Children's Home, Residential special school run by Cambian Whinfell School Limited in Westmorland and Furness

Unique reference number SC066821 Inspection date 09/01/2014 Inspector Anne Bannister Type of inspection Full Provision subtype Residential special school (>295 days/year)

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Date of last inspection 27/02/2013 Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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Brief description of the service

This privately owned children's home provides accommodation, care and education for a maximum of 14 young people with learning disabilities, including complex needs and autistic spectrum disorders.

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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 receive highly personalised care that enables them to make significant progress in their placements. Staff are attentive to young people’s needs and are committed to ensuring that they are successfully addressed and responded to. Young people feel safe in this home and know that staff really care about them.

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Overall effectiveness

Young people enjoy living in the home and appreciate the care and support they receive from the staff team. All young people are encouraged and enabled to become involved in making choices about how the home develops. They enjoy access to a full range of social opportunities and experiences which enhance their self-confidence and self-esteem.

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Overall effectiveness

Young people living in this home are well supported to reach their full potential. All aspects of their well-being are nurtured and they are making excellent progress and achieving positive outcomes in all areas of their lives. Young people are encouraged to meet their educational potential. Very significant progress is made in re-engaging young people in individualised education programmes and their progress and achievement is exceptional, based on their starting point at admission.

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Overall effectiveness

Staff maintain excellent communication with young people’s families and relevant professionals involved with their care. One social worker commented, 'Staff demonstrate a nurturing and caring manner which is always positively commented on by parents whenever we visit. Parents appreciate and are reassured by the regular contact and updates they receive from the home.' No requirements or recommendations have been raised as a result of this inspection.

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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 feel pride in their home and appreciate the improvements that they are making in all areas of their lives. Young people benefit from living in a home where their inclusion is an accepted priority. Young people are routinely consulted about matters affecting their care and improvements that can be made to their living environment. One young person shared ' Before I came here I was aggressive and angry. Here they understand me and do things at my pace so I don't get anxious. That other boy is gone now. I am happy, enjoy my life and am really enjoying education. It's a brilliant place.'

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Outcomes for children and young people

The home provides a settled and consistent environment enabling young people to flourish and achieve. Young people know their views are highly valued and significantly influence all aspects of their care. For example, young people's views have contributed greatly to how the decoration and furnishing of the new semi independence satellite home has been achieved. This proves up to four young people the opportunity to live in a small, family sized, nurturing home where their self confidence and independence skills develop further as they prepare for the transition to independence.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people share excellent relationships with the staff group, who are committed to raising and achieving high standards of care. Young people are helped to understand and learn how to manage their behaviours. They are encouraged and supported to reflect on issues which impact on their lives and their relationships with others. A parent said ' What the home has achieved in 12 months is outstanding. We now have a much happier, healthier young man who is making outstanding progress. He is developing the skills which enable him to socialise and relate to peers and family members. As a result our whole family has a much brighter future'.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Where appropriate young people enjoy regular contact with family and friends. Such arrangements are actively supported by the home and young people are aware of the efforts made by staff to facilitate this. One young person commented, ‘ Since I have been here I have got a much better relationship with my family. We all now enjoy my time at home.' This means that young people know that their families are important and that staff are eager for them to sustain positive relationships with the people who are most significant to them.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people develop confidence in their abilities and can identify what they have accomplished since their arrival at the home. They are clearly aware of their educational achievements, which can be viewed as substantial given their starting points. Young people make on-going and consistent improvement across national curriculum subjects with some young people having already achieved recognised qualifications and others moving on to further education or work experience placements. One young person commented, ‘I am really doing well since coming here. I have caught up with my education, got GCSE's and now am working towards qualifications that will get me to university.'

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people enjoy good health and are well supported to ensure that their needs are appropriately met. Comprehensive health plans are regularly reviewed and updated and provide a thorough assessment and evaluation of young people’s needs. Staff are particularly attentive to the promotion of good health care routines, steering young people away from activities that may pose risks to their health. A parent commented ' Before admission here my son was taking drugs, building up a criminal record and behaving very aggressively. He now understands his autism and has coping strategies which enable him to function well in all aspects of his life. He now has a very positive future'.

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Quality of care

The quality of the care is outstanding .

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Quality of care

Staff provide an excellent quality of care, valuing young people’s opinions, wishes and views. Staff are warm and nurturing in their approach. Young people enjoy the close relationships they share with staff and appreciate that they are there to support and care for them. Young people have made such comments as, ‘Staff are brilliant. They really understand us, and help us to understand each other.' and ' Staff genuinely want the best for us, they really care and want us to progress'.

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Quality of care

Staff are proactive in encouraging educational achievement and supporting young people to develop their particular skills and interests. A young person said ' Staff have lots of different hobbies and interests that we can join in with. We get to do lots of good things'. Young people gain enjoyment and a sense of achievement from the activities they undertake that boosts both their self esteem and self confidence.

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Quality of care

Young people benefit from comprehensive care planning that takes account of all key aspects of their care. This ensures that their needs are well understood and catered for. Staff are particularly attentive to ensuring young people’s individual and diverse needs are addressed. Life events, culture and spiritual needs are routinely explored and arrangements made that meet young people’s needs. This ensures that young people know that what is important to them is respected and supported by staff.

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Quality of care

Young people are encouraged to follow healthy lifestyles. Importance is placed on a healthy lifestyle that includes healthy eating, physical activity and exercise. Young people have choice in their diet and are guided by the staff who offer advice and guidance on healthy food options. Young people are routinely registered with general practitioners, dentistry and optician services and have excellent access to specialist services as required. For some young people significant fears of attending dental appointments have been overcome. As a result young people enjoy good health and have their needs appropriately met.

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Quality of care

The registration of the home covers two individual houses. The school is part of the main house. All living areas are warm, welcoming and homely. They are furnished, decorated and maintained to a very high standard, which ensures the environment is conducive to the positive care of young people. Young people are given the opportunity to personalise their rooms with posters and pictures. A good balance is maintained, ensuring that the living areas are safe and secure as well as being comfortable and homely.

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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

There are excellent systems in place to safeguard and protect young people. Staff receive training to update their knowledge and have a full understanding of safeguarding policies, procedures and the actions they should take, if an incident arises. Staff work effectively with parents and the safeguarding agencies to promote young people’s safety. Discussion with other professionals involved with the home, confirm high levels of communication between themselves and the unit. This ensures that young people receive the support required to encourage them to take responsibility for their own safety.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Young people in this home feel safe and protected. They can easily identify a number of staff they feel comfortable to speak with should they have any worries or concerns. Bullying is not an issue that concerns young people in this home. Young people say that staff take the issue of bullying very seriously and would intervene should such a problem arise. One young person commented, ‘ It would never be an issue here. Staff would identify what was happening and deal with it before it became a problem. It's dealt with here better than anywhere else I have been.'

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Safeguarding children and young people

The home maintains comprehensive risk assessments and detailed behaviour management plans that are reviewed and updated on a regular and frequent basis. These ensure staff have an accurate understanding of each young person and know how best to respond to any challenging behaviour presented. Staff have a very good understanding of each young person's risk management plan and know how important it is to respond quickly to any changes in their behaviour. Staff are skilled at diffusing difficult situations, with the result that the number of physical interventions are minimal and only ever take place as a very last resort. Good monitoring of incidents ensures young people’s individual strategies are kept under review and adapted.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Young people are aware that staff are fully trained and familiar with physical intervention techniques. They understand that there application must only be used in accordance with the legal framework. A young person confirmed this saying, 'The rules of restraint are followed. I no longer require holds, but the rules are still adhered to for holds on other young people'.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Health and safety policy and practice guidelines are well established to ensure that staff and young people are appropriately safeguarded. The home maintains fire fighting equipment and utilities and regularly reviews the health and safety risk assessments and action plans relevant to the home environment. Fire drills are practiced regularly within the home to ensure that young people are familiar with escape routes and know what to do in the event of a real emergency.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Stringent recruitment procedures are in place and nobody commences work at the home until all checks required by legislation have taken place. Such checks and procedures protect vulnerable young people from being cared for by people who may cause them harm.

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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

This home is effectively managed and led enabling young people to make exceptional progress in their placements. The Registered Manager and staff demonstrate a strong commitment to delivering very high quality care to all young people. Social workers and parents are very pleased with the placement. One parent described the success of her child's placement as being ' Like winning the lottery- the progress he is making is mind-blowing'. Another said 'The nurturing and caring environment that the home provides has had a major impact on the outstanding progress he has made'.

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Leadership and management

The Statement of Purpose is current and up to date. Young people receive appropriate information about the home in a user-friendly format. Key workers also follow an induction programme with them to ensure they are fully aware of their rights and also know the expectations of them.

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Leadership and management

Staff morale is high, the enthusiastic workforce work positively with young people to improve their quality of life. Staff demonstrate an awareness of their roles and responsibilities that ensures young people’s assessed needs are being met. They are motivated by their enjoyment of working with young people and watching them progress. The team work well together and possess the skills that they need to look after this client group well. They have considerable knowledge of the individuals needs of the young people they care for and how they should be met, ensuring that high quality care is delivered. There are enough staff on duty at all times to provide safe care and staff have opportunities to spend quality time with young people. A parent said ' Placing my child there was the hardest decision I have ever had to make as he has severe learning disabilities. Admitting I could no longer cope was hard but the staff are fantastic, I am involved in all decision making and feel I am

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Leadership and management

part of the team. They make tremendous effort to ensure he keeps strong ties with home.'

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Leadership and management

Staff confirm they receive excellent support and receive regular supervision. They regularly update their core training to refresh their knowledge and skill. This ensures they possess and maintain the competences and skills to effectively, meet young people’s diverse needs. The investment in staff training, regular supervision and annual appraisal ensures that staff have comprehensive knowledge and an effective range of skills to equip them for their roles. Staff say they enjoy coming to work and spending time with the young people.

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Leadership and management

The management team show considerable commitment to quality assuring the service it offers. Stringent checks and evaluation is achieved in both the Registered Manager’s regular monitoring of the home’s function and the very thorough, detailed regulation 33 visits that are routinely conducted. These arrangements are very effective in monitoring the care provided and also comment on the home’s strengths and weaknesses. The home demonstrates a capacity for sustained improvement based upon its performance over the last year

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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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