Children's Home run by Time-Out Children’s Homes Limited in Calderdale

Unique reference number SC069293 Inspection date 29/05/2012 Inspector Simon Morley Type of inspection Full Provision subtype Children's home

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Date of last inspection 11/10/2011 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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Brief description of the service

The children's home is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to two young people of either gender. Young people living at the home have emotional and behavioural difficulties and are usually aged between 11 and 17 years old. The home is owned by a private limited company.

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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 Adequate : a service that only meets minimum requirements Inadequate : a service that does not meet minimum requirements

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Overall effectiveness

The overall effectiveness is judged to be good .

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Overall effectiveness

Young people benefit from well-planned, personalised care that supports them with their diverse, individual needs. Staff provide a very warm, caring and safe environment. As a result young people feel comfortable, can be themselves and achieve well while living at the home.

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Overall effectiveness

The views of young people and their needs significantly influence the day-to-day running of the home. Staff are very knowledgeable about young people's needs. This helps ensure a high quality of care, which helps young people develop.

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Overall effectiveness

The management of the home is very good. There is a strong focus on high standards and on-going commitment to helping young people succeed in life.

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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 experience positive outcomes from the organised and experienced approach of staff. Stakeholder's say, 'staff work very well with other agencies to support young people'. 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 have good attendance at school or college. The commitment, enthusiasm and encouragement of staff is effective in helping young people achieve well with their education. Young people learn to take responsibility for leading healthy lifestyles. This includes health benefits from physical activities such as boxing, swimming and going to the gym. Young people eat healthy diets and reduce the amount of cigarettes smoked. Young people are supported by a range of different agencies to help promote their emotional, physical and psychological health.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people learn to develop and maintain important relationships with parents, relatives and friends. Where contact has broken down there is a sensitive approach from staff to help young people develop these links again. Staff encourage family involvement in the home and care of young people. This promotes family relationships, contributes to young people's emotional well-being and helps them return home.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Over time young people improve their behaviour and develop a more mature attitude to life. Young people are able to reduce their offending behaviour and aggression towards others. Young people improve their personal safety and develop better relationships with other significant people in their lives.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people learn skills to help prepare them for adulthood and more independent living. For example young people have their own bank accounts, learn to manage their own money, budget, shop and cook independently. Young people progress with their education from school to college, undertake work experience and vocational training to enhance their employment prospects.

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Quality of care

There are very positive 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 comment, 'young people benefit from a friendly, homely 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 quality care ensuring young people are supported in line with these plans. As young people say, 'staff are too caring'.

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Quality of care

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 a daily individual basis and at regular meetings. Young people say, 'staff always listen'. The registered provider is working with an independent organisation to evaluate and improve arrangements for young people's participation in their care.

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Quality of care

Staff allow young people freedom to make decisions about how they lead their lives. Staff also motivate young people to try and make responsible decisions. As a result young people are able to follow their chosen lifestyles and have opportunities for self-development. Young people are allowed to make mistakes and learn from these, benefitting from staff that care 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. Staff work well with local schools to support young people's educational needs and good attendance levels. The registered provider's own school provides additional support and extra tuition to help young people achieve their expected educational targets.

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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

Young people live in a safe homely environment, free from any bullying, in which they can feel comfortable with their surroundings and relationships with staff.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Staff are effective in helping young people develop socially acceptable behaviour and actively challenge inappropriate behaviour. A new system of rewards based on young people's views has recently been introduced. This is helping motivate young people to behave well.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Young people benefit from the consistent and competent use of a range of behaviour management strategies that avoid institutional sanctions. A safe caring environment is successfully promoted through these positive strategies, which avoid the use of physical intervention. Staff use the procedures for police involvement effectively, this helps protect young people, avoids them being unnecessarily criminalised and promotes their welfare.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Young people's care planning comprehensively details risks and protective measures specific to their individual needs and behaviour. Robust 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. Young people say, 'staff always want to talk to me about something'.

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Safeguarding children and young people

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 ensure only suitable people are employed. Recruitment procedures have improved with the inclusion of young people having a direct say in who is employed to look after them.

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Leadership and management

The leadership and management of the children's home are good .

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Leadership and management

There is strong leadership and management of the home that ensures young people receive good quality care. Young people's lives improve as a result. There are thorough systems for monitoring standards of care, policies, procedures and progress young people make. As a result leaders and the manager can demonstrate the difference staff make to the lives of young people. This provides good opportunities to reflect and review care practice and to adapt to the changing needs and progress young people make.

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Leadership and management

Improvements highlighted at the last inspection have been addressed. As a result young people's participation in plans for their care are good and risk management is thorough. The Registered Manager continues to work towards the recommended management qualification to enhance her management skills.

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Leadership and management

Staff receive good quality supervision and undertake a wide range of training. This ensures that young people are looked after by a competent and dedicated staff team. Management arrangements ensure staff are accomplished in fulfilling their roles and providing a high quality service to young people.

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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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