Children's home run by Empower Residentials Limited

Inspection report for children’s home: 2595791 1 Registered provider: Empower Residentials Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is owned by a private provider. It offers care for up to three children who may experience social and emotional difficulties or have learning disabilities.

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Information about this children’s home

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

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in July 2023.

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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 outstanding

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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: 24 September 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: 2595791 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

24/09/2024 Full Good 07/11/2023 Full Good 05/01/2023 Full Requires improvement to be good 21/09/2022 Full Inadequate Inspection report for children’s home: 2595791 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff have provided a consistent and stable base for children from which they continue to grow. Both children have lived in the home for over two years, and staff have a good understanding of their needs. Children have developed trusting relationships with the staff who care for them. Staff talk to the children about a range of sensitive issues, and they take time to understand the uniqueness of each child. Staff have assisted children in making positive progress from their initial starting points. A social worker expressed that staff members have a good understanding of each child and demonstrate a nurturing approach.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff understand the importance of children attending their education provision. The manager continues to liaise effectively with staff from the local authority and school to advocate for the children and ensure that they receive the right education provision to meet their needs, giving the children the best opportunity to succeed. Both children have maintained very high attendance and are doing well, with one child recently achieving good results in their exams.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The manager and staff encourage children to experience a range of activities and become involved in local clubs in the community. Staff know the children’s limitations and vulnerabilities and make the necessary adjustments to help them fully engage in the activities they choose. This includes holidays and joining local football and cricket teams. Staff are aware of the positive impact these activities can have on children’s emotional and physical well-being.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The compassionate staff team recognises the value of children spending meaningful time with their relatives and friends. Staff are acutely aware of the positive and negative impact that this time can have on children’s emotional well-being and consider this when arranging visits. Staff work sensitively with children and their friends and family members to help ensure that they enjoy valuable time together.

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

Children said they feel safe living in their home. Staff maintain established boundaries to help keep children safe and protected from harm. They treat children with dignity and respect. Staff understand when they need to respect children’s privacy and personal space and when the children need support. On the rare occasions when adverse incidents occur, staff take appropriate and effective action to help children calm down and manage their behaviour safely. The manager evaluates each incident effectively to continue to develop a better understanding of the children and better inform staff’s future practice.

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

Staff are aware of the children’s individual vulnerabilities and have a good understanding of the risks associated with each of them. Risk assessments are detailed and regularly Inspection report for children’s home: 2595791 4 reviewed to ensure that they are up to date. Records provide staff with clear guidance, enabling them to determine what action they need to take to address the current risks and help keep children protected from harm. However, children have risk assessments in place for risks that they are not associated with, which could have a negative impact on their futures and hinder staff’s understanding of children’s current risks.

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

Staff are not risk-averse and understand the importance of encouraging children to take positive, age-appropriate risks. Staff are flexible in their approach and adapt their practice to enable children, where appropriate, to spend meaningful safe time with their friends in the community without any unnecessary restrictions.

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

Staff have developed trusted and secure relationships with children. If children feel upset or anxious, they can turn to staff, who are skilled at listening to them and helping to alleviate their fears and concerns.

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

The staff promote good behaviour, and they are careful not to be punitive in their approach. Very few negative incidents have occurred. On the rare occasions that they do, staff confidently help the children to manage their feelings safely and to feel secure. Following such incidents, staff have purposeful conversations with the children to learn what they could do differently should a similar incident occur in the future. The children have never gone missing from the home, there have been no serious incidents, and staff have not needed to use restraint to keep children or others safe from harm.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The devoted and enthusiastic manager leads by example. The manager has developed a culture of never giving up on children and making the home a dynamic, safe and stable environment. Staff are fully aware of the high expectations put on them to ensure that their practice is influential in positively changing the lives of all the children they support. The children benefit from receiving consistent high-quality care to ensure that they experience positive outcomes. A social worker commented that the child they had placed at the home has made real progress in all aspects of their life, adding that they firmly believe they are in the right place and never want them to leave.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Records are written in a child-focused way and fully reflect how staff support children’s everyday lives. Children actively contribute to their records to the best of their abilities, and their voice is strongly evident throughout. Records detail what is important to the children and focus on their aspirations for the future. Records are full of praise for the achievements children have accomplished and illustrate the progress they have made to date from their starting points.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

There is strong collaborative working between the home and partner agencies. The capable manager confidently challenges services when appropriate to ensure that the best possible outcomes for children are achieved. This has had a positive impact on children’s experiences and helped to improve and enhance their futures. Inspection report for children’s home: 2595791 5 Leaders, managers and the staff team say that they love working at the home and take pride in helping children to progress. Staff come to work with a smile, and laughter echoes around the home creating a nurturing and friendly atmosphere from which children can grow.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Photos of the children and their achievements fill the walls in the home. The house is very well maintained and feels like a loving family home. Children’s bedrooms are uniquely decorated to reflect their individual hobbies and interests, and both benefit from an en-suite. The garden provides a safe and enjoyable space for children to play and have fun. A parent commented that all the staff celebrate their child’s successes and are as proud of them as they are, adding that the staff ‘go the extra mile’. Inspection report for children’s home: 2595791 6

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that staff continually and actively assess the risks to each child and the arrangements in place to keep them safe. In particular, the registered person should ensure that children only have a risk assessment when there is a known vulnerability that could negatively impact their safety. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 42, paragraph 9.5)

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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: 2595791 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Empower Residentials Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Unit 2, Prockters Farm, West Monkton, Taunton, Somerset TA2 8QN

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Inspector

Gary Turney, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2595791 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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