Children's home run by Progress Children’s Services Ltd in Wolverhampton

Inspection report for children’s home: SC020859 1 SC020859 Registered provider: Progress Children’s Services Ltd 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 organisation. It provides care for up to six children with learning disabilities.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has recently applied to register with Ofsted.

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Information about this children’s home

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

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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requires improvement to be good

How well children and young people are helped and protected requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The children’s home is not yet delivering good help and care for children and young people. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

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requires improvement to be good

Date of last inspection: 24 September 2024

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC020859 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

24/09/2024 Full Requires improvement to be good 28/11/2023 Full Good 29/11/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good 22/09/2021 Full Inadequate Inspection report for children’s home: SC020859 3

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improvement to be good

All children were present during the inspection and spent time with the inspectors.

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improvement to be good

The children are making progress and have some positive experiences. However, shortfalls in leadership and management and poor staff practice have reduced the overall quality of care for children.

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improvement to be good

One child moved to the home, and managers recognised that staff could not keep them safe or meet their needs. Managers swiftly made the decision for them to move on. The child’s time at the home was unsettling and disruptive for other children. Furthermore, a breakdown in effective communication with the local authority led to a poor experience for the child moving on.

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improvement to be good

There are aspects of the home environment that have improved. The opening of the sensory shed has been a welcome addition to the garden space. However, some areas of the home remain unkempt and unclean. For example, children’s clothing is untidy, and the home has not been adequately cleaned following maintenance work.

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improvement to be good

Children’s key documents and plans are missing and do not form part of their records. Furthermore, children’s care planning is lacking, with some documents being very sparse. This reduces staff’s understanding of children’s needs and how to provide the care they require.

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improvement to be good

Children are supported in celebrating their culture. For example, an Eid party was held where traditional clothing was worn and a special cake was served. However, children’s cultural needs are not considered in their plans, which limits the extent and consistency in promoting this. Photos of this celebration were taken, but they do not form part of the children’s records and are inaccessible to them.

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improvement to be good

All children attend school, and this is well established in their routines. Staff recently helped one child, who has been out of education, to successfully integrate into a new school. As a result, they are now attending on a full-time basis and making progress. Children are helped to attend routine health appointments and access any specialist services they need. They are assisted in learning about being healthy. For example, one child has been encouraged to expand their diet and is now eating a wider range of foods, including several different fruits.

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improvement to be good

Children enjoy some activities at the home, such as playing in a large paddling pool. They go out to places for leisure, such as a soft-play centre and a safari park. Overall, staff are attentive and interact with children, showing an interest in their activities. As a result, children are happy in the company of staff. Inspection report for children’s home: SC020859 4 Children’s wishes and feelings are actively sought and acted on. As a result, children make day-to-day choices about meals and activities. Staff talk to children about important topics, and they often use social stories and symbols to support these conversations.

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improvement to be good

The record-keeping in relation to incidents involving children is poor, lacking in detail and clarity. Management oversight is not performed in a timely manner, and there is a lack of learning from incidents. Furthermore, children’s plans are not updated to reflect all current risks. This means that staff do not consistently have clear guidance on how to minimise risks for children.

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improvement to be good

Staff have occasionally failed to prevent children from harming their peers. The in-house therapist visited one child after they had been bitten by another child, which provided them with reassurance. However, managers have not implemented the therapist’s recommendations. This is a missed opportunity to provide the necessary support to the child.

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improvement to be good

There are health and safety concerns at the home. On one occasion, a child accessed a screwdriver that had been left behind by a maintenance worker. There is also a disorganised approach to managing keys, which compromises staff’s ability to access essential areas promptly. For example, staff have not consistently had a fob to open the front door, and a key could not be located to access a cupboard containing a fire extinguisher. On another occasion, a child was able to leave the home unsupervised after taking keys that were not securely stored. Poor management of keys has the potential to place children at risk of harm.

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improvement to be good

Overall, staff are attentive to children’s needs, and they take action to help children manage their emotions. They have been trained in the use of physical intervention. Staff occasionally use physical intervention to help children during times of heightened emotion or distress, and it is necessary to keep them safe. These interventions are carried out when necessary and with appropriate regard for children’s welfare.

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improvement to be good

Staff talk to children to help them learn about keeping themselves safe. This includes assisting children in reflecting on incidents that have occurred. Staff use a range of communication aids and resources to support this.

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improvement to be good

There have been three allegations made against staff at the home. These have been taken very seriously, and full and thorough investigations have taken place. The manager is tracking the progress of the recommendations to ensure that they are addressed in a timely manner. Staff know what action to take in the event of an allegation. Inspection report for children’s home: SC020859 5

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

There has been a change of manager at the home. The new manager is inexperienced, which limits their understanding of the role. Consequently, a senior leader is currently mentoring the manager to enhance their skills. The operations manager is now working alongside the manager to support their development and oversee the management of the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Managers are not sufficiently organised in terms of record-keeping or management oversight. For example, information is not stored appropriately to form part of children’s records or be accessible to staff. There is a pattern of operating in a chaotic fashion, and this is seen from management through to staff. The manager has not implemented effective monitoring systems that enhance the quality of care for children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Staff are not receiving regular supervision. Supervision sessions lack detail and purpose and do not provide staff with time to explore how they are feeling personally or to reflect on their practice and any challenges faced. While the organisation provides a broad range of training to equip staff for their roles, there are gaps in staff completing this. Additionally, there is limited evidence of how managers have sought to address this shortfall with staff. This reduces staff development and expertise.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

There is a consistent theme in feedback from professionals about poor communication with managers and staff, notably with placing authorities, and this has led to formal complaints. Senior leaders have met with placing authorities to address this, resulting in some progress.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The home’s statement of purpose has not been updated for several months, so it does not reflect the current staff team. There has been a high turnover of staff, which affects the consistency of care for children. However, there is now an increase in the number of permanent staff, and this has reduced the use of agency workers. Staff feel well supported by the management team. They can rely on their colleagues, and there is good morale in the staff team.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Senior leaders have recognised the shortfalls at the home and are taking action to address them. However, Ofsted is concerned about the repeated shortfalls and lack of improvement. The provider has given assurances that no children will be admitted until the shortfalls are addressed and the quality of care for children is improved. Inspection report for children’s home: SC020859 6

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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 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;

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Requirement Due date

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm;

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Requirement Due date

manage relationships between children to prevent them from harming each other;

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Requirement Due date

that the home’s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(iii)(iv)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to leaders ensuring that children’s plans are up to date, sufficiently detailed and reflect all risks as well as the measures in place to reduce those risks.

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Requirement Due date

Furthermore, this relates to ensuring that staff follow these plans consistently, supervise children in line with their plans and prevent children from being able to harm one another.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement is restated. 30 September 2025

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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 30 September 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: SC020859 7 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

lead and manage the home in a way that is consistent with the approach and ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set out in the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child;

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Requirement Due date

understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home;

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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)(a)(c)(f)(h))

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Requirement Due date

This relates to ensuring that leaders and managers are suitably skilled to oversee all aspects of the home, including ensuring that staff receive effective supervision and training and maintaining oversight that drives consistent improvements in children’s care.

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Requirement Due date

The quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children;

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Requirement Due date

use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential.

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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 premises used for the purposes of the home are designed and furnished so as to—

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Requirement Due date

enable each child to participate in the daily life of the home. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c)(i)(ii)) 30 September 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: SC020859 8 This specifically relates to managers ensuring that the home environment is clean, safe, organised and well maintained.

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Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children—

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Requirement Due date

receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home; and

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Requirement Due date

have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home.

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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

that each child’s relevant plans are followed. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to leaders and managers ensuring that children’s relevant plans are obtained, understood and used to plan children’s care effectively. 30 September 2025

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Requirement Due date

In meeting the quality standards, the registered person must, and must ensure that staff—

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Requirement Due date

seek to involve each child’s placing authority effectively in the child’s care, in accordance with the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

seek to secure the input and services required to meet each child’s needs;

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Requirement Due date

if the registered person considers, or staff consider, a placing authority’s or a relevant person’s performance or response to be inadequate in relation to their role, challenge the placing authority or the relevant person to seek to ensure that each child’s needs are met in accordance with the child’s relevant plans; and

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Requirement Due date

seek to develop and maintain effective professional relationships with such persons, bodies or organisations as the registered person considers appropriate having regard to the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the children’s home is to provide care and accommodation. (Regulation 5 (a)(b)(c)(d)) 30 September 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: SC020859 9 This specifically relates to leaders and managers sustaining effective relationships with professionals to ensure that children receive consistent care in line with their individual needs. In addition, this relates to ensuring that important information is shared in a timely and consistent manner.

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that they develop and keep under review a statement of purpose (Regulation 16 and Schedule 1). The home’s statement of purpose should be child focused, indicating how the home provides individualised care to meet the quality standards for children. The statement of purpose should be kept up to date and shared with the regulator. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 14, paragraph 3.5)

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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: SC020859 10

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Progress Children’s Services Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Progress House, 127 Millfields Road, Wolverhampton WV4 6JG

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Inspector

Alison Snell, Social Care Inspector Charlotte Love, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC020859 11 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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