Children's Home run by The Ryes College Limited in Suffolk

Unique reference number SC429748 Inspection date 30/05/2013 Inspector Joanna Heller Type of inspection Interim Provision subtype Residential special school (>295 days/year)

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Date of last inspection 09/01/2013 Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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Brief description of the service

This children's home is privately owned and provides placements for children and young people on behalf of local authorities. The home offers care and accommodation for four children and young people who have emotional and behavioural difficulties and/or learning disabilities.

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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 satisfactory progress .

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Progress

At the previous inspection in January 2013 the home was judged as good. Two requirements and three recommendations were made at that inspection. Both requirements and one recommendation related to the monitoring of restraints, the notifying of significant incidents and the updating of staff training. The manager has ensured that these shortfalls have been fully remedied. The manager now has effective systems in place to ensure all events defined as notifable under Regulation 30 are now managed appropriately and notified to Ofsted within appropriate timescales. The manager is now effectively monitoring all incidents of restraint to ensure any emerging patterns and trends are identified. Effective systems are now in place to ensure staff receive training updates at the time they are due.

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Progress

One recommendation at the previous inspection related to the need to improve the accommodation provided. While some redecoration is underway and improvements in some areas have taken place, there is still a significant amount of work required. The manager has a clear plan of what needs to be improved and how this will be achieved over the next few months. Young people are considering the décor of their rooms and how they want this to be improved. One young person has almost completed their choice, enhancing the room and giving a sense of individuality.

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Progress

A further recommendation was made at the last inspection in respect of improving the children’s guide, which has yet to be met. The manager has begun developing this but felt that the result was not achieving its purpose effectively. In order to ensure a more child focused and accessible document, the manager is consulting both current and former young people about how this can be improved, what information they feel should be contained and in what formats.

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Progress

The quality of care in the home remains strong. Young people benefit from personalised child-focused care which meets their individual needs. Good assessment processes are in place, which ensure that young people arriving in the home in the event of an emergency receive appropriate care and support.

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Progress

Safeguarding is central to staff practice in the home and staff have been successful in helping young people reduce some of their risk-taking behaviour. There have been no incidents of young people going missing, and staff are vigilant to changes in group dynamics. Staff have clear expectations for behaviour and ensure that appropriate boundaries are enforced. Restraint is used only to safeguard young people or staff from physical harm. Staff use community resolution and restorative approaches to ensure that young people understand the consequences of their behaviour while minimising police input and the criminalisation of antisocial behaviour.

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Progress

Young people are healthy and staff are proactive in supporting them in achieving healthy lifestyles. For example, young people have signed up to healthy eating programmes and change for life and are attending a gym weekly. Young people have bicycles and enjoy going out on these regularly. Staff provide support and guidance regarding health issues, such as smoking, but some young people continue to make unhealthy choices. Young people who were previously not attending education or had poor patterns of attendance have made good progress. All young people now attend school or college each day. Young people are supported to access college courses and work placements in their chosen field. For example, one young person has a voluntary work placement in a local garage and has a place on a mechanics college course. A variety of activities are provided and planned around the young people's interests, such as BMX riding and go-karting. Young people are enjoying

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Progress

beginning to plan their summer holiday and weekend camping trips.

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Progress

Young people benefit from a well-trained and competent group of staff. Young people enjoy continuity of staff and this enables the sound relationships between staff and young people to develop. Young people benefit from strong positive male role models which placing authorities reflect is a strength of the home. This, in tandem with strong female staff, helps to challenge some of the negative attitudes towards women. Staff work with young people to enable a wider understanding of a diverse society and their role within this. Staff monitor young people’s progress and keep parents and placing authorities up to date on key events as appropriate. Placing authorities report that the young people make good progress and that staff are well able to manage the challenges that they face. Placing authorities are positive about the emotional support given to the young people and reflect on how this underpins the positive relationships which young

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Progress

people have been able to develop with staff.

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Progress

The home benefits from strong leadership with a clear sense of direction. The manager ensures that the quality of care provided to young people remains at the forefront of service delivery.

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further the service should take account of the following recommendation(s):

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Recommendations

 ensure the home provides a comfortable and homely environment and is well maintained and decorated (NMS 10.3)  ensure the children's guide includes information on how a child can contact the Children's Rights Director if they have a concern they wish to raise. (NMS 13.5)

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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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