Children's Home run by Total Care Matters Limited in North Northamptonshire

Inspection report for children’s home: 1232200 1 Registered provider: Total Care Matters Limited

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is owned and operated by a private company. It is registered to provide care for up to three children who may require support with social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in 2021. She dual registered with another home for the same provider in 2024. She is suitably qualified and experienced.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, one child was living in the home and their views were sought.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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outstanding

How well children and young people are helped and protected outstanding

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outstanding

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

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outstanding

The children’s home provides highly effective services that consistently exceed the standards of good. The actions of the children’s home contribute to significantly improved outcomes and positive experiences for children and young people who need help, protection and care.

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outstanding

Date of last inspection: 27 February 2024

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outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 1232200 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

27/02/2024 Full Good 31/01/2023 Full Good 02/02/2022 Full Good 18/11/2019 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 1232200 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The child who lives here has complex needs and has experienced considerable trauma in their life. This has included family breakdowns and changes of placement. The managers and staff are dedicated and committed to providing the child with the best care possible. From when the child first moved to the home, the managers and staff worked collaboratively with external agencies to gain a clear understanding of the child’s needs. This helped them make plans which provide the child with the stability and security they need to help them to make progress.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff know the child extremely well; they understand their needs and are providing excellent individualised care and support. This includes understanding and meeting their needs in relation to their identity. As a result, the child is thriving in their development and sense of self. The child’s progress is exceptional, considering their starting point. For example, the child has been successfully supported to develop their social interaction skills, which has allowed them to build and maintain a small network of friends in the community.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff use their in-depth knowledge of the child’s interests to support and encourage their participation in activities. The child and staff spend valuable time together and undertake a wide range of activities in the home and the community. Activities include trips out, attending a gym, joining specialist sports teams, alongside fundraising and participation in charity work. The child is encouraged and supported with their love of playing musical instruments and has made exceptional progress in this.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff actively support and encourage the child to attend and make good progress with their education. Staff advocate strongly for the child and ensure that their education plans encourage their ongoing participation and progress. Staff work closely with educational professionals to support the child’s engagement and regularly collaborate to assess support strategies required, sometimes daily, to ensure that the child attends and participates in their education. Staff have encouraged the child to think about their next steps in education and have supported them to make an application to a college provision.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The child receives comprehensive support with their physical, emotional and psychological well-being. Staff are responsive to the child’s emotional needs and know when there are changes in the child’s presentation. Staff understand the traumatic experiences that the child has experienced. Reflective practice is underpinned by bespoke training in the home’s preferred model of care, with regular input from the organisation’s therapeutic team and the wider professional network.

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

Inspection report for children’s home: 1232200 4 The child feels listened to and supported to participate in day-to-day decision-making and planning of their care. For example, the child meets regularly with the manager and staff to share their views. Staff understand the child’s preferred method of communication and consistently support the child in understanding the next steps, using visual recording techniques when gathering the child’s views. This means that the child is involved in their care planning, and this allows them to share their views openly.

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

The child is safer because staff understand the risks that they can be exposed to. Risk assessments and care plans provide clarity and direction for staff. When there is an incident of concern, the manager and staff reflect on the plans and risks and adjust if required. Assessments of risk are made in collaboration with the multi-agency network and are well balanced between keeping the child safe and allowing them to take age- appropriate risks. This means that all agencies work in a well-coordinated manner.

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

The child has complex needs and, at times, presents behaviours that challenge. The staff understand the underlying triggers to the child’s behaviours and respond proactively to prevent incidents from escalating. The managers carry out debriefs with the child and staff. These are detailed and reflective and aimed at learning valuable lessons. The child’s plans are amended, and any amendments are communicated to the staff team.

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

Staff have a focus on safeguarding. They regularly refresh their safeguarding knowledge through specialist training, reflective supervision discussions and team meetings. Staff also benefit from bespoke support from the organisation’s therapeutic team to understand the complexities in behaviours and the safe management of these. Monthly therapeutic team meetings allow staff to discuss risks and plan the most appropriate support strategy for the child, which is also shared with external professionals.

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

Staff undertake regular key-work discussions with the child and are not afraid to tackle sensitive topics. Staff are aware of the child’s diagnosis and the subsequent way in which they process information. Therefore, staff plan and complete regular re-visits of these key-work discussions to ensure that the child is supported to understand the discussions and take learning from these.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is innovative and highly ambitious. She is committed to providing a home where children can flourish. She acts swiftly to address any shortfalls. The manager has excellent support from a strong deputy manager and senior leadership team who are equally committed to the care and progress of children. This is an integral part of the home and its success.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The managers are always visible and regularly work with the child directly. They have a detailed understanding of the child and are fully involved in their care planning from the outset. This allows managers not only to build strong relationships with the child but also to model their styles and strategies to support staff in their learning and development. Inspection report for children’s home: 1232200 5 The managers and staff, with the support of the organisations therapeutic team, have collaboratively explored and implemented additional research and guidance to meet the child’s psychological and emotional needs. This allows the staff team to understand and meet these needs consistently, using a research-based and trauma-informed approach which supports the team to embed the home’s preferred model of care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The managers have excellent quality assurance processes. They review every incident and work completed with the child. They provide a reflective overview, and learning is taken from incidents and shared with the staff team. The manager values advice and guidance from the independent visitor. However, this external scrutiny from the independent visitor does not always support the manager in the review of the home, as feedback from family and stakeholders is not regularly sought.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The staff team are stable, highly motivated and happy in their jobs. They say that they feel able to express their views and opinions and feel supported by the managers through regular reflective supervision and team meetings. However, although some progress has been made, not all staff have received annual appraisals, which means that some opportunities for development have been missed. The manager is aware of this and is in the process of completing appraisals for all staff.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The statement of purpose accurately reflects the care provided for children. However, it does not include details of the experience and qualifications of staff as outlined by regulation. This is an area for development.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Thorough recruitment procedures are in place that ensure staff working with the child are suitable to do so. The manager has effective systems in place to monitor and review their continued suitability. Inspection report for children’s home: 1232200 6

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that the following elements of the workforce plan should be included in the Statement of Purpose: (in accordance with Schedule 1 (paragraphs 19 and 20)) the staffing structure and the experience and qualifications of staff. (Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 53, paragraph 10.11)  The registered person should ensure that all staff have their performance and fitness to carry out their role formally appraised at least once annually. (Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.5)  The registered person should ensure that any individual appointed out to carry out visits to the home as an independent person must make a rigorous and impartial assessment of the home’s arrangements for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children in the home’s care. This specifically relates to ensuring that family

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Recommendations

feedback is regularly obtained. (Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 65, paragraph 15.5)

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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: 1232200 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Total Care Matters Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 11 Chantrey Road, West Bridgford, Nottingham NG2 7NR

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Inspector

Caroline Coop, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 1232200 8 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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Inspector

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