Children's Home run by Progressive Care Limited in Sheffield

Inspection report for children’s home: SC002930 1 SC002930 Registered provider: Progressive Care 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 owned and operated by a private provider. The home is split across two houses, which are next door to each other. The homes are operated as separate homes. Four children can live in each house meaning that the children’s home provides care for up to eight children who may experience social and emotional difficulties. At the time of the inspection, six children were living at the home. Two children in one house, and four children in the other.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in May 2021.

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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: SC002930 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

29/05/2024 Full Good 11/07/2023 Full Good 10/05/2022 Full Good 02/09/2021 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: SC002930 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Most children have positive experiences and make progress while living at the home. Some children’s progress has been limited; however, staff have shown stickability, even when things have been challenging. This marks progress for some children, who have previously not had this level of stability.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

When children move into the home, the manager develops individual and child-focused plans. Moving-in plans are made collaboratively with those who know the children. This has supported most children’s move into the home to be a positive one. Managers recognise the importance of positive endings for children when they need to move on. However, one child has not received timely preparation for their next steps. This means that they do not have adequate time to effectively manage their upcoming move into independent living.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Professionals who work with the children shared that children make good progress as staff are attuned to their needs. Children’s social workers receive regular updates from staff in the home. One social worker shared that they were grateful the manager took the time to meet a child as part of their considerations whether the child’s needs could be met. The other children living at the home were considered and the manager did not just take the new child’s risks in isolation.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s health improves and children are usually successfully encouraged to attend routine health appointments. Children are extensively supported to access specialist help, particularly in relation to their mental well-being. This has enabled children with complex mental health needs to experience stability.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children feel comfortable to develop and express their identities, whatever they may be. Examples were seen in relation to gender identity and religion. Children’s choices are respected and supported.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

All children are enrolled in education, although some children face barriers to regular attendance. Staff make significant efforts to advocate for children to receive education that meets their specific needs. This includes bespoke timetables, additional in-house tutoring and other, non-traditional education. Some children, despite significant effort, still face barriers to education.

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

There is coordination with the relevant agencies when there is a safeguarding incident, including allegations about staff. Records relating to the incident, and liaison with services are good quality and outline steps staff have taken to safeguard children. Inspection report for children’s home: SC002930 4 When children go missing, staff search for them and liaise with family members to support a safe return home. When children continue to go missing, they are appropriately reported to the relevant agencies in line with local protocols and children’s plans. When children return, the right conversations take place to consider the risks and whether additional action is needed.

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

Children have good relationships with most staff. There are clear and consistent boundaries within the home. Staff are attuned to children’s needs which means that staff manage situations well when children are struggling. Physical intervention is not needed, even in very challenging situations. However, there has been a high number of staff leaving and new staff starting. This has impacted on some children’s relationships.

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

Meaningful conversations with children take place, although the frequency of this varies. The depth of conversations also varies. There has been detailed and plentiful discussions about sensitive topics such as about sexual health and particular vulnerabilities for some children.

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

Room searches are proportionate to the risks presented and children are always told if their bedroom needs searching. Natural or restorative consequences are used; however, records of these are not kept which limits opportunities for management oversight.

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

Risk assessments lack child-focussed, pro-active responses to risks. Work outlined in the risk assessments to support the reduction of risks does not always take place. This does not support the reduction of risks and managers do not have effective oversight of this to address shortfalls with staff in a timely way. Risks are assessed as being high even if this has not presented as a concern for several consecutive months. Although staff spoken to were able to say what the main risks for children are and how they were managing this to keep children safer.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is suitability qualified and experienced. She knows the children well and can share lots of examples of their progress.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff feel supported by managers. They feel able to approach all layers of management if they have any concerns. Leaders and managers attend the home regularly and have good working knowledge of children and staff.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There has been a significant staff turnover with eleven new members of staff starting and seven leaving in this inspection period. Safer recruitment ensures that all staff in the home are safe to work with children. New staff have a thorough induction and are supported in the home by more experienced staff.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Supervisions are held regularly and are of good quality, although sometimes brief. Team meetings also take place regularly and used as a space to reflect on incidents and to develop staff’s skills in particular areas. Inspection report for children’s home: SC002930 5 The manager’s monitoring systems are not always effective. For example, she did not identify that the quality of children’s records is inconsistent. Managers often do not record analysis or evaluation of incidents, staff’s response or what has been learnt. This makes it difficult to understand if the manager notices when staff practice could improve or if learning is taking place.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Reports produced by the independent person lack detail and evaluation. The provider agrees and is starting to take steps to address this, however the response has been slow. The independent person does not appear to have the relevant skills and experience to effectively analyse the information and make an effective safeguarding and well-being statement. Inspection report for children’s home: SC002930 6

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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 leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that—

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Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and promotes their welfare.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home's workforce provides continuity of care to each child; and

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Requirement Due date

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(e)(h)) 12 May 2025

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Requirement Due date

The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

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Requirement Due date

assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child's relevant plans, and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, that children’s risk assessments are updated, including when risk has reduced. Also, that staff follow the pro- active strategies outlined in risk assessments. 12 May 2025

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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 12 May 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: SC002930 7 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. (Regulation 32 (2)(b) (3)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, that the independent person has the skills and experience to assess the safeguarding and well-being of children in the home.

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that staff help each child to prepare for any moves from the home, whether they are returning home, moving to another placement or adult care, or to live independently in a timely way, based on their needs. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 17, paragraph 3.27).

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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: SC002930 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Progressive Care Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 51 Attercliffe Common, Sheffield S9 2AE

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Inspectors

Joanna Beal, Social Care Inspector Sam Saxby-Brown, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC002930 9 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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