Children's Home run by NOVA CHILDREN'S CARE LTD in Derby

Inspection report for children’s home: 2785955 1 Registered provider: Nova Children’s Care Limited

p.1

Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

This children’s home is privately owned and is registered to care for up to four children who may have learning disabilities.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

There were three children living at the home at the time of the inspection. All children were spoken to by the inspector.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

There is no registered manager in post. An interim manager is overseeing the home.

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

p.1

good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

p.1

good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

p.1

good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

p.1

good

Date of last inspection: not previously inspected

p.1

good

Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable

p.1

good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2785955 2

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children receive individualised and bespoke care. Children’s care plans are comprehensive and informative. Staff know children well and have a good understanding of their needs. Children enjoy positive relationships with staff, and they enjoy spending time together, such as playing card games and baking. As a result, children settle quickly and like living at the home.

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported to access activities and hobbies of their choice. For example, one child enjoys playing for a football team, and two of the children go roller skating and like cooking together. This helps to build children’s confidence and self-esteem and fosters peer relationships.

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support children to do well at school. Staff enable children to continue attending schools that are far away from the home. This provides children with consistency and minimises the disruption that children can experience when they move into the home.

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff are skilled at helping children to communicate their wishes and feelings. For one child who does not use words to communicate, staff teach the use of symbols. This enables staff to understand the child’s needs and wants. Another child is being supported to develop their speech and understanding using sign language. As a result, children feel understood and empowered to make day-to-day decisions about their own care, such as what they eat and how they spend their time.

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff are good at meeting children’s health needs. For children who find attending health appointments difficult, staff are creative in their approach. For example, one child had their optician’s appointment carried out at the home to minimise their distress. The manager and staff are good advocates for children and escalate health concerns appropriately. This ensures that children receive the right assessments and treatment. As a result, children’s overall health improves.

p.2

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

Staff know the risks that children may be exposed to. Safety plans are made in collaboration with relevant professionals, such as social workers, paediatricians and learning disability nurses. Risks are regularly reviewed, and plans are appropriately updated. This ensures that there is an effective approach to safeguarding.

p.2

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

Staff are skilled at responding to self-injurious behaviours for a child who cannot use words to communicate. Staff take effective action, which is tailored to the child’s complex needs and communication style. Appropriate safeguards are sought, such as a protective helmet. The manager and staff go to great effort to understand the reason behind the behaviour, to prevent further incidents. As a result, the risk of harm to the child reduces. Inspection report for children’s home: 2785955 3 Physical restraint is used by staff as a last resort to keep children and staff safe. The least force and measure are used. Children and staff are supported after each incident. The manager has good oversight and uses learning to improve practice. However, staff have not always responded effectively to behaviours that are difficult to manage. On one occasion, staff did not take effective action to prevent a child from harming another child

p.2

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

in the home. This made children feel frightened and unsafe. This is an area for development.

p.3

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

Children receive a welcome guide when they move into the home that is clear and accessible. It tells children how they can complain. However, children are not effectively enabled to do this. Communication systems need to be further developed to help children with this process.

p.3

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager no longer works at the home. The interim manager is committed to the role and has applied to Ofsted to be registered. He is a supportive and nurturing manager who leads by example. Staff feel well supported and competent in their role. As a result, staff like working at the home and work well as a team.

p.3

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff are well trained. They are up to date with core training, which includes learning disability safeguarding training. Staff receive additional training in relation to children’s specific needs, such as Makaton, self-harming behaviours, and autism spectrum disorder.

p.3

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has effective quality assurance and monitoring systems in place. He knows what is happening in the home daily and is aware of the strengths and weaknesses of the service. Regular internal and external audits are carried out. Any shortfalls are quickly identified and appropriately addressed. Learning from incidents is used to improve practice. This helps to maintain good standards of care.

p.3

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff attend regular team meetings and supervisions. Important topics, such as the care of children and issues of safeguarding, are discussed. These provide opportunities for staff to develop their practice through reflective discussions.

p.3

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff are safely recruited. All necessary checks are undertaken to ensure that adults are safe to work in the home. Staff undergo a comprehensive induction programme. Their performance is regularly reviewed throughout their probationary period to ensure that they are competent in their role. Inspection report for children’s home: 2785955 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 within the given timescales.

p.4

Requirement Due date

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

p.4

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— that staff—

p.4

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.4

Requirement Due date

help each child to understand how to keep safe;

p.4

Requirement Due date

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

p.4

Requirement Due date

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

p.4

Requirement Due date

understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person;

p.4

Requirement Due date

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

p.4

Requirement Due date

are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii))

p.4

Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to staff responding effectively to children in distress and taking effective action to prevent children from harming each other. 4 February 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: 2785955 5

p.4

Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that staff encourage children to share any concerns about their care or other matters as soon as they arise. Children must be able to take up issues or make a complaint with support and without any fear that this will result in any adverse consequences. Children must be aware of this procedure and be reminded of it as necessary. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 22, paragraph 4.13)

p.5

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: 2785955 6

p.5

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Nova Children’s Care Limited

p.6

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: West Midlands House, Gipsy Lane Willenhall, Wolverhampton WV13 2HA

p.6

Inspector

Emma Dacres, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2785955 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.

p.6

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.7

Inspector

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

p.7

Inspector

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

p.7