Children's Home run by Absolute Children’s Services Ltd in North Lincolnshire

Inspection report for children’s home: 2696593 1 Registered provider: Absolute Children’s Services 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 four children with social and/or emotional difficulties and/or learning disabilities.

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Information about this children’s home

The home was registered with Ofsted in November 2022.

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Information about this children’s home

Four children were living in the home at the time of the inspection. The inspectors spoke to all of the children.

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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 outstanding

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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: 2696593 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

21/05/2024 Full Good 25/04/2023 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children’s home: 2696593 3

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outstanding

Children are making exceptional progress from their starting points. The progress children make is because of the care and support that they receive. Children have good relationships with staff. Staff recognise that ‘it is not a children’s home; it’s the children’s home’. The staff strive for, and achieve, a family feel to the home. For one child, this is the first place outside of their family that they have called ‘home’.

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outstanding

Children receive individualised care that is research-informed. The home’s psychologist works with staff to develop plans for children. Staff embed the methods created by the home’s psychotherapist into their care of the children. This helps to individualise the model of care for each child. Children access weekly therapy sessions that they find beneficial, particularly in helping to develop emotional regulation skills.

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outstanding

Children have behaviour support plans. The plans are individual for each child. Children contribute to the plans so that they can inform staff how they would like to be supported. There is a strong focus on establishing good relationships with children. Staff use methods from the child’s plans to de-escalate situations. This means that physical interventions are rare. The use of physical intervention is to ensure safety and is proportionate to the behaviour displayed. Children receive a debrief following a physical intervention, and staff reflect on the incident in team meetings to try and prevent reoccurrence.

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outstanding

Staff and managers listen to children. Children take part in the interview process for new staff. This means children are actively involved with regard to the decisions about who cares for them. Children know how to make a complaint. When a child does complain, there is work completed to better understand this. Children receive written feedback demonstrating that their views are important.

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outstanding

The children are well supported during transitions in and out of the home. The children receive a children’s guide and meet staff and visit the home before they move in. Information-sharing with children before they move into the home is exceptional. This means children move in a planned, thought-out way that helps them to settle in.

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outstanding

Staff understand the important people in children’s lives. Staff strive to help children maintain connections with family members. Since moving to the home, two children have had the opportunity to build relationships with family members who they previously had no contact with.

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outstanding

Staff encourage engagement in education. There is an expectation within the home that children access education and are celebrated for their achievements. Staff work Inspection report for children’s home: 2696593 4 with education providers, communicating clearly and offering support, which means children can engage in their learning. When children are not in education, the staff and managers are tenacious in ensuring the right provision is sought. Children access learning in the home when they are unable to attend education settings.

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outstanding

Children feel safe. Children can identify adults who they can talk to if they have any worries. Staff respond to concerns raised by children in a proactive, consistent way. There is clear communication with the children’s network around them relating to any concerns. This means that there is a collaborative response to any vulnerabilities, which reduces the risk of harm.

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outstanding

Children rarely go missing from the home. When this happens, staff respond in line with children’s care plans. Managers review missing-from-care records to identify trends or patterns in an attempt to avoid further episodes. The registered manager listens to children following missing episodes and takes appropriate action to reduce the risk. Since moving to the home, one child, who was missing regularly, has not been missing from home.

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outstanding

Risks for children are significantly reduced. Vulnerabilities are known and well understood by staff. There are robust risk assessments at the point of moving into the home, which are regularly updated to reflect new or emerging risks. The risk assessments are reviewed following significant incidents. Key-work sessions are completed with children around known vulnerabilities and risks.

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outstanding

Children have consistent care and boundaries in the home that keep them safe. Children describe the rules as fair and understand the reasons for them. Consequences are rare, and when given, they are proportionate and restorative to promote learning. Staff adopt a positive approach to promoting children’s behaviour. The children receive regular praise and encouragement.

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outstanding

The home has regular health and safety reviews. Building repairs are actioned in a timely way. There are learning and actions taken if there are incidents in the home relating to health and safety. This ensures that the home remains a safe place for children to live.

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outstanding

Staff are knowledgeable about how to keep children safe. Concerns about the safety of a child are responded to immediately and shared with appropriate agencies. Staff support children in learning how to keep themselves safe.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The home has an ambitious and dedicated registered manager who is inspirational in supporting children to make progress. The manager is highly aspirational and has Inspection report for children’s home: 2696593 5 high expectations of the staff to change and improve the lives of the children in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The managers have excellent oversight of all areas of the home and understand the needs of the children who live there. The managers use tools to ensure that there is no drift in children’s plans.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager values training. Training opportunities are varied and are responsive to the presenting needs of children. The training upskills staff to be able to care for the children in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

There is a thorough safer recruitment process in place. Staff have a supportive induction period with a variety of learning opportunities. New staff have regular probation reviews, which they find helpful. The induction period develops staff well and equips them with the knowledge required for their role.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff feel well supported by the registered manager. There are monthly, reflective supervisions that include clear targets for staff. Staff benefit from group supervision with the therapist who is linked to the home. The group supervision develops the trauma-informed care delivered by staff.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager communicates effectively with professionals, contributing to excellent working relationships. Professionals and children recognise the registered manager’s advocacy skills and their ability to balance the needs and wants of children. One child said the registered manager ‘will always speak up for you’.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

No requirements or recommendations have been made following this inspection. Inspection report for children’s home: 2696593 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: 2696593 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Absolute Children’s Services Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 98 Grove Street, Leek ST13 8DU

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Inspectors

Ali Owens, Social Care Inspector Kate Jackson, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2696593 8 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 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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