Children's home run by Soteria Children’s Services Group Limited

Inspection report for children’s home: 2719516 1 Registered provider: Soteria Children’s Services Group Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This children’s home is run by a private provider. It can offer care for up to five children with learning disabilities.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, there were two children living at the home. Both children contributed to the inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

The home is led by a registered manager.

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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

Date of last inspection: 24 October 2023

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outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: outstanding

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outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2719516 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

24/10/2023 Full Outstanding Inspection report for children’s home: 2719516 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children are thriving due to exceptional care from a skilled and experienced staff team. Outstanding levels of care are built on foundations of trusting relationships between children and adults. Children’s personalities flourish while living at the home. The manager and staff have created a safe and playful environment that helps children to relax and be themselves. As a result, children have excellent experiences and make outstanding progress that goes beyond expectations. One staff member said, ‘We always strive to go one step further in our home to ensure that we achieve the best outcomes for our children.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The home is well maintained and is set in a beautiful landscape, with ample space for children to enjoy. Children’s bedrooms reflect their individual personalities, with input from children and their parents to tailor them to children’s interests and preferences. Recently, the decor in the home has been changed to reflect children’s choices. Leaders ensure that any maintenance tasks or adjustments to the home are completed at pace. For example, significant alterations were made to one child’s en-suite while the child was at school. This enabled the work to be completed without causing any distress to the child.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The staff demonstrate aspirations for children’s success and are committed to helping them reach their full potential. They engage directly with the children, assisting them in breaking down objectives into manageable tasks and then empowering them to acquire the necessary skills independently. Through consistent encouragement and praise, the children have made remarkable progress from their initial starting points. For example, one child is now able to brush their teeth and have their hair washed daily, something that they had not tolerated for a significant period of time before moving to the home. Another child has started to use the toilet as part of a toilet training programme. Children have learned to use cutlery to eat their meals and have improved communication systems. This is significant progress, providing children with essential life skills, which in turn increases their self-esteem and confidence.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children communicate their wishes and feelings in a variety of ways. Staff have a detailed understanding of each child’s expressions and methods of communication. They involve children in all aspects of the home and always act on what they say, where possible. The skill of really listening to children is a core feature of this home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff provide excellent support to help children make progress in education. Children who have previously faced barriers to education are supported to overcome them, improving their attendance in education and their tolerance of peers within the school environment. This, in turn, improves their educational outcomes. Inspection report for children’s home: 2719516 4 The manager and staff have built positive relationships with the children’s parents and professionals. One parent described the care as ‘absolutely brilliant’ and ‘feeling like they had won the lottery when their daughter moved to this home from another care provider’. A child’s social worker said, ‘The care exceeds my expectations, they are an example of what a children’s home should be.’ Another external professional said, ‘I feel that this home is an outstanding home and I have personally recommended this home as an option to support and care for other children.’ The highly effective partnership

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

working with health and education professionals promotes further progress and makes a positive difference to children’s lives.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff are very supportive regarding arrangements for children to maintain their relationships with their family. Children’s families are welcomed into the home. This ensures that children maintain their sense of identity and the crucial relationships with the people who matter to them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Transitions into and on from the home are exceptional and worthy of wider dissemination. Assessments of children’s needs are comprehensive and completed by the manager, with the support of the specialist in-house multidisciplinary team. This means that children and their families are provided with a bespoke and well-organised process that is both child- and family focused. Robust but adaptable transition plans are produced to help children to settle.

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

Proactive behaviour management strategies are extremely effective. As a result, there has been a reduction in incidents. Incidents are not reviewed in isolation. Rather, they are reviewed through the bigger picture of the child’s current life. This has led to patterns and trends being identified, and staff’s approaches have been altered. This improves the quality of life for children. Furthermore, it highlights that the children have started to learn skills to regulate their own behaviour.

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

Staff understand children’s complex needs and vulnerabilities extremely well. Comprehensive risk assessments in place provide staff with clear guidance on managing the individual risks for each child. Incidents are extremely well managed by the skilful staff team in line with children’s plans. The staff regularly review and update children’s plans. This ensures that they continue to receive individualised care in line with their changing needs.

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

Staff apply a therapeutic approach in their work with children. This ensures that staff have a good understanding of children’s emotional needs and provides them with the required skills to effectively manage behaviours that challenge. In most instances, this approach works. Consequently, physical intervention is only used as a last resort.

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

Staff are proficient in safeguarding practices and are up to date with safeguarding training, including safeguarding training that is specific for children with learning disabilities. In addition, the manager completes a safeguarding competency check with Inspection report for children’s home: 2719516 5 each staff member. This helps the manager to check their level of understanding and learning. Practice knowledge is further strengthened by safeguarding scenario questions in each staff supervision.

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

Safeguarding arrangements are rigorous and notifications concerning serious incidents are rare. Managers respond to any allegations against staff in accordance with guidance. Records of investigations show a thorough approach to managing concerns. When an allegation was made, managers worked with safeguarding partners to ensure that information was shared and investigated with rigour. This process ensures that children are protected.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager is supported by a dedicated responsible individual and directorate. Together, they have created a culture of high expectations and creativity. Leaders are highly ambitious for children and staff. The manager’s experience, knowledge and style produce a strong sense of commitment and loyalty from the staff team. He leads by example and has created a positive culture in the home. The staff team share the manager’s vision for this home. This is to ensure that children have the best possible experiences and to provide excellent child-centred care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff say they love working at the home. They feel incredibly well supported by managers and each other. New staff receive a thorough induction and training programme. New staff are paired with an experienced member of staff, who guides them in their role. The managers ensure that the needs of the staff are met well and that they are well equipped to carry out their roles effectively.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff’s practice is further developed through regular consultations with the in-house clinical psychologist. Research-informed practice underpins the work with children in this home. This means that children receive care from a highly skilled, reflective and knowledgeable team.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff collaborate closely with the company’s therapy team to provide the highest standard of care possible. The therapy team takes a proactive approach, working effectively with staff, and this approach is evidenced in practice throughout the home. Therapists are exceptionally proactive in their approach with the staff and are very supportive.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Teamwork is fundamental in providing children with high-quality care and support. Staff focus on children’s strengths and abilities. The team celebrates all children’s successes. Staff are committed to ensuring that each child has the best chances and outcomes possible. They advocate for children’s rights and needs. The manager and staff see themselves as a family around the child.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager has exceptional working processes alongside quality assurance mechanisms. The manager’s oversight of the home allows all information to remain up Inspection report for children’s home: 2719516 6 to date. If needed, the manager will chase local authorities for information. Equally, he will champion the voice of the children to external professionals to promote their needs or wishes. All this work enables the team to have all it needs to provide optimal care for the children and promote excellent outcomes.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff training is of a high standard. Training is tailored to meet the specific needs of children, such as training in autism spectrum disorder, Makaton, attachment and trauma and a range of important training that helps staff provide excellent care. The responsible individual has created an online resources library, with useful training videos breaking subjects into bite-sized learning for staff. This is a fantastic resource and further demonstrates the organisation’s commitment to developing staff. Inspection report for children’s home: 2719516 7

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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: 2719516 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Soteria Children’s Services Group Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 43 Coniscliffe Road, Darlington DL3 7EH

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Inspector

Zoey Lee, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2719516 9 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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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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