Children's Home run by Footsteps a Path to Change Limited in Staffordshire

Unique reference number SC446261 Inspection date 16/10/2013 Inspector Amanda Ellis 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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Brief description of the service

The children's home accommodates three young people with emotional and behavioural difficulties. It is privately owned and is one of three children's homes operated by the provider. The home can accommodate young people with physical disabilities if their primary need is emotional or 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 good .

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Overall effectiveness

Young people benefit from highly individualised care and comprehensive care planning. They are actively involved in reviewing their care plans. The individual needs of young people are clearly identified, well met and reviewed. They make strong progress from their time of admission to this home. They receive care and support which encourages them to expand their horizons and fulfil their potential.

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Overall effectiveness

Young people have very positive views about their care, the staff and the home. They are able to reflect on how they have benefited from their placement and support at this home. Relationships between young people and staff are excellent.

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Overall effectiveness

Young people are safe and report that they feel safe. Safeguarding practices are robust and implemented by a skilled staff team. Young people do not engage in risk- taking or offending behaviours. The well-being of individual young people is at the centre of their practice, irrespective of the challenges they present.

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Overall effectiveness

The home is well managed and has plans in place to promote improvement. The manager ensures that the staff team is motivated, well trained and committed to providing a high standard of care to the young people.

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Overall effectiveness

Shortfalls identified within this inspection are in relation to internal and external monitoring processes and physical intervention records fully complying with regulation. However, these shortfalls do not negatively affect the outcomes for children.

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Statutory Requirements

This section sets out the actions which must be taken so that the registered person/s meets the Care Standards Act 2000, Children's Homes Regulations 2001 and the National Minimum Standards. The registered person(s) must comply with the given timescales.

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Reg. Requirement Due date

17B (2001) ensure that within 24 hours of the use of any measure of control, restraint or discipline in a children's home, a written record is made in a volume kept for the purpose, which shall include a description of the measure used (Regulation 17B (3)(c)) 29/11/2013

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) establish and maintain a system whereby the person carrying out visits in accordance with this regulation shall interview, with their consent and in private, specifically with reference to parents, relatives and persons working at the home as appears necessary in order to form an opinion of the standard of care provided in the home (Regulation 33 (4) (a)) 29/11/2013

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) establish and maintain a system for monitoring the matters set out in Schedule 6 at appropriate intervals, with specific regard to improving the quality of care provided in the children’s home. (Regulation 34 (1) (b)) 29/11/2013

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people make great strides within this home. Positive relationships with staff enable them to form attachments. This means young people feel sufficiently secure to explore their self-identify and build resilience. One social worker said, ‘this is best place he has ever been. It is the most secure he has ever felt, he even likes himself! This is because of the genuine care which the team give him.’ Consequently, young people progress to develop a more positive self-view and improved emotional resilience.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people benefit from improved health with the provision of routine health care They are provided with specialist support by other professionals on issues such as smoking cessation and sexual health. Consequently, young people can make informed decisions about their health, based on good levels of understanding and knowledge. This means that young people benefit from good health outcomes.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Educational achievement and attendance are greatly improved, with the provision of bespoke educational packages and support. Some young people progress to successful study in college and other young people benefit from creative vocational and functional skills education packages. Individual needs and interests are identified in educational programmes, which mean young people are motivated to study, thereby they engage and learn.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Contact arrangements with family, friends and significant people are promoted, in accordance with individual care plans, for the benefit of the young people. This means relationships are maintained and young people retain their sense of heritage.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people develop their independence skills in line with their age and understanding. Support and guidance from staff, combined with effective assessment, prepares young people to live independently. They develop confidence, practical experience and knowledge.

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Quality of care

The quality of the care is outstanding .

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Quality of care

Young people and staff have excellent relationships. One young person said, ‘they are all great really, I like every single one of them, we all have a laugh. It’s my home.’ One social worker stated, ‘they are a highly skilled and stable staff team who have stuck with him. He believes in them.’ Young people thrive because of effective relationships with staff.

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Quality of care

Staff have consistently high aspirations for the young people. They demonstrate creativity and resourcefulness in ensuring young people achieve their potential. An extensive range of activities within the home and community ensure young people benefit from a broad experience of life. For example, some young people are learning to play a musical instrument, joining in with activity groups and enjoying holidays. Consequently, young people flourish with the quality of the care they receive.

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Quality of care

Young people say that they feel listened to and that their views are actively sought. They make a positive contribution to the home through regular meetings, where they make choices about their menus, activities and routines. They contribute to decisions about their care in reviewing their placement plans and case records. Young people recently participated in the recruitment of new care staff. This means that service provision develops in line with young people’s views about the quality of their care.

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Quality of care

Young people receive a guide, which contains comprehensive information on their care, advocacy, contacts and the details for Ofsted. This means young people know what to expect of their care arrangements and they can exercise their views in regards to any potential concerns or complaints they may have.

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Quality of care

Care plans, placement plans, risk assessments and behaviour management plans are meticulous in detail. Young people have their own copies of all of their care plans, which ensure that they are centrally involved in contributing to their care. Systematic reviews of plans ensure that the staff team has clarity to provide effective support and young people benefit from consistent high quality in care standards.

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Quality of care

The home has a strong ethos about all young people engaging and achieving in education. A dedicated educational professional works with the care team to provide stimulating educational packages. Some young people have not regularly attended school prior to coming to the home. All of the young people have since re-engaged with education. This is because the staff team are proactive and creative in channelling young people’s interests. Consequently, young people develop the skills, confidence and knowledge to achieve educational and vocational awards.

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Quality of care

The home provides a healthy environment. Staff ensure young people access relevant services to meet their physical, psychological and emotional needs. Medication arrangements are very well managed, with robust administration, storage and recording processes.

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Quality of care

The staff and management team forge exceptionally effective partnerships with external agencies and social work professionals. One professional commented, ‘I can't fault them; they have excellent professional relationships with us as the placing authority. We undertake a range of announced and unannounced visits. They are always welcoming. Their communication is efficient and transparent in providing any requested information. They are most suitable for this type of young person who has very complex needs.’

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Quality of care

The home is an exceptionally well decorated, furnished and maintained home. It provides the space for privacy and communal activity. The home is in a semi-rural location and set within landscaped gardens, which offers the space for outdoor activities. It provides a comfortable and homely environment in which young people can thrive.

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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 state clearly that they feel safe. Their safety and well- being are promoted through stringent work practices and comprehensive, regularly updated risk assessments. This ensures that young people can participate and engage in activities commensurate with their age and abilities, whilst remaining safe.

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Safeguarding children and young people

The home has clear procedures in place to notify the relevant bodies in the event of a young person going missing. Staff demonstrate excellent levels of understanding of the relevant policies and procedures and implement them when necessary. Young people, who had prolific histories in running away from home, now do not go missing. Incidents of young people not returning to the home at the agreed time are minimal; however, the home treats such incidents with equal seriousness. Safeguarding practices ensure that young people do not go missing. There have been no physical interventions within this home since the last inspection. This is a significant achievement for some young people. One young person told the inspector how proud he was, that he can now manage his own behaviour and does not need restraint. All staff are suitably trained to undertake any physical intervention with regular refresher training. While there have been no physical

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Safeguarding children and young people

interventions since the last inspection, the format for the recording of such incidents is not in line with the legislative framework. The omission of the views of young people and staff means that monitoring of the impact and effectiveness of the intervention cannot by fully evaluated by the manager.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Young people do not engage in any form of risk-taking behaviour. A social worker commented that ‘there have been no incidents requiring the police. He has made tremendous progress. This has been achieved through perseverance and care from the staff.’ This means that young people are able to integrate in a meaningful way with positive activities and forming appropriate relationships with peers.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Behaviour management strategies have a strong focus on motivating good behaviour through a system of reward. Young people benefit from individualised reward and incentive schemes and consistency from staff in promoting positive behaviour. Records demonstrate that good behaviour is recognised and rewarded. Consequently, young people are encouraged to take responsibility for their behaviour.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Staff employed to work in the home experience a rigorous selection process prior to taking up their positions. There has been one new staff member since the last inspection. Robust recruitment processes and the recording and monitoring of visitors to the home further ensure the protection of young people from potential harm.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Complaints and allegations are treated seriously and in line with the providers own procedures. There have been no allegations or complaints made since the last inspection which have been upheld. Young people report no incidents of bullying within the home.

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Safeguarding children and young people

A safe and secure environment promotes the safety and well-being of young people. Maintenance within the home is of an extremely high standard, with staff implementing consistent monitoring and security to ensure all health and safety issues are routinely checked.

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Leadership and management

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

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Leadership and management

Leadership and management arrangements are robust. The Registered Manager and management team are experienced and knowledgeable professionals. They have significant experience and skills in working with young people with emotional and behavioural difficulties and challenging behaviour. The Registered Manager leads a staff team who are highly qualified and have a wide range of skills, which are utilised in daily practice. Staff receive excellent levels of training and benefit from regular, supportive supervision. The manager plans staff shifts to ensure the staff team have the combined necessary skills and experience to effectively work together and fully meet the needs of the young people. As a result, young people are well supervised and supported.

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Leadership and management

The shortfalls identified at the last inspection have been addressed. The external monitoring reports are submitted in a timely way. This enables the manager to review and address any pending actions. The manager has introduced a system to consult with young people in contributing to staff appraisals. This empowers young people to further contribute their views on the quality of their care provided in the home.

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Leadership and management

The provider ensures that required external quality assurance checks are conducted on a monthly basis to monitor the quality of care. A report about these visits is sent regularly to Ofsted. These reports identify shortfalls in the standard of care. However, the reports fail to consult with parents and staff. This means quality of care cannot be fully assessed.

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Leadership and management

The Registered Manager undertakes regular quality assurance checks under Regulation 34. These checks are supplied to Ofsted as required and demonstrate rigorous monitoring practice. However, they fail to identify how the quality of care will be improved in the home.

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Leadership and management

Records are clear, up-to-date and stored securely. All notifications are progressed as required and appropriate action is taken to follow procedures and protect young people.

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Leadership and management

The home demonstrates a strong capacity for continuing improvement based on its record of accomplishment and performance since the last inspection.

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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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