Lincolnshire Secure Unit

Unique reference number SC042921 Inspection date 30/01/2014 Inspector Shaun Common / Ann-Marie Born Type of inspection Full Provision subtype Secure Unit

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Date of last inspection 31/07/2013 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 secure children's home is operated by a local authority. It is approved by the Secretary of State to restrict young people's liberty. Education is provided on site.

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Brief description of the service

The children's home can accommodate up to 12 young people, who are aged between 10 and 17 years. Admission of any young person over the age of 10 but under 13 years of age requires the approval of the Secretary of State.

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Brief description of the service

This inspection has the purpose of informing the Secretary of State on the continuing suitability for this provision to operate as a secure unit to restrict children's liberty.

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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

Young people make exceptional progress in all aspects of their lives while living at this home. Staff work hard from the point of admission of a young person to develop positive, trusting relationships that are the foundations of outstanding care delivery.

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Overall effectiveness

Young people's needs are robustly assessed, planned for and met in all areas, through highly effective work carried out by staff in partnership with other professionals.

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Overall effectiveness

The home is exceptionally well-led and managed. Staff are very well supported, knowledgeable, trained and qualified for their role and strive to deliver the highest quality of care. Managers lead by example setting high expectations, having high aspirations and engaging in rigorous monitoring activities that positively impact upon the day-to-day care of young people.

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Overall effectiveness

Young people are provided with a range of opportunities to share their views and opinions about their care and the running of the home. Their views are always taken seriously and acted upon where appropriate to improve the quality of care provided. Monitoring processes and practices for minimising physical restraint and supporting vulnerable young people are excellent. Safeguarding processes and systems are highly effective and there are very strong links with the Local Safeguarding Children Board (LSCB) and the local authority designated officer (LADO). The oversight provided assists managers and staff to promote the safety and well-being of young people.

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Overall effectiveness

Areas of improvement identified at this inspection include: reviewing the use of the independent living skills and cookery room; increasing the range of accreditation in practical educational subjects; improving access to information computer technology for young people and involving young people formally in discussing their on-going educational progress and reviewing their targets.

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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 young people have a home which promotes a learning environment and supports their development; specifically, review the use of the independent living skills and cookery room so that the facilities and arrangements regarding its use meet the needs of young people and promotes their education and attainment (NMS 8.1)  ensure young people have a home which promotes a learning environment and supports their development; specifically, increase the range of accreditation in practical subjects such as art and computer design technology to ensure young people can achieve nationally recognised awards that will improve their choices for further education, employment or training when they move on (NMS 8.1)  ensure young people have access to a range of educational resources to support their learning; specifically, improve access to information computer technology to enhance learning opportunities and to ensure accreditation is available in this

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Recommendations

important core subject (NMS 8.2)  ensure young people are helped to achieve their educational or training goals; specifically, involve young people formally in discussing their on-going progress and reviewing targets across all areas and ensure these are regularly recorded and updated. (NMS 8.4)

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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

Young people make exceptional progress in understanding their backgrounds and the events leading to their placement in this home. Young people’s unique and diverse needs are comprehensively identified allowing for individual programmes to be developed and utilised. For those serving custodial sentences, programmes are focussed on preventing further engagement in criminality. For all young people, the home supports developing positive new friendships and self-care skills. This boosts feeling of self-worth and self-esteem thus providing young people with the confidence to make positive changes. A social worker said, ‘They provide a whole, rounded package for him. We are very optimistic that when he comes out that there will be a lot of change and he will turn away from criminality.'

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people's achievement during their time in education at the home is exceptional and often from a low starting point. Most arrive with low literacy and numeracy skills for their age and with a poor school history. Attendance is very good at 98.5%.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Initial educational assessment is effective and carried out promptly. The special educational needs co-ordinator (SENCO) ensures that young people undertake reading, English and mathematics assessments within two or three days of arrival so that programmes of learning match young people’s needs. As a result, young people settle quickly into education. Specialist diagnostic assessments such as dyslexia are arranged promptly through the local authority specialist services team.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Teaching staff briefings at the start of each day are productive and identify any concerns that need to be shared about young people from the previous evening. Lessons start punctually and movements at break times throughout the day are managed quietly and efficiently. In all subjects, young people participate well and are encouraged to achieve challenging personal targets. This contributes to very good progress being made relative to their starting points and length of stay. In English, reading and mathematics assessments, young people make comparatively better progress than their peers in mainstream schools.

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Outcomes for children and young people

All young people leave the home with at least one national qualification and most leave with higher level qualifications including GCSEs and intermediate level qualifications. This prepares them well for moving on to further education or training. Every attempt is made to support young people to complete external qualifications if they are due to leave before the examinations.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Personal and social skills, self-esteem and confidence grow as young people are encouraged to take part in activities including group discussion and individual tasks where they learn about taking responsibility and working with others. They develop good practical skills in art, cookery, crafts and computer design technology. Most enjoy the vocational activities within the computer design technology programme. This provides good opportunities for young people to learn about and experience vocational skills such as in building work, grounds maintenance, mechanics and technology. The programme also helps young people prepare for their next steps in to further education, work placements or training when they move on. However, routes for accreditation in vocational subjects are underdeveloped.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people’s self-esteem and feelings of self-worth are enhanced by the strong relationships formed within the home. This allows young people to build sustainable attachments which effectively strengthen their emotional resilience. As a result young people learn to take pride in their abilities and develop the confidence to follow their positive aspirations; for example, singing or playing football. A social worker said, ‘He’s thriving; he’s doing a lot better than we thought he would.'

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Outcomes for children and young people

Excellent facilities and links with universal and specialist services ensure that all of a young person’s specific and individual needs are identified and met. Sensitive work undertaken with young people enables them to understand the importance of personal hygiene, exercise and a healthy diet. Close links with substance misuse agencies supports young people to engage with counselling in the home. This is done in a confidential manner enabling them to attain knowledge whereby they can make healthy lifestyle choices.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Strong partnership work with specialist provision coupled with the home’s commitment to inclusive care, results in marked improvements in young people’s emotional and psychological health. A social worker stated, 'We were worried about self-harming but he hasn’t been’ and a parent commented, ‘She was self-harming for a long time and she’s not doing that now because they understand her.'

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people develop self-esteem and confidence as a result of opportunities provided for them to make a contribution to their home and the local community. Innovative activities, such as participating in working on repairing lawn mowers and bicycles and sponsored silence to raise money for a children’s charity, effectively allow young people to 'give back' to their community. In addition, shared theme nights where young people come together to cook for each other as a group allows young people to care for each other and share a positive experience. A young person wrote, ‘Best session ever, it was overwhelming.'

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Outcomes for children and young people

Excellent contact and communication with family members and others important to them is a major strength in this home. All parents speak extremely positively about the regular communication and support they receive from all staff. This exceptional level of dialogue allows parents to feel, and be fully involved in plans for their children’s care and development. The regular contact, sensitively supervised and managed where necessary, ensures that these important familial relationships are maintained and improved. A parent said, ‘I’m really glad she’s there and don’t have any worries about her there’ and a social worker commented, ‘Support and information for parents has been really good.'

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people make exceptional progress in developing social and life skills. A comprehensive life skills programme is in place and utilised, which engages young people in developing practical skills; for example, cooking, budgeting, sewing, ironing and how to apply for a driving licence and a passport. As young people become more confident in their abilities, their self-esteem and feelings of self-worth are enhanced. As a result young people feel valued and empowered enabling them to return to their local community with increased self-assurance. A young person stated, ‘My time at the home has not only made me a better person, but also stronger and has helped me to realise the stupidity of my previous actions.'

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Quality of care

The quality of the care is outstanding .

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Quality of care

Staff are exceptional role models for the young people in their care. Nurturing, consistent care is provided within safe boundaries supporting young people to develop appropriate ways of behaving. As a result young people trust staff and enjoy excellent relationships. Young people are able to build positive, constructive relationships with their peers, which provides them with sustainable friendships. The proactive care management team and staff members know the young people extremely well and as a result are able to manage potential conflict sensitively while positively promoting their care experience. A youth offending team worker stated, ‘My professional opinion is that I wouldn’t want her to be anywhere else; they are second to none in offering her support, nurturing and confidentiality’ and a parent stated, ‘I can’t fault them. The staff mainly have been amazing. The care and attention she has been given, no parent could ask for better.'

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Quality of care

Young people are provided with a range of opportunities to express their wishes and feelings. These include during one-to-one sessions, life skills work, participating in activities or at formal young people's meetings. Young people's views have had a positive impact. For example, they had expressed some dissatisfaction with the food and menu choices. As a result the home facilitates regular catering meetings where young people meet with care and catering staff to explore options. Positive and healthy menus are agreed and the addition of other foods are negotiated. Young people are regularly invited to meetings with managers. Participation allows young people to actively contribute to the development of the home and suggest further improvements. Young people feel valued and a sense of belonging as their views are heard, taken seriously and acted upon.

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Quality of care

Young people are proud of their educational achievements and happy to share their work. Success is celebrated regularly through award presentations, informal gatherings and by visual displays of work around the centre. One young person returned from day release at college in proud possession of a silver trophy achieved for completing the best assessed work in bricklaying. This was an outstanding achievement and warmly celebrated by staff and young people. Individual education plans are in place for all young people and in the best plans, targets are clear, time specific and realistic. A minority of these plans are too generic and do not clearly explain how targets are going to be monitored and achieved.

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Quality of care

In education, teaching and learning are good. Most lessons were judged to be good or better. Work is carefully matched to young people’s ability and learning needs. In the few weaker lessons, materials used by teachers were over-complicated and explanations insufficiently clear. In such instances some young people struggled to understand information and follow the discussion.

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Quality of care

Young people enjoy their time in education and are routinely involved in discussions about their progress and are confident in raising issues and concerns as they arise. However, there is no formal opportunity for subject leads to discuss with young people their work, review progress overall and refresh targets. This means some young people are not always able to talk confidently about how well they are doing.

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Quality of care

A variety of teaching styles and resources are used to help learners of mixed ability increase their skills and knowledge and gain in confidence. As a result young people are engaged and expectations for them to do well are high. Staff regularly praise young people for their effort. Marking of their work is up to date, with instructive comments showing how work can be further improved. Some written work was scruffy because too little attention was given by teachers to the importance of writing and presentation.

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Quality of care

The education curriculum is appropriate and teachers work well together to coordinate a diverse range of subjects and activities. Core curriculum subjects are prioritised so that young people can begin to bridge the gaps in their knowledge and learning. Good attention is given to enhance functional skills in English and mathematics and these are well integrated across subject areas. Many learners have gained pre-foundation, foundation and intermediate level qualifications during their stay. Access to information computer technology (ICT) is limited and therefore not of sufficient quality or quantity to enable young people to achieve accreditation in functional ICT or other qualifications. Creative arts such as singing and music workshops, street dance and theatre are popular activities and included into the timetable regularly using external expertise.

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Quality of care

Personal, social and health education sessions focus on issues such as citizenship, health and media. Young people enjoy the opportunities these sessions provide to discuss and debate topical issues. Opportunities to take part in an appropriate range of sports, games and physical activity are enjoyed by young people. Vocational opportunities have increased and a range of work experience opportunities include, where appropriate, external placements and day release to local colleges. Young people told inspectors that they enjoyed the sense of independence and responsibility this gave them.

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Quality of care

Literacy help is provided for those learners with low literacy levels and the SENCO ensures that relevant teaching materials and support are available to meet specific learning needs. Some care staff voluntarily provide very good support to young people during lessons and in the absence of learning support assistants. They are a much needed and welcomed resource, highly valued by teachers.

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Quality of care

Resources are used effectively in most lessons to enhance learning, encourage participation and stimulate discussion. Good attention is given to equality and diversity across the curriculum areas and is reflected in displays and materials used. Access to ICT, though limited, is helped by the provision of laptop computers and electronic notepads which the young people use competently to complete work. The use of an interactive board in the mathematics room is enjoyed by young people and has successfully enhanced the learning experience for them. A good range of books for reading and research are available, although too little use is made of this resource during lessons. Education space is well designed and well maintained. There is good use of display to support learning and to share young people’s work particularly in English, science, art and design technology. The kitchen used to teach independent living skills and

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Quality of care

cookery is too small and lacks sufficient bespoke equipment and storage space. Used also as a staff kitchen throughout the day and for evening and weekend activities, it is difficult to maintain to a consistently good standard for teaching. Young people work safely in classes, during work placements and in practical activities. They learn about safety aspects within all activities and about their personal safety.

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Quality of care

Considerable effort has been made in devising an enrichment programme across the home which is appealing and which reflects the needs and interests of young people. Led by an enthusiastic group work co-ordinator, the programme is both extensive and diverse. It provides a rich range of learning which enhances the education programme and operates across education holiday periods. Visits by local celebrities, artists and community organisations give young people the chance to take part in a variety of activities such as poetry, cooking, street theatre and dance. The work is well documented and young people clearly enjoy the experiences. Where it is practical, accreditation supports these activities. For example, the local fire service attends regularly and offers a BTEC intermediate award in ‘fire and rescue services in the community’.

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Quality of care

Education staff take an active part in informing and influencing young people’s care plans and contribute fully to transition planning. Currently young people do not have access to independent information, advice and guidance for careers as part of their preparation for moving on. Plans to re-introduce this work are in discussion and staff meanwhile attempt to fill this gap by giving support for curriculum vitae writing, interview skills and internet searches for courses and career pathways.

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Quality of care

Behaviour in education is consistently good and well managed. Relationships between staff and young people are mutually respectful and trusting. Young people generally get on well with their teachers and peers which results in a relaxed and purposeful atmosphere in lessons. Incidences of inappropriate behaviour are infrequent but dealt with quickly and effectively, responses being proportionate and fair.

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Quality of care

A comprehensive complaints system is in place at the home and is fully understood by all young people. There have not been any complaints since the last inspection. Young people choose to use the ‘issues system’ to raise any concerns. The 'issues system' is a method of raising informal or low-level complaints. Young people’s views on the outcomes of their issues are recorded to their satisfaction. Young people said that they did not need to make formal complaints as they have confidence that any issues they raise will be resolved by staff. This approach enables young people to learn negotiation skills and how to express dissatisfaction positively thereby promoting inclusion and enhancing self-esteem.

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Quality of care

Comprehensive care plans set out young people's individual needs and how these needs will be met. Young people, their parents and all professionals involved fully understand what is in care plans and all are provided with the opportunity to participate in developing, reviewing and amending. Outstanding partnership working ensures that young people have access to a range of services that meets their assessed needs set out in their plans. Young people are provided with the opportunity to meet privately with specialist substance misuse and sexual health professionals and regularly have access to a General Practitioner, optician, dentist and other relevant professionals to ensure they are fit, healthy and well.

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Quality of care

Managers and staff have high aspirations for young people to achieve their potential. The experienced and effective case management team are proactive in communicating positively with professionals to keep them informed about young people's care and progress, and in co-ordinating care plan delivery to ensure that young people's needs are met. A youth offending team worker stated, ‘The communication with myself has been reliable and consistent; they are one of the few units that give written feedback. At the review meeting we got a true sense of the work they are doing to keep her safe. I am truly impressed and cannot think of any negatives.'

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Quality of care

The home has a group of young people with diverse needs. Young people’s cultural, religious and specific personal needs are comprehensively identified in care planning and sensitively addressed in their day-to-day lives. The culture of the home coupled with the warmth, understanding and skill of the well-trained staff team means that young people thrive. A staff member said, ‘All the staff show the young people respect and we don’t judge them and we embrace their qualities’ and a youth offending team worker stated, ‘The three young people I’ve had there are all totally diverse and they have dealt with them on that basis. I knew they would be safe there and the work they needed would be done. I can’t say enough how impressed I am with them.'

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Quality of care

Young people benefit from being provided with a range of activities to participate in each day which broaden their horizons. These include access to outside space for gardening and playing sport together as well as quiet rooms where they can make arts and crafts or have ‘pamper’ sessions. Young people have access to the well- equipped fitness room and gymnasium. Sport becomes an important part of young people’s lives with some young people discovering they have a real talents, such as in football and developing leadership skills and going on to lead fitness training sessions with staff.

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Quality of care

Young people learn how to access services in the community to continue with activities when they leave the home and how this is important for a healthy lifestyle. A parent commented, ‘They’ve got him fit and realised he’s got a talent for football and got him work experience he’s enjoyed. They’ve given that to him.' A substance misuse worker commented, 'They get in to a good routine and get to be involved in so many activities.'

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Quality of care

Young people reside in a home which is appropriately designed to meet their needs. Young people have can spend shared time together or quiet time alone. Colourful posters and copies of young people’s art work are up on the walls providing a sense of home and belonging. Young people take real pride in being able to decorate their bedrooms with personal materials and make suggestions for décor in other areas of the home that are acted on.

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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 said they are safe and feel safe and did not raise any concerns about bullying. Young people speak very highly of the staff team and how they care for them.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Each young person has a comprehensive assessment on admission that identifies their needs relating to any vulnerability. A risk assessment is devised, which is detailed and specific. This is reviewed on a very regularly basis. Where any vulnerability is identified, the risk assessment is reviewed at least every 48 hours by a minimum of three staff and more formerly by a multi-disciplinary team once every week. These weekly meetings provide comprehensive oversight and monitoring. It ensures all that can be done is being done to keep young people safe and to support them to develop coping skills, confidence and improved self-esteem so that self- harming diminishes.

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Safeguarding children and young people

The home have been innovative by acquiring and installing a system that helps managers to be assured that checks by night staff to keep young people safe are being carried out to the frequency expected and required. Managers are able to easily interrogate electronic records that provide a level of assurance and demonstrates checks on young people are being undertaken, which helps to safeguard them.

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Safeguarding children and young people

There have been no child protection concerns since the last inspection. Staff have easy access to an appropriate policy and procedure and are very well aware of their responsibilities and their role in keeping young people safe.

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Safeguarding children and young people

There are very strong links with the Local Safeguarding Children Board (LSCB). The Registered Manager is a member of the Board and a member of the operational development group. He has very good relationships with the Board's business manager and with the local authority designated officer (LADO). The home continues to provide a report to the LSCB about physical restraint so that the Board can consider this and provide oversight of the home's practices. Board members occasionally attend the home and randomly examine closed circuit television (CCTV) recordings of incidents. This provides an extra layer of monitoring and transparency in the practices of the home, which further helps to safeguard young people and supports improvement.

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Safeguarding children and young people

There are clear policies and procedures in place for searches of communal areas, bedrooms and for the individual searching of young people in order to promote the safety of all. These are fully implemented and supported by robust recording. Practices promote the dignity of young people and 'full searches', which involves a young person changing into a dressing gown are rare, risk-led and always authorised by manager. There have only been three searches of this type since the last inspection with the routine approach of a pat down and use of an electronic wand and walk-through metal detector being usual practice.

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Safeguarding children and young people

There have been no incidents where a young person has absconded since the last inspection. The home has an up-to-date procedure that staff fully understand and can implement as well as a protocol with the local police force. These matters support staff to help keep young people safe.

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Safeguarding children and young people

There is an incentive scheme in place, which young people fully understand and this helps them to improve their behaviour and social skills. The system has different levels and young people achieve and progress through earning points for good behaviour. The points achieved leads to the level of rewards and privileges young people can have. The levels go from bronze to platinum with increased rewards and privileges the higher level young people achieve. The rewards scheme is linked to the education day and works well. Daily marks for participation, effort and behaviour provide good additional incentives to focus young people on their work. The incentive scheme is for all young people; however where needs are such, staff develop individualised plans for young people that provide additional support and help young people to manage and improve their behaviour.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Where appropriate, staff use sanctions to address any negative behaviour and these are always fully recorded. Managers closely monitor the use of any sanctions to ensure they are having a positive effect. Young people are always provided with the opportunity to read the sanction record and add any comments. This helps them to reflect on their behaviour and to develop understanding and responsibility.

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Safeguarding children and young people

A restorative approach is evident and embedded in practice at the home. Young people are supported to work through any difficulties they may have with others through facilitated mediation. They can also undertake tasks or chores to make good or put right things they have done wrong. Staff support young people to understand how their behaviour affects others and they work with young people so they develop improved social skills in this regard.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Single separation is used in accordance with relevant government guidance. The home's policy and practices reflect this guidance and full records are always kept of any measure used. Managers closely monitor any use of single separation to ensure it is appropriate.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Physical restraint is used by staff that are trained in the home's approved methods. The Registered Manager has represented the local authority and the secure unit at the Independent Restraint Advisory Panel (IRAP). There is a clear policy and a restraint minimisation strategy to ensure that the use of restraint is minimised and only used when necessary in line with the policy. Records of every incident are robust. Monitoring by managers is highly effective and leads to a reduction in the use of restraint and improved practice by staff. Managers review every restraint through scrutiny of records and use of CCTV. They carry out debriefs with all staff members routinely and a person not involved in the restraint always spends time with young people talking through their experience and working with them to learn how future incidents could be avoided. This overview and robust monitoring leads to Individual

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Safeguarding children and young people

Crisis Managements Plans (ICMPs) for each young person being reviewed and shared with staff. This in turn guides staff in how to manage any future incidents and has a notable impact on the reduction in restraint use.

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Safeguarding children and young people

The management team regularly review all behaviour management and safeguarding matters. They identify any learning points, patterns, themes and trends. As a result, they adapt, shape and change practices through clear communication with all staff, to ensure that young people receive the best possible safe care that leads to positive outcomes.

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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 is exceptionally well-led and managed with a strong and committed management team headed by the Registered Manager. Managers lead by example. They set clear expectations for staff and have high aspirations for the young people they look after, striving for the best possible care and delivering outstanding outcomes for young people. A requirement set at the last inspection has been fully addressed and signatures of staff are now present on all measures of control records. This ensures accountability in delivery of appropriate care to young people.

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Leadership and management

There is very good information in the Statement of Purpose for parents, professionals and others about the secure unit and the services it provides. The document provides clear information about what services will be provided to young people and it is available in different languages and formats, such as braille or large print. Additionally, the home has produced a guide for parents that tells them what the home is like and contains useful information for them.

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Leadership and management

A children's guide to the home is available and is provided to all young people. The guide is informative for young people and tells them about the home, its rules, routines and provides contact numbers and addresses that young people may people find helpful for support and advice. The guide can also be translated into other languages and is available in other formats to meet young people's needs.

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Leadership and management

The education manager, as part of the home’s senior management team, contributes fully to strategic planning and decision making. She receives arm’s length support from the local authority’s virtual school head teacher and has made close links with local schools to share practice and increase professional development opportunities. New arrangements to further strengthen the level of professional support and challenge from the local authority have yet to be fully implemented.

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Leadership and management

The education manager provides good leadership and support which has established a strong team ethos and positive learning environment. Teachers are highly responsive to young people’s pastoral needs and incorporate these well in to the education programme. This approach supports young people to do the best they can and to work towards achieving their learning targets.

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Leadership and management

Teachers receive regular feedback from the education manager to support continuous improvement. The observation of teaching practice is well established and learning walks are a regular feature of the education day. Lesson observations summarise the strengths of teaching and learning which are helpful and concise. Comments are less rigorous in identifying those areas which need improvement and in providing suggestions for further professional development.

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Leadership and management

Care staff are experienced, well trained and knowledgeable of the needs of young people and of the home's policies, procedures and processes. This means that they deliver high quality care to young people and support young people to achieve their potential. Most staff are qualified, and others are undertaking a relevant qualification to provide them with additional skills and knowledge in their work.

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Leadership and management

Support for care staff is good. Staff are provided with regular formal supervision from their line manager and are able to speak with any manager if they need additional or further support and guidance in their day-to-day work. Every staff member receives an annual appraisal and this provides them with a framework for developing their practice in the best interests of the young people they care for.

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Leadership and management

Ancillary staff also receive good support and training and feel valued. They understand their role and the contribution they make to the home and the lives of young people.

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Leadership and management

External monthly monitoring of the home by an independent person is robust. Visits are followed by a report of the visit findings that are also sent to Ofsted. This monitoring supports the management team to further improve service provision to young people.

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Leadership and management

Internal monitoring is of a high quality, rigorous and used effectively to drive service improvement. There are a range of quality assurance and monitoring systems in place that are overseen by the Registered Manager. These processes interrogate practices and procedures and ensure the highest quality of care is provided to young people. Managers continually strive to make positive changes and encourage innovation and new ideas that will benefit the care and safety of young people and deliver better outcomes.

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Outcomes in education and related learning activities

The outcomes in education and related learning activities are good .

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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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