Children's Home run by Invested Childcare Ltd in Middlesbrough

Inspection report for children’s home: 2695599 1 Registered provider: Invested Childcare Ltd

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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 managed by a private provider. It provides care for up to three children who experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in January 2023.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of the 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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outstanding

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

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outstanding

The effectiveness of leaders and managers outstanding

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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: good

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outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2695599 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

30/04/2024 Full Good 29/08/2023 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2695599 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children have a sense of belonging and love living at the home. This is because staff are invested in the children. Two children were spoken with and were really positive about the care they receive. Staff go above and beyond for children, and children feel well cared for. Relationships between children and staff are exceptional, and children are making excellent progress.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children are able to express their identity. This is because they feel comfortable around staff. Staff are respectful and adapt their ways of working to support children’s individuality. Staff encourage children to enjoy new experiences that meet their needs, and because of this, they grow in confidence.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff work with children regarding the benefits of being healthy, and they are innovative with their ideas on how to support children to understand this. Children are registered with local health services, and staff support them to seek medical attention when required. When children do not want to attend their health checks, staff work with health professionals for checks to take place at home. Children are in better health as a result of the support they receive.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children enjoy spending regular time with loved ones, and staff take their time to build strong relationships with those most important to the children. Family members are kept up to date by staff and say that their children are making ‘much better’ progress since they moved to the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children’s education is a high priority for staff, and the manager holds other professionals to account when they fail to meet children’s educational needs. One professional said, ‘They were big advocates for [name of child]’s education. They went above and beyond to make sure it was right.’ Children who were not in education or in the right setting are now embracing and enjoying their learning in provisions that can meet their needs. One child has been able to complete his GCSEs because the manager advocated for this to happen. Children are now making excellent progress in education.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

When children move into the home, they are involved in the preparations. Children enjoy visits to the home and go on activities with staff. This helps staff to get to know the children and start to build relationships. Children can choose how they would like their bedroom to look. Staff decorate the children’s bedrooms the way children have requested before they move in. One child was shocked that staff had listened to them and done this for them. This helps children to settle in and to feel happy and listened to. When children move on, this is also well considered and managed sensitively in line with children’s needs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The staff deliver a model of care that supports children to make amazing progress. The organisation employs a clinical psychologist who works with the staff to support the Inspection report for children’s home: 2695599 4 children. This helps to assess trauma and informs the delivery of therapeutic care. Children’s documentation is reflective of the psychologist’s advice. Staff deliver this model of care exceptionally well.

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

There is effective and comprehensive safety planning in the home that staff know and understand. Children feel safe because staff are nurturing and consistent with risk management strategies. Because of this, incidents are reducing for children.

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

When children have been struggling with their emotional health, they have had access to support services. Staff are attuned to the triggers that may upset children. They are skilled at following advice from professionals, and they think outside of the box. Environments are altered, and children have access to self-soothing resources to help reduce distress. Children are making better progress with their emotional health.

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

Children are helped to understand risk because staff speak to them about this and about how to keep safe. Staff implement risk management strategies to help children be safer online. Because of the good work staff do, there is a reduction in online safety concerns. Furthermore, children know that staff are proud of how they are managing the risk, and this is encouraging for them.

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

Staff take the time to reflect with children following incidents. They use scenarios that are restorative to try and help children to understand how others may feel. Children are supported to restore relationships and replace things that may have been broken. Therefore, children repair and build stronger connections with one another, and they learn to take pride in the home that they share together. Furthermore, the staff use effective incentive schemes to promote positive behaviour. This means the use of consequences is low and children’s behaviour improves.

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

There is regular learning and research that take place to help reduce risk and help staff to understand the changing needs of each child. For example, the manager ensures that there is regular, relevant and up-to-date training provided to the staff, in line with the children’s needs. This helps staff to better safeguard children.

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

When concerns are raised by children or staff, the manager listens. He responds appropriately, ensuring that information is shared with the local authority designated officer and the child’s social worker. Importantly, the child’s voice is heard. On occasion, the manager has not notified Ofsted about these concerns. This has not had any impact on children’s outcomes or experience. A recommendation is raised to address this moving forward so that the regulator is informed when needed.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Leaders and managers are invested in and dedicated to the children. There is a constant focus to improve. The manager and his deputy manager lead by example. They work Inspection report for children’s home: 2695599 5 well together and are inspiring and ambitious. This approach to leading and managing has created a positive culture in the home and helps good outcomes for children to be achieved.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager implements effective and clear monitoring processes. These tools help him to evaluate and identify where shortfalls in staff practice have occurred. The manager challenges staff practice, which helps staff to learn. This means performance improves. Records in the home have changed over time. These are now child friendly and clear. This helps staff to understand children’s plans, needs and progress, which strengthens the delivery of care provided.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Reflection takes place when a difficult decision is made for children to move out of the home. Professionals are challenged for not providing the correct information and take steps to address this so it does not happen again. The manager ensures that children’s local authority information is correct when shared with other organisations in preparation for the child moving on.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The local authority has been invited to complete a review of the quality of care to help the home develop. This approach to reflection has helped leaders and managers come together with other organisations in the area to share good practice and innovative ideas and to reflect on lessons learned.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff feel supported by leaders and managers because they invest time in them. One staff member said, ‘It is such a supportive place to work. I genuinely feel proud to feel part of it.’ The manager is effective at identifying if staff require extra support. He uses support plans, which improve staff confidence and the quality of their work. Staff morale is high, and this is because the manager cares about his staff. He will take time out of his weekends to check on the well-being of his team. He allows staff to have a say on how they think things can improve. He shows them how important it is to work together. Staff get the opportunity to praise one another in team meetings. This shows a constant commitment to his team and how important they are as they evolve together.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager is effective in getting feedback from others in the local area. He sends out local questionnaires to the neighbours to gather their thoughts and feelings on the locality of the home. This has helped establish good and meaningful relationships, and there are plans for the children to all enjoy some upcoming charity events in the local community.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager is actively involved in the day-to-day care of the children. He spends time with the children, attends their meetings, goes on activities and supports them at appointments. This means that the children know that the manager is invested in them, and staff understand how valuable it is to spend good-quality time with the children. Inspection report for children’s home: 2695599 6

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that they notify Ofsted of incidents considered serious, relating to the protection, safeguarding or welfare of a child living in the home. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 63, paragraph 14.10)

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people, using the 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: 2695599 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Invested Childcare Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Acklam Hall, Hall Gardens, Middlesbrough TS5 7BJ

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Inspector

Laura Roberts, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2695599 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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