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

Unique reference number SC363630 Inspection date 11/11/2013 Inspector Ann-Marie Born Type of inspection Interim Provision subtype Children's home

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Date of last inspection 12/06/2013 Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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Brief description of the service

This service is a privately run children's home. The home provides accommodation for up to three young people. It is registered to provide care for young people who have behavioural or emotional difficulties.

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Brief description of the service

A separate building within the home's grounds is registered as a school with the Department for Education. The school facility is available to young people placed in this home.

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The inspection judgements and what they mean

Good progress The children’s home has demonstrated continued improvement in quality of care and outcomes for children and young people and where appropriate has addressed all requirements and the large majority of recommendations that were raised at the previous inspection. Satisfactory progress The children’s home has maintained quality of care and outcomes for children and young people and where appropriate has addressed all requirements and the majority of recommendations that were raised at the previous inspection. Inadequate progress The children’s home has failed to address one or more requirements and/or has not met the majority of recommendations and/or the quality of care and outcomes for children and young people have declined since the last full inspection.

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Progress

Since their previous inspection the service is judged to be making good progress .

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Progress

This interim inspection focused on the progress made by the home since the last full inspection in June 2013, at which the overall judgement was outstanding. There were no requirements or recommendations made at the previous inspection. However new developments achieved benefit young people and demonstrate the home's capacity to improve. Following this interim inspection the home is judged to be making good progress.

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Progress

All of the young people in the home are new to the setting since the last inspection. Nevertheless as a result of the extremely good quality of care, young people have built sustainable attachments with staff and are in the process of doing so with each other. A social worker commented: 'I would say he’s settled in very well. He has engaged well and is building relationship with key workers. Staff have remained consistent in their care and management of him.' A major strength in this home is the staff’s knowledge and understanding of the young people in their care. Young people's individual, holistic needs are comprehensively identified in care planning and proactively addressed in their day- to-day care. These are complemented by very good individual reward charts. These enable young people to achieve realistic and specific goals. As a result young people's self-esteem, feelings of self-worth and confidence improve as they develop

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Progress

important life skills. A staff member stated: 'we really get to know young people and make sure we listen to them. We hear what they say and use what they want to make that difference for them while we keep them safe.'

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Progress

High staffing levels and stringent safeguarding processes ensure young people are safe. Young people benefit from being cared for by a consistent and experienced staff team. Extensive individual risk assessments allow young people to engage in positive, inclusive activities within the home and community while ensuring they are safeguarded. However, these risk assessments are not developed with or signed by young people consequently further opportunities for them to learn self-protection skills are being missed.

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Progress

The experienced manager has instituted a new system to ensure that key work sessions with young people are carefully planned and take place when agreed. These sessions are then comprehensively recorded within a tracker system to demonstrate improvements. However, not all young people are taking the opportunity to see or sign these records therefore the full impact of their worth may not be fully understood.

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Progress

Young people are sensitively enabled to understand the impact their early life experiences and cultural backgrounds have on their lives today and for their future development. This work is enhanced by the alternative 'life story work book' formats which have been developed together with young people since the last inspection. This allows young people to choose which method of book they want, rather than all having the same. Consequently young people feel included, valued and develop further communication and negotiation skills.

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Progress

The committed and proactive manager is ambitious for the young people in her care. Young people are well informed of their rights and the range of independent people and organisations available for them to consult or complain to. An independent reviewing officer stated, 'they have progressed getting an independent advocate for her'. As a result, young people develop an awareness of the choices open to them, their sense of security and well-being is enhanced and they trust staff because 'they do what they say they are going to'.

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further the service should take account of the following recommendation(s):  ensure that all children communicate their views on all aspects of their care and support. (NMS 1.3)

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About this inspection

The purpose of this inspection is to assure children and young people, parents, the public, local authorities and government of the quality and standard of the service provided. The inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000 to assess the effectiveness of the service and to consider how well it complies with the relevant regulations and meets the national minimum standards.

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About this inspection

The report details the progress made by the provider since the last full inspection, identifies any further strengths, any areas for improvement and makes judgements as outlined in the Inspection of children’s homes – framework for inspection.

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