Children's Home run by Castle Homes Care Limited in Birmingham

Unique reference number SC377825 Inspection date 17/10/2013 Inspector Jo Stephenson Type of inspection Full Provision subtype Children's home

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Date of last inspection 06/03/2013 Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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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.

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Brief description of the service

The home provides care and accommodation for up to three young people with emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. The service is owned and operated by a private company.

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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 a nurturing, comfortable and welcoming environment that supports the individual needs of young people. Staff consistently deliver exceptionally personalised care plans and intervention programmes that encourage young people to prosper in all areas of their development. Staff are extremely motivated and have high aspirations for young people. Promoting positive outcomes is central to the work and ethos of the home. Young people continually convey their views, wishes and feelings on the running of the home and all aspects of their care and welfare. As a result, young people are pivotal to the development of the home.

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Overall effectiveness

Young people have excellent relationships with staff and benefit from the family atmosphere in the home. They are encouraged to recognise their ambitions and aspirations and are inspired and stimulated to achieve these. Staff liaise with a range of specialist services, such as mental health professionals, to supplement their work and support young people. Partnership work between the home and other agencies is outstanding. As a result, young people experience improved self-esteem and self- confidence.

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Overall effectiveness

Young people are safe in the home and say they feel safe, secure and protected. Staff are well trained and supported in their role by an experienced and effective management team. The Registered Manager seeks regular feedback from young people, placing authorities and other professionals to shape the development of the home and identify strengths and areas for improvement. Monitoring systems are clear and evaluative. This means the quality of care and outcomes for young people is continually reviewed.

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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

Staff celebrate and support the achievements of young people and this means they develop a positive self-view and emotional resilience. As a result, young people make significant progress in all aspects of their lives. Staff have high aspirations for young people and encourage development through individual and tailored incentives and constant verbal praise. This means that young people respond well to staff and are able to form relationships based on mutual respect. One young person said, ‘I know the staff care about me and are proud of me.’ Staff support young people to understand their background through comprehensive partnership working and very personalised care planning. Subsequently, young people are able to make sense of their past and plan their future.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people are continually encouraged to attend their education placements and staff provide practical assistance to achieve this. For all young people, attendance has improved significantly since coming to the home. Young people take pride in their academic and vocational achievements and have made outstanding educational progress taking into account their starting point. Staff assist young people to complete homework and provide activities that compliments their national curriculum stage. As a result, young people profit from an integrated approach to their education and stability for their learning. Young people speak positively of their education and recognise the persistent efforts of staff to improve their attendance and achievements. One young person said, ‘the staff make sure I keep going to school so I can make something of life.’

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Outcomes for children and young people

Staff proactively promote the emotional, psychological and physical health needs of young people through established and effective partnership working with general and specialist health services. Intervention strategies provided by external agencies are embedded by staff during effectual one to one sessions with young people. This means that young people benefit from an integrated approach to meeting their health needs. Staff complete bespoke training sessions to gain further knowledge of specific health conditions. As a result, young people work with staff who understand their health needs.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Staff work closely with families and this is a considerable strength of the service. Young people verbalise their wishes and views in relation to current and proposed contact arrangements. Staff work with placing authorities to ensure the views of young people are sincerely considered and incorporated into pathway and transition plans. Furthermore, staff work with families to equip parents with the necessary skills to continue to support and develop young people. One parent commented, ‘The care programme provided is consistent and strategic and improved our family relationships.’ This means that young people re-establish and progress relationships with their families and other significant to them.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people participate in a varied range of social activities and are involved in youth forum workshops and events. They are provided with regular opportunities to socialise with others, outside of the residential group. As a result, young people expand their social circle and this enhances their self-confidence, interaction skills and self-esteem.

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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 relationships with staff. The home provides a well ordered, calm and relaxed atmosphere that young people succeed in. One parent said, ‘the home is a secure, pleasurable and comfortable environment for any young person to live in.’ Staff have an in-depth knowledge of the individual needs of young people and are able to determine antecedents to changes in mood. As a result, young people are the central focus of the home and staff are able to adapt their practice to ensure consistent support. Young people say that staff have helped them recognise and achieve their potential and address risk taking behaviours.

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Quality of care

Consultation with young people is exceptional in all aspects of their care. Staff undertake regular and effective one to one sessions with young people. These are detailed and address a range of topics relevant to individual young people and their progress. Young people benefit from detailed internal placement plans and behaviour plans that clearly identify their individual needs. Plans are fluid and stipulate integrated strategies to access additional support when necessary. Staff regularly review and amend internal placement plans, and communicate the progress young people make to placing authorities. Furthermore, young people devise ‘child friendly’ placement plans with staff to encourage them to recognise the significant and positive progress they are making. Young people are encouraged to negotiate proposed changes and amendments to internal plans and this means they take responsibility for their actions and personal development. As a result, young people’s

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Quality of care

views, wishes and opinions are involved in decisions about their future.

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Quality of care

Young people demonstrate confidence and assertion in expressing their views and regular participate in young people’s meetings. The Registered Manager immediately addresses any concerns raised and provides young people with written and verbal feedback. Young people confirmed they understand how to make a complaint and the means they can use to do this. Complaints from young people or others are rare, but are taken seriously and investigated fully in appropriate time scales. This means that young people feel assured that their concerns will be addressed and resolved.

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Quality of care

Staff support young people to pursue a range of activities and interests. These are incorporated in the daily routines of the home and individualised activity plans for young people. Furthermore, staff complete one to one sessions with young people to encourage them to maintain a healthy life style and consider factors that may impact on this, such as drug or alcohol abuse. In these circumstances, staff access a range of professional agencies that work with young people around these issues. This means that young people are able to make informed choices about their personal development. Education is pivotal to the structure and ethos of the home. Young people who were disengaged from education prior to admission have demonstrated excellent progress and achievements. Attendance and educational achievements are celebrated on a daily basis and ingrained in the objectives of the placement. As a result, young

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Quality of care

people understand the importance of education and are achieving their ambitions.

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Quality of care

The home is very well maintained and suitably located. The warm and homely atmosphere creates a calm and relaxed environment. For example, one parent said, ‘I honour the ‘home from home’ ambience that has been created and how young people are encouraged to bring their own personal touches to the home.’

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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 are safe and say they feel safe. Managers and staff ensure extremely detailed risk assessments are in place to protect young people from harm and promote their well-being and safety. A new risk assessment system means that activity, environmental and behaviour specific risk assessments are merged prior to any event commencing. Staff work in partnership with placing authorities and other professionals to identify the vulnerabilities of young people and put strategies in place to reduce known risks. As a result, young people are supported to take proportionate risks to assist their transition towards adulthood. Risk assessments are reviewed regularly and staff sign these to confirm their understanding. This means that young people are protected from harm and their safety is promoted.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Staff devise comprehensive behaviour management plans that incorporate short, medium and long term goals. Plans deliver strategies that emphasise consistent interventions and de-escalation techniques. Physical restraint is rare and only ever used as a last resort and associated records are appropriately completed. Young people benefit from continual verbal praise from managers and staff. This means that young people are encouraged to consider the impact of their behaviour on others and be responsible for their actions. Subsequently, the use of sanctions is minimal.

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Safeguarding children and young people

The home has protocols in place with local police regarding young people who go missing from the home. Staff receive regular training in child protection and safeguarding. Furthermore, the Registered Manager delivers regular missing from home workshops during staff meetings to ensure that staff knowledge and practice reflects updated legislation and guidance. Missing from home incidents have significantly reduced for all young people since their admission to the home. Young people are supported to make decisions that keep them safe. Bullying in the home is rare. Staff are sensitive to the signs and symptoms of bullying and young people have a sound understanding of the impact of bullying. One young person said, ‘I really like making the anti-bullying posters, they make you think.’ The Registered Manager ensures that any allegations against staff are promptly reported in line with safeguarding protocols. Concerns are dealt with transparently

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Safeguarding children and young people

and within acceptable time scales, providing support for both young people and staff. The home adheres to organisational recruitment policies and procedures. All staff are appropriately vetted and monitored and this means young people work with suitably selected staff and are safe from harm.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Staff maintain health and safety records to an exceptionally high standard. Robust and systematic systems are established to immediately highlight and action any shortfalls. Young people regularly participate in fire tests and drills and understand the fire procedures in place.

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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 home is effectively and efficiently run by a motivated, proficient and permanent manager. The Registered Manager has a strong commitment to improving outcomes and the quality of care for young people. Young people and placing authorities are clear about the support the home provides, and the home meets the aims and objectives detailed in the Statement of Purpose. Placing authorities positively confirm the exceptional progress young people make at the home. One social worker said, ‘This home is marvellous and the manager and staff are superb. Living here really helps young people to turn their lives around.’

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Leadership and management

The Registered Manager has forged excellent multi-agency working with other professionals and placing authorities and this is a significant strength of the service. The home produces detailed progress reports prior to statutory reviews and external agencies say that communication with the home is factual and informative Young people attend their review meetings and are encouraged to recommend any changes they want to be included in their care plans. As a result, young people say they feel involved in decisions about their placement and their future.

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Leadership and management

Staff have an extensive range of skills and are proficient at identifying the welfare and care requirements of young people. This means that young people work with staff that are able to recognise and meet their needs. Staff receive regular and effective supervision that compliments their role and considers their personal development. The manager ensures that mandatory training is repeatedly refreshed. In addition, the Registered Manager provides specialist and specific training workshops to reflect the individual needs of young people.

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Leadership and management

The Registered Manager recognises the strengths and weaknesses of the service and regularly identifies approaches to improve services. The home is well resourced and structured to endorse stability and consistency for young people. Robust and effective systems are in place to monitor the quality of care and outcomes for young people. Systems identify patterns and trends and this information is dissimilated to staff during regular team meetings. All record are clear and securely stored. Case file records are fluid, detailed and regularly appraised and this means that they contribute to an understanding of young people’s backgrounds, experiences, progress and future plans.

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Leadership and management

Young people are consulted on the running of the home and managers take account of their suggestions during the regular review and evaluation of the home’s development plan. As a result, young people are involved in the development of the home. Young people say they enjoy making decisions regarding furnishings, fixtures and fittings and are encouraged to decorate their bedrooms.

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Leadership and management

Young people mature in a home where boundaries and expectations are clear and staff practice is consistent and reflective. As a result, the service has an immensely positive impact on young people and improves their life chances though personalised care and dedication. One parent said, ‘I cannot thank the home enough for supporting me and my family. Our lives are so much better now.’

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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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