Children's Home run by 5ab Care Ltd in Central Bedfordshire

Inspection report for children's home: 2783759 1 Registered provider: 5ab Care Ltd

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This privately run home provides care for up to three children with emotional and behavioural difficulties and learning disabilities. One child was living in the home at the time of the inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager was in post when the home was registered in June 2024. This was the first inspection since the home was registered.

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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: 2783759 2

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

One child was in the home at the time of the inspection and the child was spoken with. The manager was present throughout the inspection.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The atmosphere in the home is relaxed and nurturing. The home is comfortable, spacious and decorated to a high standard. The child has personalised their bedroom and staff help them to keep it clean and tidy. This enhances the child’s sense of belonging and they took pride in showing off their bedroom.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child has strong, trusting and affectionate relationships with staff. Staff anticipate the child’s needs and meet these well. This has helped the child to feel more confident to explore their past and to seek out activities that they previously took part in.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff provide the child with access to a wide variety of activities. This has included visiting a pumpkin patch, a trip to a park that has specialist equipment for those with neurodiverse needs and a trip to a large sporting event. The enjoyment that the child experiences is captured in photos which are thoughtfully collated into memory books. These provide the child with a reminder of the childhood experiences that they have had at the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff have supported the child to speak to their family. The request for this from the child is significant, as they have not spoken to the family members for some years. This demonstrates the trust that the child has in the staff to soothe and support them after this has taken place .

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff prioritise children’s education. The child attends school daily and staff take the child and pick them up. Staff have positive relationships with education partners. Open communication means that staff are aware early on when the child has had a difficult day at school.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff encourage the child to take part in activities that promote their independence. Staff are creative in how they do this, due to the child’s needs and their feelings around adulthood. Staff use small, manageable tasks to increase the child’s interest in certain areas of life skills. This has increased the child’s motivation, and they identify tasks that they would like to carry out themselves.

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

Staff help the child to feel safe. Staff represent a safe place for the child from which they can explore their surroundings more confidently. Staff understand the child and are attuned to their needs. Staff want to be with the child and the child wants to be at home with them. This has meant there have been no incidents of the child going missing from the home. Inspection report for children's home: 2783759 3 Staff notice and acknowledge the child’s everyday achievements. This is done using verbal praise and high fives. This has boosted the child’s self-esteem. To support this behavioural approach following situations when the child has experienced emotional difficulties, staff have encouraged the child to complete reflective writing. This helps the child to identify what has happened and what could help them in future situations.

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

Staff have a sensible approach to online safety. The child has access to three devices. When the child moved in, all of these were used with staff supervision. As the child has made progress with the way they use one of the devices, they are now able to use this on their own, with staff monitoring this rather than having full supervision. This has helped to educate the child on safe internet use. Of most significance, this has led to the child deciding to remove a gaming app from their device as they have recognised themselves that this does not contribute to their well-being.

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

The child’s risk assessment refers to behaviours of concern. When such behaviours do occur, they are not consistently recorded in a way that enables effective oversight and monitoring. Consequently, opportunities to consider these behaviours within the context of neurodiversity or trauma are missed.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is suitably experienced and qualified. She is committed to achieving improved outcomes for children. She is supported by a new member of staff who intends to become the responsible individual. He is involved in the care of the child, for example, taking the child to school and going on a dog walk with the child. Staff speak highly of both and see them as role models.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The management team is keen to learn and develop the service. They are aware of the shortfall in the recording of incidents. This was identified during a recent internal audit, and they have already begun to create a plan to better record behaviour in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager provides staff with regular supervision sessions. She provides support to staff according to their individual needs. When staff have struggled to build a relationship with the child, the manager has coached them to reflect on different strategies to improve engagement. When staff require a firmer response, they been given performance management plans with clear targets and time frames for completion. This individualised approach gives staff the opportunity to develop, using tools that are relevant to them.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The child’s social worker says the manager is ‘amazing’ and praised the collaborative working style that the manager has adopted.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

All staff have been trained in areas such as first aid, fire safety and restraint techniques. However, not all staff have had specialist training in important subjects relevant to the child’s safeguarding needs. This means that staff, who often lone work, have not been equipped with the knowledge to understand the child’s behaviour. Inspection report for children's home: 2783759 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 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

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

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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

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(b) (2)(c)(h))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that records relating to behaviour are completed in a way that enables effective monitoring and action to be taken, and that staff are provided with the necessary resources to ensure they have the skills and knowledge to manage self-harm. 23 February 2025

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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: 2783759 5

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Jones Hunt Ltd, 71 Knowl Piece, Wilbury Way, Hitchin SG4 0TY

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Children’s home details

Registered manager: Nadine Hewitt-Jamieson

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Inspector

Hannah Phillips, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: 2783759 6 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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