Children's Home run by Woodside House Care Ltd in Blackburn with Darwen

Unique reference number SC357455 Inspection date 26/11/2013 Inspector Graham Robinson Type of inspection Full Provision subtype Children's home

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Date of last inspection 18/12/2012 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

This home is a private children's home owned and managed by a family partnership. It is registered to provide accommodation for up to four young people 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

This is a home that enjoys considerable success in purposely creating a warm, nurturing, family based group home. It is operated by a family team with support from a small, selected team of staff who contribute fully to the ethos, culture and working practices developed over the years. There is a history of young people, some with very complex needs and vulnerabilities, living at the home for long periods until their successful transition into adulthood. This results in them living in an environment where their needs come first, where they feel safe and secure and they thrive socially, emotionally, physically and educationally.

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Overall effectiveness

Young people benefit from developing strong and trusting relationships with staff. Boundaries are clear, consistent and recognisable to young people who view them as fair and in helping them to keep safe. This provides them with a real sense of security. Young people like living at the home, recognising the high levels of support they receive which allows them to function purposefully within the community. One young person summed up his own and the other young people's views by saying; `I am very happy with my placement. If I could tell anyone who is in care that is not happy with their placement, I would suggest this house.'

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Overall effectiveness

The proprietors screen referrals closely to ensure any disruption to the existing group is minimised. They also look to see that the individual needs of the group can be maintained alongside those referred, taking account of any likely changes to group dynamics. This helps young people to deal positively with change, while retaining their feeling of security. The home works collaboratively and cohesively with relevant stakeholders to ensure young people's needs are met. Feedback from other professionals and relevant stakeholders regarding the care of young people and in the manner the home operates, is consistently positive. For example, a social worker says; `A major plus point for this children's home is the family atmosphere. The children's home is run as a family.' Another describes the home as; `Brilliant, excellent, very focused on needs of the child.' A parent supports this positivity about the home by saying about their

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Overall effectiveness

child; `He now respects the boundaries put into place for him and is doing well in all aspects of his life, even at school where there have been some issues.'

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Overall effectiveness

Staff work proactively to keep young people safe, while continuing to promote and encourage them towards more appropriate decision making as they grow and mature. Personalised care plans, revised and updated monthly, ensure young people's needs are addressed, resulting in young people's welfare being promoted positively. This in turn leads to young people experiencing outstanding outcomes in all areas of their lives.

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Overall effectiveness

Excellent monitoring of the home, both internally and externally, provides a focus for continued development, based on evaluation and action planning.

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Overall effectiveness

This inspection has not raised any major areas of concern and the report contains no requirements or formal recommendations. The proprietors discussed areas where they wish to improve and suitable plans are in place for this to be achieved.

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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 are outstanding. They benefit from high levels of personalised care, underpinned by the family group model of care adopted by the home. Stable, long-term placements, coupled with the supportive environment created, allow young people to settle and prosper. They feel safe and secure due to the trusting relationships built with staff, which allows them to prosper socially, emotionally and educationally.

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Outcomes for children and young people

This view is supported by a range of external professional stakeholders contacted to provide views and opinions about the home. For example one states, `It is evident from my visits that the children's needs are catered for individually.' Another says; `I would absolutely recommend this children's home as a nurturing environment.' This is backed by another who says about staff; `They have a resolute, consistent approach to the care given to young people.'

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Outcomes for children and young people

The culture, ethos and working practices of the home support and encourage young people towards setting and achieving personal goals. These are aimed towards them experiencing a full and fulfilling life within the community. Their individual needs are identified and any difficulties or challenges presented are not viewed as a barrier, allowing young people to grow in confidence and develop strong relationships. This in turn, enhances their ability to form attachments and develop greater resilience. Staff work flexibly to accommodate contact arrangements, which can be complex. Young people confirm they feel well supported by a staff team that encourages and facilitates appropriate contact. As a result, young people’s needs are well met. This view is supported by other professionals with one stating; `There have been occasions where dealing with parents of a child placed at the home has been challenging, but staff have always taken this on and worked hard to ensure that

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Outcomes for children and young people

positive contact is promoted and facilitated where possible.'

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Outcomes for children and young people

The home has an excellent history of seeking and gaining appropriate educational arrangements for young people. Based on their starting points, young people's educational outcomes are outstanding. They are all fully engaged with their education or further education, with exceptional attendance levels noted. This is reflected in the excellent education attainments currently being achieved by all the young people living in the home. Strong links with schools and local colleges ensure young people have appropriate arrangements to further their education, once their formal education has been completed. The excellent outcomes being achieved educationally fuel young people with ambitions for their future, as well as extending their social network.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people's health needs are well met. They enjoy good health and their health needs are positively promoted. Young people are registered with community-based health services, giving them access to day-to-day health support. The home has excellent links to more specialised services, which are accessed to meet individual needs and provide additional support and oversight. Individual health plans, updated regularly, form part of the care planning package in place for each young person. This ensures individual health needs are assessed and fully met.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people speak positively about the quality of food served and take an active role in shopping, planning menus and food preparation. They are encouraged to try unfamiliar foods, appreciate different cultures and try international cuisine. Festivals and religious events are regularly celebrated.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people are encouraged to adopt a healthy lifestyle with a strong emphasis on fitness and diet. They are not indulging in habits that could adversely affect their health such as, tobacco, drugs and alcohol. As a result, young people 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 and actively encourages young people to take full advantage of the resources available, as well as making a contribution to the wider community they live in; for example, by supporting local and national charity fund-raising events. Photographs adorn the home reflecting young people's positive experiences as well as celebrating individual achievement.

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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 journey towards transition and independence is an area the home is looking to move forward and improve on. For example, the home is currently participating in a pilot project aimed towards improved pathway planning. This is having a beneficial effect on those young people approaching this transitional phase.

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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, a young person commented; `the staff here are kind to all of us and look after us very well and they treat us all the same.' Another says; `Best thing that ever happened to me when I came to live here.' The social worker of one young person says; `The staff are extremely keen on promoting good behaviour and manners. The children are very receptive to visitors and their behaviour is impeccable.'

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Quality of care

The strong, trusting relationships built up between staff and young people lay the foundation and underpin the high quality of care being experienced by young people. Excellent levels of daily, on-going communication within the home are used positively to reduce conflict and promote trust. This helps young people to recognise boundaries and why it is not always possible to act upon their demands and wishes This results in young people developing a greater appreciation of other people's needs, as well as their own, which helps them to take more informed decisions about themselves and others.

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Quality of care

Appropriate information about the complaints procedure and their rights is readily available to young people, who understand how they can make a complaint if they wish to do so. However, none have felt the need to access the complaints procedures since the previous inspection. Young people confirm they are confident to speak with staff if they have any issues or concerns and that staff are receptive and responsive to this.

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Quality of care

Consultation and on-going communication are a feature of daily in 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, activities and future leisure breaks. Young people's meetings, along with key worker sessions, are forums identified by young people where consultation takes place. However, they say consultation, choice and decision making are everyday occurrences within the home. This practice of continuous consultation and acting upon it, gives them a feeling of worth and a sense that their opinions and views do matter. It also gives young people empowerment to control certain aspects of their own daily lives.

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Quality of care

The range of planning documents and assessments of risk used by the home, 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 monthly to keep them current and sent out to social workers to keep them fully informed. 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

This is a home where young people and staff actively enjoy each other's company, with both parties speaking warmly about each other. Young people are central to the home's daily routines, which are 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

Young people are thriving in a home that is welcoming, homely and family orientated. Young people confirm they like the home and the environment they live in. This has been noted by others, with one social worker saying; `The home has a very relaxed and pleasant environment, reminiscent of a family home, which the children clearly appreciate.' The standards of repair, equipment, fixtures, furnishings and décor are high and young people like having their own bedrooms, which are personalised to reflect the taste of the occupant. Photographs and mementos on display reflect young people’s positive experiences.

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Quality of care

Developing skills and interests through activities is a particular strength of the home. Activities are meaningful and purposeful and serve to develop and sustain relationships. Every opportunity is taken to provide young people with new experiences with visits to theatres, museums and places of interest, which complement activities like the recent trip to Alton Towers. Watching a range of different sporting events encourages young people to become active themselves. Full use is made of local and wider facilities to provide them with opportunities to form friendships with others in the community, as well as encouraging them to become more integrated and accepted locally.

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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 about the excellent levels of communication, along with the collaborative and cohesive working practices that exist between themselves and the home. For example, one says; `Staff have asked for help from outside agencies to visit and speak with their children. For example, I have done input on missing from home and keeping safe.'

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Safeguarding children and young people

Young people confirm that bullying is not an issue of concern to them, with one saying; `we don't have any bullying in the home.' However they are confident that staff will 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

Close links and excellent working practices have been developed with the police missing from home co-ordinator, who confirms that young people do not go missing from this home, so there is little direct involvement. However, all the necessary information about young people, along with the appropriate procedures, is in place should anyone go missing.

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Safeguarding children and young people

The ethos and culture of the home is to work through challenges and difficulties supportively, rather than punitively. Young people understand and recognise this, saying the rules and boundaries in place are fair. Young people are rewarded for good behaviour rather than punished for poor behaviour. Relationships are such that young people have no real desire to be disruptive or upset others. As a result, serious behaviour management incidents in the home are rare. However, any that do are well and safely managed.

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Safeguarding children and young people

The small, dedicated staff team have worked together for some years providing young people with stability and a consistency of care. No new staff appointments have been made since the previous inspection. However, appropriate recruitment and clearance procedures, which reflect current good practice, are in place to ensure that any new staff are suitably cleared prior to taking up their posts.

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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, with appropriate service contracts in place to ensure emergency and domestic equipment is safe. 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 management and organisation of the home remains outstanding. The proprietors have a clear vision on how they want the home to function and progress. They are fully committed to the ethos, culture and working practices they have developed over the years and are fully supported by a small band of staff who assist them. Staff understand their role and responsibilities and work with the proprietors to address young people’s needs positively.

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Leadership and management

The staff team receive good support, receiving regular supervision and appraisal, which is an area of progression since the last full inspection. The team of staff are appropriately qualified and experienced. They regularly update their core training to revise their knowledge and skills, which ensures they possess the competences and skills to effectively meet young people’s diverse and complex needs.

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Leadership and management

Both the internal and external monitoring of the home is undertaken with consistency, resulting in comprehensive monitoring reports being completed regularly. Reports are detailed and evaluative, drawing on information from monitoring exercises to evaluate impact. They contain elements of quality assurance and ensure practice is accountable. Young people contribute to monitoring and can discuss their views. The management team demonstrates an understanding of the strengths of the home and areas in need of improvement, which are reflected in the home's written development plan.

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Leadership and management

The home has an excellent record of compliance with no requirements or recommendations carried over from the previous inspection. Since then the home has continued to move forward and progress, with a number of new initiatives being introduced since the previous inspection. For example, a new emergency lighting system has been installed, the guide to the home for young people has been revised and updated, with input from young people and with the homes current participation in the on-going pilot scheme to improve pathway planning, which has had a positive and practical effect for two young people.

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Leadership and management

Young people live in a warm, nurturing environment which goes as far as possible to recreate a family experience. The small, dedicated team of staff are fully committed to ensuring outcomes for young people are positive, which is reflected in the high aspirations they have for them. This allows young people to form socially acceptable views of life which assist in their integration into the community. As a result, they thrive and develop socially, emotionally and educationally. One external stakeholder encapsulates the views of others by saying; `I can only sing the praises of this home, the proprietors and the way they look after young people and promote their welfare.'

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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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