Children's Home run by Cambian Childcare Limited in Birmingham

Unique reference number SC412175 Inspection date 21/11/2012 Inspector Jo Stephenson Type of inspection Full Provision subtype Children's home

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Date of last inspection 16/02/2012 Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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Brief description of the service

This home is owned and managed by a private organisation. The service operates on behalf of the Local Authority and provides remand and assessment services for young people who require high levels of support.

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The inspection judgements and what they mean

Outstanding : a service of exceptional quality that significantly exceeds minimum requirements Good : a service of high quality 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 outstanding .

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Overall effectiveness

The home provides an extremely nurturing environment that takes account of the individual needs of young people. The service delivers exceptional and personalised care programmes that encourage young people to prosper in all areas of their development. The staff team are enthusiastic and have high aspirations for young people. Promoting positive outcomes is central to the work and ethos of the home. Young people are actively motivated to convey their views on the running of the home and all aspects of their care and welfare.

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Overall effectiveness

Young people enjoy excellent relationships with staff and benefit from a family atmosphere in the home. Young people speak of the home with passion and say they feel safe and protected from harm. Staff encourage young people to identify their ambitions and consistently support them to achieve these. The home accesses a varied range of specialist support services, and as a result, young people experience a comprehensive approach to their care.

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Overall effectiveness

Staff are well trained, qualified and supported in their role. They are keen and animated regarding the progress made by young people. The management team ensures that robust monitoring systems are in place to continually review outcomes and the quality of care for young people. Managers use feedback from placing authorities, support agencies, young people and their families to shape the development of the home and identify strengths and areas for improvement.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Outcomes for children and young people are outstanding .

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people make substantial progress in all aspects of their lives. Staff actively promote and celebrate the achievements of young people. As a result, young people develop a positive self-view and emotional resilience. Staff have established clear boundaries and structures within the home, young people say they benefit from this approach. Consequently, young people respond well and sustain exceptionally positive relationships with staff. Young people are encouraged to understand their backgrounds and reasons for their placement through detailed ‘placement plan’ sessions. Personalised care plans and effective partnership working between the home and other professionals means that young people are able to make sense of their past and identify their future plans. As a result, risk taking and offending behaviours have significantly reduced for all young people.

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Outcomes for children and young people

The home has established extremely effective links with general and specialist health services. Staff proactively promote the emotional, psychological and physical health needs of young people by providing access to specialist health professionals. Interventions provided by external agencies are supported through effective ‘placement plan’ sessions with young people. This means that young people profit from a holistic attitude to meeting their health needs.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Education is fundamental to the daily running of the home and high attendance is embedded in the objectives of the placement. Young people who were detached from education prior to admission, now demonstrate excellent progress. Young people recognise the invaluable support they receive from staff in achieving their ambitions. The home aims to equip young people with as many skills as possible. Staff work closely with education establishments and colleges to inspire young people to continue with their education when they leave the home. One young person said, ‘I love school now, I used to hate it so much but now I love it.'

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people engage in activities that promote learning, welfare and emotional development. Staff provide young people with opportunities to socialise in the community, outside of the residential group. As a result, young people are able to participate in new experiences and pursue individual interests. Young people express their views on all aspects of their care and the running of the home. They participate in regular group meetings and consequently, young people are listened to.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Staff work closely with families in line with placement plans. Restrictions imposed by courts are consistently adhered to and clearly recorded. Young people speak positively of the efforts of staff to ensure that contact goes ahead. For example, one young person said, ‘I feel really lucky because of what the staff do, they don’t have to, they do it because they care.' Consequently, young people are provided with support to establish and sustain positive relationships with their families. Young people say they have a clear understanding of contact arrangements and why these are in place.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people gain experience of cooking, budgeting and completing household chores. Staff measure progress, set targets and review achievements in line with pathway plans and care plans.

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Quality of care

The quality of the care is outstanding .

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Quality of care

Young people enjoy exceptionally strong and positive relationships with staff. The atmosphere at the home is calm, relaxed and well ordered, and young people thrive in this environment. One young person said, ‘I am actually being cared for; I know what this means now, I didn’t know before.' Staff demonstrate an admirable understanding of the individual needs of young people and identify antecedents to changes in mood and behaviour. As a result, young people are central to the daily running of the home and staff are skilled at adapting their care practices to meet their needs. Young people describe the staff and the home as ‘like being part of a family.'

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Quality of care

Staff actively consult with young people on all aspects of their care. ‘Placement plan’ sessions are detailed and address a range of topic’s relevant to individual young people, and the progress they have made at the home. These sessions are incorporated in both internal and statutory placement plans. Young people say they feel listened to and that they are able to influence the running of the home and understand why it is not always possible to act on their wishes. Managers welcome constructive suggestions from young people, who demonstrate confidence and assertion in expressing their views. Young people have a clear understanding of how to make a complaint, and can directly access complaints forms. Complaints from young people are rare, but taken seriously and fully investigated within time scales. Young people receive written and verbal feedback on any concerns they raise and are able to comment on the outcome of these.

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Quality of care

Young people benefit from exceptionally detailed internal placement plans that clearly identify their individual needs and specify comprehensive strategies for meeting these. Plans are triangulated to include contributions from specialist professional agencies, such as court services and area social services. As a result, young people are provided with an integrated approach to their care. One young person said, ‘Honestly, there isn’t anything I don’t like; I get so much help I can deal with anything.' Young people are encouraged to review the progress of their plans with allocated keyworkers. This means that young people have a good understanding of the aims and objectives of the placement.

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Quality of care

Placing authorities, court agencies and other professionals consider the home's contribution to reviews and meetings to be timely and clear; and demonstrate how well the staff know the young people. Effective communication and partnership working is endemic to the structure of the home. For example, staff liaise with education provisions on a daily basis and are provided with written feedback relating to behavioural issues and individual achievements. As a result, young people experience a cohesive approach to sustaining their education, managing their behaviour and the celebrations of their achievements. The home is welcoming, well maintained and suitable located. Young people say they are involved in the decoration and furnishing of the home and are encouraged to personalise their bedrooms.

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Safeguarding children and young people

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

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Safeguarding children and young people

Young people present as exceptionally comfortable and relaxed in the home and say they feel very safe. Staff ensure that detailed risk assessments are in place that incorporate court imposed conditions, where applicable. These are compatible with behaviour plans to protect young people from harm and promote their well-being and safety. Staff are able to identify vulnerabilities and triggers and put measures in place to reduce risks. Young people comment on these plans, take responsibility for adhering to their contents and reflect on their behaviour. One young person said, ‘I’ve had a chance to change my behaviour and now I can see a different life for myself.' Subsequently, young people understand why restrictions may be imposed on them and the reason for these.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Staff receive regular training in safeguarding and child protection. Protocols are in place regarding young people who go missing from the home and these incidents have greatly reduced. Staff work creatively to educate young people around their vulnerabilities and the impact going missing has on their placement conditions. Consequently, young people are supported to make decisions that keep them safe.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Behaviour management in the home is proactive, with an emphasis on identifying and understanding triggers and pre-empting these. Detailed and personalised plans for young people provide guidance on interventions and de-escalation techniques to reduce unacceptable behaviours. Physical restraint is rare and only ever used as a last resort and associated records are appropriately completed. This means that young people engage with staff to recognise alternative approaches to managing their behaviour. Young people are encouraged to discuss incidents of poor behaviour and consider the impact this has on others. Complaints against young people, including incidents of bullying, are addressed immediately. The manager ensures regular education workshops take place around bullying. As a result, young people have a better understanding of the different sorts of bullying and how it can make people feel. Subsequently, incidents of bullying are rare.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Staff maintain health and safety records to a high standard. Young people regularly participate in fire tests and drills, and understand the fire procedures in place. The home adheres to robust organisation recruitment procedures to safeguard young people. This means that young people work with suitably vetted and selected staff.

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Leadership and management

The leadership and management of the children's home are outstanding . Young people live in a home that is effectively and efficiently run by an experienced and permanent manager. The manager is at the centre of the home and has a clear oversight of young people’s progress, staff development and areas for improvement. Staff and young people benefit from vibrant leadership that emphasises high expectations and sustainable progress.

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Leadership and management

The home successfully meets the aims and objectives of its Statement of Purpose. Young people, staff and placing authorities are clear about the support the home provides. The manager and staff have a strong commitment to improving outcomes for young people and delivering an excellent service tailored to individual needs. This is demonstrated by the significant progress young people make. Young people are supported by sufficient numbers of staff to ensure they consistently access education, activities and appointments.

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Leadership and management

Staff say they feel exceptionally well supported in their role and receive regular and effective supervision. Staff meetings are held monthly and include a varied agenda to promote the continued development of the home. Complaints recorded since the last inspection have been effectively address and resolved. All staff complete mandatory training that is frequently updated. In addition, the manager researches supplementary courses that reflect the individual needs of young people. Young people and staff speak positively of the commitment, enthusiasm and passion of the manager.

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Leadership and management

The manager has ensured robust systems are in place to monitor the quality of care and outcomes for young people. A development plan is in place and reviewed monthly to reflect progress and identify strengths and weaknesses. Young people are regularly consulted on the running of the home and managers take account of their suggestions for improvement.

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Leadership and management

The manager ensures that case files are detailed and contribute to an understanding of a young person’s background, experiences, progress and future ambitions. Young people develop in an environment where boundaries and expectations are clear and staff practice is consistent. As a result, the home has a positive impact on young people and improves their life chances though commitment and support.

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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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