Children's Home run by Parallel Parents Ltd in Staffordshire

Inspection report for children’s home: 2765214 1 Registered provider: Parallel Parents Ltd Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

A large national provider of children’s services operates this home, which is situated in a rural location. It is registered to provide care for up to eight children who have been affected by adverse childhood experiences that have led to associated trauma and complex behaviours.

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Information about this children’s home

This is the first inspection since the home was re-registered in August 2024.

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Information about this children’s home

There is a registered school attached to the home. The inspectors only inspected the social care provision on this site.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in August 2024 and holds a relevant level 5 qualification.

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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

Date of last inspection: not previously inspected

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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: 2765214 2

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

There were seven children living in the home at the time of the inspection, who were present and spoken to.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children make good progress because of the care they receive in this home. They have developed good relationships with staff, which helps them to share their wishes and feelings. Children’s feedback was overwhelmingly positive about their experiences in the home. One child said they rated their experience as ‘10 out of 10’ and that they ‘love living’ in the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff and the registered manager ensure that children move in and out of the home in a supported way. Children’s moves into the home are planned very well, and the registered manager assesses their needs effectively. Staff provide children with memory books to take with them when they move on, which capture their memories well.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children receive on-site education that is tailored to meet their individual learning needs. Some children have previously had poor experiences with education before moving into the home. However, staff recognise this and work with teaching staff to help children to overcome their fears. As a result, children make good progress from their starting points.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support children’s health needs well. Children enjoy a balanced diet and take part in a range of leisure activities. In addition, staff ensure that children receive specialist support from the relevant health professionals to meet their specific needs. One professional said that the ‘difference in [name of child]’s speech is phenomenal’ because of the support received.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Family time for children is prioritised and promoted. Staff and the registered manager work with children’s family members to ensure that the time children spend with loved ones is positive. One grandparent said, ‘They are there for [name of child], and they are there for me. We are all on the same page, and we both want the same thing.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home environment is in good condition and is maintained well. Children’s bedrooms are nicely furnished and personalised. In contrast, staff use door alarms on children’s bedroom doors, despite many children’s behaviours being assessed to be low risk. Consequently, children remain under surveillance when risks are low.

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

Children said that they feel safe living in the home. They are well cared for by trusted adults who they know well. Staff encourage children to use their manners, and they ensure that there are clear boundaries and expectations. Children have individual risk assessments as part of their care plans. These risk assessments are regularly updated and reviewed. As a result, children feel settled and significant incidents are rare. Inspection report for children’s home: 2765214 3 Staff have a good understanding of the home’s safeguarding thresholds and processes. They understand their responsibilities and the actions they need to take to keep children safe. While there have been no allegations raised by children since the home re- registered, staff are confident in applying their learning to respond effectively to safeguard children and share information appropriately.

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

There have been no incidents where children have gone missing from the home for several years. All children have individual protocols in place, and these are shared with the police. Staff have a good understanding of what they need to do should a child go missing, and any concerns are shared with children’s social workers.

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

Incidents requiring physical restraint with children are rare. Staff use their relationships with children to avoid the need to use physical restraint. There has been one incident since the home re-registered. This was managed well, and restraint was used as a last resort to keep the child safe. The child and staff were spoken to, and they were provided with opportunities to reflect and learn from the incident.

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

Staff work restoratively with children to help them learn from their experiences. Children are encouraged to be polite and respectful to one another. Staff manage incidents between children well, and direct work around promoting positive relationships is good.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home is led by a child-focused registered manager, who shows good leadership and is sufficiently qualified. He has a detailed understanding of children’s progress and experiences and advocates well on their behalf. This positive leadership contributes to the good care that children receive.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager ensures that the home has sufficiently qualified and experienced staff to meet the needs of the children. Those staff who are not qualified are completing the qualification within the required timeframes. Staff turnover is low, and a consistent staff team provides predictable care to children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff speak positively about working in the home and feel supported. The supervision and probation systems used are reflective and give staff feedback on their performance. Consequently, staff feel valued and motivated to perform their roles effectively. However, the registered manager does not always ensure that supervision and appraisal records capture the discussions and positive support provided.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive training and development that supports them in their roles. For example, staff have completed counselling courses. In addition, staff receive training that is relevant to the needs of the children. For example, the registered manager arranged for staff to receive specialist bereavement training. These systems ensure that staff are suitably skilled to meet the children’s needs. Inspection report for children’s home: 2765214 4 The registered manager’s oversight of the home is good. There is ongoing monitoring of the care provided, and the systems used help to make improvements. The registered manager has a good understanding of the home’s strengths and areas for development. For example, he has identified that the quality of his written records and children’s recorded assessments is an area for improvement.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The staff and registered manager have established good working relationships with a range of agencies and external professionals who are involved in children’s care. Staff work closely with teachers, social workers and the police. This ensures that appropriate support is in place to encourage children’s progress. Inspection report for children’s home: 2765214 5

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that the children’s home is a nurturing and supportive environment that meets the needs of their children. In particular, door alarms on children’s bedroom doors should be used for safeguarding purposes and be the least intrusive as possible. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9)

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that they understand the importance of careful, objective, and clear recording. This relates to the recording of actions taken by the registered person when completing children’s assessments and when completing staff supervision and appraisal. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4)

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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: 2765214 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Parallel Parents Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Lansdowne House, 85 Buxton Road, Stockport SK2 6LR

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Inspectors

Dean Wilton, Social Care Inspector Kirsty Truesdale, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2765214 7 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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