Children's Home run by Helpful Investments Ltd in Lancashire

Inspection report for children’s home: 2645858 1 Registered provider: Helpful Investments 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 operated by a private provider. It is registered to provide care for up to three children who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The home was registered with Ofsted in September 2021 and the manager registered in February 2024.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of this inspection, three children were living in the home.

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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: 2645858 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

04/06/2024 Full Good 30/08/2023 Full Good 21/02/2023 Full Requires improvement to be good 31/08/2022 Full Inadequate Inspection report for children’s home: 2645858 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported well by the manager and staff, who hold them in high regard. Children have positive relationships built on trust and affection with the staff who care for them. The manager and staff have created a safe environment where children feel listened to and can express their wishes and feelings.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported to spend time with their family and friends. Staff maintain good communication with children’s families. This provides children with a support network where they feel safe to maintain relationships with people that are important to them. One family member said: ‘Staff keep me up to date with what is going on and send me pictures.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children access a range of activities both inside and outside the home. Activities include swimming, roller skating, playing football, fishing, and going shopping. This supports children to pursue their hobbies and interests.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are encouraged depending on their age and understanding to help with preparing meals, setting the table, keeping their bedrooms tidy and taking dirty clothes to the laundry. This supports children to develop their independence skills.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The manager and staff promote children’s education well. There is good information- sharing between staff and the children’s education providers. Children speak positively about their experiences at school.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home has a relaxed atmosphere. Children’s bedrooms are personalised, and their photos are displayed around the home. This gives the children a sense of belonging.

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

Staff understand children’s risks and vulnerabilities and take time to talk to children and educate them about risk. There have been no incidents of children going missing from the home since the last inspection. Staff have a good understanding of the missing-from- home procedures.

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

Staff take the time to listen to children and help them understand their emotions. Positive recognition and praise outweigh negative consequences. The manager evaluates consequences, ensuring that consequences are proportionate and effective.

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

There is good multi-agency working. The manager and staff work closely with professionals to ensure that the children receive appropriate support. One professional said that ‘Communication is amazing.’ Inspection report for children’s home: 2645858 4 Staff receive regular supervision sessions. Staff attend regular team meetings, which provide ways for the staff to reflect on and develop their practice when supporting the children. The clinical psychologist employed by the organisation regularly attends team meetings.

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

The manager and staff work closely with a clinical psychologist to ensure the best therapeutic support for the children. One staff member said: ‘The PACE [Playfulness, Acceptance, Curiosity and Empathy] training gives me more ideas on how to support the children, being curious and showing empathy.’

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

Staff are provided with regular training identified to help them meet the specific needs of the children in their care. Training topics include first aid, fire marshal, autism awareness, safeguarding, suicide and self-harm, and therapeutic parenting. This ensures that staff have the skills to support children’s individual needs.

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

Staff are aware of how to escalate concerns about children’s welfare and staff practice, should the need arise. Leaders and managers have responded to concerns raised by staff and acted. However, on one occasion leaders and managers did not inform safeguarding agencies to ensure that the concerns were dealt with robustly. Furthermore, leaders and managers did not notify the regulator as required.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home is managed by a dedicated, caring, and ambitious manager who advocates well for the children. The manager has completed a leadership and management qualification. The manager speaks about the children with warmth and enthusiasm.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff say they feel well supported by the manager. One member of staff said: ‘The manager has made the home a true place where not only the children, but the staff can also excel and always feel supported.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is continuing to embed internal monitoring systems and understands the strengths and areas for development of the home. The manager completes a six- monthly quality of care review. This includes the wishes and feelings of children and key stakeholders. However, the report does not consider feedback from parents and staff working with the children. This is a missed opportunity for the manager to fully evaluate the care provided to children effectively.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

External monitoring systems are not sufficiently robust. Reports from the independent person are not always accurate, do not always include interactions with the children and have not always been received by the regulator as required. This does not ensure that children’s views are heard by someone independent of the home and limits oversight by the regulator. Inspection report for children’s home: 2645858 5 The manager has updated the home’s statement of purpose but has not included up-to- date or required information. The home does not have a workforce development plan. This has not impacted on the care of children.

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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 registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if—

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Requirement Due date

a child is involved in or subject to, or is suspected of being involved in or subject to, sexual exploitation;

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Requirement Due date

an incident requiring police involvement occurs in relation to a child which the registered person considers to be serious;

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Requirement Due date

there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there;

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Requirement Due date

a child protection enquiry involving a child—

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Requirement Due date

concludes (in which case, the notification must include the outcome of the child protection enquiry); or

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Requirement Due date

there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40 (4)(a)(b)(c)(d)(i)(ii)(e))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that when a serious incident occurs, a notification is made to Ofsted. 27 June 2025

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must compile in relation to the children’s home a statement (“the statement of purpose”) which covers the matters listed in Schedule 1. (Regulation 16 (1)) 27 June 2025

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that an independent person visits the children’s home at least once each month. 27 June 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: 2645858 6 When the independent person is carrying out a visit, the registered person must help the independent person—

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Requirement Due date

if they consent, to interview in private such of the children, their parents, relatives, and persons working at the home as the independent person requires.

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Requirement Due date

The independent person must provide a copy of the independent person’s report to—

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the independent person should regularly consult with the children to gain their opinions about the quality of care provided in the home. The independent person must provide a copy of the independent report to His Majesty’s Chief Inspector (HMCI).

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that they have a system in place which allows them to monitor the matters set out in regulation 45, specifically relating to the opinions of parents and staff. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards,’ page 64, paragraph 15.2)  The registered person should have a workforce plan which can fulfil the workforce- related requirements of regulation 16, schedule 1. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards,’ page 53, paragraph 10.8)

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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: 2645858 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Helpful Investments Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 31 Bridge Street, Aberystwyth, Ceredigion, Wales SY23 1QB

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Rachel Springford

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Inspector

Stacey Ilaboya, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2645858 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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