Children's Home run by Jeeves Care Group Ltd in Hertfordshire

Inspection report children's home: 2794664 1 Registered provider: Jeeves Care Group 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 privately owned home provides care for up to four children with social and emotional difficulties. There were no children living at the home at the time of the inspection.

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Information about this children's home

The manager, who was registered when the home opened, left in November 2024. A new manager has been appointed and started two weeks prior to the inspection. He has not yet applied to register with Ofsted.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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requires improvement to be good

How well children and young people are helped and protected requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The children's home is not yet delivering good help and care for children and young people. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

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requires improvement to be good

Date of last inspection: not previously inspected

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children's home: 2794664 2

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improvement to be good

The home has been open since August 2024. Since then, two children have lived at the home, although not at the same time. Both children moved on to secure accommodation. Neither child was made aware of the impending moves, in line with court orders and local authority request. Therefore, at the time of the inspection, no children were living at the home.

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improvement to be good

There has been one particularly significant safeguarding concern that had the potential to cause significant harm to children. However, leaders and managers have taken some action to increase the potential for the neccesary improvements to occur.

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improvement to be good

Before living at the home, one child had been out of education for a significant period. The responsible individual sought two separate education provisions for them. The child was able to share their preferred learning style and future aspirations, resulting in a bespoke education package being prepared.

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improvement to be good

Both children had complex needs, with histories of going missing and risks relating to exploitation. Staff had a generally good understanding of the children's backgrounds and lived experiences and worked hard to overcome barriers that impact children forming secure attachments.

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improvement to be good

Leaders and managers helped to create positive relationships with professionals and families. Relationships between staff and children were generally positive, with children always choosing to return to the home following ongoing missing-from-care incidents.

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improvement to be good

Staff created opportunities to have meaningful conversations with children. On occasions, they sensitively approached difficult topics that enabled children to seek further support and advice regarding their health.

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improvement to be good

Since registration, there has been one highly significant safeguarding incident in the home. This was when staff discovered an unknown child staying in an unoccupied room in the home. The police reported that there were indications that the child had been living in the room due to empty food wrappers and drinks. Staff were unaware of how the child had managed to access the property or how long the child had been in the home for. Leaders and managers have completed some investigations into this but remain unsure as to what occurred, how it occurred or for how long it occurred.

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improvement to be good

The children who lived at the home both had prolonged histories of going missing. As such, there were detailed protocols in place to try to manage these risks. On most Inspection report for children's home: 2794664 3 occasions, staff have followed these plans, and one social worker noted how staff were alert to the potential of a child going missing. However, on one occasion, leaders and managers report that staff did not act in line with the risk management strategies. This led to a child going missing without staff being aware.

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improvement to be good

When children did go missing, staff responded positively, including travelling significant distances to try to locate them. Staff worked with the children to help them understand risks associated with going missing and exploitation. Children felt welcomed back to the home. However, leaders, managers and staff have not always shown sufficient curiosity about what children have been doing, who they have been with and where they have been. They have not sought information from local authorities regarding return home interviews. As a result, information from these interviews was not being used to inform risk management strategies.

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improvement to be good

Leaders and managers have worked with external, specialist agencies to secure support for children to manage risks.

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improvement to be good

Staff ensured that children knew how to raise concerns. There have been two complaints raised by children since the home opened. The responsible individual thoughtfully investigated and resolved these. Responses were child focused and empathetic toward the children’s concerns.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Since registration, the registered manager has resigned. Current leaders and managers report this being necessary to ensure that improvements take place. The responsible individual took over the day-to-day running of the home. A new manager has recently been appointed.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Leaders and managers have a generally clear understanding of children’s experiences, although this is limited, on occasion, by a lack of curiosity when children go missing.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Leaders and managers make carefully considered decisions about children’s moves into the home. Leaders decided that each child who has lived in the home could not be matched with other children and therefore no other children were placed in the home while they were present.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Leaders and managers have not consistently recognised shortfalls in reporting and recording. For example, despite an intruder being found in the home and leaders and managers stating that this person presented a potential risk to children, there is insufficient detail available for staff regarding the intruder and the risk they may pose, such as what they look like. While leaders and managers have taken practical steps to increase general security, the gaps in detail have not been picked up.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Although staff feel supported by the management team, leaders and managers’ oversight of support for staff has not always been fully effective. The staff have access to a good range of training courses. However, leaders and managers have not always Inspection report for children's home: 2794664 4 maintained a clear oversight of these. For example, leaders and managers were not always aware of who had received training that the provider deemed necessary, including training relating to the specific needs of children who lived at the home. Although these gaps did not impact directly on the quality of care provided, when unchecked, they have the potential to do so.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Leaders and managers have high expectations of the service. They have good relationships with external professionals, including social workers. Social workers report good relationships with leaders and managers, including being challenged appropriately by the provider.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Staff are child focused, motivated and enjoy working at the home. They say that they feel valued in their roles. Inspection report for children's home: 2794664 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 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

understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person;

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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. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(v)(d))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that specific risks relating to known individuals who have accessed the home are clearly recorded and mitigated; ensure that all staff follow risk management plans; and ensure that when children go missing, staff show sufficient curiosity about what children have been doing, who they have been with and where they have been. 10 February 2025

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Requirement Due date

The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that—

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(b) (2)(h)) 31 March 2025 Inspection report for children's home: 2794664 6

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that when a child returns to the home, they advocate for the child to have an independent return home interview and take account of information provided by any interview when assessing risks and putting arrangements in place to protect each child. ('Guide to the Children's Homes Regulations, including the quality standards', page 45, paragraph 9.30)

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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: 2794664 7

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Children's home details

Registered provider: Jeeves Care Group Limited

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Children's home details

Registered provider address: 71 Knowl Piece, Wilbury Way, Hitchin SG4 0TY

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Children's home details

Responsible individual: Kalvinder Khelie

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Inspector

Lexi Mitchell, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: 2794664 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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