Children's Home run by 1st Class Support & Housing Ltd in Thurrock

Inspection report for children's home: 2636403 1 Registered provider: 1st Class Support & Housing 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

This home is owned by a private provider. It offers care for up to two children aged between 11 and 17 who experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in August 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: 22 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: 2636403 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

22/10/2024 Full Good 23/01/2024 Full Good Inspection report for children's home: 2636403 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Two children were living at the home at the time of this inspection. Since the last inspection, two children have moved on from the home. One child returned to the care of a family member in the local area; another child moved to a specialist provision where their specific developing needs could be met. These decisions were taken in the children’s best interests. Both children living at the home spoke with the inspector and gave positive feedback about the home and the relationships they have with the adults involved in their care.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

One child has been living in the home for nearly two years. The quality of individualised care and support is very good. Access to specialist therapeutic support from an external agency has been commissioned by the home. This involved a period of assessment to enable all professionals to understand the child’s behaviours better.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

One child has recently moved into the home. They have settled well and have developed strong relationships with staff and the manager.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The registered manager and deputy accompanied a child on their first holiday abroad. This helped ensure the child enjoyed exciting, enriching experiences.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Both children are accessing education placements. One child was supported to complete their GCSEs at a mainstream school and move to a college which caters for their learning needs. Another child is accessing alternative provision, in addition to having an online tutor, which the home contributes towards the cost of.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are fully consulted about all aspects of their care. Many documents are written in the child’s voice, and their wishes and feelings are acted on. Individual work is planned, and staff have sessions with each child. For one child, a strong focus on increasing independence has enabled them to progress to having free time in the community and to travel confidently on public transport.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The provider strongly advocates for children in their care by ensuring access to services. If services are not readily available, then financial support is in place to ensure individual needs are met in a timely way. When external advocacy is also required, this is arranged quickly.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Both children spend time with their families. This is thoughtfully planned to help ensure this time spent together is positive. Staff strive to make families feel welcome at the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children benefit from the home’s small, nurturing environment. The building of a garden cabin has been delayed. Work is still required to ensure it meets all health and safety requirements. Inspection report for children's home: 2636403 4

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

Staff understand children’s risks and manage these well. For those children new to the home, leaders and managers seek to understand what is happening and why, applying curiosity alongside calm commitment.

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

Staff praise children when they have made positive choices. Staff use a range of rewards that help children to build self-esteem and confidence.

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

There have been no physical interventions since the last inspection. There has been one missing episode for one child since the last inspection. This was managed well, with appropriate and timely responses, including a safe and well check.

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

Managers and staff have a comprehensive understanding of each child’s needs, behaviours, risks and vulnerabilities. Regular review and revision of children’s plans ensures that they are up to date and remain relevant. Good-quality care plans reflect the information obtained from placing authorities, alongside pathway plans for those eligible children.

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

The risks surrounding social media and mobile phone use are appropriately assessed. Robust parental controls, phone checks undertaken when necessary and staff diligence around children’s vulnerabilities online ensure that children are protected.

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

Allegations and complaints are well documented. Detailed investigations are carried out by the leadership team and, when necessary, an external independent person. Appropriate referrals are made to the local authority designated officer.

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

Staff are confident about their responsibilities and about whistle-blowing procedures. Appropriate safeguards are in place to ensure transparency when staff are related to each other.

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

An incident involving two members of staff not adhering to health and safety procedures was dealt with appropriately through an internal investigation and subsequent action. However, this was not reported to Ofsted, even though it was treated as a serious incident by the registered manager. This did not have any negative impact on the children but means that Ofsted does not have some of the information it needs to have oversight of the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Leaders and managers have ensured that children’s needs are at the heart of decision- making. Leaders and managers advocate strongly and effectively. They ensure that children can receive the support they need, for example, therapy or online tuition, and the home funds this if needed. Inspection report for children's home: 2636403 5 The manager is highly experienced and suitably qualified and is working towards a level 7 qualification. She has a warm and empathetic approach, demonstrating a genuine commitment to meeting children’s needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager works with a full-time deputy manager. She has a strong and consistent approach to running the home. Leaders and managers, including the responsible individual, are confident and ambitious. They have high aspirations for the staff and the children. These aspirations have led to children having new, exciting opportunities such as holidaying abroad, and accessing specialist support.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Leaders and managers have been highly influential in the significant progress one child has made. They have demonstrated excellent commitment to ensuring the child’s needs have been met, including commissioning and funding a specialist assessment and enabling the child to attend specialist appointments many miles away. These interventions have contributed to the strong progress the child has made.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The team works well together and there is a sense of positivity and togetherness at the home. Work has taken place since the last inspection to build staff relationships and help ensure cultural differences between staff are recognised and celebrated. One member of staff said they had ‘never learned so much’ from working in children’s residential care, and attributed this to the manager and her high standards of practice. All staff spoken to said the introduction of a new app has much improved communication and collaboration in the staff team.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff are highly committed to the children in their care. The whole staff team has been central to their excellent progress, for one child in particular. The manager works exceptionally hard to advocate for children in her care. This included ensuring a child was not permanently excluded from school, was able to attend their prom, had access to life-story work to support their identity and finding specialist therapeutic support when universal services were not adequate. For another child, rich life experiences, such as trips to the theatre, show leaders and managers are committed to providing children with the best possible care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Training and upskilling of staff includes weekly in-house training on a variety of relevant subjects. Training, both mandatory and needs led, is comprehensive, with staff completing sessions relevant to children’s needs, such as sensory awareness, understanding the youth justice system and working with families of children and young people in residential care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Leaders have promoted innovative approaches to the home’s development. For example, they have enabled a member of staff to train in life-story work. One child is now doing life-story work weekly with this trained professional, providing support for them in understanding their identity.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Feedback from external professionals, including social workers and therapists, is excellent. Learning from incidents and practice concerns is quickly embedded and changes made to policies and procedures. Inspection report for children's home: 2636403 6

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure they provide a nurturing, homely environment. This specifically relates to ensuring the garden cabin is finished . (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9)  The registered person should ensure that they notify Ofsted if there is an incident relating to the protection, safeguarding or welfare of a child living in the home which they consider to be serious. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 63, paragraph 14.10)

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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: 2636403 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: 1st Class Support & Housing Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 8 Realgar Court, Sittingbourne ME10 5JZ

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Inspector

Emily Stevens, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: 2636403 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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