has been no registered manager in post since November 2023. The previous manager left the home before they were registered with Ofsted. An interim manager has been working in the home since March 2024. They have not applied to register with Ofsted.

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Information about this children's home

We last visited this home on 28 November 2023 to carry out a full inspection. The report is published on the Ofsted website.

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Information about this children's home

Inspectors were aware during this inspection that serious child protection allegations were being investigated by the appropriate authorities. While Ofsted does not have the power to investigate allegations of this kind, actions taken by the setting in response to the allegations were considered alongside other evidence available at the time of the inspection to inform inspectors’ judgements.

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This monitoring visit

The purpose of the visit was to explore that the actions taken by the managers and staff, following an increased level of safeguarding incidents and external complaints, are effective.

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This monitoring visit

There are three children living in the home. Two children were spoken with during the visit. Since the last inspection, three children have moved into the home and one child has moved out. Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC474179 2 Overall, the home is well decorated, clean and tidy. Children's rooms are personalised. There has been some redecoration to the communal areas of the home, which children were involved in. However, one child's bedroom has mould on the window sill and one child's bedroom was very untidy, with items over the floor and clothes piled in the wardrobe. There appeared to be insufficient storage for all their belongings. Staff had not taken action to provide sufficient care and support to improve this. These shortfalls detract from the homely and comfortable environment for children.

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This monitoring visit

Recently, there has been a period where there has been an increase in incidents in the home. Staff have not always been able to manage these behaviours, which has led to an increase in concerns being raised about staff and complaints. This will impact on children’s experiences and has left some children feeling unhappy and unsafe.

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This monitoring visit

One child spoken to said that they feel that the home is okay and they have everything that they need. Another child said that they were unhappy and did not feel safe. There was an incident the previous evening. This was being explored by managers at the time of this visit.

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This monitoring visit

Managers’ and staff’s consultation with children is inconsistent. When children write negative comments in questionnaires about their care, the manager does not explore these with children. The manager’s feedback to children’s requests raised in young people’s meetings is inconsistent, and there have been delays in actioning requests. Additionally, on one occasion, a child was told by managers that they could move their bedroom, but managers later reneged on this promise. These inconsistent and poor responses from managers and staff do not support children to feel valued, listened to, or able to build trusting relationships with staff.

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This monitoring visit

When planning for children moving into the home, managers have failed to take effective action to assess and minimise known risks. For example, despite known risks about a child going missing from home, managers and staff did not ensure they were fully prepared for this occurring. The child went missing from home the day after they moved in but staff had no photograph of the child to show the police who they were looking for. While there was minimal impact on this occasion, this poor planning has the potential to impede on the speed of the response of the emergency services and could have been avoided.

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This monitoring visit

Despite this, missing-from-care incidents are reducing. When children are away from the home, staff respond quickly. They follow children, search local areas and communicate with police until children are found. When children return, they are given the opportunity to speak to an independent person, so that they can share any worries or concerns they may have. Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC474179 3 The responsible individual takes prompt action when children raise concerns against staff. They ensure that the appropriate professionals are informed. This partnership working helps to keep children safe.

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This monitoring visit

Managers have not ensured that children’s written plans about risk and how to manage these contain up-to-date, consistent information. For example, one child had differing information in written plans about how to manager some self-harm risks. This conflicting information can lead to confusion for staff and inconsistent responses from staff.

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This monitoring visit

At times, the use of consequences have been excessive, punitive and ineffective. For example, on one occasion, staff used three different consequences for the same behavioural incident. Furthermore, staff are using the same consequence on multiple occasions without it being effective. Managers’ oversight does not identify this. A social worker stated that in the past staff have used family time as a consequence. The social worker did raise this with the responsible individual, and this has not reoccurred.

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This monitoring visit

Since the last inspection, there have been three managers in post and a high turnover of staff. This has impacted on the continuity of care that children receive, which will not help children to feel safe and secure with staff.

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This monitoring visit

Managers’ oversight and systems for monitoring the quality of care that children receive are not effective. Managers fail to identify the shortfalls found during this visit. Their oversight on children’s records and responses to children’s wishes and feelings is inconsistent. In addition, the interim manager has been in post over 90 days and has failed to register with Ofsted as required.

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This monitoring visit

Staff say that they feel well supported by the managers. They receive regular supervision and training to enable them to meet children’s needs. However, some team meetings have been missed and they lack reflection on the care provided to children. This will not support the staff to work together as a team to improve the quality of care they provide to children.

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This monitoring visit

The requirements made at the last inspection have not been fully reviewed. These will be reviewed at the next inspection. One additional requirement was made and one requirement was amended at this monitoring visit.

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This monitoring visit

The responsible individual has oversight of the home and takes appropriate action, when required. They have plans in place to make improvements to the quality of care that children receive. Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC474179 4

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

28/11/2023 Full Good 17/05/2022 Full Good 02/11/2021 Full Good 27/07/2021 Full Inadequate Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC474179 5

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person 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 must comply with the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

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Requirement Due date

assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child's relevant plans, and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child;

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Requirement Due date

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm;

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Requirement Due date

understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person; and

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Requirement Due date

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child's welfare. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(iii)(v)(vi))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, managers must ensure that: - Staff assess children's risks effectively and take action to reduce risks to children. - Children's written plans give clear, consistent up-to- date guidance to staff, and that staff consistently follow and implement strategies from children's plans effectively. - Consequences used are proportionate and are restorative in nature, to support the child to understand how their behaviour impacts on them, their peers, staff and the wider community.

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Requirement Due date

Part of this requirement was raised at the last inspection and has been restated. 6 December 2024 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC474179 6 The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children's home that—

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Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

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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

lead and manage the home in a way that is consistent with the approach and ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set out in the home's statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff work as a team where appropriate;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home's workforce provides continuity of care to each child;

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Requirement Due date

demonstrate that practice in the home is informed and improved by taking into account and acting on—

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Requirement Due date

feedback on the experiences of children, including complaints received; and

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Requirement Due date

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1) (2)(a)(b)(c)(e)(g)(ii)(h))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, managers must ensure that: - They have consistent and effective oversight and monitoring systems in place to monitor the quality of care afforded to children. - Team meetings are reflective and support the staff to work as a team and provide consistent, good-quality care for children. - Changes in the workforce and management have minimal impact on the continuity of care for children. - The interim manager applies to register with Ofsted within 90 days of being in post. 6 December 2024

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Requirement Due date

The children's views, wishes and feelings standard is that children receive care from staff who— 6 December 2024 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC474179 7 develop positive relationships with them;

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Requirement Due date

take their views, wishes and feelings into account in relation to matters affecting the children's care and welfare and their lives.

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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

help each child to understand how the child's views, wishes and feelings have been taken into account and give the child reasons for decisions in relation to the child. (Regulation 7 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2) (a)(iii))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, managers must ensure that they and staff respond in a timely manner to children's wishes, feelings and preferences, so that children feel listened to and that they understand the decision making that affects them. If there are delays or changes in actioning requests, the reasons for this must be clearly communicated to children. In addition, managers must ensure that they fully explore children's comments when they seek their views about the care that they receive.

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Recommendations

 The registered person must ensure that the children's home is a nurturing and supportive environment that meets the needs of the children. They will, in most cases, be homely, domestic environments, which are well maintained. ('Guide to the Children's Homes Regulations, including the quality standards', page 15, paragraph 3.9).

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Recommendations

 The registered person should only move children into the home where they are satisfied that they have carried out a full and comprehensive assessment of the child's needs and that they feel the home can respond effectively to the child's assessed needs as recorded in the child's relevant plans. ('Guide to the Children's Homes Regulations, including the quality standards', page 56, paragraph 11.4). Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC474179 8  The registered person should ensure that staff are familiar with the home's policies on record-keeping and understand the importance of careful, objective and clear recording. ('Guide to the Children's Homes Regulations, including the quality standards', page 62, paragraph 14.4).

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Information about this inspection

The purpose of this visit was to monitor the action taken and the progress made by the children's home since its last Ofsted inspection.

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Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000. Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC474179 9

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Haven Care Group, Unit 6, Barberry Court, Parkway, Centrum One Hundred, Burton-on-Trent DE14 2UE

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Inspector

Sonia Sullivan, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC474179 10 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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Inspector

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