Children's Home run by Call4Care Services Limited in West Northamptonshire

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2742794 1 Registered provider: Call4Care Services Limited

p.1

Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

This home is registered to provide care for up to two children who may have social and emotional needs and/or a learning difficulty. This home is owned by a small private provider and is its only registered children’s home.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

A new manager has been appointed, but they have not yet applied to register with Ofsted. The responsible individual was present for this inspection.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

This was an announced visit to the home to allow the provider to support the visit and for required information to be made available.

p.1

This monitoring visit

This monitoring visit was undertaken to ensure compliance with a suspension notice and to review any progress and improvements since the last visit. The provider was compliant with the suspension notice, and no children were in the home.

p.1

This monitoring visit

The action plan for the home was not made available for the inspector to review, despite several requests. Several policies and key documents were not available as they were in the process of being reviewed and updated. This prevented the inspector from having a clear picture of the progress and development of the home.

p.1

This monitoring visit

The fire risk assessment had not been updated by a competent person following some essential fire safety maintenance being completed. Fire doors were observed not to close. This means the home cannot be assessed as compliant with fire regulations, which could impact on the safety of the environment. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2742794 2 Some door locks have now been removed, and this means that communal areas in the home can be freely accessed. A new risk assessment has been completed regarding the locking of doors, and it has been shared with the staff team.

p.1

This monitoring visit

Two new staff have commenced employment, including a new manager. Staff employment files now contain all relevant information, and staff have been assessed as suitable to work with children. Three staff have recently left this employment following some performance concerns relating to training.

p.2

This monitoring visit

Some staff have completed additional training in the safe administration of medication and on providing care for children with disabilities. Staff are enrolled on the prescribed childcare qualification course. This should support staff to develop their knowledge and skills. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2742794 3

p.2

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

05/12/2023 Full Inadequate Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2742794 4

p.3

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 with the given timescales.

p.4

Requirement Due date

In meeting the quality standards, the registered person must, and must ensure that staff–

p.4

Requirement Due date

seek to secure the input and services required to meet each child’s needs;

p.4

Requirement Due date

seek to develop and maintain effective professional relationships with such persons, bodies or organisations as the registered person considers appropriate having regard to the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the children’s home is to provide care and accommodation. (Regulation 5 (b)(d))

p.4

Requirement Due date

In particular, this relates to ensuring that children have relevant agreed plans and that the manager is working with relevant professionals in implementing and acting on these plans. 11 December 2024

p.4

Requirement Due date

The quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who–

p.4

Requirement Due date

understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children;

p.4

Requirement Due date

use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential.

p.4

Requirement Due date

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

p.4

Requirement Due date

understand and apply the home’s statement of purpose;

p.4

Requirement Due date

understand and apply the home’s statement of purpose;

p.4

Requirement Due date

protect and promote each child’s welfare; 11 December 2024 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2742794 5 provide personalised care that meets each child’s needs, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans, taking account of the child’s background. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(i)(ii)(iv))

p.4

Requirement Due date

In particular, this relates to the manager and staff following the aims and objectives of the statement of purpose and applying this to the care that children receive.

p.5

Requirement Due date

The children’s views, wishes and feelings standard is that children receive care from staff who–

p.5

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.

p.5

Requirement Due date

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

p.5

Requirement Due date

ascertain and consider each child’s views, wishes and feelings, and balance these against what they judge to be in the child’s best interests when making decisions about the child’s care and welfare;

p.5

Requirement Due date

help each child to express views, wishes and feelings;

p.5

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;

p.5

Requirement Due date

regularly consult children, and seek their feedback, about the quality of the home’s care;

p.5

Requirement Due date

help each child to prepare for any review of the child’s relevant plans and to make the child’s views, wishes and feelings known for the purposes of that review;

p.5

Requirement Due date

is enabled to provide feedback to, and raise issues with, a relevant person about the support and services that the child receives; 11 December 2024 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2742794 6 is given appropriate advocacy support;

p.5

Requirement Due date

keep the children’s guide and the home’s complaints procedure under review and seek children’s comments before revising either document. (Regulation 7 (1)(b)(c) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(vi)(b)(i)(iii)(c))

p.6

Requirement Due date

In particular, this relates to children having a voice in the home, to be able to express their views. It also relates to children having access to a children’s guide that is factually accurate.

p.6

Requirement Due date

The education standard is that children make measurable progress towards achieving their educational potential and are helped to do so.

p.6

Requirement Due date

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

p.6

Requirement Due date

help each child to achieve the child’s education and training targets, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans;

p.6

Requirement Due date

support each child’s learning and development, including helping the child to develop independent study skills and, where appropriate, helping the child to complete independent study;

p.6

Requirement Due date

understand the barriers to learning that each child may face and take appropriate action to help the child to overcome any such barriers;

p.6

Requirement Due date

promote opportunities for each child to learn informally;

p.6

Requirement Due date

maintain regular contact with each child’s education and training provider, including engaging with the provider and the placing authority to support the child’s education and training and to maximise the child’s achievement;

p.6

Requirement Due date

raise any need for further assessment or specialist provision in relation to a child with the child’s education or training provider and the child’s placing authority;

p.6

Requirement Due date

help a child who is excluded from school, or who is of compulsory school age but not attending school, to access educational and training support throughout the period of 11 December 2024 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2742794 7 exclusion or non-attendance and to return to school as soon as possible;

p.6

Requirement Due date

help each child to attend education or training in accordance with the expectations in the child’s relevant plans;

p.7

Requirement Due date

that each child has access to appropriate equipment, facilities and resources to support the child’s learning. (Regulation 8 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(v)(vi)(vii)(viii)(x)(b))

p.7

Requirement Due date

In particular, this relates to children having an education plan that contains information relating to the child’s education, both formal and informal, and how staff are to support this. It also relates to children being encouraged and supported to attend education relevant to their needs and being provided with the necessary resources to engage in education.

p.7

Requirement Due date

The enjoyment and achievement standard is that children take part in and benefit from a variety of activities that meet their needs and develop and reflect their creative, cultural, intellectual, physical and social interests and skills.

p.7

Requirement Due date

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

p.7

Requirement Due date

develop the child’s interests and hobbies;

p.7

Requirement Due date

participate in activities that the child enjoys and which meet and expand the child’s interests and preferences;

p.7

Requirement Due date

make a positive contribution to the home and wider community; and

p.7

Requirement Due date

that each child has access to a range of activities that enable the child to pursue the child’s interests and hobbies. (Regulation 9 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(b))

p.7

Requirement Due date

In particular, this relates to children being provided with activities in the home and community relevant to their interests and ensuring that there are resources available in the home for them to pursue hobbies and interests. 11 December 2024

p.7

Requirement Due date

The health and well-being standard is that–

p.7

Requirement Due date

the health and well-being needs of children are met; 11 December 2024 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2742794 8 children receive advice, services and support in relation to their health and well-being;

p.7

Requirement Due date

children are helped to lead healthy lifestyles.

p.8

Requirement Due date

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

p.8

Requirement Due date

achieve the health and well-being outcomes that are recorded in the child’s relevant plans;

p.8

Requirement Due date

understand the child’ health and well-being needs and the options that are available in relation to the child’s health and well-being, in a way that is appropriate to the child’s age and understanding. (Regulation 10 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(i)(ii))

p.8

Requirement Due date

In particular, this relates to children having a health plan on file and ensuring that staff are aware of any health needs and diagnoses the children may have and how best to support them.

p.8

Requirement Due date

The positive relationships standard is that children are helped to develop, and to benefit from, relationships based on–

p.8

Requirement Due date

an understanding about acceptable behaviour;

p.8

Requirement Due date

positive responses to other children and adults.

p.8

Requirement Due date

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

p.8

Requirement Due date

meet each child’s behavioural and emotional needs as set out in the child’s relevant plans;

p.8

Requirement Due date

help each child to develop and practise skills to resolve conflicts positively and without harm to anyone;

p.8

Requirement Due date

strive to gain each child’s respect and trust; 11 December 2024 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2742794 9 understand how children’s previous experiences and present emotions can be communicated through behaviour and have the competence and skills to interpret these and develop positive relationships with children;

p.8

Requirement Due date

are provided with supervision and support to enable them to understand and manage their own feelings and responses to the behaviours and emotions of children, and to help children to do the same;

p.9

Requirement Due date

that each child is encouraged to build and maintain positive relationships with others. (Regulation 11 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(i)(iv)(viii)(ix)(x)(b))

p.9

Requirement Due date

In particular, this relates to supporting children to have positive relationships with each other and for the staff to develop positive and trusting relationships with the children. It also relates to staff receiving reflective supervision to explore their own practices when supporting children who may be in crisis.

p.9

Requirement Due date

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

p.9

Requirement Due date

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

p.9

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;

p.9

Requirement Due date

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

p.9

Requirement Due date

manage relationships between children to prevent them from harming each other;

p.9

Requirement Due date

are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies;

p.9

Requirement Due date

that the home’s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm; 11 December 2024 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2742794 10 that the effectiveness of the home’s child protection policies is monitored regularly. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(iii)(iv)(vii)(b)(e))

p.9

Requirement Due date

In particular, this relates to children having risk assessments in place for staff to refer to, the manager and staff taking appropriate action in response to online safety for children, and staff supervising children in line with their plans. It also relates to the manager and staff following advice from external safeguarding professionals following allegations of harm.

p.10

Requirement Due date

The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that–

p.10

Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

p.10

Requirement Due date

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

p.10

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;

p.10

Requirement Due date

ensure that staff work as a team where appropriate;

p.10

Requirement Due date

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

p.10

Requirement Due date

understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home;

p.10

Requirement Due date

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

p.10

Requirement Due date

feedback on the experiences of children, including complaint’s received;

p.10

Requirement Due date

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(c)(f)(g)(ii)(h)) 11 December 2024 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2742794 11 In particular, this relates to management oversight and quality assurance, training and experience of the staff team and regular reviewing of the quality and standard of care being provided.

p.10

Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children–

p.11

Requirement Due date

receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home; and

p.11

Requirement Due date

have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home.

p.11

Requirement Due date

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

p.11

Requirement Due date

manage and review the placement of each child in the home; and

p.11

Requirement Due date

that each child’s relevant plans are followed;

p.11

Requirement Due date

that the staff help each child to access and contribute to the records kept by the registered person in relation to the child. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b) (2)(b)(ii)(c)(f))

p.11

Requirement Due date

In particular, this relates to each child having a care plan on file that staff follow, and that the child is being supported to understand and contribute to this plan. 11 December 2024

p.11

Requirement Due date

This regulation applies to a child who is looked after by a local authority.

p.11

Requirement Due date

The registered person must co-operate with the child’s placing authority in agreeing and signing the child’s placement plan. (Regulation 17 (1) (2))

p.11

Requirement Due date

In particular, this relates to the registered person ensuring that a child’s local authority placement plan is kept in the home and is easily accessible. 11 December 2024

p.11

Requirement Due date

(The registered person must maintain records (“case records”) for each child which–

p.11

Requirement Due date

include the information and documents listed in Schedule 3 in relation to each child; 11 December 2024 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2742794 12 are kept up to date;

p.11

Requirement Due date

are signed and dated by the author of each entry. (Regulation 36 (1)(a)(b)(c))

p.12

Requirement Due date

Schedule 4 sets out the other information that the registered person must keep in relation to a children’s home.

p.12

Requirement Due date

maintain in the home the records in Schedule 4;

p.12

Requirement Due date

ensure that the records are kept up to date; and

p.12

Requirement Due date

retain the records for at least 15 years from the date of the last entry. (Regulation 37 (1) (2)(a)(b)(c))

p.12

Requirement Due date

In particular, this relates to keeping complete and factually accurate rotas in the home and a children’s register. 11 December 2024

p.12

Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that the following items, which may be kept in electronic form, are kept in an accessible manner–

p.12

Requirement Due date

records of the use of measures of control, discipline or restraint (see regulation 35);

p.12

Requirement Due date

children’s case records (see regulation 36);

p.12

Requirement Due date

records of complaints (see regulation 39)

p.12

Requirement Due date

the independent person’s reports. (See regulation 44) (Regulation 38 (h)(i)(j)(l)(m)) 11 December 2024

p.12

Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that a record is made of any complaint, the action taken in response, and the outcome of any investigation.

p.12

Requirement Due date

The registered person must supply to HMCI, at HMCI’s request, a statement containing a summary of any complaints made during the preceding twelve months and the action that was taken in response to each complaint. (Regulation 39 (3) (5)) 11 December 2024 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2742794 13 The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if–

p.12

Requirement Due date

an incident requiring police involvement occurs in relation to a child which the registered person considers to be serious;

p.13

Requirement Due date

a child protection enquiry involving a child–

p.13

Requirement Due date

there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40 (4)(b)(d)(i)(e)) 11 December 2024

p.13

Requirement Due date

After consultation with the fire and rescue authority, the registered person must-

p.13

Requirement Due date

take adequate precautions against the risk of fire, including the provision of suitable fire equipment in the children’s home. (Regulation 25 (1)(a))

p.13

Requirement Due date

In particular, this relates to the registered person ensuring that all works identified on the fire risk assessment are completed. This includes fire doors and frames and ensuring that these are compliant with fire regulations. 11 December 2024

p.13

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.

p.13

Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2742794 14

p.13

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Call4Care Services Limited

p.14

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 34 Haywards Croft, Greenleys, Milton Keynes MK12 6AH

p.14

Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Ruzivo Gangaidzo

p.14

Inspector

Sarah Orriss, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2742794 15 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.

p.14

Inspector

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.15

Inspector

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.15

Inspector

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.15