Children's Home run by The Place Young People’s Company in Leicestershire

Inspection report for children’s home: 1241261 1 Registered provider: The Place Young People’s Company

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is run by a private provider. It provides care for up to two children who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

Since the last inspection, one child has moved out of the home and one child has moved in. At the time of the inspection, one child was living at the home and was spoken to by the inspector.

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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

Date of last inspection: 21 October 2024

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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: 1241261 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

21/10/2024 Full Good 27/02/2024 Full Good 04/01/2023 Full Good 07/03/2022 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 1241261 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children receive individualised, bespoke care. Children’s complex and diverse needs are well known by staff. This enables care planning to be thoughtfully tailored.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children do well in education despite their starting points. When children are unable to attend school, staff are creative in their approach to home learning. For example, staff engage children in educational activities, such as budgeting, cooking and piano lessons. One child, who experiences extreme anxiety, was supported to return to school for a brief period. This was a significant achievement.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s health needs are well managed by staff. Children are up to date with routine health appointments, such as dental and opticians. The manager is a strong advocate for children and ensures that all health issues are explored. Children’s emotional and mental health needs are also well supported. For example, one child receives weekly equine therapy and is undergoing a sensory assessment. Another child benefited from weekly therapy with a clinical psychologist.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Consultation with children is valued, and they have a say in their day-to-day care. Staff have regular and meaningful conversations with children to seek their views about what is important to them. This is further strengthened by the role of the ‘children’s practice assurance lead’ who visits children in the home monthly to hear their views and promote their rights.

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

Staff keep children safe. Staff know the risks children can be exposed to and respond appropriately. Safety plans are created and reviewed in collaboration with children. This helps to ensure that responses to children are helpful and effective. However, for one child, more detail is needed in their plan to ensure that all staff know what steps to take.

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

Children rarely go missing from the home. When a child does go missing, staff respond well. Staff go looking for children and remain in contact with them. Relevant agencies are informed, such as the police and local authority. Children are helped to return safely and quickly. The manager has effective oversight, and learning is used to improve practice and prevent further incidents.

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

Staff respond behaviours that are difficult to manage effectively, such as verbal and physical aggression. Most staff implement firm boundaries with understanding and empathy. Physically holding children is used as a last resort to keep them and others safe. The least force and measure are used. Staff and children are spoken to afterwards and the manager reviews and evaluates each incident. Inspection report for children’s home: 1241261 4 All staff are trained in medication administration and staff’s learning is reviewed through annual competency checks. Procedures are in place to ensure that children’s medication is safely stored and administered. However, there are gaps in the recording of children’s information. Staff do not record when children choose not to take their daily medication.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager is a supportive leader. She welcomes learning and wants the best outcomes for children. Staff feel supported by her and admire her leadership. Issues of poor practice are sensitively addressed through additional training and performance improvement plans.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff are well trained. Staff receive bespoke training to meet children’s needs. For instance, the manager was tenacious in seeking specialist training for one child’s rare diagnosis of autism with C5 attachment style. This training gave the team deep insight and understanding and helped to inform the care provided.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has monitoring and quality assurance systems in place. She knows what is happening in the home daily. Internal and external audits are undertaken, and areas of shortfall are promptly addressed. Feedback from children and external stakeholders is regularly sought and considered in the development of the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive supervision from the manager. This provides opportunities for reflective discussions about the care of children and staff well-being. However, supervisions are not completed consistently which limits the manager’s oversight of staff practice and can impact on team morale.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has systems in place to ensure that new staff are safe to work in the home. However, not all checks are undertaken robustly. For example, there was a large gap in employment history for one member of staff which was not explored. This was rectified during the inspection. Inspection report for children’s home: 1241261 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 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.

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Requirement Due date

Subject to paragraph (6), the registered person must ensure that the home is at all times conducted in a manner which is consistent with its statement of purpose. (Regulation 16 (1)(5))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that the supervision of staff takes place in line with the home’s policy of monthly supervision and every two weeks during induction.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated. 30 September

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that staff continually and actively assess the risks to each child and the arrangements in place to protect them. Where there are safeguarding concerns for a child, their placement plan, agreed between the home and their placing authority, must include details of the steps the home will take to manage any assessed risks on a day to day basis. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 42, paragraph 9.5)  The registered person should ensure that medicines are administered in line with a medically approved protocol. Records must be kept of the administration of all medication, which includes occasions when prescribed medication is refused. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 35, paragraph 7.15)  As set out in regulations 31-33, the registered person is responsible for maintaining good employment practice. They must ensure that recruitment,

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Recommendations

supervision and performance management of staff safeguards children and minimises potential risks to them. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.1) Inspection report for children’s home: 1241261 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: 1241261 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: The Place Young People’s Company

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 2 Lymevale Court, Lyme Drive, Parklands, Stoke-on- Trent ST4 6NW

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Inspector

Emma Dacres, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 1241261 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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