Children's Home run by Wessex College Limited in Wiltshire

Unique reference number SC037596 Inspection date 11/12/2012 Inspector Jennifer Reed Type of inspection Interim Provision subtype Children's home

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Date of last inspection 16/07/2012 Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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Brief description of the service

This home is one of four children's homes operated by a private organisation. It is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to four young people with emotional and behavioural difficulties.

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Brief description of the service

Young people in placement may attend the organisation's local school. The school is registered with the Department for Education.

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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

The overall judgement made for the home’s last full inspection in July 2012 was good.

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Progress

The home continues to maintain the good quality of the provision and to show an outstanding level of practice in the individual outcome that focuses on the safeguarding of young people’s welfare. Managers and leaders within the organisation demonstrate rigour in their decision-making and in the robust actions they take to ensure the home can effectively meet young people’s needs to keep them safe.

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Progress

Staff and managers vigilantly monitor young people’s whereabouts and take proactive action to reduce the likelihood of young people leaving the home or school without permission. When young people go missing, the home implements the local missing person protocol and employs proactive strategies to minimise identified risks to individual young people. The home works collaboratively with local safeguarding agencies, placing authorities and the police to gather relevant information and to take any appropriate action to ensure the safe return of young people as quickly as possible. Detailed records are kept which enable the identification of patterns or characteristics of the incidents of young people going missing. This information provides staff with a good understanding of why some young people leave without permission. It contributes to staff recognising and taking effective action to reduce the risks that young people’s choices may pose to their welfare. Any missing episode

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Progress

is discussed fully with young people on their return and in regular key-work sessions. This helps young people to reflect on their decisions and actions, and to consider the impact of their behaviour on their safety, health and personal development.

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Progress

Staff show sensitivity in their management and implementation of the contact arrangements in place for each young person. Staff effectively support young people to keep in touch with their friends. This helps young people to sustain their relationships with their peers in the community and to not become isolated within the home’s environment. Staff have a good understanding of family dynamics and the emotional capacity of each young person to deal with any arising family issue. This respectful and considered support helps young people to manage any family difficulties at their own pace and contributes to the maintenance and sometimes improvement, of the quality of their relationships.

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Progress

Staff collaboratively plan with other significant persons in young people’s lives for key events. For example the Christmas period, to make sure that young people’s individual arrangements, whether they remain in the home or with their families, will be enjoyable and positive experiences for them.

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Progress

A particular strength of this service is the Registered Manager's enthusiastic and successful leadership of the staff team in supporting young people’s participation in the development of the home. Young people attend weekly house meetings where they have opportunity to state their opinions and make decisions about the home’s daily routines and activities. Their inclusion helps to improve their satisfaction with the quality of their care they receive while contributing to the development of their self-esteem and confidence. Young people feel valued for their contributions; their investment in the home promotes feelings of security, belonging and some ownership of their lives.

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Progress

The home continues to strive for improvement. The Registered Manager has taken action to fully address the two shortfalls in care practices identified at the last inspection. Staff and young people now take care to ensure that the home’s front door is kept locked to ensure that the home is secure from unauthorised access. Managers have continued to make effort to provide a continuity of staffing so that young people’s attachments are not overly disrupted. This has been achieved over the past two months and young people now benefit from being looked after by a stable staff team of six workers. Each shift is led by an experienced and qualified worker. Shift leaders and the Registered Manager show an excellent understanding of young people’s placement plans, their individual needs and their areas and rate of progress.

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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.

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