Children's Home run by Empower Residential Ltd in Somerset

Inspection report for children's home: 2547967 1 Registered provider: Empower Residentials Limited

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is owned by a private provider. It is registered to provide care for up to two children who have social and emotional difficulties or learning disabilities. At the time of this inspection, one child was living at the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in July 2023.

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Information about this children’s home

Staff in the home are referred to as adults. This is reflected in the report.

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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 outstanding

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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: 2547967 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

13/06/2023 Full Good 09/11/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good 27/07/2022 Full Inadequate 11/01/2022 Full Good Inspection report for children's home: 2547967 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Adults understand the child and their needs exceptionally well. Having consistent key adults in the team has enabled the child to build close relationships. This helps the child to communicate their needs and for the adults to understand them. In the last year, there has been a significant reduction in incidents, which is a result of the adults understanding the child better.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Great progress can be seen in all aspects of this child’s life. The adults are ambitious for them. Adults have advocated for the child to have education that takes place away from the home and provides the child with wider opportunities. Successes are celebrated, with the child’s certificates and pictures of achievements displayed around the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child is treated with dignity and respect. They are encouraged to understand and build healthy relationships with the adults in the home but also with everyone they meet. The inspector met with the child and the child was able to say that they like their home, they like the food and they think their bedroom is a ‘10 out of 10.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child has busy weekends and holidays with long walks, cycle rides and adrenaline- filled activities. Their needs are considered, and their views are sought. Memory books are meaningful and up to date. These books are actively used by the child to reflect and help them to remember.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Careful consideration and research have been used to inform the child’s diet. The glycaemic index is used and slow-release foods, for example, have been introduced into the child’s diet to support them. Their diet is healthy and varied and the adults go to great efforts to introduce cultural variety. The child’s need for strong tastes is also catered for.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

With support, the child is beginning to develop their independence. However, they continue to be supported by three adults at a time without clear plans on how this can be reduced or how to support the child to develop their own strategies to keep safe.

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

Adults have clear plans and strategies to support the child to be safe and feel safe. When incidents occur, they are lengthy and difficult. When the child has left the home unsupervised the adults have had to follow the child for long distances to support them. Learning from incidents is applied and the team uses reflection and research to consider what they could do differently next time.

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

Since the last inspection, restraint has been used but not for almost a year now. Adults give clear responses and their relationships with the child mean that restraint is not needed, as other methods are effective. The child experiences consistent boundaries Inspection report for children's home: 2547967 4 from the adults, which appears to be helping them to deal with their emotions in a different way.

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

When concerns have been raised about adults, investigations have been followed up quickly. Information is shared with social workers and education professionals working with the child, which ensures their safety. Learning from incidents is shared with the wider team through team meetings and supervision.

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

Permitted restrictions are in place, in line with the child’s deprivation of liberty order. Adults work creatively within this to reduce restrictions where possible, and this is reviewed routinely. Thought is given to the home environment to make this as homely as possible while remaining safe for the child and for the adults.

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

Careful recruitment of staff is in place to ensure appropriate adults are working in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

This home is run by an inspirational leader who is motivated by improving the child’s life. They are ambitious for the child and for the adults in the home. Systems are in place to track care. When patterns are identified, the manager considers how to provide further support. The manager is not content to accept that ‘ok’ is good enough for this chid. This drive can be seen in the records, the attitudes of the adults and the care that the child receives.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Key adults have provided consistency for the child and the child knows the team well. The manager has been a strong advocate for the child and has challenged other professionals to ensure the best outcomes. Good professional relationships exist between the adults and other professionals, with information shared quickly between them.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Supervision is regular and recorded effectively. Records focus on how to improve the child’s care and experiences. This is then put into practice by the adults. Actions are specific, with timescales given. Team meetings provide opportunities for the team to discuss the child’s needs together. The manager goes to great efforts to make these meetings fun and engaging, with quizzes that focus on important aspects of the child’s life.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The adults who work in the home feel supported. They are ambitious for the child and supportive towards each other. Feedback from other professionals highlighted good communication and a team that is cohesive and works well together to support the child. Inspection report for children's home: 2547967 5

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that adults support the child to be aware of and manage their own safety, both inside and outside the home, to the extent that any good parent would. Adults should help the child to understand how to protect themselves, feel protected and be protected from significant harm. In addition, staffing ratios should regularly be reviewed in line with the child’s needs with clear plans on how this can be reduced if this is safe. The child should also be supported to develop their own strategies to keep safe. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 43, paragraph 9.9)

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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: 2547967 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Empower Residentials Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Unit 2, Prockters Farm, West Monkton, Taunton, Somerset TA2 8QN

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Inspector

Nickie Doney, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: 2547967 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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