Children's Home run by Wakefield Council in Wakefield

Unique reference number SC062573 Inspection date 14/11/2011 Inspector Simon Morley Type of inspection Full Provision subtype Children's home

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Date of last inspection 19/01/2011 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

The home is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to seven young people, of both genders with emotional and behavioural difficulties. The main aims are to support young people to move back home with their families or successfully move to more independent living.

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Overall effectiveness

The overall effectiveness is judged to be good .

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Overall effectiveness

Young people receive personalised well-planned care that takes account of their diverse, individual needs. Staff provide a very warm and safe environment in which young people feel comfortable and can be themselves. As a result young people are able to develop and experience positive outcomes.

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Overall effectiveness

The views of young people and their needs influence the day-to-day running of the home. Staff are very knowledgeable about young people's needs and provide effective support to help them develop.

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Overall effectiveness

The management of the home is outstanding with a clear focus on high standards, improvements for young people and staff development.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Outcomes for children and young people are good .

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people benefit from the organised and experienced approach of staff working in partnership with a broad range of other agencies and young people's families. As a result young people have a wide network of support to help them progress, develop their skills, confidence and self-esteem.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people attend school, college or alternative place of education designed to meet their individual needs. The commitment, enthusiasm and encouragement of staff effectively helps young people who have past histories of poor attendance to get back into education and progress with their achievements.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people are encouraged to take responsibility for leading healthy lifestyles. This includes taking part in physical activities such as boxing, ice skating and bowling and healthy diets. Young people have support from a range of different health agencies to help promote their emotional, physical and psychological health. Young people receive good support so they are able to develop and maintain important relationships with parents, relatives and friends. Staff understand the significance of and promote family contact well. Where contact has broken down there is a sensitive approach to help young people develop these links again. Staff encourage family involvement in the home and care of young people. This helps promote both these relationships and the plans for young people to return home.

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Outcomes for children and young people

There are extensive arrangements to help young people prepare for independence and the transition to adulthood. This helps ensure young people move into more independent accommodation when they feel ready and are best prepared for a successful transition. For example, young people can live in the home up to and after the age of 18 while they continue with their education and seek employment. Young people benefit from staff helping them look for work, making job applications and completing a CV. There are good opportunities as they get older for young people to learn to manage their own money, budget, shop and cook independently in preparation for moving out. This includes trying out 'independence' during short stays in a flat. This is reflected in comments from young people who have moved out successfully, 'it was the best placement I ever had' and 'it really helps you develop'.

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Quality of care

There are good relationships between young people and staff based on openness, honesty and respect. Staff have the competence and ability to build constructive, warm relationships with young people to promote their development. As stakeholders commented, 'young people benefit from a very warm environment'.

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Quality of care

Young people are involved in the development of their placement plans which detail the support they receive to meet the diverse range of their individual needs. Staff provide good levels of care ensuring young people are supported in line with these plans. Young people know how to complain and are regularly visited by their social worker to check on their welfare and development. The views and opinions of young people are listened to on an individual basis and at regular meetings. Young people said, 'staff are helpful', 'I can get on with staff', 'they (staff) are okay'.

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Quality of care

Young people have the freedom to make decisions about how they lead their lives. Staff are good at motivating young people to make responsible decisions and explaining to young people why it is not always possible to do what they want. As a result young people are able to follow their chosen lifestyles and have plenty of opportunities for self-development. Young people benefit from staff that care about them and are committed to promoting their welfare.

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Quality of care

Staff are proactive and committed to ensuring all young people are able to progress with their education. Young people have access to a range of educational settings facilitated by the effective relationships staff have developed with different agencies. Similarly young people are able to access a wide range of services to promote their health, welfare and transition to more independent living.

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Safeguarding children and young people

The service is good at keeping children and young people safe and feeling safe.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Staff have developed and effectively maintained a safe homely environment in which young people can feel comfortable with their surroundings and relationships with staff.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Staff are good at encouraging socially acceptable behaviour and actively challenge inappropriate behaviour. A new system of rewards has recently been introduced and helps motivate young people to behave well. Young people benefit from the consistent and competent use of a range of behaviour management strategies that avoid institutional sanctions. Likewise a safe caring environment is successfully promoted through using positive strategies and avoiding the use of physical intervention as a response to challenging behaviour. Physical intervention is rarely used and only as a last resort to protect young people's safety.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Bullying is not tolerated. There are strong responses from staff and managers that are significant in keeping young people free from bullying. There are also positive relationships with the local police with effective protocols of police involvement that help protect young people and promote their welfare.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Young people's care planning includes highlighting risks specific to their individual needs and behaviour. Comprehensive protective measures are in place to reduce risks of harm to young people. Staff are successful and organised in using these and review them regularly in line with the changing needs of young people. At the same time young people benefit from the support to take risks appropriate to their age and understanding as a normal part of growing up and to promote their independence.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Although young people are sometimes missing from the home staff are proactive and persistent in taking action to contact or locate them to ensure they are safe. Young people benefit from the commitment of staff to ensure their safety, a safe return to the home and a reduction in the frequency they are missing. Young people are helped by the frequent advice of staff to keep safe and how to avoid the potential risks of their behaviour. Staff know what action to take if they have any concerns about a young person's welfare or if young people tell staff they have been harmed. Such issues are swiftly reported to the relevant authorities and appropriate action taken to safeguard young people.

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Safeguarding children and young people

There are thorough vetting and selection procedures of staff employed to work in the home to prevent unsuitable people from having the opportunity to harm young people.

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Leadership and management

The leadership and management of the children's home are outstanding . Leaders, managers and staff are all aware of the strengths and weaknesses of the home. This is based on the excellent systems for the monitoring of standards and thorough reflection about care practice, aimed at delivering the best possible outcomes for young people.

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Leadership and management

There is a development plan reviewed yearly with realistic and challenging targets to improve the quality of care and outcomes for young people. Staff are extremely committed and enthusiastic in ensuring positive experiences for young people and share the expectations of leaders and managers about continually improving standards of care.

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Leadership and management

Staff are very well trained and receive purposeful supervision that ensures young people are looked after by a competent and dedicated staff team. Staff are highly professional and accomplished in fulfilling their roles and providing a high quality of service to young people.

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Leadership and management

Equality and diversity practice is good .

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