Children's home run by Stepping Stones Care (Midlands) Limited

Inspection report for children’s home: 2671339 1 Registered provider: Stepping Stones Care (Midlands 1) Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This privately owned home provides care for up to three children who have experienced trauma and experience associated difficulties with their emotional well-being.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in June 2023.

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Information about this children’s home

Three children were living at the home at the time of the inspection.

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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

Date of last inspection: 21 November 2023

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2671339 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

21/11/2023 Full Requires improvement to be good 19/01/2023 Full Inadequate Inspection report for children’s home: 2671339 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The practice in the home is reflective of the organisation’s model of care outlined in the home’s statement of purpose. The managers and staff seek to understand children’s family history, adverse childhood experiences and the impact of these on children’s daily lives. Consequently, they are aware of children’s current needs, the support required to meet these needs and the importance of establishing trusted and positive relationships with children to help them make progress.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

All the children living at the home have made good progress. One child was supported by staff to sit all their exams and has progressed to college, where they continue to do well. Another child has managed the transition from limited home tutoring hours to attending full-time education. The children said that they are proud of everything they have achieved and were appreciative of staff’s care and support.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Professionals working with the children, including nurses, social workers and teachers, have recognised how well all the children have progressed. The manager and staff work well with teachers to support children with their learning. They meet regularly to ensure that they are continuously exploring children’s barriers to learning and ways to support them to meet their individual targets.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The manager and staff pride themselves in listening and acting on children’s views and wishes. Children have opportunities to share their opinions on their daily care through attending their own care planning meetings, children’s meetings, key-work sessions and spending quality time with staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff know the importance of children building and maintaining social relationships with close family and friends. They support children to see those that matter to them. Staff go the extra mile to meet parents of children’s friends, which then supports children to safely enjoy these relationships.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children enjoy an array of activities within the home and the community. They have enjoyed holidays to the seaside, visits to the park and cinema and cooking at home with staff. Children are having positive experiences of living at the home and are making beautiful memories.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The manager and staff continue to provide the children with a warm and welcoming home environment. Children have settled well into the home and have a say in how they want their bedrooms and home environment to look and feel.

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

Professionals, such as social workers, teachers and health workers, report that the staff and the managers have taken the time to understand the children’s lived Inspection report for children’s home: 2671339 4 trauma. Consequently, they know what children are trying to communicate to them through the behaviours they display.

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

The manager and staff form meaningful, positive and trusting relationships with children. They have completed a lot of educational work with children on how to keep themselves safe, and there has been a significant reduction in children’s risk- taking behaviours. Children said that they feel safe living at the home and that they can speak with the manager and staff if they have any worries about their safety.

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

The manager and staff continuously role model positive behaviours in the home and provide the children with consistent routines and boundaries. There has been a reduction in the use of physical restraints, as children are learning to manage their behaviours and are now able to regulate their emotions better.

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

Staff and managers ensure that children are aware of the home’s complaints procedures. Managers respond well to complaints made by children. They acknowledge receipt of complaints and share the actions taken to address them. They ask for feedback from children about whether they are happy with the outcome of the complaint or not. Children feel that staff and managers listen to them and act on the issues they raise. This reassures them that the complaints system works and is a platform where concerns are dealt with well.

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

The manager’s safer recruitment processes are robust and ensure that only appropriate adults look after the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home is overseen by a highly skilled manager who has over twenty years’ experience of working in residential childcare. She is enthusiastic and role models positive therapeutic parenting to her staff and the children they look after. She is nurturing, patient, supportive and passionate, not just about the children but about the staff too. A new senior manager has submitted their application to be responsible individual to Ofsted.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Most of the staff did not previously have therapeutic support backgrounds. However, the manager, with the support from the clinical team, took the time to upskill staff, and they have embedded therapeutic practice in their daily care of the children. This has supported children to make good progress.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager advocates on behalf of children and challenges partner agencies effectively to ensure that the children receive adequate support. This has ensured that children’s holistic needs are met and they have settled well in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive adequate training from external trainers, the clinical team and the manager, which supports them in meeting children’s needs. Staff supervision sessions take place regularly, and staff find these to be useful reflective tools to improve practice. They feel that supervision provides a safe environment where they Inspection report for children’s home: 2671339 5 can discuss their personal and work-life balance. However, two appraisals have not taken place within timescales, which the manager is aware of and will be addressing soon.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Partner agencies speak positively about the manager and how effective her communication is. They are kept up to date with the children’s progress and any areas of need. Inspection report for children’s home: 2671339 6

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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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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that all staff have their performance and fitness to carry out their role formally appraised at least once annually. This appraisal should take into account, where reasonable and practical, the views of other professionals who have worked with the staff member over the year and children in the home’s care. As part of the performance management process, poor performance should be addressed by a timely plan to bring about improvement. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.5)

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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: 2671339 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Stepping Stones Care (Midlands 1) Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Camomile House, 6 Embassy Drive, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 1TP

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Inspector

Rumbi Mangoma, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2671339 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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