Children's home run by Holden Knight Healthcare Temp Limited

Inspection report for children’s home: 2787795 1 Registered provider: Holden Knight Healthcare Temp

p.1

Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

A private provider operates this home. It is registered to care for one child who may have social and emotional difficulties.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in April 2024.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

One child is currently being cared for in the home. The inspector spoke with the child as part of the inspection.

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

p.1

good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

p.1

good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

p.1

good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

p.1

good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

p.1

good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2787795 2

p.1

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

01/10/2024 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2787795 3

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child has lived in the home for a long time. They have positive and stable relationships with the staff, who know the child very well. This provides the child with a strong sense of safety and security within the home. The child said, ‘Staff support my education, family time and individuality and actually do care.’

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child is not in full-time education. However, the manager and staff promote the child’s education by working with virtual school headteachers, social workers and headteachers. This has facilitated part-time education timetables, home tutoring, alternative work experience-based provisions and measures to find a suitable school for the child.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff encourage the child to engage in activities outside the home, such as visiting the gym, taking nature walks and exploring places of interest. The child also attends a weekly social group, which helps them build and maintain friendships with people who share similar interests and helps them feel part of their community.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff help the child to develop life skills that are appropriate to their age. The child is encouraged to develop skills such as cooking, laundry, self-care and household chores. This will support the child in preparing for independence. Reward incentives are in place to encourage the child’s participation. Incentives are reviewed regularly to ensure that continued progress and goals remain relevant to their development.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff work well with social workers and parents to facilitate family time and help the child rebuild and maintain family connections.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is warm and welcoming, and it is well decorated. The child’s bedroom is well furnished and personalised, and they take pride in looking after and organising their belongings.

p.3

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

The staff have built positive, trusting relationships with the child. The child identifies staff as trusted adults who they can speak to if worried or concerned. The child feels that they are listened to and understood. Communication between staff ensures consistent boundaries in the home. This enables the child to feel safe and secure.

p.3

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

The child is aware of the home’s complaints procedure. Complaints are investigated fully and promptly. The child receives acknowledgement of their complaints and is updated on the outcomes and actions of their complaint.

p.3

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

Allegations regarding staff conduct and practice are thoroughly investigated. The child’s social worker is notified to ensure that the child has the right support during Inspection report for children’s home: 2787795 4 the investigation process. Referrals to professionals allow for independent oversight, and appropriate actions are taken to address the concerns raised and prevent reoccurrences. The manager works with the child’s social worker and the staff team to ensure there are robust protocols in place to support both the child and staff when allegations are made. Outcomes of investigations are shared with the child. This reassures the child that they are being listened to.

p.3

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

Staff understand the risks to the child. Risk assessments provide strategies to support staff to prevent and reduce risk. However, risk assessments do not provide an accurate and up-to-date reflection of children’s current risks and vulnerabilities. This does not ensure that all staff will be consistent with this approach.

p.4

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

Staff know and follow the child’s missing-from-home protocols, looking in known areas and checking with family and known associates. However, staff do not always make the best use of the information available to them when checking the last known location of the child. The child is welcomed when they return to the home, and staff ensure that they are safe and well. Leaders and managers have full oversight of missing-from-home episodes and identify areas for staff development. However, identified learning is not always instigated.

p.4

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

Significant incidents are managed well, and staff respond appropriately and sensitively to the child. The manager provides a detailed overview of incidents and works with the child’s networks to put in place plans to reduce risks. Follow-up work is completed sensitively, which helps the child identify risks to themselves and alternative ways to manage risks. This has resulted in a significant reduction in incidents. The child’s social worker expressed that the child is ‘enjoying independent time in the community and being able to be an average teenager’.

p.4

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

Managers and leaders notify the regulator when there is a serious incident. However, sometimes the notification is delayed. This prevents the regulator from having prompt oversight.

p.4

good

The manager has a focused vision for the child and staff team. She is committed to improving outcomes for the children.

p.4

good

The manager has good oversight of the home. All reports and plans evidence the manager’s oversight. The manager uses monthly independent visitor reports as a monitoring tool, and the management team undertakes internal quality assurance. This helps the manager ensure that staff are delivering good care and that the home is operating in line with regulations.

p.4

good

Staff training in the safe handling of medication, administration of medication and safeguarding children has expired. Staff have not completed training specific to the individual needs of the child, such as substance misuse and attention deficit Inspection report for children’s home: 2787795 5 hyperactivity disorder. This does not ensure that staff have the necessary training to understand and meet the child’s needs.

p.4

good

All staff have access to complete the relevant residential care qualification to support their role, and the manager has plans in place to support completion within time frames, such as monthly drop-in sessions and observations. This will ensure that the staff team has the knowledge and understanding of residential care work to improve the quality of care it provides.

p.5

good

Team meetings take place monthly and are well attended by the team. The home’s clinical psychologist attends to help staff reflect on practice and provide support strategies for the child. Team meetings are used to review risk assessments, policies and procedures. This helps promote collaborative working.

p.5

good

Induction programmes for new starters are detailed and ensure that staff are aware of essential information to carry out their roles. Staff are supported throughout their probation period with regular reviews to identify any further learning or development required. This ensures that staff are prepared to support the child in the home.

p.5

good

Staff do not always receive regular supervision. Supervisions are supportive and focus on reflection of practice, planning for children and development. Staff feel supported in their role and enjoy working in the home.

p.5

good

Annual appraisals are not taking place. This does not provide leaders and managers the opportunity to understand the team’s strengths and areas of development or plan for career progression.

p.5

good

The manager and staff have built positive relationships with professionals involved in the care of the child. Professionals report that the manager and staff are communicative and keep them updated in all aspects of the child’s care. One professional said, ‘The manager has focus and drive to achieve the best possible outcomes for the child. There has been clear direction from them in several meetings to hold other professionals to account over processes and duty.’ Inspection report for children’s home: 2787795 6

p.5

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.

p.6

Requirement Due date

The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

p.6

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

p.6

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;

p.6

Requirement Due date

understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person;

p.6

Requirement Due date

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(v)(vi))

p.6

Requirement Due date

Specifically, leaders and managers must ensure that risk assessments provide an accurate and up-to-date reflection of children’s current risks and vulnerabilities. Staff must understand what they need to do to keep children safe.

p.6

Requirement Due date

Additionally, leaders and managers must ensure that staff are fully aware of their safeguarding roles and responsibilities. This includes checking all known and last known locations when children are missing from home. 1 December

p.6

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—

p.6

Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

p.6

Requirement Due date

promotes their welfare. 1 December Inspection report for children’s home: 2787795 7 In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

p.6

Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child; use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a) (b) (2)(c)(h))

p.7

Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that staff have completed mandatory training and training to meet the child’s individual needs. Additionally, leaders and managers must ensure that identified actions to improve care are implemented and reviewed.

p.7

Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees—

p.7

Requirement Due date

receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience; and

p.7

Requirement Due date

have their performance and fitness to perform their roles appraised at least once every year. (Regulation 33 (4)(b)(c))

p.7

Requirement Due date

Specifically, leaders and managers must ensure that staff are receiving regular supervisions and annual appraisals in line with the organisation’s policies and procedures. 1 December

p.7

Recommendations

 The registered person should have a system in place so that all serious events are notified, within 24 hours, to the appropriate people. The system should cover the action that should be followed if the event arises at the weekend or on a public holiday. Notification must include details of the action taken by the home’s staff in response to the event. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.13)  The registered person should ensure that when children placed in the home are not participating in education full time because they have been excluded, the registered person and staff must work closely with the placing authority so that the child is supported and enabled to resume full-time education as soon as possible. In the interim, the child should be supported to sustain or regain their confidence in education and be engaged in suitable structured activities. (‘Guide to

p.7

Recommendations

the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 28, paragraph 5.15) Inspection report for children’s home: 2787795 8

p.7

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: 2787795 9

p.8

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Holden Knight Healthcare Temp

p.9

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 200 Brook Drive, Reading RG2 6UB

p.9

Inspector

Renée Sims, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2787795 10 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.

p.9

Inspector

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.10

Inspector

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.10

Inspector

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.10