Children's home run by St. Benedict’s Care Solutions Ltd

Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2688362 1 Registered provider: St. Benedicts Care Solutions Ltd

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is registered to provide care for up to three children who have special educational needs and/or disabilities

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Information about this children’s home

The home was registered in August 2022. The registered manager post has been vacant since 10 June 2024.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, two children were living at the home.

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Inspection date: 26 March 2025

Date of last inspection: 4 September 2024

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Inspection date: 26 March 2025

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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Inspection date: 26 March 2025

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. The inspector has 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: 2688362 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.

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Findings from the inspection

Following recent changes, the previous manager is no longer working for the organisation. The home is temporarily being supported by the proposed responsible individual and the director while a new manager is recruited.

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Findings from the inspection

At the time of the inspection, two children were living in the home. One young person had recently had a positive move into a semi-independent placement. Staff helped the young person with viewings and supported them throughout the process of moving home. The young person gained necessary independent skills, such as personal care, cleaning up after themselves and cooking. This young person was given a positive ending by having a farewell meal with staff and a peer from the home. As a result, this young person was prepared for their move.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff have positive relationships with children. One child provided a staff member with a Mother’s Day card and gift due to their appreciation of the care provided. Staff use their positive relationships to understand children’s behaviours, and this means that staff support children appropriately.

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Findings from the inspection

Children are supported to attend education. Both children living at the home attend education and are making good progress. One family member told the inspector, in relation to education, ‘The encouragement from the home is brilliant; it is about verbal praise and inspiring them to achieve.’

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Findings from the inspection

Leaders have been using monitoring systems more consistently since the last inspection. The responsible individual also completes monthly audits to ensure the quality of care at the home. This has enabled shortfalls to be identified promptly and rectified in a timely manner.

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Findings from the inspection

The home environment has improved since the last inspection. The home has undergone redecoration since October 2024. Children’s bedrooms are personalised with new wallpaper and carpet, which have been chosen by children. The communal areas, including the hallway and lounge, have also been redecorated with modern wall features and furniture. This provides a warmer and more welcoming feel to the home.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff respond well to incidents. They have a good understanding of children’s risk management plans, which are consistently followed when supporting missing-from- home incidents and physical interventions. Staff use their relationships to support children after incidents. This has helped children to reflect, and as a result, there has been a decrease in the number of incidents in the home. However, the recording of some incidents lacks certain details, making it difficult to fully review incidents without the use of the log book and daily logs. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2688362 3 Recruitment is not always completed diligently. Leaders did not fully explore concerns raised about a staff member’s practice on their references at the recruitment stage. During the staff member’s employment, concerns had been raised. It was not clear how leaders had been assured that this staff member was

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Findings from the inspection

Most staff are suitably trained. They have recently completed training in the PACE (Playfulness, Acceptance, Curiosity and Empathy) model of care and bereavement in line with children’s needs. However, leaders have not ensured that a team leader has completed all the relevant training. This staff member is not currently working due to being off sick. Training records are not clear in places, as they contain information of staff who no longer work at the home.

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Findings from the inspection

Leaders do not always share relevant information with professionals. Following the dismissal of a staff member, leaders did not share the reasons behind this with social workers. Not sharing the information prevented social workers from having full oversight of the concern. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2688362 4

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

04/09/2024 Full Requires improvement to be good 02/01/2024 Full Good 14/03/2023 Full Good Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2688362 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 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

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child. (Regulation 13 (1)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, leaders and managers must ensure that the staff team is trained, skilled and experienced to meet the needs of children and keep them safe. 14 May 2025

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety.

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Requirement Due date

employ an individual to work at the children’s 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 requirements are that full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2. (Regulation 32 (1) (2)(a) (3)(d))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the registered person ensuring that staff are safely recruited. 14 May 2025

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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

the effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the measure; and 14 May 2025 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2688362 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 (3)(a)(vii) (b)(i)(ii)(c))

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Requirement Due date

This was a requirement at the last inspection and has been restated.

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that staff are familiar with the home’s policies on record-keeping and understand the importance of careful, objective, and clear recording. Staff should record information on individual children in a non-stigmatising way that distinguishes between fact, opinion and third-party information. Information about the child must always be recorded in a way that will be helpful to the child. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4)  The registered person should judge whether the incident is sufficiently serious to make formal notifications and, if it is, which other relevant persons may be notified, for example, the police, probation service, health professionals, the local authority for the area the home is located in (if this is not the child’s placing authority) and others involved with the care or protection of the child. (‘Guide to

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Recommendations

the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 63, paragraph 14.12) Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2688362 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: St. Benedicts Care Solutions Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 6a George Street, Nottingham NG1 3BE

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Inspector

Chanel Bryant, Social Care Inspector Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2688362 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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