Children's home run by Sunnier Skies Care Services Limited

Inspection report for children’s home: 2710124 1 Registered provider: Sunnier Skies Care Services 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 run by a private provider. It provides care for up to three children who may require support with social, emotional and behavioural needs, including learning disabilities.

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Information about this children’s home

The home is led by a registered manager.

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Information about this children’s home

Two children were living in the home at the time of this inspection. They were spoken to as part of the 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: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2710124 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

23/05/2023 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2710124 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have experienced some instability because of changes to staffing, with some staff leaving the home. However, the manager has ensured that children have received support to cope with this. This has included one-to-one discussions to explain why staff have left. Staff leaving the home gave notice, which enabled the children to experience positive endings with these staff when they left. The manager has made sure that when temporary agency staff have been used, the children know these staff, and this provides consistency in care practice.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The interactions between children and staff are good. The manager and staff are knowledgeable about the children and understand their individual likes and interests. Staff are playful with children but do not shy away from implementing behavioural boundaries if, for example, children use inappropriate language.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Good arrangements are in place to encourage and support children to share their views and feelings about their lives at the home. Staff carry out regular key-work sessions with children and use creative methods to encourage and enable children to communicate any wishes and feelings about the care they receive. For example, staff are proactive in their support of one child who sometimes prefers to communicate in writing.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s views are listened to. The manager advocated for a change of education arrangements for one child who had not been able to attend school. Despite this gap in attendance, the child was supported to return to sit their exams. This achievement supported the child to have a positive end to their time in school. This is progress for the child, who has also made a positive start at college.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The manager and staff have a good understanding of children’s individual care plans. The manager works in partnership with placing local authorities to progress children’s plans. She is confident to challenge plans when she does not agree with decisions or is advocating for children.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The manager and staff support children to remain healthy. Staff have a very good understanding of one child’s specific health needs. The manager has ensured all staff have received training to support the care of the child. They encourage children to attend their routine health appointments and go with them, to make sure children remain healthy.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported to maintain their relationships with their families. They are encouraged to participate in activities which offer opportunities to socialise and make friends with peers. A parent gave positive feedback about the care their child is receiving and said they are kept updated. Inspection report for children’s home: 2710124 4 The home is well presented, clean and organised. Children’s bedrooms are clean, tidy and personalised to reflect the child’s interests and tastes. Children are supported through regular key-work sessions and practical support from staff with their self-care and keeping their bedrooms tidy. This helps children develop important skills for the future.

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

Children are safeguarded by staff. The staff work with children to help them understand their vulnerabilities and risks. There are good risk assessments in place to keep children safe. However, the manager does not always ensure that when plans are updated and amended, the relevant documents reflect these changes. This can lead to staff not fully understanding what changes have been made to risk assessments.

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

The children have individual behaviour support plans to support and promote positive behaviour. Staff’s day-to-day care practice with children is informed by a preferred therapeutic approach. This is also used to support and manage children when they are unable to manage their emotions and display behaviours that challenge staff. There is an emphasis on connection before correction to support and promote positive behaviours.

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

Children have access to an independent person and one child makes good use of this. As a result, the child has been able to talk about the impact of a staff member they particularly liked moving on from the home and what this meant for them. The other child has declined to use this service.

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

External professionals say children are being safeguarded and that communication from the manager and staff is good. Records of incidents are well written and, overall, incidents are appropriately reported when required. One incident that occurred outside of the home was not reported. Children rarely go missing from home. One child did leave the home for a period and on their return, staff did some good work with them to understand their reasons for leaving and help them understand the risks. There is little use of physical intervention to support and keep children safe.

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

Children are supported to see their friends independently, considering their age, vulnerabilities and risks. Managers and staff support children to make decisions which support their safety and well-being.

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

Children are supported to develop their levels of independence, taking into account their age, experiences and level of development. An older child has been supported to look for a part-time job. Staff have supported with a mock interview and workplace scenarios. Children are also supported to develop basic life skills.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is very ambitious for the children. She works hard to ensure children are provided with positive experiences. She has a good understanding of the home’s strengths and areas for development because she uses strong quality assurance Inspection report for children’s home: 2710124 5 processes. For example, regular audits are undertaken and she uses the monthly independent visitor reports to help her drive improvements. The manager understands the impact on children of changes to staffing. The manager has ensured there are sufficient staff to meet the needs of the children and when agency staff are used, these are the same staff, to ensure continuity of care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is a strong advocate for children. For example, she advocated for an education place that supported a child’s future career aspirations. The manager also ensured that staff were provided with training to further understand the health needs of another child. Consequently, children are being supported to make progress.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager uses a range of systems and review processes to maintain good oversight of the home. As a result, the home is safe and well presented.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff said they like working at the home and have good relationships with one another and enjoy working with the children. They are supported by the manager and receive regular professional supervision, and team meetings take place regularly where they can share their views and ideas. The manager addresses staff practice which falls short of the required high standards. She ensures appropriate action is taken. This includes, if required, disciplinary action, further training and support.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

New staff are recruited in accordance with safer recruitment processes. This means that any prospective new staff undergo a range of vetting checks to ensure they are safe and suitable to work with children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager knows her own and the staff team’s strengths and areas for development. She is supported by the responsible individual with her reviewing and assessment of all aspects of the home. This information is used to identify actions and plans to develop the home for the benefit of the children. Inspection report for children’s home: 2710124 6

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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 Date

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

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Requirement Date

there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious.

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Requirement Date

A notification made under this regulation—

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Requirement Date

the other persons, bodies or organisations (if any) who or which have been notified; and any actions taken by the registered person as a result of the matter;

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Requirement Date

must be made or confirmed in writing. (Regulation 40 (5)(a)(e)(i)(ii)(iii)(b))

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Requirement Date

In particular, notify Ofsted of any incident considered to be serious. 20 December 2024

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure they actively assess the risks to each child and the arrangements in place to protect them. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 42, paragraph 9.5)

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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: 2710124 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Sunnier Skies Care Services Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Pera Business Park, Nottingham Road, Melton Mowbray LE13 0PB

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Inspector

Angela Duffus-Palmer, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2710124 8 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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