Children's Home run by Educare Adolescent Services Limited in Shropshire

Unique reference number SC062288 Inspection date 28/02/2012 Inspector Louise Redfern Type of inspection Interim Provision subtype Children's home

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Date of last inspection 09/06/2011 Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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Brief description of the service

This children's home is part of a large organisation operated by a private company. The home provides care for up to four young people of either gender who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties and/or young people with learning difficulties.

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The inspection judgements and what they mean

Good progress The children’s home has demonstrated continued improvement in quality of care and outcomes for children and young people and where appropriate has addressed all requirements and the large majority of recommendations that were raised at the previous inspection. Satisfactory progress The children’s home has maintained quality of care and outcomes for children and young people and where appropriate has addressed all requirements and the majority of recommendations that were raised at the previous inspection. Inadequate progress The children’s home has failed to address one or more requirements and/or has not met the majority of recommendations and/or the quality of care and outcomes for children and young people have declined since the last full inspection.

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Progress

Since their previous inspection the service is judged to be making good progress.

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Progress

At the previous full inspection, in June 2011, the overall effectiveness of the service was judged as good, with one requirement and one recommendation made. These were in relation to young people having the opportunity to meet with Regulation 33 visitors and ensuring appropriate anti-bullying risk assessments are in place. Good progress has been made since the last inspection, with both the requirement and recommendation being fully addressed.

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Progress

Young people are regularly afforded the opportunity to meet with Regulation 33 visitors at the home. This means that the monitoring now routinely includes consultation with the young people in order to get a full view of how the home is operating. The Registered Manager confirms that the organisation has recently implemented changes around Regulation 33 visits, including consultation sheets for young people and evening and weekend visits.

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Progress

Since the last inspection, the Registered Manager has introduced further safeguarding measures through implementing thorough individual anti-bullying risk assessments. The risk assessments specifically address the individual young people’s vulnerabilities and risks, and identify control measures to protect them and other young people in the home from bullying.

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Progress

The ethos within the home promotes individual identity, difference and equality. As a result, young people are provided with care and support based on individual needs, risks and potential to develop. Young people continue to make excellent progress in their individual development, for example, they have made significant progress in their educational attainment and attendance.

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Progress

Management and leadership of the home is good, ensuring practice remains focused on effectively safeguarding vulnerable young people. The management team have introduced senior staff meetings. This creates a forum to review work practices across the whole team and to share and develop different strategies for how staff can best work with individual young people to improve the quality of care provided.

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Progress

Young people benefit from living in a homely and nurturing environment. The house has recently benefited from re-decoration and refurbishment. Young people are encouraged to develop their daily living skills; for example, they have assembled furniture and completed basic repairs around the home. They are supported in these tasks by staff members. This further develops their independence skills and encourages them to feel valued and part of the home they live in. The Registered Manager has a clear maintenance plan in place, which will further enhance the decoration of the home.

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Progress

Young people benefit from an enthusiastic and motivated Registered Manager and staff team who are committed to improving outcomes for young people and providing a good level of care.

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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 progress made by the provider since the last full inspection, identifies any further strengths, any areas for improvement and makes judgements as outlined in the Inspection of children’s homes – framework for inspection (March 2011).

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