Children's home run by Happy Group (UK) Limited

Inspection report for children’s home: 1270393 1 Registered provider: Happy Group (UK) 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

The home is owned and managed by a private company. It provides care for up to three children who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in June 2021.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of this inspection, three children were living at the home. Two children were seen and spoken to.

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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

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 1270393 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

06/08/2024 Full Good 19/04/2023 Full Good 30/08/2022 Full Good 28/09/2021 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 1270393 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have a good sense of belonging. They feel accepted and valued, living as part of a family unit. Staff know the children well, and good relationships have been formed. When children have been in crisis, they receive a caring and nurturing approach from staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

All three children are in education, and most are making significant progress from their starting points. Children’s attendance at school has increased, and children are more motivated to attend school. Additionally, children learn vital independence skills that they will use when moving on to independent living and into adulthood.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are encouraged to express their wishes and feelings. The manager is proactive, and when necessary, children are supported to make complaints to external agencies. However, staff have not always explored children’s views fully when they have expressed a desire or a wish to better understand a religion.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s health needs are being met. Their physical health is reported to be good, and the children attend all health appointments. When children have had additional health needs, the staff have been creative about how best to support them. They help to alleviate any embarrassment or worry that the children may experience. Staff respond sensitively and in a caring nature, and they seek medical advice when necessary.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are active and participate in activities that are of interest to them, such as go- karting or going to the cinema. The experiences of the children are captured in memory books, which are regularly updated and will form a record of the time that children lived in the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported to see people who are important to them. This includes when children need to complete a significant amount of travel. For some children, their time with family has progressed from not seeing their families to spending weekends with them. Furthermore, the manager and staff have built good, trusting relationships with family members.

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

Children have thorough risk assessments that are regularly reviewed. These documents are clear and easy for staff to follow, and staff understand what is expected of them should an incident arise. One of the children said that they are confident that staff keep them safe.

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

Children do not go missing from home. If they did, each child has a risk assessment for staff to follow and protocols that are shared with police to ensure a swift return home. There have been occasions when children have been absent from the home without Inspection report for children’s home: 1270393 4 authorisation. However, staff locate them safely and have maintained regular contact with children and their families to offer continued support.

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

Staff have a good understanding of children’s emotional needs and have an awareness of how to support children when they are struggling. This has prevented the need for the use of physical interventions. Furthermore, there has been a reduction in the times when damage has been caused to the home. This is due to the cohesive staff team that offers a consistent response to the children.

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

When complaints are made by children, these are thoroughly investigated by the manager, and children are kept up to date with the outcome.

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

Staff work sensitively in partnership with children to help educate them in areas such as sexual health and healthy relationships. Staff do this with care, empathy and understanding. This has created an open, non-judgemental and respectful relationship in which the children are able to discuss anything of a sensitive nature with staff.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is enthusiastic about ensuring that children have positive experiences and outcomes. Children are supported to reach their full potential. These aspirations are the goals of the whole staff team. The manager is a positive role model for staff, and staff feel well supported by her. One staff member said that the management team is just wonderful.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager works with the staff team to ensure that children receive good-quality and consistent care from a staff team that knows them well. The manager has a clear oversight of incidents and significant events in the home, in addition to the monthly audits that she completes. The manager is visibly present in the home and regularly will sit where the children can see and interact with her.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive regular supervision. Staff respond well to these meetings and can share any worries that they have, knowing that these will be followed up and addressed promptly and professionally.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Team meetings are held regularly and are reflective and child focused. These meetings allow the staff an opportunity to have discussions about how they can further promote positive care for the children. Learning opportunities are often used during team meetings, which enhance staff’s skills.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There have been some ongoing difficulties with recruitment. Staff are safely recruited, and newly recruited staff receive an induction and development plan. This includes regular supervision meetings to monitor staff’s progress during their probationary period. Inspection report for children’s home: 1270393 5

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that children are able to maintain and develop their cultural or religious beliefs as far as practicable and where appropriate through participation and instruction and by observing religious requirements, including those relating to dress and diet. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 17, paragraph 3.22)

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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: 1270393 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Happy Group (UK) Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: West Walk House, 99 Princess Road East, Leicester, Leicestershire LE1 7LF

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Survinder Thandi

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Inspector

Angela Ross, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 1270393 7 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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