Children's Home run by Quality Protects Children Ltd in Knowsley Ofsted inspection report, 8 Jan 2014

Unique reference number SC356929 Inspection date 08/01/2014 Inspector Denise Jolly Type of inspection Full Provision subtype Children's home

p.1

Date of last inspection 13/02/2013 Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

p.1

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.

p.2

Brief description of the service

This privately owned service provides residential accommodation for up to three looked after young people, aged between 10 and 17 years old, who have complex emotional and behavioural needs.

p.3

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

p.3

Overall effectiveness

The overall effectiveness is judged to be good .

p.3

Overall effectiveness

The home provides high quality, personalised and well-planned care that takes into account the individual needs of each young person. Social workers and other professionals involved with the home say that staff work very hard to promote positive outcomes for young people, and support them through difficult periods. Experienced and qualified staff offer structure and support to young people which values and celebrates their individual qualities and experiences. Young people say they like living in the home, and say that they enjoy very good relationships with staff.

p.3

Overall effectiveness

Staff listen well as young people contribute their views and ideas about the quality of care in the home. Staff encourage cooperation in daily living and help young people to develop personal responsibility in relationships and behaviour. Young people recognise the contribution they must make in order to improve, and so they make good progress in all areas of their lives, such as engaging successfully with their education.

p.3

Overall effectiveness

Leaders and managers regularly monitor the conduct of the home, and measure the impact of the service upon the prospects of young people. Staff expertly adapt the support they offer, to ensure all young people are supported to improve. The manager has a thorough understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the home, and responds proactively to any development need. Therefore, there are plans in place to address most of the shortfalls that were identified during the inspection. One requirement is made, to improve the training offered to staff. Recommendations are made, to improve complaints procedures, the Children's Guide, and records of staff induction, and to ensure Ofsted is informed about all actions taken to investigate serious concerns regarding the suitability of staff.

p.3

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.

p.4

Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) ensure that all persons employed receive appropriate training to meet the needs of children placed in the home, particularly with regard to complex emotional needs, and sexually harmful behaviour. (Regulation 27 (4a)) 28/02/2014

p.4

Recommendations

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

p.4

Recommendations

 ensure that records for the induction of staff provide sufficient evidence that new staff undertake and complete the Children's Workforce Development Council's induction standards (NMS 18.3)  ensure that the home's complaints policy and procedure is updated to include changes in the organisation's managers, and the complaints procedures of placing authorities, so that staff may support children to make a formal complaint or representation (Children Act 1989 Guidance and Regulations, (Volume 5: 2.32))  ensure that the Children's Guide is reviewed at least annually, and that it is updated to include any changes in management of the home (NMS13.3)  ensure that the home notifies Ofsted of all serious concerns about the suitability of staff to work with children (NMS 24.1)

p.4

Outcomes for children and young people

Staff are committed to help young people overcome difficulties and achieve positive change in their outlook and prospects. Young people respond consistently well to staff that have high expectations of them. Young people improve social behaviour, acquire many practical skills necessary to be successfully independent, and plan positively for their futures. Staff sensitively support young people to rebuild and sustain relationships with family and significant others when appropriate. They benefit from positive contact, which improves their sense of identity. Young people say that they are motivated to work hard to achieve results because of the way that staff guide and advise them.

p.4

Outcomes for children and young people

Young people make excellent progress to understand their emotional response to a variety of stressful situations. They develop a range of skills that help them to manage past difficulties and improve self-control. Consequently, young people have reduced involvement in risk taking behaviours. Staff identify specific needs, such as acquiring responsible attitudes to drug misuse, or understanding the implications of being involved in gang cultures, and work with young people to increase their understanding of risk and impact. Furthermore, young people respond to the warmth and consistency offered by staff, to help them feel secure in the home, and develop trusting relationships that help them to overcome difficulties in their lives.

p.5

Outcomes for children and young people

Young people are keen to attend college, to make new friends, and to improve their prospects for future employment. They say that staff have clear expectations about their education, because they want them to have the best chance of achieving their goals. This has helped young people to rethink their views about attending education; they recognise the benefits of the opportunities the home has provided. One young person said, ‘I never expected to like college, but I love it. It is going to help me get a job in the future.’ Young people are clear about their wishes for the future, and work with key workers to help them to understand what might be realistic. Because young people have strong relationships with staff, they think together about the steps they have identified in order to progress, like reducing their involvement in drug misuse, stopping smoking, or using a budget to shop for their needs. This means they make very good progress towards their goals, such as

p.5

Outcomes for children and young people

moving to semi-independent accommodation placements, with clear evidence of their skills and aptitudes.

p.5

Outcomes for children and young people

Young people benefit from the opportunity to engage with a wide range of services to support and promote good health. Some young people attend the gym to improve their underlying fitness, while all young people develop the skills and knowledge to keep themselves safe, including seeking appropriate health advice from the local safeguarding nurse. Young people develop appropriate practical skills by participating in household tasks, such as shopping and preparing meals. They engage enthusiastically with independence training programmes provided by staff, and this means they are achieving knowledge and understanding in skills that prepare them for independence and adult life.

p.5

Quality of care

Young people benefit from nurturing and enthusiastic staff, dedicated to understanding their individual needs and wishes. Staff encourage young people to contribute to their individual placement plans. All young people contribute to placement review meetings and have greater confidence to interact with the range of professionals who support them, such as specialist health services, solicitors or advocates. Staff regularly prepare and circulate detailed reports about the progress and setbacks encountered by young people. This promotes effective multi- disciplinary working, to identify relevant and suitable actions that benefit young people. Without exception, professionals say they are full of admiration for what staff achieve with young people. A social worker said ‘I could not have asked for a better placement for the young person, they have made great progress since being in the home.’

p.5

Quality of care

Key workers are aware of the impact of any strategy identified to support young people’s development. They provide them with sensitive support to engage with difficult issues such as how to improve relationships or how to avoid making poor choices. Staff remain consistent in their support of young people, and help them to focus on their overall goals. They sensitively guide young people to identify the short steps to take in order to realise their dream, for example, to return to the family home, so that young people feel positive about the progress they make and do not get discouraged. Staff routinely measure the progress young people make, and offer praise and encouragement for every positive step they take.

p.6

Quality of care

Young people say they have no concerns about the home, and that staff listen to them when they have personal concerns or anxieties. Every young person is confident that staff support them to express their views about the placement and their plans. However, not all staff and young people understood the complaints procedures of placing authorities, and this means they do not have the knowledge to make an independent complaint should they need to do so. Additionally, the children’s guide has not been updated to include changes to the manager or their line manager, although all young people knew the correct individual now in post.

p.6

Quality of care

Staff model the importance of accepting young people as individuals, while challenging and developing the aspects of their lives and personalities that hinder progress. Young people say that staff support them to express their individual culture and heritage, and work well with their families. This ensures young people receive care that reflects their and their family’s’ wishes. Staff recognise the diverse needs of young people in regularly reviewed care plans. Well-organised health care plans ensure staff support the individual needs of young people. Staff are successful in encouraging young people to access a range of health professionals, such as the dentist or sexual health nurse. They support young people to contribute to reviews of their medication, to ensure they are provided with appropriate health care that improves their lives. This improves their health and well-being, and increases their

p.6

Quality of care

All visitors say that a strength of the home is the excellent quality of relationships demonstrated between staff and young people. Professionals say that staff are ‘on the ball’, and they respond swiftly and effectively to any change in circumstance for young people. Because staff present strong, reliable role models for young people, the progress young people make is consistent across all aspects of their lives. Therefore, young people are fully engaged in the day-to-day aspects of living in the home, and demonstrate respect and consideration for all those who live and work there. Equally, they enjoy going away on individual holidays with staff, to strengthen their relationships and gain new experiences, such as a trip to Barcelona or to a leisure complex. This means that through open and trusting relationships, staff can better support young people when they tackle the more sensitive aspects of their

p.6

Quality of care

Young people contribute to the development of the home by sharing their views and ideas in key worker sessions and staff meetings. Young people decorate and furnish their bedrooms to their own particular interests and taste, and artwork created by young people is displayed throughout the home. Some young people contribute to appropriate maintenance tasks, such as helping to repoint garden paving, and this increases their skills as well as motivating them to take ownership of the quality of the environment in which they live.

p.7