Children's home run by Vitality Care Residential Limited

Inspection report for children’s home: 2501566 1 Registered provider: Vitality Care Residential Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is operated by a private organisation. It provides care for up to three children who experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of this inspection, one child was living at the home.

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Information about this children’s home

There is a suitably experienced and qualified registered manager who has been in post since 15 January 2021.

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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

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2501566 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

11/03/2024 Full Good 14/02/2023 Full Good 15/06/2021 Full Good 04/03/2020 Interim Improved effectiveness Inspection report for children’s home: 2501566 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Since the last inspection, one child has moved into the home and one child has moved out. When the child moved out, staff worked hard to develop a transition plan in accordance with their wishes. This supported the child to prepare for the move and settle into their new environment after they had left the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is welcoming and maintained to a good standard. There are areas for children to relax and play. Photos of the child enjoying activities and days out are displayed in the lounge at their request. The child’s bedroom is personalised, and their individuality is encouraged by staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff are child focused and understand the child well. Meaningful relationships have developed between the child and staff, and they enjoy the time they spend together. This has encouraged the child to feel safe to express how they are feeling and accept support that is offered. The child’s sense of belonging in the home is strong.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff place a high priority on education. The child attends school full time, and this is central to the routines and expectations at the home. The child has made excellent progress from their starting point. Staff work closely with professionals to support the child when they have difficulties in school, which has led to issues being resolved promptly.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s plans clearly outline their needs. Staff have a good understanding of the targets that children are working towards. The child is supported to build independence skills in accordance with their needs and understanding of risk. Delays in local authority planning for the child’s transition to independence have not been challenged by staff as would be expected. This has contributed to uncertainty for the child.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child is supported to maintain contact with people who are important to them in a variety of ways, such as meeting in person and through online gaming. This supports the child’s developing identity and self-esteem.

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

Staff talk to the child about important topics, such as online safety, to help them learn about how to keep safe. There is effective planning about what topics need to be raised to address the child’s specific needs and risks. Well-developed risk assessments have been put together by staff and are reviewed regularly.

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

Staff have focused on building strong relationships with the child through which they can positively support them. Regular opportunities to seek the child’s views mean that they feel valued by staff. The child has not gone missing since the last inspection, and there has been a significant reduction in the use of physical restraint. Inspection report for children’s home: 2501566 4 Risks are identified and understood by staff. On most occasions, the relevant professionals and authorities are informed of safeguarding incidents. However, the manager has not consistently informed HMCI of serious incidents involving the child.

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

The staff give the child clear guidance and boundaries. This is informed by an understanding of the child’s experiences so that boundaries are appropriate to their individual needs and the assessment of risk. Staff provide the child with help and support to manage their behaviour and feelings safely. They are motivated to understand the child’s triggers so that responses are attuned.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There is a small and consistent team of staff at the home. The use of external staff is rare. Staff are content working at the home and feel supported by management. Regular supervision with an appropriately trained person provides an opportunity for staff to reflect on practice and consider learning needs. Staff are valued by management, and the manager is ambitious for their team. They encourage staff to take on responsibilities that enhance their development and build their knowledge.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Monitoring systems are in place to actively review the quality of care being provided and ensure that tasks are completed in a timely manner. When errors are identified through this process, they are addressed swiftly. The manager is attentive to ways in which these systems can be improved.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Children’s views are listened to and encouraged. For example, children are involved in the recruitment process through devising questions that are asked to applicants in interviews. However, some practices around recruitment have the potential to compromise safeguarding.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers collectively know the home’s areas for development. For example, case study exercises are being introduced to enhance staff’s understanding of safeguarding. The staff team has sustained a safe and stable environment for the child at the home. Inspection report for children’s home: 2501566 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 notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if—

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Requirement Due date

an incident requiring police involvement occurs in relation to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40 (4)(b)) 20 February 2025

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that where the placing authority or another relevant person does not provide the input and services needed to meet a child’s needs during their time in the home or in preparation for leaving the home, the home must challenge them to meet the child’s needs. Staff should act as champions for the children, expecting nothing less than a good parent would. The registered person should consider the use of an independent advocate if the child’s needs are not being met. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 12, paragraph 2.8)  The registered person should ensure good employment practice. They must ensure that recruitment, supervision and performance management of staff safeguard children and minimise potential risks to them. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.1)

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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: 2501566 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Vitality Care Residential Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 6 Central Avenue, Stoke-on-Trent ST2 9AR

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Alison Fitchford-Raji

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Inspectors

Becky Rutter, Social Care Inspector Mark Dickinson, Regulatory Inspection Manager Inspection report for children’s home: 2501566 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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