Children's Home run by Forevermore Care Group Limited T/A Estuary Care in Cheshire East

Inspection report for children’s home: 2745837 1 Registered provider: Forevermore Care Group Limited T/A Estuary Care

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is operated by a private provider. It provides care for up to four children with learning difficulties. There were two children living in the home at the time of the inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in February 2024.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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inadequate

How well children and young people are helped and protected inadequate

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inadequate

The effectiveness of leaders and managers inadequate

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inadequate

There are serious and widespread failures that mean children and young people are not protected and their welfare is not promoted or safeguarded. The care and experiences of children and young people are poor and they are not making progress.

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inadequate

Date of last inspection: not previously inspected

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inadequate

Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable

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inadequate

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2745837 2

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

The manager and staff have not always ensured that children are protected from harm. In addition, leaders have not identified shortfalls in staff practice so that changes are made to effectively safeguard children in the future.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Three children have moved into the home in a planned way since it was registered in February 2024. However, one child has moved out following a relatively short time as the manager identified that they were unable to meet the child’s needs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Due to the children’s communication needs, children can quickly become distressed due to changes in their environment. Staff do not always follow the guidelines that are in place to support children to calm down. Additionally, children’s dignity is not protected when they feel a need to remove their clothes, and they are not always directed to an appropriate place to do this. This means that staff are not supporting children to develop their awareness of socially acceptable behaviour.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

One child attends school and is doing well there. The manager has been transporting the child to and from school while the local authority finalises school transport. The manager has challenged this issue with the local authority. Another child has had a school identified but is awaiting a start date.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Children are provided with sensory experiences within the home and appropriate equipment and activities are available.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Broken furniture inside and outside of the home is not removed in a timely manner. Children’s bedrooms are spacious, and they have begun to personalise these. However, the bedroom doors do not have locks on them. This impacts on children’s ability to have time alone and to ensure that their privacy is respected.

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

Staff have failed to ensure that children receive appropriate medical attention when required. A staff member said that a child had dented the wall, when banging his head on it. The manager confirmed that the child was not taken for medical attention at that time. There are no clear guidelines in place for staff to follow that direct them to assess the severity of a situation and obtain medical advice to ensure the children’s safety and welfare. In addition, the record of this incident did not capture the events clearly. This has an impact on management oversight and effective information-sharing with the child’s placing authority.

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

The use of mechanical restraint, including vehicle harnesses and buggies, has not been identified as a method of restraint. This means that they have not been assessed and there is no oversight of their use. Additionally, equipment used for supporting children’s Inspection report for children’s home: 2745837 3 sensory needs, such as weighted blankets, has also not been assessed to ensure that it is suitable and safe for children to use. Restraints are evaluated and children do receive appropriate de-briefs after restraints to ensure their needs are considered.

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

Not all children have taken part in a fire drill. This means that they are unaware of what to do in the event of a real fire and leaves children at risk of harm.

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

There have been several changes of staff since the home was registered, and vacancies remain. Agency staff are used to cover the shortfalls. The manager has not had adequate oversight of recruitment files, which have gaps in staff members’ employment histories. Additionally, the manager has not ensured that all agency staff members’ disclosure and barring checks are up to date when first employing them. This means that the manager cannot be assured that all staff are safe to work with children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The manager has not had appropriate oversight of recruitment. In addition, the manager did not have oversight of an incident when a child hit their head. This has had an impact on children being kept safe.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The staff have attended training in line with children’s needs. However, this knowledge has not always been put into practice. During the inspection, staff were not following agreed plans, and children were unsettled.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The staff say that they receive support from the manager and have access to regular supervision. Staff also have access to regular team meetings.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Due to staff shortages, the manager often works alongside the staff team to support less-experienced staff. However, she does not always ensure that she is included on the rota. This makes it difficult to see when she is in the home. In addition, the workforce development plan does not include all the necessary information.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Independent visits take place monthly. However, the independent person’s oversight is limited with regard to them obtaining feedback from others. The reports do not always include the independent person’s view on whether the children are safeguarded. Additionally, not all reports have been received by Ofsted. This impacts on the regulator’s oversight of what it is like for children living at the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

There has been one complaint made by a neighbour, relating to items being thrown over the wall. The manager arranged for the fences to be made higher to reduce this reoccurring. The neighbour was satisfied with the outcome. However, there was not a complete record of this complaint or outcome. Inspection report for children’s home: 2745837 4

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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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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

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare; and

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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. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(iii)(vi)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This relates to there being clear plans in place for when staff should obtain medical advice for a child when they have self- injured.

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Requirement Due date

This also relates to ensuring that the use of weighted blankets and harnesses are assessed by a professional. 15 November 2024

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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

promotes their welfare. 15 November 2024 Inspection report for children’s home: 2745837 5 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 have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of 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)(a)(c)(f)(h))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that evaluations of incidents identify and address any shortfalls in staff practice, including when staff have not sought appropriate medical attention.

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Requirement Due date

In addition, the registered person must ensure that documents, including the statement of purpose, workforce development plan and rotas, meet the requirements within regulation.

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

ensure, by means of fire drills and practices at suitable intervals, that persons working at the home and, so far as reasonably practicable, children are aware of the procedure to be followed in case of fire. (Regulation 25 (1)(d))

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Requirement Due date

This relates specifically to children who have moved into the home taking part in a fire drill. 15 November 2024

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

an understanding about acceptable behaviour; and 15 November 2024 Inspection report for children’s home: 2745837 6 positive responses to other children and adults.

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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

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

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Requirement Due date

help each child to develop socially aware behaviour. (Regulation 11 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(i)(ii))

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Requirement Due date

This relates specifically to supporting children to have time when they are undressed, in appropriate areas of the home, to maintain their dignity.

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Requirement Due date

This further relates to ensuring that the staff follow the guidelines in children’s plans to help the child to calm down when distressed.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety.

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Requirement Due date

employ an individual to work at the children’s home;

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Requirement Due date

if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3).

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Requirement Due date

full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2. (Regulation 32 (1) (2)(a) (3)(d))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person should ensure that they have full employment histories for all staff, including an explanation of any gaps.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must also ensure that they have systems to ensure that all staff, including agency staff, are not barred from working with children.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that— 15 November 2024 Inspection report for children’s home: 2745837 7 the privacy of children is appropriately protected;

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Requirement Due date

children can access all appropriate areas of the children’s home’s premises; and

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Requirement Due date

any limitation placed on a child’s privacy or access to any area of the home’s premises—

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Requirement Due date

is intended to safeguard each child accommodated in the home;

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Requirement Due date

is kept under review and, if necessary, revised; and

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Requirement Due date

allows children as much freedom as is possible when balanced against the need to protect them and keep them safe. (Regulation 21(a)(b)(c)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv))

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Requirement Due date

This relates specifically to children being able to lock their bedroom doors to ensure their privacy.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that an independent person visits the children’s home at least once each month.

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Requirement Due date

When the independent person is carrying out a visit, the registered person must help the independent person—

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Requirement Due date

if they consent, to interview in private such of the children, their parents, relatives and persons working at the home as the independent person requires; and

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Requirement Due date

The independent person must produce a report about a visit (“the independent person’s report”) which sets out, in particular, the independent person’s opinion as to whether—

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Requirement Due date

children are effectively safeguarded; and

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Requirement Due date

the conduct of the home promotes children’s well-being.

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Requirement Due date

The independent person must provide a copy of the independent person’s report to—

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Requirement Due date

HMCI. (Regulation 44 (1) (2)(a) (4)(a)(b) (7)(a)) 15 November 2024 Inspection report for children’s home: 2745837 8

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that all restrictions of a child’s movement, even where a child may not offer resistance, perhaps due to an impairment or disability, are recorded as restraint. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 47, paragraph 9.42)

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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: 2745837 9

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Forevermore Care Group Limited T/A Estuary Care

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Riverside Mill, Mountbatten Way, Congleton, Cheshire CW12 1DY

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Inspector

Kerri Lynch, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2745837 10 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 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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