Children's Home run by The Together Trust in Stockport

Unique reference number SC025739 Inspection date 26/11/2013 Inspector Mandy Williams Type of inspection Full Provision subtype Children's home

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Date of last inspection 13/03/2013 Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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Brief description of the service

The home is owned and operated by a private organisation. It is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to four children and young people. The young people may have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties or learning disabilities.

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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

This is an exceptionally good home which provides personalised care, taking full account of the individual needs and circumstances of young people. The home makes a positive difference to young people's lives. Staff provide a consistency of care that is essential for young people who often move to the home with poor attachments as a result of their early life experiences.

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Overall effectiveness

Young people largely enjoy positive, warm and respectful relationships with staff and with each other. Staff demonstrate a very clear understanding of the needs of the young people and the issues specific to each of them. They demonstrate a real commitment to improving outcomes for young people.

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Overall effectiveness

Young people say they feel safe and well cared for. Robust care planning; risk assessment and partnerships with other agencies ensure that the welfare of young people is safeguarded.

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Overall effectiveness

Young people's views about their care and the running of the home are actively sought. They feel that they belong in the home and that their views are important. Young people are involved in discussions about their care and the plans for their future. Young people are engaging in tasks designed to help prepare them for independence.

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Overall effectiveness

Strong and effective management ensures that the home continues to meet the needs of the young people they are caring for. The monitoring of their progress is seen as a priority and practice is amended to meet the presenting needs of the young people if required. Some minor errors were evident during this inspection in relation to the monitoring of records but this has not had an impact on the positive outcomes for young people.

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Recommendations

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

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Recommendations

 ensure that the manager regularly monitors all records kept in the home to ensure compliance with the home's policies, and immediate action is taken to address any issues raised by this monitoring. (NMS 21.2)

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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

Outcomes for young people living in the home are excellent across all areas of their development. Young people living in the home have often experienced inconsistencies in their care prior to moving to the home which has impacted in their ability to trust adults and form attachments. The stable staff group in the home provide nurturing and consistent care. Consequently, young people have received predictable and reliable responses and have learnt to develop trust in those caring for them as a result. Young people feel that staff care for them and feel valued.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people have access to the organisation's psychological services. They are helped to develop an understanding of their past and learn to develop coping strategies for the future. Staff are also able to access advice and support from these services. This ensures that staff continue to respond to young people in the most appropriate way. Young people engage in life-story work so that they have factual information and are able to piece together their early memories. Consequently, some young people have made tremendous progress in developing an understanding of their past. Improvement in their emotional resilience and self-esteem is clearly evident. Similarly, staff are proactive in addressing young people's physical health. Young people are registered with a range of health care practitioners and staff provide them with a range of information on issues such as smoking or drinking alcohol. Young people are provided with information so that they are able to make

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people's attendance at school is excellent. All young people are making good academic progress. Young people are thinking about future career options and have accessed associated college courses. Some young people in the home have also obtained part-time employment; which provides a small income and demonstrates a positive work ethic. Young people are involved in the development of their pathway plans. Those approaching the move to independence are receiving support with acquiring the skills that they will ultimately require. Young people are appropriately prepared depending on their age and ability. For some this involves keeping their room tidy and managing their pocket money; while others have learnt to use public transport confidently; and routinely plan and cook their own meals. Young people have moved on successfully to independent living.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people receive encouragement and support to maintain contact with those important to them. Young people are able to utilise their free time for such meetings if appropriate, but staff also facilitate a wide range of contact arrangements. Young people are also enabled to have friends over to visit or stay overnight at the home on occasions, as is the norm for most young people of their age. In addition, young people have access to; the home telephone; computer access; and some have their own mobile telephones. This ensures that young people are able to maintain these important relationships over time.

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Quality of care

The quality of the care is outstanding .

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Quality of care

Young people receive excellent personalised care that is designed to meet their individual needs. Young people enjoy positive relationships with staff and all describe 'the staff' as the best thing about the home. Keyworker relationships are strong and young people have invested in them. This enables staff to work with young people to address any issues of concern and to plan positively for their future.

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Quality of care

The consistency of care provided by the stable staff group enables young people to be confident in the responses they will receive from those around them; which allows them to relax; grow and develop. Young people are thriving in this homely environment. One professional involved with the home commented, 'I am very impressed with the home. Staff develop an understanding of the young people very quickly. They are very child centred. Young people respond well to this approach and improvements in their behaviour is quickly evident.'

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Quality of care

Individualised placement plans are in place for all young people. These plans are subject to regular review and are agreed by those with parental responsibility. Young people are able to contribute to their plans. Staff place the well-being of young people at the centre of their practice and have been able to challenge barriers to them being able to fulfil their educational potential. Staff are confident to express their opinions in order for young people to access these opportunities.

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Quality of care

Good communication is maintained between the home and other professionals; as well as positive working relationships established with young people's families. Weekly update reports are prepared and sent to young people's social workers as well as very detailed and comprehensive monthly reports. One social worker commented, 'these are really helpful as they give me a clear picture of what has happened and highlight any issues for the young person as well as their achievements.' Similarly, another professional commented, 'communication is brilliant.' Parents are also positive about the home. One commented, 'staff listen to me and my child; they are friendly and easy to approach. They are patient with my child and they keep me up-to-date.' This ensures that all those involved with the young people are kept informed and are working together.

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Quality of care

Young people's views are integral to the running of the home. Their views are sought daily in informal discussions; as well as in keyworker sessions; and in young people's meetings that are held in the home. Young people feel that they are listened to and that their opinions matter. Young people are also involved in the organisation's young people's forum where they are able to raise any issues and contribute to its development. Young people are involved in the menu planning in the home. An imaginative approach has been introduced to assist with this as staff have developed a box with colour coded cards with meal suggestions. Young people can choose from this selection that also ensures that they are eating foods from a variety of nutritional groups. This helps young people vary their menu choices and helps them learn about healthy eating.

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Quality of care

The home is located in a quiet residential area. It is indistinguishable from other properties in the locality. It is furnished and decorated to a good standard. Young people are able to personalise their own bedrooms, helping them feel that they belong here.

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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 feel safe and are safe in the home. The organisation ensures that staff are carefully selected and vetted prior to starting work in the home. Any visitors to the home are also required to produce identification and sign into the visitors' book on arrival. This helps to ensure that young people are safeguarded against individuals who may pose them harm.

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Safeguarding children and young people

The welfare and safety of young people is a high priority for staff. The home has a bullying policy, although young people say this is not an issue in the home. Good staffing levels also help to minimise this risk. A range of personal risk assessments are completed to ensure that due consideration is given to the potential for harm to the young person if a specific situation were to arise. These are subject to regular review and revision. They indicate the progress that some young people have made in the home as their risk potential has reduced over time.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Similarly, young people benefit from individualised behaviour management plans, which clearly outline the most appropriate way for staff to manage their behaviours. Additionally, all staff are trained in the safe implementation of restraint should this be required to safeguard young people. When restraints are required young people confirm that safe procedures are followed. Comprehensive records are maintained following any incidents. This allows for incidents to be scrutinised and monitored, to ensure that the approach adopted by staff remains effective. Practice has been amended and as a result there has been a significant reduction in the need to restrain some young people. Incidents of restraint are now rare, as young people have been able to develop new strategies for managing their behaviours. This is significant progress.

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Safeguarding children and young people

The Registered Manager has also introduced a new system for monitoring any behaviour of concern. An individualised colour coded 'cardex' system has been introduced and placed on the wall in the office. This provides a clear visual indicator of particular incidents that have occurred and at what time of day. A photographic record is maintained each week. This enables staff to monitor the frequency and timing of any incidents with a view to reviewing the support given to young people at potentially critical times.

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Safeguarding children and young people

The ethos of the home is to promote positive behaviour. Each young person has a personal incentive plan. They work on individualised targets and receive points on completion. Young people identify their own reward that they will receive when they have been awarded sufficient incentive points. Young people understand this system and are motivated to achieve. Incentives achieved include attendance at a football match and a trip to London.

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Safeguarding children and young people

There have been no incidents of young people going missing from the home. However, risk assessments are in place for young people; these are in line with locally agreed protocols; and have been agreed with the local police. This ensures that staff are confident in the procedure to follow if a young person were to go missing from the home.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Young people live in a home that is physically safe and secure, as regular environmental safety checks are undertaken. Regular fire drills take place, including in night-time conditions. This ensures that young people are familiar with the process to follow if they needed to evacuate the home in the event of an emergency.

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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 has a very competent and experienced manager in place. She is well respected by staff, young people and professionals involved with the home. She is well established in the home and her leadership is dynamic and effective. Staff are motivated to achieve positive outcomes for young people as a result. There is a strong commitment to continuous improvement. Specific areas of responsibility are designated across the team to support the development of staff; make good use of the skills of the staff team; and to ensure that tasks are completed in a timely way. Staff take ownership and this helps to drive forward improvements in the home and progress the home's development plan.

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Leadership and management

The home operates in line with its comprehensive and regularly reviewed Statement of Purpose. The children's guide to the home is attractively presented. This outlines the care that young people should expect to receive and contains details about how to contact other professionals and how to make a complaint.

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Leadership and management

No requirements or recommendations were made as a result of the last interim inspection. Reports prepared on both the internal and external monitoring of the home are comprehensive and forwarded to Ofsted as required. An action plan is developed if required, ensuring that any identified shortfalls are addressed without delay. However, some missing staff signatures were identified at this inspection; and there was difficulty locating the most recent health and safety audit. These issues had not been identified during the routine monitoring of records in the home. However, they were quickly addressed during the inspection.

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Leadership and management

The monitoring of the progress that young people are making in the home is strong. Graphs are used to illustrate the frequency of a range of incidents such as restraints; sanctions; or missing from home. These provide a clear visual record of the progress that young people have made since admission to the home. Young people's progress is also discussed regularly at staff meetings and alternative approaches are implemented if young people are not making pleasing progress. This regular review ensures that the quality of care afforded to young people continues to meet their needs.

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Leadership and management

The home is appropriately resourced and employs a sufficient number of staff. Staff feel well supported by senior staff in the home and they receive regular supervision and appraisal. Staff receive sufficient training for them to be able to confidently meet the needs of the young people in their care. The Registered Manager maintains a training matrix to assist in the monitoring of this. Update training is accessed when required. This ensures that young people are cared for by staff that have the necessary support and skills to deliver a high standard of care.

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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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