Children's Home run by Cambian Childcare Limited in Birmingham

Unique reference number SC412175 Inspection date 28/11/2013 Inspector Jo Stephenson Type of inspection Full Provision subtype Children's home

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Date of last inspection 14/03/2013 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

This home is owned and managed by a private organisation. The service operates in partnership with a Local Authority to provide remand services for young people with emotional and/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

The service provides young people with personalised short term care that reflects their individual needs and considers court imposed conditions and restrictions. Staff ensure that young people have the opportunity to reflect on their behaviour through detailed and effective one-to-one sessions. As a result, young people are able to contemplate the significance of their actions and the impact these have on their development and welfare.

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Overall effectiveness

Young people are safe and feel safe in the home. Relationships between young people and staff are positive and built around a culture of mutual respect. Nevertheless, young people are subject to risk reduction interventions that replicate the historic ‘house rules’ devised when the home came into operation. These ‘house rules’ have not been reviewed to ensure that they continue to reflect the requirements of the Children’s Homes Regulations. This means that on occasions, because of the legal status imposed by the courts, the dignity of young people is not consistently promoted.

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Overall effectiveness

The Registered Manager ensures that monitoring systems are in place to review outcomes for young people and the quality of care provide by the service. Managers use feedback from the placing authority, young people and their families to shape the development of the home. Internal monitoring systems are under review to better assess patterns and trends identified in the home. Furthermore, planned amendments to these systems means that the compatibility between the regulations and court imposed conditions on the placements of young people will be evaluated. However, this system is not yet operational and this impacts negatively on the dignity of young people.

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Overall effectiveness

Staff work in partnership with the placing authority, youth offending services and local courts. Case files are extremely well maintained and internal placement plans reflect the needs of young people and detail positive intervention strategies. The views, thoughts and feelings of young people are included in all internal documents. This means that young people are involved, as far as possible, in decisions about their day-to- day care.

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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

(2001) make suitable arrangements to ensure that the home is conducted in a manner which respects the dignity of children accommodated there. (Regulation 11(2)(a)) 27/01/2014

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people make good progress in their lives and say they enjoy the time they spend living in the home. Relationships between young people and staff are positive and respectful. One young person said, ‘staff are great, they understand what we are going through and this really helps me’. The placement affords young people the stability they need to reflect on their behaviours and actions. They build appropriate relationships with each other and consider the negative impact some previous relationships have had on their lives. As a result, young people develop the emotional resilience and skills necessary to acknowledge and understand their backgrounds. Nevertheless, the misinterpretation of court imposed placement conditions means that ‘house rules’ in place are unnecessarily restrictive. For example, young people cannot socialise in the community even when accompanied by staff. As a result, the dignity, self-esteem and self-respect of young people is not

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Outcomes for children and young people

promoted and this impacts on their dignity and development.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people have allocated education placements and attendance is very good. Barriers to education are successfully addressed and this means young people embrace the learning opportunities they are provided with. In particular, young people receive bespoke support that ensures they learn the skills and knowledge they need to realise their ambitions. Subsequently, educational outcomes are promoted and young people make significant progress in this area.

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Outcomes for children and young people

The emotional and general health needs of young people are well supported. Young people are encouraged to be responsible for their own health needs, through one-to- one sessions with staff. Young people are able to access specialist health support if required. For example, the home is supported by the organisation’s mental health professionals. This means that young people do not experience a delay in accessing the services they require to support their emotional and psychological development. As a result, young people’s welfare is promoted.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Leisure and community activities for some young people are constrained to adhere to individual court imposed conditions on community access. In some cases, the misinterpretation of these restrictions means that young people are unable to expand their social circle or develop new interests and hobbies. However, incidents of anti- social and offending behaviours reduce considerably when young people are in placement. Young people are encouraged to consider the impact their behaviours have on local communities and the safety and welfare of others. Subsequently, young people are able to make informed decisions about their behaviour and the potential consequences of these.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people speak highly of the support they receive from staff to ensure that family contact is regular and positive. One young person said, ‘being here means I see my family far more often, things are much better between us now’. Young people benefit from frequent family visits in a secure and safe environment. This means young people are able to re-establish relationships with their families and strengthen these relationships. One parent commented, ‘my son is safe here and I can relax and get to know him again'.

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Quality of care

Young people have positive and appropriate relationships with staff and each other. The atmosphere in the home is calm and young people benefit from this nurturing environment. Staff have a good understanding of the individual needs of young people and are able to balance these with any conditions imposed by the courts.

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Quality of care

Internal placement plans for young people are personalised and supported by regular key work sessions. Young people are encouraged to review the progress of their plans with staff and this means that they have a sound understanding of the aims and objectives of their placement. Behaviour plans are incorporated into internal placement plans. These include risk assessments that identify young people’s individual court conditions; and strategies in place to reduce these risks. However, some intervention strategies are generic and defined as ‘house rules’. For some young people, these restrictions are unnecessary and do not reflect the circumstances of their placement. This impacts negatively on their dignity and self- worth. Staff consult with young people on all aspects of their care. Young people participate in regular key work sessions that cover a range of relevant topics including behaviour, personal ambitions and pending appointments. Young people say they

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Quality of care

feel listened to and understand why it is not always possible to act on their views and wishes. One young person said, ‘I know why I’m here and that this means I can’t always do the things I want to’. Records of young people’s meetings demonstrate that these occur on a regular basis and that young people engage in these meetings. This means that young people are involved in the development of the home and daily activities and events.

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Quality of care

Young people confirm they are aware of how to make a complaint and can directly access complaints forms available in a range of formats and languages. Although rare, complaints made by young people are taken seriously and investigated within suitable time scales. Young people are provided with written and verbal feedback on any issue they raise. Complaints are resolved in partnership between the home and the placing authority, and young people are encouraged to comment on the outcome of these. Additionally, the home has professional links with national advocacy services. This means young people can access independent support if or when they make a complaint.

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Quality of care

Education is central to the daily routines in the home. Young people who were disengaged from education now attend on a regular basis. Staff work with education providers and learning establishments to assess the skills and abilities of young people. Educational achievements are celebrated and consistently rewarded with verbal praise. As a result, during the short duration of their placements, young people are able to re-engage in education and reflect on the positive impact this will have on their future. One young person said, ‘I wasn’t going to go to college but now I do and I’ll keep going even when I leave here'

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Quality of care

Young people enjoy a healthy and tasty diet that reflects their personal preferences and cultural backgrounds. Meals are sociable occasions and young people assist staff to prepare these. Staff use food to introduce young people to different cultures and encourage them to try different foods. This helps young people appreciate other cultures and ensures they learn valuable social skills. Furthermore, staff use key work sessions to raise awareness of the importance of young people maintaining a healthy life style. For example, young people complete sessions around drug and alcohol abuse and the lasting effects of this behaviour. As a result, young people are provided with factual information to support their life-style decisions.

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Quality of care

The home is appropriately located and in easy reach of local facilities. Young people are consulted on the internal decoration of the home and take responsibility for their bedrooms. The home is comfortable and creates a homely and welcoming environment.

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Safeguarding children and young people

The service is good at keeping children and young people safe and feeling safe. Young people are safe in the home and say they feel safe. They do not identify bullying as an issue and there have been no reported episodes of bullying since the last inspection. Nevertheless, staff receive regular training around this issue and remain alert to the signs of bullying and intimidation. Furthermore, young people confirm that the potential impact of bullying is discussed during young people’s meetings.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Staff have an excellent understanding of safeguarding procedures and receive advanced training to support their knowledge. Safeguarding procedures are supported by a multi-agency approach to investigations. Allegations and suspicions of harm are effectively recorded, managed and referred to the appropriate agencies. This means the management of allegations provides effective support and protection for young people.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Incidents of young people missing from the home are rare because court imposed conditions reflect the consequences of such events on young people’s placement. Nevertheless, staff ensure detailed missing from home risk assessments are in place to identify potential triggers to missing from home episodes. Staff work in partnership with local police, youth offending services and courts to reiterate the risks associated with this behaviour. Young people say that they are aware of the negative impact leaving the home may have on their future. As a result, young people benefit from an integrated approach to reducing this behaviour and promoting their safety and welfare.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Staff are trained in physical intervention and de-escalation techniques. The use of this intervention is rare, and only used as a last resort. Records of restraint are extremely detailed and appropriate. This means that young people are able to reflect on their behaviour and this further promotes their development.

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Safeguarding children and young people

General environmental and fire risk assessments are in place to promote the safety of young people in the home. Young people take part in regular fire drills at different times of the day and night. This means that young people are aware of how to respond to a fire and how to safely evacuate the building.

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Safeguarding children and young people

The home adheres to the organisations recruitment procedures in place to safeguard young people. Safety checks are carried out on all staff, including casual staff when applicable. This means that staff are vetted and suitably selected and this promotes young people’s safety and welfare.

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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

The home is run by a motivated and experienced manager who is registered with Ofsted. The Statement of Purpose is clear and transcribes the specific function of the home and the services provided. As a result, young people, their families, the placing authority and other external agencies understand the aims and objectives of the home. The Registered Manager has a strong commitment to providing young people with a viable alternative to more secure accommodation. Staff have an extensive range of skills that reflect young people's individual needs and specific circumstances. As a result, young people benefit from working with a knowledgeable and dedicated staff team. The Registered Manager has a clear oversight of young people’s progress, staff development and areas for improvement. Staff and young people benefit from effective leadership that emphasises high expectations, measurable progress and positive outcomes. In particular, the manager ensures that the home is structured to

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Leadership and management

provide stability and consistency for young people.

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Leadership and management

Staff are well supported in their role through effective supervision and regular team meetings. Training plans and records demonstrate that courses are regularly refreshed and updated and because of this, staff are able to develop their expertise. This means that young people are cared for by a competent and skilled staff team. Furthermore, effective partnership working between the home, the placing authority and other professionals means that statutory plans are up to date and regularly reviewed. Staff encourage young people to contribute to their reviews and celebrate their achievements; and this is praised by other professionals. One social worker commented, ‘Young people attend their reviews and are confident in expressing their views, staff help them to do this appropriately’.

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Leadership and management

The Registered Manager uses regulatory systems and tools to monitor the quality of care and outcomes for young people. Current documentation is under review to ensure that the aims and objectives of the home remain compatible with regulations. Young people's case files are extremely detailed and regularly reviewed. This means that young people are provided with a clear account of their placement.

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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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