Children's home run by M.J. Children’s Services Limited

Inspection report for children’s home: SC068991 1 SC068991 Registered provider: M.J. Children’s Services 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 home is privately owned and provides care for up to four children with complex needs who require specialist support. Three children were living at the home at the time of this inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in February 2023.

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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: SC068991 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

25/04/2023 Full Good 17/05/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good 10/05/2021 Full Good 09/12/2019 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children’s home: SC068991 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Three children were living in the home at the time of this inspection. All three children spent time with the inspector.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Since the last inspection, two children have moved out and three have moved in. Despite the quick way children moved in, the manager considered the mix of children and views of the children who were already living in the home. Children have benefited from this approach and peer relationships among children are positive. One child had an unplanned ending that was supported by their parent and social worker. Although this was unplanned, the child was reunified with their family. Another child moved to another residential home to live with their sibling.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Interactions between the children and staff demonstrate warmness and trust. Children speak highly of the relationships they have with staff, the care they are provided with and the experiences they have shared. These relationships have supported children to settle in and make progress from their starting points.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have a sense of belonging at this home. Their artwork and photographs of the children enjoying activities are proudly displayed in the home. Children decorate their bedroom’s based on their individual interests and hobbies. Items that are meaningful to the children are placed throughout, for example pictures of family members and memorabilia. This promotes the children’s identity.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children enjoy a range of fun activities; many of these have been first-time experiences. Children are encouraged to create ‘bucket lists’ of experiences they would like to try. Staff have then supported children to complete their ‘bucket lists’. Experiences such as trips to local attractions, train rides, holidays aboard and football stadium tours have been enjoyed by the children. All children spoke of their enjoyment completing such experiences. This creative approach has supported children to complete new experiences and enjoy life.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

When children were waiting for education provisions, staff supported children with home learning. Children now attend education provisions that meet each of their complex needs. Their attendance is good, and children are making progress with their learning.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported to see people who are important to them. Staff understand the importance of family relationships and support children to stay connected. Staff organise fun activities for children and their family members to do together. This approach has helped children to strengthen relationships with family members.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s records are not always child centred. Staff, on occasion, have used institutional words in records to describe children’s behaviour. Staff do not consider how Inspection report for children’s home: SC068991 4 these records are a part of children’s life stories. This does not truly reflect the warmth of staff relationships with children.

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

Children’s views are listened to by staff and managers. Children are supported through general conversation, meetings, advocacy support and reflective discussions. This allows children to share and talk about their achievements, reflect on events and voice opinions. These opportunities provide valuable experiences for children to learn how to communicate, and they help them to feel listened to.

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

Staff are trained in physical intervention. This has been used on occasions to keep children safe. Physical intervention is proportionate and used as a last resort. The manager reviews the records and holds conversations with the children after these take place. The manager and staff are responsive and adopt alternative approaches to support children to positively manage their behaviour. For example, the use of weighted blankets has supported a child and helped reduce behaviour incidents.

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

Children feel safe in the home due to the positive relationships they have built with staff. When children are struggling with their emotional well-being staff respond well. This has helped children to seek staff support and attend therapy appointments. This approach has contributed to children receiving additional support and a significant reduction in self-harm incidents.

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

Since the last inspection, there has been one occasion a child left the home without permission. Staff took effective action to quickly locate the child and supported them to return.

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

Children are regularly praised. Staff implement natural consequences to support children to understand the effects of their behaviour on others. This approach has helped children understand the impact of their behaviour on others and supported self- reflection.

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

The manager ensures that allegations of harm and external complaints are investigated promptly. She informs relevant professionals, and children are safeguarded.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is experienced and qualified. She is an excellent role model and dedicated to improving the lives of children in her care. An equally motivated responsible individual supports the manager.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff speak highly of leaders’ and managers’ commitment and the supportive work environment. One staff member said, ‘The managers are approachable, compassionate and always willing to provide guidance or support when needed. They create a positive workplace culture that feels like a family, where everyone works together towards the common goal of helping children feel safe and empowered to reach their full potential.’ Inspection report for children’s home: SC068991 5 The manager challenges other professionals if she is dissatisfied with the services being provided to children. This approach has supported children to have education placements that meet their needs, more time with family and advocacy support. As a result, children have been supported to make progress in several areas of their lives.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff complete a wide range of training and all have completed the home’s mandatory training. The manager sources additional training for staff relevant to the needs of the children. This has enhanced staff’s knowledge and supports staff to provide individualised care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive regular supervision sessions and annual appraisals. However, supervision and annual appraisals records do not always show there has been a reflection on practice. This does not ensure that staff have been supported to reflect and develop their practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff are supported to complete the relevant level 3 qualification. Staff are either qualified or working towards this. However, one staff member has been working in the home for over four years and has not achieved the qualification.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager regularly consults with children, professionals and parents. However, she has not included the feedback in her six-monthly review of the home. There is a minimal action plan in the report. Consequently, opportunities to review and make improvement on the quality of care may be missed.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has met all four requirements from the last inspection. Inspection report for children’s home: SC068991 6

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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; or

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Requirement Due date

if an individual is employed by a person other than the registered person to work at the home in a position in which the individual may have regular contact with children, allow that individual to work at the 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 has the appropriate experience, qualification and skills for the work that the individual is to perform;

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Requirement Due date

For the purposes of paragraph (3)(b), an individual who works in the home in a care role has the appropriate qualification if, by the relevant date, the individual has attained—

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Requirement Due date

the Level 3 Diploma for Residential Childcare (England) (‘the Level 3 Diploma’); or

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Requirement Due date

a qualification which the registered person considers to be equivalent to the Level 3 Diploma.

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Requirement Due date

in the case of an individual who starts working in a care role in a home after 1st April 2014, the date which falls 2 years after the date on which the individual started working in a care role in a home; or 6 May 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: SC068991 7 in the case of an individual who was working in a care role in a home on 1st April 2014, 1st April 2016. (Regulation 32 (1) (2)(a)(b) (3)(b) (4)(a)(b) (5)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must complete a review of the quality of care provided for children ("a quality of care review") at least once every 6 months.

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Requirement Due date

In order to complete a quality of care review the registered person must establish and maintain a system for monitoring, reviewing and evaluating—

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Requirement Due date

the quality of care provided for children;

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Requirement Due date

the feedback and opinions of children about the children’s home, its facilities and the quality of care they receive in it; and

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Requirement Due date

any actions that the registered person considers necessary in order to improve or maintain the quality of care provided for children.

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Requirement Due date

After completing a quality of care review, the registered person must produce a written report about the quality of care review and the actions which the registered person intends to take as a result of the quality of care review ("the quality of care review report").

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Requirement Due date

The system referred to in paragraph (2) must provide for ascertaining and considering the opinions of children, their parents, placing authorities and staff. (Regulation 45 (1) (2)(a)(b)(c) (3) (5)) 6 May 2025

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that information about the child is always 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 ensure systems are in place so that all staff, including the manager, receive supervision of their practice from an appropriately qualified and experienced professional, which allows them to reflect on their practice and the needs of the children assigned to their care. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.2) Inspection report for children’s home: SC068991 8

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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: SC068991 9

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: M.J. Children’s Services Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Arbutus House, 4 Loddington Lane, Belton in Rutland LE15 9LA

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Inspector

Syvanna Matthew, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC068991 10 regulates and inspects 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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