Children's home run by Progressive Care Limited

Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2663883 1 Registered provider: Progressive Care Limited

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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. It provides care for up to four children with social and emotional difficulties. At the time of this inspection, four children were living at the home.

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Information about this children’s home

There has been no registered manager since 14 May 2024. An interim manager is in post and has made an application to register with Ofsted.

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Information about this children’s home

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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Information about this inspection

At this inspection, the inspector evaluated:

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Information about this inspection

 the care of children  the safety of children  the effectiveness of leaders and managers. Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children, using the social care common inspection framework. This assurance 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’. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2663883 2

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Findings from the inspection

This inspection was brought forward in order to address specific concerns or allegations received by Ofsted.

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Findings from the inspection

Ofsted did not identify any serious or widespread concerns in relation to the care or protection of children at this assurance inspection.

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Findings from the inspection

There have been significant changes to the staff team since the last inspection. Only one permanent member of staff remains working in the home who was employed at the last inspection. The provider has tried to minimise the impact of these changes, and staff from one of the provider’s other homes have been working in the home. However, the inconsistent permanent staff team has contributed to poor experiences for children and resulted in limited trusting relationships.

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Findings from the inspection

Additionally, the lack of consistent staff has resulted in poor bedtime and wake routines and a lack of boundaries for children. Children have been going to bed in the early hours of the morning and not being woken until lunchtime. A child was made to wait over two hours for the administration of a homely remedy for pain as the waking night staff were unfamiliar with the home. For one week and on several occasions, children ate their meals alone in their bedrooms. For some children, there was no record of what food they had consumed.

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Findings from the inspection

Management oversight of children’s documents is not effective. Practice shortfalls are not noticed and therefore not addressed. The manager does not have a good understanding of some of the children’s day-to-day experiences. However, when poor practice is noted, reflective statements are taken from staff to help them make changes.

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Findings from the inspection

The manager provided supervision sessions for staff in August; however, no supervision meetings have taken place since. Some staff have substantive posts in other children’s homes and receive supervision from their manager. However, this limits the manager’s oversight and ability to address issues directly with staff. Leaders suggest that this is mitigated by both managers working together and all staff attending team meetings.

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Findings from the inspection

Poor recording by staff of the children’s daily experiences does not effectively provide children with information. Staff do not understand the importance of these documents to provide children with a record of their time in the home if they choose to read their files as adults. Leaders and managers are aware of this shortfall and have addressed these concerns with staff. Staff have frequent conversations with children and offer support with things that are important to children. The records of these conversations are of varying quality.

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Findings from the inspection

Children have experienced challenging dynamics within the home with their peers. Staff struggle to ensure that children live together harmoniously. Staff understand Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2663883 3 the risks associated with this. Appropriate information-sharing ensures that all children’s views are considered. Children say that they feel safe in the home.

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Findings from the inspection

The older children have been supported to gain the skills to be able to live independently. Staff have advocated on behalf of children to ensure that their voices are heard. Liaison with children’s social workers supports the progression of children’s plans.

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Findings from the inspection

Essential statutory documents and plans for one child were not on file, despite them moving into the home in August 2024. The manager has made some attempts to obtain the documents from the social work team. However, the manager did not use the provider’s own escalation policy as she was not aware of it. The provider has now obtained these documents.

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Findings from the inspection

Regular fire drills have not been taking place. No fire drill has happened since July 2024 and two children have moved into the home since then. The manager was aware of this as the independent person noted this in their report; however, the manager has not ensured that a fire drill has taken place.

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Findings from the inspection

Allegations about staff are effectively managed and responded to appropriately. Leaders ensure that investigations take place. Relevant action is taken and information is appropriately shared with partner agencies.

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Findings from the inspection

Notifications to Ofsted are not always received in a timely way. One notification was received a month after the incident. This does not allow Ofsted to have external, timely scrutiny of the home.

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Findings from the inspection

When children go missing, staff try to understand the push and pull factors so that effective mitigation can be put in place. For one child, this has enabled clear safety plans to be put in place so that he can see people who are important to him.

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Findings from the inspection

The home’s statement of purpose has been updated and shared with Ofsted. However, this does not contain the relevant details about staff, their experience or qualifications as outlined in the regulations. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2663883 4

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

30/07/2024 Full Good 14/06/2023 Full Good 06/12/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2663883 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 within the given timescales.

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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—

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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

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 has sufficient staff to provide care for 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

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; 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)(a)(b) (2)(c)(d)(e)(f)(h)) 16 December

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Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children—

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home. 16 December Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2663883 6 In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

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Requirement Due date

that each child’s relevant plans are followed. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if—

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Requirement Due date

there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40 (4)(e)) 16 December

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Requirement Due date

If the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 M1 applies to the home—

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Requirement Due date

the registered person must ensure that the requirements of that Order and any regulations made under it, except for article 23 (duties of employees), are complied with in respect of the home. (Regulation 25 (2)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that regular fire drills take place, and when children or staff are new to the home this takes place without delay. 16 December

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that the home’s records on each child represent a significant contribution to their life history. They must be written in a way that is sensitive and non-judgemental and enables the child to understand their time at the home. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.5)  The registered person should ensure that consequences used to address poor behaviour are restorative in nature, to help children learn about the impact of their behaviour. Managers should ensure that the effectiveness and use of consequences are reviewed. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 46, paragraph 9.38)  The registered person should support children to attend full-time education while they are of compulsory school age, unless their personal education plan contained within the care plan or other relevant plan states otherwise. (‘Guide to the

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Recommendations

Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 28, paragraph 5.14) Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2663883 7  The registered person should ensure that staff have the relevant skills and knowledge to be able to respond to the health needs of children, administer basic first aid and minor illness treatment, including homely remedies, such as paracetamol. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 34, paragraph 7.12) Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2663883 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Progressive Care Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 51 Attercliffe Common, Sheffield S9 2AE

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Inspector

Joanna Beal, Social Care Inspector Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2663883 9 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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Inspector

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