Children's home run by T-Junction Children’s Services

Inspection report for children’s home: 2642570 1 Registered provider: T-Junction Children’s 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 privately owned and provides care for up to three children who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

Three children were living at the home at the time of the inspection. These children contributed to the inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in August 2023.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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outstanding

How well children and young people are helped and protected outstanding

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outstanding

The effectiveness of leaders and managers outstanding

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outstanding

The children’s home provides highly effective services that consistently exceed the standards of good. The actions of the children’s home contribute to significantly improved outcomes and positive experiences for children and young people who need help, protection and care.

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outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2642570 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

03/07/2023 Full Requires improvement to be good 08/02/2023 Full Good 15/02/2022 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2642570 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children and staff enjoy spending time together inside the home, which is warm, friendly and welcoming. The home is decorated to a high standard and the children and staff take pride in the appearance of the home, which is personalised with the children’s photos, artwork and achievements. Children are making excellent progress and staff say that it is the best place they have ever worked.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

All children attend school every day and are making progress academically and socially. The staff have been proactive in securing suitable education provision for each of the children. The staff work closely with other agencies to support education and learning, along with encouraging extra-curricular activities. One child who previously was not attending school is now working towards their GCSEs and has plans for post-16 education, including university after college.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff support children’s health needs, including their emotional well-being. A clinical psychologist and play therapist support the children and staff, alongside additional external support for children’s mental health. Support from other specialist health services is sought when needed for a child. Staff have been committed to understanding one child’s complex attachment needs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children’s achievements and progress are celebrated. Children each have personalised photo and memory books, along with a book of positives. Children are spoken to and included in decision-making. Staff ensure they explain to children the reason for decisions being made, even if it is not what they want to hear. Staff are strong advocates for children and speak with pride and affection about them. Children’s progress is celebrated by staff. Staff celebrated Christmas with children, even when some staff were not scheduled to work that day.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The manager was a strong advocate in ensuring that one child who had previously left the home could be welcomed back with a supportive transition plan. This was important because it provided the child with stability and gave the child a feeling of belonging. The child knew that staff truly cared about them because they fought to have them return to their home.

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

Children have individualised and detailed plans and risk assessments which are updated regularly. Staff understand what children’s current vulnerabilities are and how to support them and keep them safer. Positive behaviour support plans are detailed and show progress and changes over time.

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

Staff communicate with external agencies and family members if children have been missing from home or if an incident has happened. Children contribute to and Inspection report for children’s home: 2642570 4 understand their plans. The discussions that staff have with children help to reduce risks. Staff are meticulous in reflecting on individual behavioural incidents and exploring why children may have acted the way that they did. There is a strengths-based approach to behavioural management.

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

Staff are attuned to the children and their needs. This helps staff to respond early to support children who are struggling with their emotions. Information is shared when there have been changes to care plans. This is important to ensure any new risks or support strategies are understood by children. This has reduced incidents over time; for example, the number of physical interventions has reduced.

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

Children and staff have developed trusting relationships over time. Staff are curious, empathetic and playful in their approaches with children. Staff use these positive relationships to help them to challenge the risks that children face effectively. Staff understand what is happening for children in the moment and can adapt their care practice accordingly.

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

Door alarms are in use in the home on children’s bedroom doors and the external doors. There are currently no review mechanisms in place for monitoring if they are still required or what the rationale for continuing their use is. This can lead a home to having more of an institutional, rather than a homely feeling.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager is aspirational for the children in the home. The manager’s care for the children is of a high standard. There is a strong and established staff team. The manager regularly asks the team for anonymous feedback to improve and drive change. The manager has worked to develop ways to track children’s progress and achievements. This information is shared with relevant professionals for the children as well as with the children themselves.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager is supported by a strong deputy manager and assistant deputy manager, along with a supportive and visible responsible individual. There is reflective and critical management oversight of all records to ensure they are of good quality. Any areas of development in staff practice are promptly addressed.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

External professionals and family speak highly of the manager and leadership team. One professional said: ‘You can see the affection and genuine care. It’s not just a job, a sense of family comes through.’ All stakeholders spoken to commented on the effective communication and the progress children have made since living at the home. Professionals said that staff go above and beyond, and that they were the best staff some professionals had ever worked with.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager understands and follows safer recruitment and vetting procedures for new staff. There is an induction and training programme for new staff, along with them doing shadow shifts at the start of their employment. Inspection report for children’s home: 2642570 5 Supervision sessions and team meetings consistently take place that are in depth and reflective. Staff describe both as supportive and useful. Training is in place for all staff and is prioritised. Staff can access additional specialised training which may help them to care for a child.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Children’s records are written in a way that is child-friendly. It is clear from recordings that care practice is focused on children’s needs. They demonstrate how much staff care and aspire for the children. Inspection report for children’s home: 2642570 6

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that the children’s home provides a nurturing, supportive and homely environment that meets the needs of the children. The children’s home must comply with relevant health and safety legislations (alarms, food hygiene, etc.); however, in doing so, the home should seek as far as possible to maintain a domestic rather than ‘institutional’ impression. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9)

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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: 2642570 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: T-Junction Children’s Services Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 27 The Pastures, Narborough, Leicester LE19 3DS

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Inspector

Caroline Hose, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2642570 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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Inspector

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