Children's Home run by Lancashire County Council in Lancashire

Unique reference number SC064735 Inspection date 13/03/2012 Inspector Stella Lovie Type of inspection Interim Provision subtype Children's home

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Date of last inspection 14/12/2011 Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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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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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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Brief description of the service

This local authority home provides care and accommodation for up to six young people of either gender with emotional and behavioural difficulties.

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Progress

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

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Progress

The home was judged to be outstanding in the full inspection in December 2011. There were no areas for improvement identified. The home has been judged to be outstanding for the past three years.

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Progress

Young people continue to enjoy an exceptional level of care from a highly competent and dedicated staff team. One young person says: 'they run the best children's home I have ever been in'. Extremely positive, friendly but professional relationships between staff and young people underpin very effective behaviour management. This is based on praise, incentives and realistic individual targets. As a result, there is a significant reduction in the level of incidents of missing from home and criminality from young people's starting points. One external stakeholder reports that young people say that they 'are very happy here, feel fully supported, feel like someone's caring for them for the first time'.

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Progress

Young people continue to receive clear messages from staff that they will not give up on them. Staff strive always to find some way to enhance young people's lives, as confirmed by one external professional's feedback: 'this is the first time that (name) has ever engaged with a children's home. Staff have enabled this through positive communication and by being able to separate the young person from their behaviour. As a result, (name) has made major progress in relation to how they used to be'.

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Progress

The home is seeking to improve their quality of care and outcomes even further with new initiatives. The chosen model of intervention promotes purposeful involvement of young people in their care planning.

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Progress

Good use continues to be made of a range of tools for facilitating direct work with young people. This helps them to understand past experiences and develop some insight into their circumstances. As a result, young people are able to increase their emotional resilience and self-esteem. In this vein, the home has made very effective links with local employers who are able to offer young people training and work experience in order to further develop their confidence and life skills.

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Progress

Young people have a significant voice in the running of the home through individual sessions and young people's meetings. This participation is further enhanced by the home's recent development of young people's systematic feedback questionnaires and their formal involvement in staff appraisals. As a result, young people feel respected and valued and are genuinely included in the home's focus on improvement.

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Progress

The management team continues to provide strong leadership with an open, inclusive style which staff value and reflect in their practice with young people. For example, the management team are currently modelling a constructive approach towards the uncertainty around re-structuring within the local authority. It demonstrates how the prevailing ethos of this home is to look for the positives in all situations, especially in their work with young people.

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Progress

The home is able to demonstrate continued improvement in quality of care and outcomes for young people, with no identified areas of weakness, and is consequently making good progress.

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