Children's home run by Shropshire Council

Inspection report for children’s home: SC370982 1 SC370982 Registered provider: Shropshire Council

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This local authority home is registered to provide care for up to five children who may experience social and emotional difficulties and have learning disabilities.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager is suitably qualified.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, four children were living in the home. All the children were seen and two spoke to the inspector.

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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 good

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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

Overall judgement at last inspection: outstanding

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outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC370982 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

06/03/2024 Full Outstanding 05/01/2023 Full Outstanding 22/02/2022 Full Good 24/07/2019 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: SC370982 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Excellent outcomes for children are achieved because of the exceptional dedication and aspirations of the managers and team of carers. Carers create an inspiring and inclusive home environment where children feel valued and respected and thrive in all areas of their development.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Since the last inspection, four children have moved in, and four children have moved out of the home. One child moved to live with foster carers and three children moved to live in residential homes suited to their needs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Plans for children when they move out of the home are imaginative and reflect their diverse needs These plans are visually well presented and reflect the managers and carers impressive knowledge of the children. Children are involved in planning all stages of their moves. This helps children to share their views, wishes and feelings and to understand the arrangements. Carers are dedicated to supporting children when they move, and they stay in contact. This creates long-term support networks for children, which they value. One child sent the managers and the team a card thanking them for always taking care of them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children are supported by carers to share their wishes and feelings. The managers and carers supported children to record a video of their experiences of moving into the home. The creative recording of children’s experiences enabled local authority professionals to understand that all children’s moves require comprehensive and meticulous planning. The responsible individual has purposefully developed guidance detailing that all children should have bespoke moving in and moving out plans.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Carers are dynamic advocates for children’s equality, diversity and inclusion. Carers support children to express and be proud of their diversity. One child wanted to be known by a different name. This helps children to feel they belong, and their views are respected. Carers celebrate and express their pride in the achievements of children. The carers and management team delightfully respond to children when they share their achievements and experiences. Carers and the psychologist create personalised letters for children that record their wishes and feelings and experiences of living in their home. These letters are highly valued by children.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children are actively supported and encouraged by carers to take part in activities. This helps to develop their confidence and to feel comfortable in their community. Children enjoy playing football and going to football matches, swimming, roller-skating, playing rugby, and going on day trips and holidays. Carers consistently support children to visit their families and friends, creating innovative plans to support children’s important relationships. A social work manager said carers are ‘fantastic in supporting and developing children’s relationships with their family members’. Inspection report for children’s home: SC370982 4 The managers and team of carers are excellent advocates for children’s education, understanding how to stimulate children’s enthusiasm for learning. One child is making exceptional progress in a mainstream school after education professionals were considering specialist education. Carers are resourceful in in helping children to achieve

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

their ambitions, such as visiting football stadiums and meeting their favourite players. These experiences are inspiring and motivating for children.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The home has spacious grounds where children enjoy playing football, looking for insects and building outdoor shelters. The management team has plans for children to learn how to plant and grow vegetables. The children’s bedrooms are designed to reflect their individuality. Children enjoy playing computer games, musical instruments and board games, completing jigsaws and building Lego in the communal areas of the home.

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

Carers are supported by a psychologist and therapeutic practitioners to reflect on the lived experiences of children. This helps children to receive personalised care. For example, two children are being supported to develop their personal identity and sibling relationship. This creates a nurturing and inclusive home environment and helps children to feel safe.

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

Children rarely go missing from their home. This reflects the positive and trusting relationships children have with carers. Since the last inspection, two children have been reported as being absent without permission. Carers effectively followed the children’s support plans, leading to the children returning safely. Carers support children to understand risk, for example, helping them to learn about internet safety. This helps children to feel safer and to feel confident in sharing any concerns.

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

Carers support children to live safely together. When children make complaints about each other, these are managed promptly and sensitively by the manager. Carers encourage children to reflect on unkind words and actions. This helps children to share their feelings with each other and to feel safer. A parent and social worker both said carers support children to understand the effects of bullying.

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

Allegations against carers are taken seriously by the manager. He follows the guidance effectively when investigating allegations by children. This helps children to feel listened to and to feel safer. The manager promptly communicates with the local authority designated officer and external professionals. This helps children to feel confident in the carers responsible for their care and protection.

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

Carers are trained to use physical interventions. These are used when necessary to keep children safe. Carers support children to understand the reasons for using physical interventions. This helps children and carers to rebuild their relationships and for children to feel safer. Inspection report for children’s home: SC370982 5

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The previous manager has recently moved to a new role in the local authority. The new manager has a good understanding of the home as she was the deputy manager. She is experienced, dedicated and passionate about helping children to achieve their ambitions. This vision and ambition are shared by the responsible individual and the carers.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

External professionals speak positively about the excellent communication they have with the managers and carers. This helps children’s needs to be understood well by all external professionals. For example, carers supported a child’s school to understand their personal identity and the support they needed. This helped the child to feel valued and to feel safer in their school environment. When external professionals raise any concerns, the management team reflects on how improvements can be made to keep children safe.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Carers speak positively about the support they receive from the management team. Leaders and managers understand the value of good-quality reflective supervisions, team meetings and consultations with the psychologist and therapeutic practitioners. This helps to develop carers practice and for carers to feel valued. The new manager has plans to further develop the therapeutic skills of the carers in consultation with the psychologist.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers understand how effective training supports carers practice. Carers are supported to obtain suitable qualifications within the required timescales. The manager recognises there are carers whose training is not fully up to date and has plans in place to address this.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has effective monitoring systems in place. This helps to review the experiences and progress of children and to regularly review their support plans. A monitoring system has been developed to review bullying incidents between children. This is helping to understand how to support children and their relationships with each other. The manager has plans to further develop therapeutic parenting model in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

No requirements or recommendations were issued at this inspection. Inspection report for children’s home: SC370982 6

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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: SC370982 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Shropshire Council, Shirehall, Abbey Foregate, Shrewsbury SY2 6ND

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Inspector

Siân Heffey, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC370982 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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