Kyloe House

Unique reference number SC035409 Inspection date 18/07/2013 Inspector Sheena Doyle / Graham Robinson Type of inspection Full Provision subtype Secure Unit

p.1

Date of last inspection 19/02/2013 Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

p.1

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.

p.2

Brief description of the service

This secure children's home is managed by a local authority. It is approved by the Department for Education to restrict young people's liberty. Education is provided on site.

p.3

Brief description of the service

The children's home provides two separate units that can accommodate up to 12 young people who are aged between 10 and 17 years. Admission of any young person over the age of 10 but under 13 years of age requires the approval of the Secretary of State.

p.3

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

p.3

Overall effectiveness

The overall effectiveness is judged to be good .

p.3

Overall effectiveness

Overall effectiveness is good. Outcomes for children and young people are good and they make good progress in all areas of development during their stay in the secure children’s home. All young people spoken to by inspectors expressed very positive views about the quality of their care, and in particular, the quality of their relationships with staff. All young people know who are their allocated link staff, and good individual sessions between staff and young people promote self-awareness and emotional well-being.

p.3

Overall effectiveness

The home provides a secure and safe setting for young people whose behaviour is such that they cannot be looked after safely in a non-secure setting. The need for security is reviewed regularly, and young people’s care is subject to individual and personalised care and behaviour management plans. This helps to ensure that the levels of oversight and staffing ratios are proportionate to the young person’s needs and risks. Good attention is paid to young people’s privacy and dignity while ensuring that safety and safeguarding issues are robustly addressed.

p.3

Overall effectiveness

The management team is well supported by managers in the council who share responsibility for the home’s functioning and provide external oversight and scrutiny. There is good monthly monitoring and oversight via Regulation 33 visits, reports and recommendations, which are considered promptly by managers. Regulation 34 reports are becoming increasingly valuable sources of information about the home’s performance in key areas of staffing, use of restraint, single separation and other important issues. There is a good level of reporting to, and scrutiny from, both elected members and the Local Safeguarding Children Board (LSCB), further increasing the transparency of the home’s functioning. There are no breaches of regulations or failures to meet national minimum standards that impact negatively on the welfare or safety of young people. Serious incidents are notified to Ofsted promptly and, importantly, are scrutinised in detail internally to learn lessons

p.3

Overall effectiveness

wherever possible, and minimise the likelihood of repetition.

p.4

Overall effectiveness

Managers understand the strengths and weaknesses of the home, and clear robust plans are in place to continue the improvement journey the home is currently embarked on. Managers tackle weaknesses promptly and ensure that all staff working in the home have achieved minimum levels of training. The staff group is largely very experienced in caring for young people within residential settings, and most have good experience in working within a secure environment. All staff adhere to a strong ethos of using positive reinforcement to manage young people’s behaviour, and use a wide range of diversionary methods in the first instance. They consistently apply a sliding scale of restraint, which ensures that most incidents are successfully defused at the earliest possible point, and with minimal use of restraint. There is good recording of key events with every young person, regarding both positive and negative behaviours, and robust oversight by managers of how young

p.4

Overall effectiveness

The secure home is divided into two units with shared educational and leisure spaces. The home benefits from constant oversight of its fabric and furnishings, with evidence of all aspects being maintained to a very high standard. There is a good balance between the need for security and making the environment as homely as possible. This gives the young people a clear message about the care and respect they are afforded within the home. This in turn, encourages the young people to show respect for their surroundings and is a sound basis upon which positive relationships can be built.

p.4

Overall effectiveness

Recommendations are being made in respect of the need for improved commissioned mental health services, particularly at the more complex level, to support both young people and to provide consultancy and support for staff caring for them; to continue to improve education services; and to make better use of CCTV footage to improve practice within the home.

p.4

Recommendations

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

p.4

Recommendations

 ensure young people have prompt access to specialist mental health services which can meet their complex needs (NMS 6.4)  ensure all staff receive the training and guidance that allows them to provide appropriate care to young people with complex health needs (NMS 6.8)  develop a practical work-related learning provision that embraces English and mathematics (NMS 12.1c)  develop links between the lessons to show young people how their learning between the subjects is related, and celebrate the work of the young people with greater displays of on-going and completed work (NMS 8.4)  ensure the CCTV records of any use of restraint, episode of bullying, or serious incident are reviewed by representatives of the authority responsible for the establishment, and that these are used to further improve practice within the home. (NMS 23.6)

p.4

Outcomes for children and young people

Appropriate plans and strategies to identify and meet need are put into place quickly following the young person's admission. They are comprehensive and include health, care and education. This ensures that individual needs are recognised and met, resulting in young people going on to prosper socially, emotionally and educationally. This view is supported by the family members of one young person who said, 'We cannot thank staff enough for what they have achieved with her in the short time she has been here. We have got her back.’

p.5

Outcomes for children and young people

Young people’s health needs are generally promoted positively. All aspects of health care are effectively joined up, ensuring that young people have their immediate day- to-day health care needs, as well as more specialised needs, addressed. The home recognises it now regularly accommodates a greater proportion of young people with deep-rooted mental health needs than historically has been the case. This view is also supported by those professionals providing young people with specialist mental health input. The current contract for external specialist mental health support services has been in place for a long time and does not fully meet needs. This means that specialist services can be stretched, and although young people have their particular needs addressed in a timely manner, this is down to the good will, commitment and flexible approach of all staff involved. Staff look after young people well and are skilled and dedicated in ensuring young people are kept safe. However,

p.5

Outcomes for children and young people

specific training to assist them in supporting those young people with complex mental health problems has been lacking.

p.5

Outcomes for children and young people

Young people are encouraged to reflect on past lifestyles and encouraged to make improvements through exercise and diet. Young people are encouraged to modify aspects of their previous lifestyle such as the use of tobacco, drugs and alcohol. For example, they receive regular input and support to assist them in making positive decisions regarding life choices when they move on from the home. As a result, young people usually enjoy improvement to their general health and fitness levels. Food and nutrition are strengths of the home. Young people appreciate the quality and choice given to them regarding the foods they eat and are unanimously positive about its quality. A good balance allows them opportunities to try foods they may not have experienced before, while ensuring more familiar foods remain on the menu. Young people are consulted regularly and menus reflect their choices. Any special dietary needs are fully catered for, ensuring health needs and religious beliefs are

p.5

Outcomes for children and young people

Opportunities are provided for young people to contribute positively to both the home and wider community through a range of initiatives and consultation exercises. This is achieved through regular unit meetings with staff, planned mobility and providing young people with regular consultation and experiences of community life. Use of community facilities enriches young people’s lives and also gives them opportunities to take some responsibility for their own actions.

p.6

Outcomes for children and young people

The home works flexibly to accommodate young people’s contact arrangements. Visitors say they are made to feel welcome and are put at ease by the warm responses received from staff. Facilities are available that allow for relative privacy if appropriate. Parents are able to see their child's room, called a 'bedsit', and other aspects of the physical environment, which reassures them about their child's future care.

p.6

Outcomes for children and young people

Planning for transition and developing skills to promote a more independent lifestyle commences when young people are first admitted. Opportunities to develop practical skills and experiences are built into young people’s individual plans. This then informs their future mobility programmes. This in turn helps them to develop greater self-confidence, esteem and resilience.

p.6

Quality of care

Young people are receiving a good quality of care with some aspects such as the relationships they experience with staff, deemed to be excellent. Young people recognise this, with one saying they have, 'Great relationships with staff who genuinely care for me.’ Another young person commented to inspectors that, `This is a great place. Staff are so supportive. If I had not come here there is a good chance I would be dead by now.’

p.6

Quality of care

Staff are excellent in building and maintaining positive relationships with young people. These relationships usually withstand the impact of testing and challenging times, resulting in young people benefiting from developing positive and long-lasting relationships with adults who act as good role models. This gives young people a more positive view of themselves and others, builds trust and promotes greater self- confidence.

p.6

Quality of care

The quality of the relationships between staff and young people underpins the high levels of on-going consultation that takes place daily. Young people are happy with the opportunities in place for consultation, recognising the weekly young people’s meetings as a more formal channel for communication. This gives young people input and choice regarding certain aspects of daily life, assisting them to develop a greater understanding of decision-making processes and in accepting responsibility.

p.6

Quality of care

Young people understand how to make a complaint and are confident to do so. They have access to complaints forms which are monitored by senior staff. Complaints are taken seriously and responded to in a timely manner. Young people also have access to an independent advocate through a free-phone system. Information about this is contained in the young person's guide which is given to every young person on admission, and displayed on noticeboards throughout the home. However, there are no routine visits from an independent advocate which would enhance this provision.

p.7

Quality of care

The array of documents that constitute planning and assessments of risk effectively link into each other. When read collectively, they give a good insight into the identified needs of the child, along with the plans and strategies in place to meet those needs. Plans include a young person’s identity, religious and cultural requirements. Young people confirm they are involved in their planning, which gives them a clear sense of direction and input regarding their own progress and future.

p.7

Quality of care

Young people enjoy a wide range of activities and leisure pursuits that take place outside of school time. For example, a two week programme prepared for the education summer break is in place. Activities are varied and designed to meet the needs and interests of young people. This helps develop enhanced self-esteem and interests and skills that are transferable on release. An example of the excellent planning and implementation of activities was witnessed by inspectors during the summer fair held during the inspection.

p.7

Safeguarding children and young people

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

p.7

Safeguarding children and young people

Safeguarding arrangements are good. Care plans clearly identify risks and protective factors for individual children and young people. These inform detailed management and progress plans, which are regularly monitored and reviewed to ensure their on- going applicability. Risk and protective factors are assessed upon admission to the home and risk assessments are regularly updated. Managers assure quality by a variety of means including: monthly case file audits; team meetings discussing individual young people and their risk assessments; and monthly audits by managers of daily planners. There is good oversight of the quality of reports such as secure review reports, looked after children review reports, and ‘action planning meeting’ reports. These reports tell a clear story about the child and the arrangements that are in place to keep them safe, and help them progress in all aspects of their development.

p.7

Safeguarding children and young people

Since the last inspection one child has gone missing while on mobility. All efforts are made to minimise the likelihood of this with each visit outside the home being subject to risk assessments which include all relevant information, and are discussed in advance with the young person. Risk assessments identify antecedents and the young person’s history, and this is used to inform the trip's security requirements. Every young person who has run off from a mobility session has a return interview conducted either by a manager from another children’s home who is independent of the home, or the county council’s dedicated Missing Children Social Worker. When young people are returned to the home by the police, the officers ensure they undertake ‘safe and well’ checks.

p.7

Safeguarding children and young people

On rare occasions situations occur within the home where police assistance is deemed to be necessary to minimise risk to children and staff, and the police attend the unit promptly when asked to. There are good relations and information-exchange between the local beat officers and all the children’s homes on the campus. However, there is more to do to strengthen working arrangements to ensure children’s protection, when, for example, young people are outside the unit and staff require police support.

p.8

Safeguarding children and young people

There are good links with the local authority designated officer (LADO) who chairs the quarterly residential units’ safeguarding meeting. There are relatively few referrals to the LADO, with seven referrals in the year ending 31 March 2013 and two since then. The LADO reports this to be in line with similarly sized units across the county. Both of these referrals were fully followed up by the LADO and neither had any safeguarding implications for the home. There are routes by which the functioning of the home is reported to the Local Safeguarding Children Board (LSCB) and also to elected members. Detailed reports are also considered by the council’s Scrutiny Committee.

p.8

Safeguarding children and young people

Children generally report they feel safe and they do not identify bullying as a particular issue or a concern for them. They are confident that staff deal with any issues promptly and potential conflicts are ‘nipped in the bud’. Inspectors saw good proactive work to reduce the likelihood of conflict situations arising. This includes good use of de-escalation strategies, and appropriate use of single separation to help young people cool down and manage their own emotions. Single separations are followed by immediate individual support from staff or time with other young people, dependent upon their individual assessed needs. The balance of behaviour management strategies works well to increase the sense of safety that the young people have. Careful consideration is given to matching young people to staff, and ensuring sufficiency of staff. This is particularly for those young people with problematic histories of relationships with gender or similar issues, and this also

p.8

Safeguarding children and young people

Staff manage well young people who have a propensity to self-harm, ensuring their risk assessments are comprehensive and up to date. There is good information exchange between all staff who might interact with the young person, such as unit, education and health staff. This ensures there is a consistent approach to keeping young people safe.

p.8

Safeguarding children and young people

Young people in the home are encouraged to identify a range of adults they feel comfortable talking to. This is evidenced in keyworker and assessment documentation held in their files. Young people frequently identify unit staff, teachers and managers within the home as people they trust the most to talk to. This is a testament to the positive and nurturing relationships between staff and young people. Induction to the home and initial assessment are thorough. Young people and their families are invited to the home prior to admission where possible.

p.8

Safeguarding children and young people

Behaviour management strategies are well understood across the centre and consistently applied. There is a reward scheme whereby all young people have allocated ‘unit points’ and then only lose these for recognised instances of poor behaviour or stubborn non-compliance with reasonable requests. All young people spoken to clearly understand the incentive scheme entitled the ‘Personal Success Programme’ (PSP). They think it is fair and it entitles them to additional items for their bedsits such as music systems and televisions as incentives for good behaviour.

p.9

Safeguarding children and young people

All incidents of restraint are clearly recorded. A recognised system of tiered levels of restraint known as ‘CALM’ (Crisis, Aggression, Limitation and Management) is applied consistently across the centre. All staff are trained in its application. Restraint is not used as a punishment or to enforce compliance. Young people are now being encouraged to contribute their views to records of restraints. Managers review all written records of restraint, comment on the circumstances, and counter-sign these routinely. However, managers do not currently systematically review all incidents on the CCTV footage where it exists. This would add extra reassurance about the appropriateness of restraints and identify good practice which could be disseminated across the unit. It would also assist staff who have developmental needs in the application of the restraint methodology. This is a missed opportunity to improve the

p.9

Safeguarding children and young people

oversight and quality assurance of the CALM behaviour management programme. Managers also do not routinely monitor the volume of single separations, restraints and sanctions by days of the week. This would help to ensure consistency of approach during the week and at weekends, although this is monitored overall.

p.9

Safeguarding children and young people

Bullying incidents are dealt with promptly, with staff taking action to identify and address matters as they arise. Young people are encouraged to resolve issues at the lowest level such as through apologising, but robust action is taken to address behaviours where these are identified as requiring more intensive input. Incidents are recorded on young people’s PSP records. This sets out the event that occurred and what has been determined as the most appropriate way of dealing with it. The very regular reviewing and updating of PSPs is a strength. These are appropriately informed by all significant events that have occurred with each young person. This helps to ensure that bullying between young people is kept to a minimum.

p.9

Safeguarding children and young people

The commissioning of escort services is predominantly the responsibility of the young person’s placing authority. A number of resident young people are from local authorities external to the county. Staff ensure that careful consideration is paid to the identifying documentation of escorts, ensuring that all relevant paperwork is exchanged. They also ensure that the young person has their needs met for the likely duration of the journey when departing from the home. The home is responsible for transporting resident young people to, for example, hospitals and colleges, and uses its own vehicles which are suitable for this purpose. For transport to court, which may be at a distance, the council’s escort services are used which are also suitable for this purpose.

p.9

Safeguarding children and young people

There is a clear searching policy and procedure which is appropriately linked to risk assessments for young people. The most detailed searching is only deployed where risk assessments indicate this is absolutely necessary for the safety of the young person and others in the home. Full searches take place in private areas of the building which are suitable for the purpose. Due consideration is given to the young person’s dignity with the use of new dressing gowns each time which they are able to keep. Searching is proportionate and carried out sensitively. Young people spoken to understood the need for routine and frequent general searching of the home including their bedsits.

p.10

Safeguarding children and young people

A range of appropriate control measures are in place to reduce the opportunity and likelihood of young people obtaining items which could be used for self-harming purposes. For example, a specific number of pens are kept and labelled within the staff room, and cutlery and other dining room utensils are counted in and out after each mealtime. This is proportionate and necessary, particularly given the high number of young people who exhibit or express the desire to self-harm.

p.10

Safeguarding children and young people

All managers and staff have been included within the council’s review of staffing in children’s services across all sectors over the past year. This has ensured that everyone currently in post has been recruited after recent re-applications for posts and full interview procedures. This has added a further layer of assurance over previous recruitment processes. The council’s human resources service maintains employment and recruitment records for staff. Checks of these confirm that the system is robust and ensures appropriate safeguards such as current Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks and verified references. Copies of qualifications are now being taken and kept on file. Any volunteers are also subject to full vetting and checks.

p.10

Safeguarding children and young people

The environment is physically safe and constant oversight and maintenance ensure that the quality of the living environment is maintained to a high standard. Each instance of damage is thoroughly reviewed. This considers whether adjustments to the physical environment are possible to minimise the likelihood of repetition, thereby improving young people's safety.

p.10

Leadership and management

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

p.10

Leadership and management

Leadership and management of the home are good. The home has a Registered Manager in place, and recommendations from the previous inspection have been acted on. The home’s Statement of Purpose is up to date and clear. The home notifies Ofsted promptly of relevant issues such as young people sustaining injuries or going missing. Importantly, appropriate action is taken following each incident. Young people, staff, parents and carers, and the placing authority are clear about the aims and objectives of the home and what services and facilities it provides.

p.10

Leadership and management

Staff receive regular supervision which is recorded. Records are well maintained, signed, and demonstrate that a good range of issues are discussed. This is a significant development since previous inspections. There are now minimum supervision standards in place, a simplified and improved compliance monitoring system, and devolution of supervisory responsibilities. Managers are clear that now the council’s workforce review is nearing its completion, it is timely to shift the focus towards improving the quality of supervision to include reflective practice.

p.11

Leadership and management

Staff have their training needs identified within supervision and this is followed through in annual appraisals. There is an appropriate suite of mandatory training including behaviour management training, health and safety and safeguarding. Completion rates are vigorously monitored by the Registered Manager to ensure compliance. However, the full range of training which has been accessed by staff who are currently in post is not collated in one place, which would assist the planning of future training programmes.

p.11

Leadership and management

The management team knows their service well and takes action to tackle weaknesses and make improvements. There have been significant improvements in record keeping in all aspects of the home, including children’s files and management records, and also in quality assurance systems. Changes to practice have also occurred because of consultation with, and listening to, young people. Examples include the use of hair dye, and the gender of staff accompanying young people outside of the unit. The management team is also keen to learn from other secure children’s homes. A recent example of this is the development of convening professionals’ meetings to improve support arrangements for young people.

p.11

Leadership and management

Staff are kept up to date with new developments via a range of methods including monthly meetings for unit managers, the content of which is then cascaded at individual team meetings. Managers deploy creative ways of sharing new information which enables staff to learn and discuss some key information in a fun way. Regulation 33 reports are good quality and the findings of these are considered carefully by the unit managers, and used to inform improvements. The Registered Manager attends meetings of the Secure Accommodation Network. This ensures she is fully up to date with latest developments and other information relevant to the sector.

p.11

Leadership and management

Managers monitor the progress that children and young people make via monthly reports on individual young people, countersigning action planning meetings. All reports prepared by staff are signed off before they are issued. Feedback from external stakeholders such as parents, social workers and other specialists is fully taken into account. The home’s reports are of a generally very good standard and not only describe the young person’s behaviour, but make recommendations for future actions based on informed analyses.

p.11

Leadership and management

There are regular meetings between campus staff, senior managers and local police which ensure good information exchange and liaison. The home makes good efforts to induct other professionals into the life of the home. This includes, for example, providing shadowing opportunities for trainee police officers and other professionals.

p.11

Leadership and management

There are sufficient staff to meet the needs of the young people and additional staffing is available when necessary. Staff have good access to senior managers who provide frequent oversight of activity. The home is relatively small with managers usually located on the units with staff and young people.

p.12

Leadership and management

The council’s review of the entire children’s social care workforce over the past year has been a difficult period for the staff group, acknowledged by all staff and managers. It has created uncertainty about job security, requiring all staff to re-apply for posts. Nevertheless, staff report being kept well informed by managers throughout the process, and describe feeing well supported. All staff and managers emphasised a unity of determination not to let personal feelings impact on the care of the young people, and this was evident throughout the inspection.

p.12

Leadership and management

The reorganisation has led to a slimmer management structure with clearer lines of accountability. There have been significant staff movements, with 12 staff being redeployed elsewhere and eight new staff since the last interim inspection. However, many of the new staff are experienced workers who have relocated from other residential units managed by the council. Some have worked in the home previously, thereby minimising the impact of these changes, and reducing the need for some aspects of induction. Despite personal impact, all staff confirmed to inspectors that the end results are clear positive benefits for the home with the creation of a strong and well-motivated staff team.

p.12

Leadership and management

Managers have plans in place to improve and have high aspirations for the home. There is already more cross-working and liaison between the staff on the two residential units. This enables staff to work across both units with ease. This is monitored and audited, resulting in consistent practice across the two units.

p.12

Leadership and management

At the time of the inspection, there were seven full-time posts yet to be filled, with the final round of interviews due to be held shortly. However, staffing ratios are maintained at a high level through a combination of existing staff undertaking extra shifts, staff from nearby open children’s homes covering some shifts, and use of agency staff. Managers ensure that most agency staff used are well known to the home, with some having been previous permanent employees. Nevertheless, there is significant use of temporary staff particularly at the weekends, and managers ensure this is compensated for by increasing staffing numbers at these times.

p.12

Leadership and management

Young people’s individual needs are considered sensitively and difference is celebrated and promoted. Efforts are made to increase young people’s understanding of wider issues with, for example, lessons discussing aspects of world religions.

p.12

Leadership and management

The home is adequately resourced although the nature of young people’s increasingly complex mental health needs means there is increasing pressure on the currently commissioned specialist external mental health services. In terms of physical resources, the home is extremely well maintained with a rolling programme of upgrades to fabric, fittings and furnishings in place. The council confirms its commitment to maintaining the home as a high quality secure home with resources being made available promptly to maintain the high standard. There is good quality CCTV in communal areas and health and safety requirements are vigorously attended to with external scrutiny encouraged. For example, the council’s corporate health and safety team was invited to undertake an audit and its recommendations were acted upon promptly. Similarly, the Department for Education’s commissioned architects are used well by managers to advise on any

p.12

Leadership and management

developments or upgrades to the home to maximise quality and value for money. Good efforts are underway to address a long-standing deficit regarding the malfunctioning of audio-visual leisure facilities destined for the young people’s bedsits. A recent agreement has been reached whereby the council’s IT department has devolved responsibility to a provider with a track record in maintaining such provision. This is a testament to the tenacity of managers to achieve their high aspirations for the home.

p.13

Outcomes in education and related learning activities

The outcomes in education and related learning activities are good .

p.13

Outcomes in education and related learning activities

The education of young people is good. Most young people admitted have experienced disrupted patterns of education and complex and extremely challenging backgrounds.

p.13

Outcomes in education and related learning activities

The young people achieve well during their time at the home across a range of qualifications and modules of learning. This includes English, mathematics, information and communications technology (ICT), science, art and humanities and those with appropriate skills are successful in GCSEs. The standard of the young people’s work is generally high and teachers provide good verbal feedback. In a few instances written feedback from teachers does not identify sufficiently what the young person has done very well or what they have to do to improve their work. Teachers work well with the young people to produce portfolios of work which raises their confidence and self-esteem. The completed and on-going work of the young people is not celebrated sufficiently in classrooms.

p.13

Outcomes in education and related learning activities

The behaviour management programme is implemented consistently by teachers. The progress of each young person is monitored daily and allows the young person with the highest score to choose the Friday evening activity. The young people value this system that sets a healthy competitive element in a safe environment. Punctuality and attendance in education are good and non-attendance is appropriately challenged. The management of behaviour in lessons is excellent and staff use their expertise and knowledge of the young people to encourage them to keep to task and make progress in their learning. This is effective in helping the young people develop resilience and self-confidence.

p.13

Outcomes in education and related learning activities

Teaching and learning are good. Lessons are well planned, appropriately paced and the young people generally make good progress. Teachers and care workers work together very well to provide a calm and purposeful learning environment. Teachers devise a range of appropriately challenging individual tasks. The different learning needs and preferred learning styles of the young people are fully considered. Teachers make reference to initial assessment outcomes to help guide the young people. Data on prior achievement is, however, often scarce or not available on admission.

p.13

Outcomes in education and related learning activities

Most teachers make good use of ICT and allow the young people to further develop their technological skills. Teachers successfully encourage young people to engage in discussions and to help them develop ideas and make choices. The links between the different lessons are insufficient to help the young people understand the importance of English and mathematics in the different subjects. Little reference is made in lessons to help the young people understand the links in their learning between, for example, cooking and healthy eating in science. Reference to the world of work and the necessity of generic employability skills is limited.

p.14

Outcomes in education and related learning activities

The range of subjects available to the young people is good and staff work well to ensure that individual subject choices are met wherever possible. Each young person has a personalised curriculum to meet their needs as accurately as possible including identifying interests and aspirations. The curriculum is flexible and identifies a range of accreditation pathways available and it is enhanced through a wide range of out- of-education activities. Regular physical education promotes healthy lifestyles well. Opportunities to take part in a practical world of work related curriculum with clear links to English and mathematics to help prepare young people for transition and future employment are limited. Learning resources are good and the access to books to promote the enjoyment of reading has improved.

p.14

Outcomes in education and related learning activities

Young people benefit from good support that helps most of them to achieve their goals during their stay at the home. Teachers provide some good informal advice and guidance about life choices in education and potential job choice during the lessons and the young people appreciate the teachers experience and expertise.

p.14

Outcomes in education and related learning activities

The management of education is good with clear policies and procedures applied consistently. Staff are kept well informed of the wider issues currently affecting the strategic direction for the home. They work well as a team and have developed a high degree of flexibility to cope with on-going change. They maintain their enthusiasm and demonstrate a continued commitment to the young people. Some uncertainty in relation to staff vacancies puts pressure on the day- to- day management with an over-reliance on the use of supply teachers.

p.14

Outcomes in education and related learning activities

The manager has worked hard to maintain a positive ethos with a strong sense of mutual respect and courtesy. The local authority’s schools’ advisory board is effective in providing appropriate challenge. The self-evaluation report is broadly accurate but is large, repetitive and cumbersome. Staff are well qualified. Performance management includes observations of teaching and learning with some reference to assessment. Good links with schools and agencies across the county including a local College, have initiated a review of the potential for vocational training opportunities for young people. The management information system has improved and provides an overall evaluation of achievements and progress in reading, literacy and number.

p.14

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.

p.16

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 and the evaluation schedule for the inspection of children's homes.

p.16