Children's home run by Potensial Limited in Wirral

Inspection report for children’s home: 1221437 1 Registered provider: Potensial Ltd

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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 children’s home is operated by a large independent national provider. This home is registered to care for up to five children. The home operates as a short-breaks provider. There are currently 16 children who visit for short breaks and three children receiving extended breaks. During the inspection, four children were visiting. The inspector spent time with the children.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in March 2016.

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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: 1221437 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

26/06/2023 Full Good 14/06/2022 Full Good 23/08/2021 Full Good 17/07/2019 Full Inadequate Inspection report for children’s home: 1221437 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is creatively decorated with the children’s sensory needs in mind. There are lights, colourful motifs, a variety of textures and the children’s artwork adorning the walls. There are also many pictures of children from both the past and present. This adds to the homely atmosphere of the home and demonstrates the high regard in which children are held by staff. The staff are particularly proud of the updated bathroom, which has been decorated with an under-the-sea theme, including electric candles, frogs and fairy lights. The children helped to design the room and everyone won an internal award for this. The room is now a firm favourite of the children.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff know the children very well. They talk with pride about the children, and it is important to them that children have a fun, positive experience while they are visiting the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children make progress against their targets, which are reviewed monthly. Targets are tracked in a narrative format to describe how children are progressing. Targets do not change regularly, ensuring that a new skill or achievement is secure before moving on. It can be difficult to understand how children have reached this point due to the targets which do not help staff and families understand incremental progress. Successes are celebrated through certificates of achievement.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s views are sought and acted on using a variety of methods, such as Picture Exchange Communication System style questionnaires. When children are not able to fully communicate their own thoughts verbally, staff look to understand what children are feeling and what they may be communicating through close observation of behaviours and body language.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Parents are overwhelmingly positive about the service the home provides. They report that a home-from-home experience is provided where children can feel safe and have fun. They report communication is excellent with the home’s manager, who they feel goes above and beyond to help them and their children.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children enjoy a wide variety of activities, including swimming, beach walks, chip-shop chips and visits further afield to places such as Longleat to see the Christmas lights which has helped children’s social development.

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

There are very few incidents relating to the children’s behaviours. This is because staff know children very well. They are attuned to the children’s needs. Being a low-demand environment contributes towards the low level of incidents. This can also be credited to the staff having an in-depth understanding of the children’s needs and personalities to use as a basis for careful matching. This is a particular strength of the home. Staff Inspection report for children’s home: 1221437 4 recognise that children thrive on routines and feel safe when they know what to expect. Therefore, staff ensure that children have the same room when they visit the home and follow established routines. Good quality care and support plans detail how staff should care for children. These are followed effectively in practice.

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

Staff know children well and as a result recognise when children may be feeling anxious or worried. Staff are then able to take the appropriate actions to help the child feel calmer. Staff use records well to track incidents on behaviour forms. They then use the forms as a basis to improve how children are supported. However, the format of the forms does not make it clear what action staff take during these concerns and, therefore, how the manager knows they are following the plans.

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

There have been no medication errors, and staff competency is reviewed at least twice a year. However, medication is not always administered as prescribed, which may leave children at risk of medication being improperly used. There is no consultation with the wider professional network to oversee changes in administration, and no review system in place to ensure that the method of administration is correct and, in the child’s best interests.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has created an environment where children can flourish. She has an established staff team that is confident in how to support children and meet their needs well. Staff are enthusiastic to attend new training opportunities. Staff report they feel well supported and benefit from regular supervision and team meetings.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Supervision sessions and team meetings are held every month and have a clear agenda. However, not all children are discussed in detail, and there is limited opportunity for in- depth reflection around practice. While there is a strong culture of professional challenge on a day-to-day basis, this is informal and limits the opportunity to reach all staff reach all staff.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has fostered excellent relationships with partner agencies. She understands when and how to escalate and share information. She attends meetings, such as personal education plan reviews, and participates actively in child protection meetings and processes. Fellow professionals report an exceptionally positive working relationship with the home, noting that it is child led and child focused. Inspection report for children’s home: 1221437 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 make arrangements for the handling, recording, safekeeping, safe administration and disposal of medicines received into the children’s home.

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Requirement Due date

In particular the registered person must ensure that—

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Requirement Due date

medicine which is prescribed for a child is administered as prescribed to the child for whom it is prescribed and to no other child. (Regulation 23 (1) (2)(b)) 11 April 2025

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Recommendations

The registered person should ensure that it is clear what progress is made against targets so it can be seen where there is a need for a new one to be set. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 14, paragraph 3.2)  The registered person should have systems in place so that all staff, including the manager, receive supervision of their practice, 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)  The registered person should ensure that incidents are subject to systems of regular scrutiny, in particular when considering whether staff are following children’s plans. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 46, paragraph 9.36)

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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: 1221437 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Potens, 68 Grange Road West, Birkenhead CH41 4DB

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Bettina Jeppesen

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Inspectors

Clare Nixson, Social Care Inspector Sally Shakespeare, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 1221437 7 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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