Children's home run by Flourish Children’s Services Limited

Inspection report for children’s home: 2787943 1 Registered provider: Flourish Childrens Services Limited

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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 owned and operated by a private provider. It is registered to provide care for one child who may have emotional or social difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

This is the first inspection since the home was registered in June 2023. The manager was also registered in June 2023.

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Information about this children’s home

There was one child living in the home at the time of this 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

Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: not applicable Inspection report for children’s home: 2787943 2

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The planning for the child to move into the home was carefully considered. The manager and staff developed a clear understanding about the needs and risks of the child. A thorough plan was put into place to address the training needs of staff. The transition plan for the child was focussed and supported the development of relationships.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

However, one of the child’s important statutory documents was not provided. The manager has escalated this several times to the placing local authority; although this has not been effective. Further challenge has not been made to receive the document. It was during the inspection that the child’s plan was received, although this contained very limited information.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Prior to living in the home, the child had inconsistent experiences of school. The child has now started attending a local, mainstream school, albeit on a significantly reduced timetable. Staff supported the child with daily education in the home, while a school was being sought. Furthermore, the staff provided extensive preparation to support the child to feel confident and safe when attending school. The manager has advocated for an increase in time spent at school at a recent statutory education meeting.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child is happy living in the home. There is a full staff team that provides consistent care to the child. The child has clear routines and these are on display around the home to remind the child what to do. The child also supports in the preparation and cooking of home-cooked meals, which helps them to develop important daily-living skills.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff facilitate continued, positive relationships with the child’s family. This includes transporting and supporting monthly visits, which are a significant distance from the home. The child’s parent was complimentary about the care provided to their child and the progress they have made.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home environment is warm and inviting. The child is supported to have various positive experiences in and out of the home, including trips to theme parks and volunteering with animals. There are photos of the child enjoying some of these experiences on display within the home. Staff also keep pictures and memorabilia of special moments that the child can look back on when they leave. Inspection report for children’s home: 2787943 3

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

The child has developed positive and trusting relationships with staff. Staff regularly talk to the child in a sensitive way about a variety of subjects. This provides the foundations for the positive progress that has been made. There has been a reduction in the number of incidents when the child cannot manage their emotions. Staff support the child to change to a more conventional way of managing their personal hygiene.

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

Staff know the child well. They have a good understanding of the child’s past experiences and they use this knowledge to support the child in line with the home’s therapeutic model. Staff have the skills to support the child when they are struggling to cope, and they help to keep the child calm. This means that there has been no need to physically hold or guide the child because of staff’s positive and proactive response.

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

Risk assessments are in place for most known risks. They detail actions staff should take to support the child. However, the risk assessment for managing the child’s use of their mobile phone is ambiguous. There is not a clear plan about how this phone usage will be reduced to be proportionate to the current risks and the child’s age.

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

The child has not gone missing from the home. There are clear plans for staff to follow, should the child go missing.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There is a permanent manager in post, who has a good understanding of the child's needs. The manager promotes extensive reflective practice with the team. This includes having discussions after incidents to ensure that there is clear learning and that staff have the right support in place.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff feel well supported in their roles. They receive regular, well-structured and reflective supervision with the manager. The manager prioritises this and understands the importance of providing staff with a safe space. This includes challenging staff if necessary, alongside providing positive praise when things are done well.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Team meetings take place monthly. Minutes demonstrate in-depth discussions about the child and what is working well. Furthermore, the child’s documents are detailed and well- written. They clearly evidence focussed pieces of work with the aim of supporting the progress of the child.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Inductions and probation reviews are effective and staff have engaged with a significant amount of additional training and learning. This is promoted and supported by the management team.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Recruitment records show that one member of staff was employed in the home prior to a reference being received. No risk assessment was in place to address this. This does not give sufficient reassurances to the manager that staff are safe to care for the child. Inspection report for children’s home: 2787943 4

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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 care planning standard is that children—

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Requirement Due date

receive effectively planned care in or through the children's home.

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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

that each child’s relevant plans are followed. (Regulation 14 (1)(a) (2)(c)) 6 January 2025

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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; or

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Requirement Due date

if an individual is employed by a person other than the registered person to work at the home in a position in which the individual may have regular contact with children, allow that individual to work at the 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)(b) (3)(d)) 6 January 2025

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that strategies outlined in risk assessments are proportionate in relation to individual children’s age, needs and clearly linked to current risk. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 42, paragraph 9.7) Inspection report for children’s home: 2787943 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: 2787943 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Flourish Childrens Services Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Phoenix House, 96 Blacker Road, Birkby, Huddersfield HD1 5HN

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Inspector

Joanna Beal, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2787943 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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