Children's Home run by The Partnership of Care Today in Staffordshire

Unique reference number SC005050 Inspection date 13/07/2011 Inspector Trevor Hall Type of inspection Full Provision subtype Children's home

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Date of last inspection 22/03/2011 Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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This document may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided that the information quoted is reproduced without adaptation and the source and date of publication are stated.

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About this inspection

The purpose of this inspection is to assure children and young people, parents, the public, local authorities and government of the quality and standard of the service provided. The inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000 to assess the effectiveness of the service and to consider how well it complies with the relevant regulations and meets the national minimum standards.

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About this inspection

The report details the main strengths, any areas for improvement, including any breaches of regulation, and any failure to meet national minimum standards. The judgements included in the report are made against the Inspections of children’s homes – framework for inspection (March 2011) and the evaluation schedule for children's homes.

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The inspection judgements and what they mean

Outstanding : a service that significantly exceeds minimum requirements Good : a service that exceeds minimum requirements Satisfactory : a service that only meets minimum requirements Inadequate : a service that does not meet minimum requirements

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Brief description of the service

This is a children's home that is part of a large organisation. The home provides care for five boys aged between 11 and 17-years-old who have emotional or behavioural difficulties. Education is available on-site as the home is also a registered school, or at either of the two other educational facilities run by the organisation. Young people can also attend local schools or colleges if this better meets their needs.

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Overall effectiveness

The overall effectiveness is judged to be outstanding .

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Overall effectiveness

The staff are effective because young people receive well planned care, tailored to their individual needs. Young people are encouraged to take an active role in their own care and enjoy living at the home. The home is good in ensuring that young people are not only kept safe, but also develop the knowledge and confidence to help keep themselves safe.

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Overall effectiveness

Excellent liaison with external agencies ensures that young people receive good levels of support in all aspects of their lives. Good links have been developed between the home and the educational establishments attended by young people. Young people are taught to respect others and to strive to fulfil their individual potential both in their educational and their personal development. The home strongly promotes positive outcomes for all young people. Staff are well trained and experienced to meet the diverse needs of young people.

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Overall effectiveness

Young people highly value the care they receive. This extends to viewing the staff as a major strength within the home. There is a wonderful relationship between young people and staff that is trusting and sincere. Records and documentation are well maintained and contribute well to the ongoing care and support young people receive. The home has an experienced and well qualified manager, who leads by example. He is ably supported by motivated and hard working staff, who are dedicated to achieving the best possible outcomes for the young people in their care.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Outcomes for children and young people are outstanding . Young people are very well supported in their placements by a committed and dedicated staff team, which encourages them to achieve outstanding outcomes. Young people living in this home are activity encouraged to make positive choices and to use every opportunity to develop and reach their individual potential.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Care plans have been developed that recognise young people's individuality and encourage the celebration of difference. The home actively acknowledges racial, religious, gender and other differences and encourages open discussion and learning on such issues. Young people are assisted to develop a healthy sense of self and to recognise the rights and feelings of others. This enables them to more easily engage with the wider community. The home offers young people a wide range of activities and encourages them to pursue their own particular interests. This gives the young people the opportunity to have new experiences and learn new skills.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people enjoy excellent attendance at school because they are well supported and there is meaningful assessment of their needs. Their self-esteem and progress builds because they are able to achieve targets that are individually set. Strong links have been forged between the home, the education unit of the proprietor and local colleges and schools. Young people are rightly proud of the achievements they have made in their education. All young people have been provided with an appropriate educational provision whilst living at the home and all have made significant progress.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people resident in the home are encouraged to take appropriate responsibility for their own health needs and are taught how to make informed decisions about their lifestyle. Staff are actively involved in engaging with young people about a range of health-related issues, which results in consistent improvements to health and fitness. Young people's good health and well-being is successfully promoted because staff are knowledgeable and aware of each individual young person's needs. Every young person has a fully completed health care plan that includes all of the required information as part of their wider placement plan.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people confirmed that preparation to moving into adulthood and being independent is an integral part of their individual care plans. Young people are supported to gain experience in cooking, shopping and budgeting. This has met with varied success, however, young people generally acknowledge that they are encouraged to learn basic life skills as they move closer to their anticipated leaving dates. Pathway plans have been formulated with the placing authorities and young people confirm that they have been encouraged to play a central role in the decisions taken about their future. The home has accessed external agencies, when appropriate, to provide young people with additional support and advice in their employment, training and education.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people benefit from appropriate contact with family, friends and other people who are important to them. Young people are able to meet with their family at the home and other visits are arranged at convenient locations so that contact is actively supported. Staff are exceedingly effective with working in partnership with friends and family to maintain contact where appropriate. Contact by phone is also encouraged and supported. Young people have access to a payphone that is convenient and private.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Relationships between staff and young people are good and young people were keen to relate that they felt respected, valued and well cared for. Young people stated that they had confidence in the staff team who look after them. They knew how to access the formal complaints procedures, but stated that more often than not, they would speak directly to staff on duty, who they believed would appropriately deal with most situations.

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Quality of care

The quality of the care is outstanding . Young people living in this home are provided with an outstanding level of care. Staff and managers are warm and supportive to them and encourage them to make the most of their individual abilities, which has led to them experiencing extremely good outcomes. The needs, safety and individual potential of each young person are placed central to all practice in the home.

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Quality of care

Young people enjoy positive and constructive relationships with staff and with each other, and behave appropriately. Staff are excellent at helping young people to modify their behaviours because of the consistent approach taken with reinforcing consequences. Young people learn that reasonable boundaries are set and staff work consistently by ensuring that boundaries are adhered to.

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Quality of care

Young people resident in the home are encouraged to make a positive contribution to their placement and the running of the home. They confirm that they are involved in all aspects of their care and that they are given every opportunity to contribute to their own care planning arrangements. Staff actively seek their views at both an individual and group level and respond in a way that makes the young people believe that their opinions are valued. The home actively promotes a culture which recognises and respects young people's rights. Young people speak positively about how staff support them and how this makes them feel valued and respected.

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Quality of care

Young people benefit from comprehensive support which encourages them to develop a positive approach to diet and how to improve their health. Meals provided are varied and young people are encouraged to contribute to the menu planning process on a weekly basis to ensure that their personal preferences are accommodated. Mealtimes are social occasions in which all staff and young people sit together to eat. Young people have choice over the type of meals they like to eat with staff suggesting healthier options if required to do so. Records detail both the menus as planned and the actual food eaten by each young person. This enables staff to be aware of any nutritional or eating issues that the young people may display.

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Quality of care

There is a strong focus on promoting young people's physical and emotional well- being. Staff proactively encourage young people to recognise the importance of visiting the dentist regularly and/or having annual health checks. Every young person has a fully completed health care plan that includes all of the required information as part of their wider placement plan. Appropriate support from medical professionals is provided and a high level of liaison takes place between staff and these professionals to ensure young people's health needs are fully met. All staff have up-to-date training in basic first aid, administration of medication and food hygiene. The home has appropriate consents in place that allow for emergency treatment if needed.

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Quality of care

There is a strong identification of individuality, difference and promoting equality. There are clear procedures for supporting the resident young people and staff have an in-depth knowledge of the personalities and preferences of young people. They understand and respect the individual and different ways that each young person responds to circumstances. This knowledge is particularly beneficial when managing behaviour and enabling young people to participate in daily living tasks, leisure activities and new opportunities.

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Quality of care

Young people are cared for in line with their individual placement plan. The contribution of the home to those plans is of a high quality and involves young people and people who are significant to them. Young people understand what steps they need to take to create positive change in their lives. Staff are very skilled with helping young people to make positive choices.

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Quality of care

Encouraging young people's educational and personal development is recognised as being central to the life of the home. Where young people have not had a stable experience of education, the home has been forthright with supporting young people to resume their education. Education attendance is good and high attainment is encouraged. Young people are encouraged to value their education and their progress is recognised and celebrated, as such, they are enabled to grow as individuals.

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Quality of care

The accommodation provides young people with an environment which meets their needs at all levels. The standards of maintenance, cleanliness, décor and furnishings are good. The house is homely and comfortable and young people are encouraged to personalise their rooms. There are good levels of privacy for young people. The home is in a somewhat isolated rural location, with no near neighbours, however, it is well supplied with vehicles and is in easy reach of two small market/Spa towns, enabling young people to access many local leisure facilities.

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Safeguarding children and young people

The service is outstanding at keeping children and young people safe and feeling safe. Young people are safe and feel safe. The systems in place to promote the safety and welfare of young people are good. Young people are kept safe at this setting through robust polices and procedures, competent and highly trained staff and a secure well maintained environment. Young people benefit from the clear routines and structures at the home.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Clear individualised risk assessments and staff procedures help to keep young people safe, whilst enabling them to take appropriate and reasonable risks. This enables young people to develop their own self-esteem and develop as well rounded individuals. Young people confirmed that they felt safe within their home and that the staff understand potential risks. They particularly welcome the fact that progress and growth are acknowledged and that risk assessments are regularly reviewed to ensure that they accurately reflect their current status and are not allowed to unreasonably impact on their potential opportunities. Consequently risk and behaviour management plans are implemented to ensure young people are enabled to do as much as they can rather than limit their opportunities.

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Safeguarding children and young people

All staff receive annual training on safeguarding children and they are aware of their own roles and responsibilities and other agencies involved in keeping young people safe. Staff understand their responsibility to protect young people and are able to demonstrate what actions they would take to keep young people safe. Staff are confident about their responsibilities and know what to do if an allegation is made about the home's manager. The service maintains excellent links with the local safeguarding team and the protection and welfare of young people is well managed in all aspects of their care.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Overall unauthorised absence from the home has reduced over time and one independent reviewing officer highlighted the work done by staff in this area as a real strength of the home. Staff always initiate procedures and actions that encourages young people to return as quickly and safely as possible. At all times young people are treated positively upon their return. Young people are additionally protected because the home follows the local joint police protocol on young people missing from care. Overall, young people rarely go missing. Young people are appropriately supported to maintain good links with their families and friends and staff are suitably knowledgeable about these arrangements.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Young people's positive behaviours are promoted. Young people understand that staff take full account of their difficult past experiences. Young people are encouraged to act with consideration for others and themselves. Young people make considerable progress in this area because staff are highly accomplished with helping young people to strive to establish and maintain acceptable levels of behaviours. Where young people's behaviours fall below an acceptable standard, staff are persistent with engaging young people with a non confrontational approach. All young people have a comprehensive care plan with agreed strategies about how behaviour management is achieved, this includes whether physical interventions should be used. Physical intervention is only used as a last resort and records demonstrate excellent accountability of the reasons for such action. The records are regularly monitored and provide meaningful information about trends in behaviour,

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Safeguarding children and young people

including effectiveness of strategies and the progress made by young people. Over time, this helps young people to alter their behaviours progressively and with better outcomes for young people being achieved.

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Safeguarding children and young people

There is an open approach to complaints from all sources, and staff successfully support young people to use these processes to make their views known. As part of this process staff skilfully enable young people to understand the views of others. Staff work hard to protect young people from the impact of bullying, anti-social or intimidating behaviour and young people are clear about their right to feel safe from this.

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Safeguarding children and young people

The quality of relationships between staff and young people are outstanding and reinforce the very caring atmosphere that exists throughout the home. Young people are encouraged to behave well, to establish, achieve and maintain levels of behaviour that are socially acceptable and that will sustain them in the wider community. The home's records not only detail sanctions used for poor behaviour but also positive consequences and rewards for behaviour that deserves congratulation and praise. Staff are very comfortable with their role of setting clear understood boundaries whilst maintaining a high quality of relationship between themselves and young people.

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Safeguarding children and young people

There are safe recruitment procedures within the home. New staff are suitably vetted and are unable to commence working with young people until all of their checks are back. The home has a robust recruitment policy and practice. This outlines the need to employ suitable staff, who complement the existing staff team. All visitors to the home are monitored and sign in and out of the visitor's book.

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Safeguarding children and young people

The home has in place established systems and structures to maintain safe practices and fulfil health and safety obligations. Young people express confidence in the safety and security of the home. Environmental risk assessments are in place and these ensure the home is fully informed of potential hazards in order to reduce risks. Fire safety is given appropriate importance and fire drills are carried out routinely. This means that young people and staff know what to do in the event of an emergency.

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Leadership and management

The leadership and management of the children's home are outstanding . The excellent management of this home contributes significantly to the outstanding outcomes enjoyed by the current residents. The manager has a clear commitment to providing the young people in his care with the highest level of care and support available. Consistent and regular supervision provide staff with good opportunities to formally discuss their role, professional development and the impact on working with children with complex needs.

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Leadership and management

All members of staff spoken with gave positive comments about the manager’s commitment, child-centred approach, staff support and clear monitoring processes. This fosters appropriate social awareness and mutual respect within the home and encourages young people to safely explore their wider community. Good communication is a feature of the home, which enables staff to be well informed about daily events, routines and the progress of each young person.

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Leadership and management

There is a clear staffing structure with clear lines of accountability in the home and in providing a stable and structured environment for young people. Staff are well supported and have regular staff meetings. These are well recorded and cover a good range of information, including the development of the young people and general staff notices. Staff consider that the manager involves them in decision making and they feel that their opinions are valued and that they are encouraged to speak out if they have concerns, particularly in respect of young people's care or welfare. This means that young people experience a consistent approach that is personalised to meet their individual needs. Staff receive regular training that covers all required areas and staff hold the required qualifications.

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Leadership and management

The provider meets all of the aims and objectives in the home's Statement of Purpose. There is an appropriate young person's guide. Staff duty rotas and the manner in which staff are deployed confirm that the home keeps sufficient staff on the duty rota at all times. The commitment from staff is a strength and most absences are covered from the existing team, or cover staff, who are already known by the young people to ensure their continuity of care. Young people are well informed about what the home does because staff take time to explain and describe the services and how they can be influenced to suit individual needs.

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Leadership and management

The promotion of equality and diversity is good. Staff understand young people's individual strengths and needs. The home's Statement of Purpose comprehensively addresses equality and diversity and there is a strong commitment to anti- discriminatory practice. The home has a history of promoting young people's cultural identities and ensuring that their needs are met. There are consistent working practices, which focus on enhancing young people's quality of life. Young people receive support to take pride in themselves and develop a positive identity.

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Leadership and management

Internal and external monitoring of the service identifies good practice, shortfalls and further areas for development. The registered manager regularly reviews care plans, risk assessments and daily recording. Outcomes from this process are recorded clearly, discussed with staff and actions put in place. There is a strong ethos to maintain the excellent standards in this service while working towards further improvements both in the efficient running of the service and most significantly for the outcomes for young people. This service is proactive in exploring avenues for further improvement and overcoming obstacles and difficulties for young people to achieve their full potential.

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Leadership and management

Young people enjoy a good, strong and trusting relationship with the home's staff and the manager. The home's coherent philosophy, clear shared values and strong management combine to ensure that each young person is valued and nurtured. The detailed planning of each young person's care combined with the effective use, when appropriate, of external professional support ensures that each young person, not only have their identified needs met, but are encouraged to achieve their full potential.

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Leadership and management

Equality and diversity practice is good .

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