Children's home run by Happy Futures Support Specialists Limited

Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2712049 1 Registered provider: Happy Futures Support Specialists 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 run by a private provider. It provides care for one child who may experience social and emotional difficulties. The home may provide care for a child with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in April 2023.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection there was one child living in the home.

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Information about this children’s home

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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Information about this children’s home

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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Information about this inspection

At this inspection, the inspector evaluated:

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Information about this inspection

 the care of children  the safety of children  the effectiveness of leaders and managers. Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children, using the social care common inspection framework. This assurance 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’. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2712049 2

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Findings from the inspection

We did not identify any serious or widespread concerns in relation to the care or protection of children at this assurance inspection. All the requirements and recommendations made at the full inspection are met.

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Findings from the inspection

The home environment meets the needs of the child well. The manager makes the necessary adjustments required regarding specialist furniture to help to keep the child safe and to create a homely environment. For example, a sofa designed to support physical restraints has been replaced by a household sofa. This is because the child is rarely held. The child uses a pod, an item of furniture similar to a beanbag, to help them to feel safe in the lounge. The child now has a second pod in their bedroom to provide an additional safe space with more privacy.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff communicate well with the child. They have liaised with the child’s school to strengthen their approach. Staff use a mix of Makaton and pictures to help them to understand how the child is feeling, and to give the child choices. This has helped the child to understand how the home is managed, and how to complain. Staff have noted that since this improved approach to communication has been introduced, there has been a reduction in the number of incidents involving the child.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff support the child well to access medical help. Familiarisation visits to unknown places such as hospitals help the child to recognise new environments. This mitigates against the distress caused to the child by being in an unfamiliar environment and supports their attendance at medical appointments. Staff administer medication with the oversight and support of the relevant medical professionals. This is to ensure that the child receives the necessary medication without causing unnecessary distress.

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Findings from the inspection

Team meetings and supervision sessions are regular and reflective. The manager regularly reviews actions from previous meetings and supervision sessions to help staff make progress and keep the child’s care under review.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff help the child to socialise through participation in various activities. This has helped the child to develop a friendship with another child of a similar age in school. This helps to give the child a wider social network.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff understand the risks the child faces. Risk assessments and behaviour management plans are detailed and staff follow these well. The child is subject to a court order which deprives them of aspects of their liberty, such as external doors being locked. This is to help to keep the child safe. The details of the order are well- understood by the manager and staff who implement the order in a safe and proportionate way.

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Findings from the inspection

The child is rarely held. When they are, this is to keep them and others safe. However, when a form of physical intervention is used such as a guide, this is not Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2712049 3 always recorded as a restraint. This prevents the manager from having the necessary oversight.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff do not always communicate with the child after an incident to help the child to understand why staff are helping to keep them safe. This prevents the manager from being assured that the child is being supported to understand staff’s actions. It also prevents the child from having the opportunity to express their views.

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Findings from the inspection

Some staff choose not to engage in a discussion with the manager after a physical intervention incident involving the child. This prevents the manager from supporting staff members to reflect on their actions and to provide staff with support. When these discussions do happen, they are not always in the required timescales. Furthermore, the manager’s oversight of these incidents is also not always completed in the required timescales. This prevents the manager from being assured in a timely manner that the action taken by staff is safe and appropriate.

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Findings from the inspection

There was a missed opportunity to seek specialist advice for staff to help guide their practice when helping the child understand loss. The use of social stories to help the child understand changes in their life and relationships is inconsistent. This does not help the child understand why changes occur in their life.

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Findings from the inspection

Records completed by staff do not consistently capture the child’s experiences of important occasions. For example, minimal recording of the child’s time at Christmas does not allow the child or their family to look back on the child’s time living at the home. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2712049 4

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

22/05/2024 Full Requires improvement to be good 12/02/2024 Full Inadequate Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2712049 5

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person 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 must comply within the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must prepare and implement a policy ("the behaviour management policy") which sets out—

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Requirement Due date

how appropriate behaviour is to be promoted in the children's home; and

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Requirement Due date

the measures of control, discipline and restraint which may be used in relation to children in the home.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must keep the behaviour management policy under review and, where appropriate, revise it.

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Requirement Due date

within 24 hours of the use of a measure of control, discipline or restraint in relation to a child in the home, a record is made which includes—

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Requirement Due date

details of the child's behaviour leading to the use of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

the date, time and location of the use of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

a description of the measure and its duration;

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Requirement Due date

details of any methods used or steps taken to avoid the need to use the measure;

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Requirement Due date

the name of the person who used the measure ("the user"), and of any other person present when the measure was used;

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Requirement Due date

the effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the measure; and 5 May 2025 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2712049 6 within 48 hours of the use of the measure, the registered person, or a person who is authorised by the registered person to do so ("the authorised person")—

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Requirement Due date

has spoken to the user about the measure; and

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Requirement Due date

has signed the record to confirm it is accurate; and

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Requirement Due date

within 5 days of the use of the measure, the registered person or the authorised person adds to the record confirmation that they have spoken to the child about the measure. (Regulation 35 (1)(a)(b) (2) (3)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii) (b)(i)(ii)(c))

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Recommendations

 The registered person should be proactive in contacting professionals for their expert advice about a child's level of understanding of death and loss, to communicate this effectively to the child. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations including the quality standards', page 11 paragraph 2.4).

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that staff record information about the child in a way that will be helpful to the child, capturing details of special events in the child's life. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4). Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2712049 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Happy Futures Support Specialists Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: St Andrews House, 11, Dalton Court, Commercial Road, Darwen, Lancashire BB3 0DG

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Inspector

Julia Hagan, Social Care Inspector Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2712049 8 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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