Children's Home run by New Focus Child Care LTD in Stoke-on-Trent

Inspection report for children’s home: 2782456 1 Registered provider: New Focus Childcare Ltd Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home provides care for one child who experiences social and emotional difficulties. At the time of the inspection, one child was living in the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in July 2024. He also manages another children’s home in the organisation. That home is judged to be good.

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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: 2782456 2

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The inspector spoke with the child living in the home during the inspection.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child was provided with information about the home before they moved in. The manager liaised with professionals involved in the child’s life to gather information to contribute to the assessment and the individual care plan for the child. This good work helped the staff to prepare well for the child’s arrival. The child has settled and has formed some positive relationships with staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff understand the importance of education for all children. There has been a delay in the home receiving the child’s education, health and care plan, which means that an appropriate education placement has not yet been identified. However, staff continue to encourage and support the child to engage in informal education while this is resolved.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Healthcare is promoted well by staff. The child is registered with community healthcare professionals and attends appointments. Staff recognise the importance of promoting good physical health through diet, exercise and personal hygiene, and this has had a positive effect on the child’s physical and emotional well-being.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The staff provide plenty of opportunities for the child’s views to be included in all aspects of their care and support. This is through care planning, key-work sessions and regular individual conversations.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Activities in the home and the local community are encouraged and supported. Staff spend time finding appropriate activities based on the child’s individual interests. This provides opportunities for the child to meet other children with similar interests and increase their social friendship group.

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

Staff demonstrate a good understanding of safeguarding and ensure that this is central to their overall care and practice. Comprehensive risk assessments identify risks and the measures to be implemented to support and manage these. The risk assessments are kept under review, which enables the manager and staff to assess how effective measures are in managing and reducing risks. Staff hold regular discussions with the child to help them understand how to keep safe and how behaviours can affect others.

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

Detailed behaviour management plans include information about how staff will support children to manage behaviours. The child’s views are clearly recorded along with strategies which help the child to manage and regulate their emotions. This helps children to become increasingly safe. Physical intervention is rarely used. When it is used, it is appropriately recorded alongside the child’s views. Inspection report for children’s home: 2782456 3 On two occasions, staff have had to call police to the home due to heightened behaviours. The manager has reflected on the incidents and implemented additional behaviour strategies to minimise the risk of this occurring in the future.

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

There have been no incidents of a child going missing from the home. The home has copies of missing-from-home local protocols and procedures as well as those of the child’s placing authority. All staff have received training in relation to the procedures to follow in the event of a child going missing from the home.

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

Recruitment and selection of staff are in line with safer recruitment guidance to further contribute to safeguarding children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is suitably qualified and experienced and has high aspirations for children. He is supported in his role by a deputy manager and two team leaders who have experience of working with children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The staff team recruited before the home opened had the opportunity to undertake training and work in other homes in the organisation. This has enabled staff to gain a good understanding of the ethos of the organisation. They say the manager offers clear guidance and oversight and will provide professional challenge when required.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Induction, training and development plans are in place for all staff. These are effective, enabling staff to gain knowledge and skills to support the needs of a child placed at the home. When there is an identified specific need, the manager requests additional training for staff, which they undertake to give them a greater understanding of the child’s needs and how to meet them.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive regular supervision, which supports them to reflect on their practice and their impact in the home and for the child. Appraisals have yet to be carried out due to the limited time the home has been open.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has effective monitoring and reviewing systems in place to help him understand the child’s progress and outcomes. An independent visitor to the home and the responsible individual offer additional monitoring and oversight. The manager acts on any shortfalls identified in a timely manner.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has endeavoured to develop positive links in the local community. However, there have been some complaints made in relation to staff parking on the street outside of the home. The manager has taken appropriate action, spoken with neighbours and located additional parking away from the home to avoid any issues with potential congestion in the residential street.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Overall, the home provides a warm, welcoming and homely environment. However, some fixtures and fittings are damaged and require repairing or replacing. A recommendation has been made in relation to this. Inspection report for children’s home: 2782456 4

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that the home is a nurturing and supportive environment that meets children’s needs. In most cases, children’s homes are homely, domestic environments. The home must comply with relevant health and safety legislations, such as alarms and food hygiene. However, in doing so, the home should seek as far as possible to maintain a domestic rather than ‘institutional’ impression. This specifically relates to ensuring that damaged fittings are repaired or replaced. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9) Inspection report for children’s home: 2782456 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: 2782456 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: New Focus Childcare Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Unit A4, Dewsbury Road, Fenton Industrial Estate, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire ST4 2TE

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Inspector

Sarah Oldham, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2782456 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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