Children's Home run by Frances House Ltd in Lancashire

Unique reference number SC403462 Inspection date 20/08/2013 Inspector Graham Robinson Type of inspection Full Provision subtype Children's home

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Date of last inspection 07/03/2013 Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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Brief description of the service

The home is operated by a private organisation and is registered to care for up to five young people, of both genders, between the ages of 11 and 17 years. The home cares for children with emotional and behavioural difficulties.

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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

Young people continue to make outstanding progress in all areas of their lives. They thrive in a nurturing, supportive environment, underpinned by the proactive, safe working practices adopted by the home.

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Overall effectiveness

An energetic, well-motivated, child-centred staff team, under the direction of a skilled and committed manager, succeeds in creating a consistency of care that is of high quality. Boundaries are clearly defined giving young people a feeling of safety and security. Any challenging or unsafe behaviour is managed effectively and supportively by a staff team that has the capabilities and commitment to initiate safe working practices.

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Overall effectiveness

Staff excel at working proactively to keep young people safe, an area that is recognised as a particular strength of the home by colleagues from external agencies charged with safeguarding responsibilities. One of many comments received during the inspection captures this feeling; `I feel Francis House go above and beyond to monitor the safety of young people, they encourage the young people to take responsibility for themselves’. This is facilitated by educating young people and by making them aware through training, professional guidance and nurture that they do matter and their well-being is paramount to staff. Emotional warmth and support is offered in abundance coupled with consistency of staff routines, strategies and understanding of teenage issues.'

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Overall effectiveness

Aspirations for young people are high and this is reflected in the plans and ambitions young people have about themselves for when they eventually move on. The positive relationships, coupled with underlying respect young people and staff have for each other allows young people to modify past behaviours and lead a more socially acceptable lifestyle. They reconnect with their education and develop emotionally and socially as they grow in confidence and progress. Personalised plans and strategies to meet individual needs and promote greater independence are revised and updated to keep these current and reflect progress.

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Overall effectiveness

Although not without difficulties, the period since the previous inspection has seen the home continue in its growth and development. This is due to effective management, underpinned by diligent and continuous monitoring. Strengths and weaknesses are quality assured and assessed, with suitable plans in place for continued development. As a result, young people's welfare is promoted positively in an environment where staff work effectively with external agencies to keep them safe.

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Overall effectiveness

This inspection has not raised any areas of concern and the report does not include any requirements or recommendations.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Outcomes for young people are outstanding .

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Outcomes for children and young people

Based on their starting points, young people are achieving outstanding outcomes in all areas of their lives. The ethos and working practices developed by the home support young people towards setting and achieving personal goals, which are reflected in their ambitions for the future.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people’s individual needs are identified and reflected in the plans and strategies drawn up for them. The home provides a secure base, allowing young people to grow in confidence and develop strong bonds and relationships. As a result, they make exceptional progress with their ability to form attachments, develop resilience and in their understanding and appreciation of their own circumstances.

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Outcomes for children and young people

This is reflected in the views expressed during the inspection by young people. One captured those feelings by writing; `I'd like to thank you for everything you do for us. We take things for granted but without Francis House most of us would have taken the wrong path is life. I know you have helped us all and you will never give up trying to give us a good new start. I appreciate everything you do for us. Being at Francis house has made me look at my future in a whole new light, and I'd like to thank you for that. You got me heading in the right direction and I am so grateful for that.'

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Outcomes for children and young people

Contact arrangements, which can be complex, are well supported and facilitated by staff. Young people, family members and young people's social workers acknowledge this, which results in all parties benefitting from the contact arrangements in place. As a result, young people’s contact arrangements and needs are well met. Young people's educational outcomes are outstanding, when compared to their starting points. There is an expectation placed on them that they will re-engage positively with their education, with all young people in the home currently living up to that expectation. This results in young people achieving high school attendance, which in turn improves confidence, self-esteem and ultimately, with them making significant educational progress.

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Outcomes for children and young people

The health needs of young people are being promoted positively. General health care is well integrated with any specialist care that may be required. This ensures young people have both their immediate day-to-day health needs, along with any specialist needs addressed. As a result, their physical, emotional and psychological needs are well met.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people are encouraged to improve their lifestyles through diet and exercise. For example, personal activity money received weekly by young people is not used if they choose an activity that includes exercise or promotes fitness. These activities are financed separately by the home. This is one of a number of initiatives introduced designed to promote good health and exercise. As a result, they enjoy improvements to their general health and fitness levels.

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Outcomes for children and young people

The home is well established within the community, having developed excellent relationships with neighbours and community leaders. For example, one neighbour spoken with during the inspection says of the home and young people; `It’s just like living next door to a normal family.' The home has maintained their strong links with the multi-cultural community that surrounds them. Photographs give an insight into the community based activities taking place.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Planning for transition and independence commences early with young people's participation in the home’s own independence training programme. The manager has revised and improved this programme further with the development of two complimentary independence packs that promote and record the journey taken by young people as they progress towards living a more independent lifestyle.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people are encouraged to take some responsibility and become involved in aspects of the home's life and development. For example, young people are given the opportunity to assist when the home recruits new staff. These initiatives give young people a feeling of worth and the experience that their views do matter. As a result, they develop greater self-esteem and this gives them practical skills and experiences in preparation of what to expect once they move on.

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Quality of care

The quality of the care is outstanding .

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Quality of care

Young people benefit from receiving an outstanding quality of care. This view is supported by young people, their family members and other professionals who deal with the home on a regular basis. For example, the head teacher from a school attended by two young people says; `The home takes on the role of parent and do it very effectively.' A professional states; `Staff have great relationships with young people, genuinely care for them and are prepared to go that extra mile to meet their needs.' The views of young people are reflected by one young person saying; `To me Francis House has made me more confident in myself from my appearance to my attitude towards others. I am very thankful for all their support.'

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Quality of care

The culture, ethos and working practices of the home are based on developing a trusting and nurturing environment where young people are supported, even through times of challenge, difficulty and stress. Developing and maintaining meaningful, relationships with young people is the underpinning factor in the homes success. The strong relationships formed, allied to the high aspirations staff have for young people, are used positively to reduce tension, unrest and develop trust. This contributes significantly to reducing the number of serious behaviour management incidents that occur in the home.

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Quality of care

Young people have access to information which promotes their rights and highlights how the complaints procedures can be accessed if necessary. Young people confirm they understand how to make a complaint and are confident to do so. However, they say that most issues are resolved early thorough dialogue with staff, negating the need to make a formal complaint.

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Quality of care

Consultation and on-going communication is a feature of daily life in the home. Young people confirm they are consulted regularly and feel they can influence certain aspects of the homes daily functioning, such as the choice of food, weekly activities and future leisure breaks. Regular young people's meetings along with monthly key worker sessions are forums identified by young people where formal consultation takes place. However, they say consultation, choice and decision making are everyday occurrences within the home. The practice of continuous consultation and acting upon it, gives young people a feeling of worth and a sense that their opinions and views do matter. It also gives them empowerment to control certain aspects of their own daily lives.

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Quality of care

This is a home where young people and staff actively enjoy each other's company, with both parties speaking well of each other. Young people are the focus of the homes daily routines, which is run for the benefit of them, not staff. This practice contributes significantly to the high quality of care provided being provided.

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Quality of care

There are a range of planning documents and assessments of risk which link effectively with each other. When read collectively, they give an excellent insight into the needs of a young person, along with the plans and strategies in place to meet those needs. High quality plans are individualised and include a young person’s identity, religious and cultural requirements. They are reviewed and updated regularly to keep them current. 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.

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Quality of care

The home is currently undergoing a major refurbishment, which is almost two thirds completed. Young people have had input into the planning of this major project and are all delighted with the results so far. For example, each one was happy to show off their bedroom, which has been refurbished in a style that suits the occupant. High quality fittings, equipment and décor have improved the fabric of the home significantly, whilst retaining its warm, homely feel. Photographs and mementos on display reflect young people’s positive experiences.

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Quality of care

Young people actively engage in a wide range of group activities, individual interests and leisure pursuits. For example, individuals have opportunities to follow their own individual interests such as taking singing lessons. They complement the shared activities which take place regularly within the local and surrounding area. Activities are meaningful and purposeful and serve to develop and sustain relationships. All the young people had just returned from a holiday in Cornwall, which they all thoroughly enjoyed and were keen to show off the photographs which reflected their positive experiences.

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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

The arrangements in place to safeguard and protect young people are outstanding. Young people make it clear they feel safe, secure and that the home is a safe place to be. The home has developed and maintains excellent links with a range of external agencies, who report positively with regard to the excellent levels of communication, along with the collaborative and cohesive working practices that exist between themselves and the home. For example, one says about staff that they are; `On the ball with tight supervision. Staff have a very good awareness of safeguarding issues and will ring and run things by us if they have any issues.'

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Safeguarding children and young people

Staff work proactively to reduce risk and they understand their responsibilities and duties in promoting young people's welfare. Individual knowledge of young people's needs, coupled with a detailed knowledge of the surrounding community, provide a sound mechanism for responding to young people's changing needs for safety and protection.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Bullying is not an area of current concern for young people. They confirm staff quickly challenge and intervene should an incident occur, giving them a feeling of security and general safety.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Staff are committed and focused to stop young people from going missing. When they do, pro-active procedures are initiated that are effective in retrieving young people quickly. This is based on the excellent knowledge staff have of young people, as well as the local area and where a young person is likely to be. Close links and effective working practices with police, ensures staff respond appropriately to any incidents that do occur. This multi-agency response to missing young people minimises situations where they can become vulnerable or put themselves at risk. As a result, the number of incidents of young people missing reduces. Young people recognise that good behaviour is rewarded and say that rules and boundaries are fair. Staff work positively rather than punitively with young people, even during times of unrest and challenge. They are clear that physical intervention is used only as a last resort and this is reflected in the low number of incidents taking

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Safeguarding children and young people

place since the previous inspection. The consistent and effective monitoring of incidents ensures young people’s individual strategies are kept under review and adapted as required. This ensures that serious behaviour management incidents, while rare, are safely managed.

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Safeguarding children and young people

The staff team has had some changes since the previous inspection. Appropriate recruitment policies and practice are in place to ensure that any new staff are suitably recruited and cleared, prior to taking up their posts. Longer serving staff are being re-checked over a three year cycle, ensuring that only suitably checked people have contact with young people.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Young people are protected through a range of risk assessments identifying hazards in and away from the home. They participate in regular fire drills and can safely exit the home if needed. Safety checks to maintain a safe environment are regularly undertaken. Individual risk assessments, coupled with coping strategies, promote a safe environment for all young people. Individual strategies are updated in light of reviews of young people’s risks and progress.

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Leadership and management

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

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Leadership and management

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

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Leadership and management

The management of the home, both internally and externally, remains outstanding. An energetic, fully committed, child focused manager enjoys the full support of the staff team. There is an openness and willingness to review and adapt practice if required. The home had a difficult period recently following an allegation that was not upheld and proved to be false. Staff united with the manager to steer the home through this short, troubled period, without impacting negatively on young people. This is testimony to the managers’ skills, along with the commitment and dedication of staff.

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Leadership and management

The formal supervision and appraisal of staff takes place consistently and staff acknowledge the high level of support they receive. There is a strong commitment to professional development with a significant investment into staff training. Staff regularly attend training sessions which introduces them to new learning as well as revising set knowledge and skill basis. Recently recruited staff follow an appropriate induction programme, with longer serving staff having either gained, or about to gain, an appropriate professional qualification. This ensures staff develop and maintain skills that allow them to meet the diverse needs of the young people in their care.

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Leadership and management

The internal and external monitoring of the home takes place regularly and meets with regulatory requirement. Monitoring is an area of strength, with weekly monitoring feeding into monthly evaluation which provides for excellent and detailed updates of young people which social workers receive monthly. All aspects of the homes functioning is effectively monitored and evaluated and this is reflected in the home's written development plan.

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Leadership and management

The home has an excellent record of compliance and no requirements or recommendations were carried over from the previous inspection. The home continues to demonstrate its capacity for continued improvement. For example, recent developments have included; improved monitoring of behaviour management, improved quality with the monthly reports submitted to young people's social workers and with the major refurbishment of the home currently being undertaken.

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Leadership and management

Young people like living at the home and see their immediate futures as continuing to live in the home. This is reflected in a letter sent to the manager by one of the young people who says; `I would love to stay at Francis House long term and I hope you can handle me in the future.' Young people are looked after by a staff team who collectively work to improve outcomes for young people. There is an energy and balance to the home that allows young people to settle, explore issues and make mistakes from which learn. This allows and encourages them to adopt a more socially acceptable view of life, which is reflected in their plans and aspirations for the future.

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

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