Children's Home run by Treetops Children’s Homes in Derby

Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2660783 1 Registered provider: Treetops Children’s Homes Limited

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This is a privately run home that provides care for up to three children with social and emotional needs.

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Information about this children’s home

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

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Information about this children’s home

There has been no registered manager since 3 November 2023.

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Inspection date: 11 February 2025

Date of last inspection: 21 October 2024

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Inspection date: 11 February 2025

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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Inspection date: 11 February 2025

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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Information about this inspection

At this inspection, the inspectors evaluated:

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Information about this inspection

 the care of children  the safety of children  the effectiveness of leaders and managers. Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children, using the social care common inspection framework. This assurance 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’. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2660783 2

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Findings from the inspection

We did not identify any serious or widespread concerns in relation to the care or protection of children at this assurance inspection. However, Ofsted remains concerned about the lack of progress since the last full inspection. An additional requirement has been set following this assurance inspection under regulation 26.

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Findings from the inspection

There is a lack of management oversight and leadership at the home, which is having a negative impact on the quality of care offered to children. The length of time that it is taking to recruit a registered manager who meets regulation 28 remains a significant shortfall.

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Findings from the inspection

Communal areas of the home are inviting. Children like to draw with staff and take part in graffiti art. One child enjoys building brick models and these are displayed in the conservatory.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff identified that one child requires support to keep their bedroom clean and tidy. This child’s bedroom was extremely cluttered with clothes and belongings. There was leftover food on a plate on the windowsill. This child struggles with sleep hygiene, and the condition of this bedroom does not support them to feel calm before bedtime.

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Findings from the inspection

One child wanted a pet, so staff supported them to get a cat. The cat’s litter tray is kept in the child’s bedroom. This is not in line with a homely environment and is not in line with the health needs of the child, who is asthmatic.

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Findings from the inspection

The home could care for one more child. However, the bedroom is not currently suitable to welcome any child. This is because there is offensive writing on the wall, the wardrobe is broken, and the carpet is heavily stained. It is worrying that action has not been taken to clean and repair this bedroom to make it suitable for children.

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Findings from the inspection

Education is important to staff and children. Children attend education and have plans in place to support their individual needs. Children also enjoy activities such as rollerblading.

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Findings from the inspection

One child accesses mental health services and is currently going through the diagnosis process. The child is not from the local area. It is positive that the local and out-of-county teams are working together to ensure the right support is identified. Staff at the home have helped to arrange this multi-agency working in the best interests of the child.

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Findings from the inspection

The missing from home protocol does not provide staff with clear direction about what to do if a child goes missing from home. There was a serious incident when a child went missing from home during the night. This was despite having a waking night member of staff along with a sleep-in member of staff. During this time, the Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2660783 3 child experienced significant harm. Staff did not actively look for the child during this incident. This was a missed opportunity to safeguard this child.

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Findings from the inspection

The recording of this incident is poor because the sequence of events does not follow. There is no management oversight of this incident and no opportunity for staff to reflect and learn from this incident to prevent harm happening again. There is also no reference to this incident within the child’s risk management plan, which is a missed opportunity to safeguard this child.

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Findings from the inspection

There have been incidents of whistle-blowing during this inspection period. One member of staff has been dismissed, one member of staff resigned and one member of staff returned to work after a period of suspension. The responsible individual has not provided evidence of what investigations took place in response to these whistle-blowing concerns. The responsible individual’s decision-making following investigations is not well documented and so the rationale remains unclear.

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Findings from the inspection

There was an incident that raises concern about online safety. Although staff complete phone checks on a regular basis, one child was using a peer’s laptop with no safeguards in place. There is a lack of learning from this incident. This left the child vulnerable to further exploitation.

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Findings from the inspection

The responsible individual has relied on a recruitment agency to complete safer recruitment checks for some staff. Although he ensures that due diligence has been done, this is not recorded. Therefore, Ofsted cannot be assured that staff are checked for their suitability to work with children. There is a pattern whereby diligent measures are not taken while recruiting staff. This could lead to an unsafe environment for children.

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Findings from the inspection

References for one member of staff were outstanding at the last inspection. This was reviewed. There were still no suitable references in place at this assurance inspection, but no safeguards had been put in place to ensure children’s safety. The responsible individual had allowed this situation to drift. In addition, staff risk assessments are not implemented following the outcome of whistle-blowing concerns.

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Findings from the inspection

Not all requirements and recommendations were reviewed at this assurance inspection. These will be reviewed at the next inspection. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2660783 4

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

21/10/2024 Full Requires improvement to be good 04/10/2023 Full Good 11/10/2022 Full Good Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2660783 5

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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 registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety.

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Requirement Due date

employ an individual to work at the children’s home;

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Requirement Due date

if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3).

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Requirement Due date

the individual is of integrity and good character;

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Requirement Due date

the individual has the appropriate experience, qualification and skills for the work that the individual is to perform;

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Requirement Due date

the individual is mentally and physically fit for the purposes of the work that the individual is to perform; and

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Requirement Due date

full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2. (Regulation 32 (1) (2) (3)(a)(b)(c)(d))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically refers to the manager taking steps to assure themselves that individuals recruited are safe to work with children. 28 March 2025

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Requirement Due date

The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

that the home’s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm; 28 March 2025 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2660783 6 that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed, furnished and maintained so as to protect each child from avoidable hazards to the child’s health. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(b)(d)(vi)(vii))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically refers to ensuring that records of incidents are clear, detailed and demonstrate management oversight, reflection and learning. In addition, children should receive individualised sessions that focus on equipping them with essential knowledge to keep themselves as safe as possible.

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Requirement Due date

Also, when a child makes an allegation, the manager needs to respond and ensure that the correct process is followed and actions recorded.

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Requirement Due date

Children are not supported to maintain their bedrooms to a safe standard that meets their individual needs.

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Requirement Due date

The health and well-being standard is that—

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Requirement Due date

the health and well-being needs of children are met.

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

understand the child’s health and well-being needs and the options that are available in relation to the child’s health and well-being, in a way that is appropriate to the child’s age and understanding;

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Requirement Due date

understand and develop skills to promote the child’s well- being. (Regulation 10 (1) (2)(a)(ii)(iv)

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Requirement Due date

This specifically refers to staff being equipped with the skills and knowledge to address any health issue on an individualised basis. 28 March 2025

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees—

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Requirement Due date

undertake appropriate continuing professional development;

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Requirement Due date

receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience; and

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Requirement Due date

have their performance and fitness to perform their roles appraised at least once every year. (Regulation 33 (4)(a)(b)) 28 March 2025 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2660783 7 The care planning standard is that children—

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Requirement Due date

receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home; and

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Requirement Due date

have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This particularly refers to the children moving out of the home in a planned way. In addition, the registered person needs to undertake a thorough matching process when considering children moving into the home. 28 March 2025

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Requirement Due date

the individual is of integrity and good character; and

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Requirement Due date

have the capacity, experience and skills to supervise the management of the home, or the homes, in respect of which the responsible individual is nominated. (Regulation 26 (6) (7)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to independent scrutiny. Concerns must be fully investigated. This also relates to the responsible individual responding to the concerns of the independent visitor in a timely way. 28 March 2025

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that staff are familiar with the home’s policies on record-keeping and understand the importance of careful, objective and clear recording. Staff should record information on individual children in a non-stigmatising way that distinguishes between fact, opinion and third-party information. Information about the child must always be recorded in a way that will be helpful to the child. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards,’ page 62, paragraph 14.4)  The registered person should have a workforce development plan which can fulfil the workforce requirements of regulation 16, schedule 1 (paragraphs 19 and 20). (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards,’ page 53, paragraph 10.8)  The registered person should have a medication policy that sets out the way in which staff should administer medication to children. ‘Guide to the Children’s

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Recommendations

Homes Regulations, including the quality standards,’ page 35, paragraph 7.15)  The registered person is responsible for leading a team that provides high-quality care for all children living at the home. They should ensure that all staff read and Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2660783 8 sign the minutes from the team meetings. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards,’ page 52, paragraph 10.4) Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2660783 9

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Treetops Children’s Homes Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 71-75 Shelton Street, Covent Garden, London WC2H 9JQ

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Inspectors

Becky Thompson, Social Care Inspector Ellen Monk, Social Care Inspector Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2660783 10 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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