Children's Home run by Nottinghamshire County Council in Nottinghamshire

Unique reference number SC036737 Inspection date 15/01/2014 Inspector Amanda Ellis Type of inspection Full Provision subtype Children's home

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Date of last inspection 05/03/2013 Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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Brief description of the service

This is a local authority children's home providing residential and short break services for 16 children with physical disabilities and complex health care needs.

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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 living at this home experience extraordinarily high standards in care provision. Meticulous leadership and management arrangements, combined with a highly skilled, experienced and knowledgeable staff team ensure exceptional standards of care provision.

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Overall effectiveness

Relationships between young people and staff are excellent. Young people are unreservedly positive about all aspects of their care within this home.

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Overall effectiveness

Parents and professionals are unanimous in their praise of this home and the care provided. One parent said ‘It could not be a better environment other than his own home. I have no concerns at all. He is safe and we know he is safe. Communication with the home is excellent, difficulties shared and his progress celebrated. Health and education are all an integral part of the care. Activities are bountiful; he does more activities than we do. His progress is fantastic.’

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Overall effectiveness

Young people are wherever possible, actively involved in planning and reviewing their care. The home provides clear, personalised and well-planned care, taking into account the complex needs of the young people. The outcomes achieved by young people are maximised and the impact that the home has had in supporting these outcomes clearly evidenced.

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Overall effectiveness

There are no recommendations or requirements because 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 thrive and develop within this home. They are nurtured and learn to develop positive attachments and relationships with carers. As a result, young people develop improved emotional resilience and gain a positive self-view. One parent said ‘The support and energy they have for the children and young people are commendable. They get as much love as you get from your own family.’

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Outcomes for children and young people

A multi-disciplinary skilled staff team successfully promotes young people’s health needs. Young people have highly detailed health care plans that provide clarity about how their physical, psychological and emotional needs are met. They benefit from routine health care, nutritious diets and active lifestyles. This means that they benefit from improved outcomes.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people have excellent attendance and make exceptional progress in education. Education and social care staff ensure support, guidance and effective daily communication regarding young people. Young people benefit from the consistency in care that this provides.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Excellent relationships with families are the basis of young people making exceptional progress in all areas of their lives. Effective communication provides reassurance that young people are being well cared for and that all of their complex needs are being met. One parent said ‘We visit most weekends and are always welcome. They will bring him home at the weekends, special occasions or when we need. They help with contact and transport as they have the equipment and expertise. I cannot fault them.’ Consequently, relationships are maintained and young people’s identity needs are reinforced.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people benefit from exposure to a wide range of stimulating activities that enable the development of skills and confidence. They regularly visit local areas of interest, clubs, parks and recreational facilities. They participate in an annual theatrical production and hosting summer fairs. This ensures that all young people thrive and develop because of their engagement in a range of stimulating activities.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Staff are creative to enable young people to become more independent. They create opportunities for young people to practice skills in line with their age and abilities. Staff contribute to transition plans for those young people moving to adult service provision. This ensures detailed and individualised information provides clarity to adult services, in order for new staff to meet their individual needs with confidence.

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Quality of care

The quality of the care is outstanding .

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Quality of care

Young people receive an outstanding quality of care at the home. Staff have consistently high aspirations for all young people. One parent said ‘The staff are excellent, they are in tune with the needs of the young people.’ Consequently, young people flourish with the quality of the care they receive. Communication with young people is a particular strength of this home and has a significant impact in supporting progress. Young people benefit from a range of individualised communication strategies that utilise a range of non-verbal communication methods. This means they are more self-assured because they can understand and communicate about their daily care, education and experiences. Young people feel empowered and enabled to have a say about their care and future plans.

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Quality of care

Young people say that they feel listened to and that their views taken into consideration. They make a positive contribution to the home through regular consultations, meetings and actively contributing to decisions about their care. For example the conversion of a garden shed into a summer house where young people can fully enjoy the garden. This means that service provision develops in line with young people’s views about the home and the quality of their care.

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Quality of care

Care plans, placement plans, risk assessments and behaviour management plans are exceptionally comprehensive, detailed and up to date. Regular reviews of plans ensure young people receive consistent care and the staff team has clarity to provide effective support to young people.

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Quality of care

The home provides a healthy environment that ensures young people access a range of services to meet their physical, psychological and emotional needs. The health needs of each young person are detailed within individualised placement planning, with the full inclusion of family, significant others and medical practitioners. Staff are trained in a variety of health matters including the safe handling and administration of medicines, which ensures a rigorous approach in relation to medication practices. The nurses who work within the home are central to health care provision and training. This further ensures young people’s health outcomes are maximised.

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Quality of care

Excellent relationships with a range of external agencies and social work professionals ensure the needs of young people are prioritised. One social worker commented ‘The service provision is of a very high standard with very person- centred care planning which means continuity in care plans. The staff are knowledgeable about individual need and show excellent inter-agency work with health, social care and education’. Consequently, young people benefit from seamless care planning which is responsive to changing need.

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Quality of care

Young people have bountiful opportunities to engage in a diverse range of indoor and outdoor activities. Some young people have annual holidays and others benefit from day trips to the seaside or taking part in racing events. Staff regularly plan theme nights, which can include a festival, cultural, or film theme. As a result, young people benefit from leisure and learning activities, which extend their horizons, and promote their development and health. The range of service provision widens the experiences which young people can experience and allows them to enjoy and achieve to their maximum potential.

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Quality of care

The accommodation provides young people with an environment that meets their individual needs. The standards of maintenance, cleanliness, décor and furnishings are excellent. The houses are homely and comfortable and young people choose the arrangements for their own rooms. There is a choice of communal rooms for peer activities and rooms, which offer good levels of privacy for young people, should they wish some quieter or private time. Young people are encouraged to enjoy the large, safe garden areas, which accommodate a range of stimulating playground equipment and activities.

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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

Safeguarding is of paramount importance in this home. Young people are safe and feel safe in this home. Parents and social care professionals state that safeguarding practice is excellent.

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Safeguarding children and young people

A highly skilled staff team understand and implement detailed safeguarding policies and procedures. Risk assessments are individualised, proportionate and regularly reviewed. These effective and responsive plans enable young people to experience new challenges and develop new skills while remaining safe. Staff are highly knowledgeable about young people and ensure that safety is the paramount consideration.

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Safeguarding children and young people

The Registered Manager has well-established links with the local safeguarding teams and Local Authority Designated officer who work together for the protection of vulnerable young people. This ensures cohesive multi-agency collaboration that provides effective protection to young people from potential or actual harm.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Young people benefit from high levels of staff supervision and support. This means that young people are highly unlikely be missing from the home. There have been no reported incidents of young people going missing from the home. However, the home has clear procedures in place to notify the relevant bodies in the event of a child going missing. Staff have a good understanding of the relevant policies and procedures and implement them when necessary.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Staff promote positive behaviour for young people at all times. Young people are encouraged to take responsibility for their behaviour. Physical intervention is not a method of behaviour management used within this home. However, staff are suitably trained to undertake any physical intervention and recording of such incidents is in line with the legislative framework. Consequently, young people are safeguarded, as practice is safe and well understood.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Staff employed to work in the home experience a rigorous selection process prior to taking up their positions. Robust recruitment processes and the recording and monitoring of visitors to the home further ensure the protection of young people from potential harm. There have been no allegations made since the last inspection and young people report no incidents of bullying within the home.

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Safeguarding children and young people

The home is physically safe for the children. Maintenance within the home is meticulous, with staff implementing consistent monitoring and security to ensure the safety of young people.

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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 quality of the leadership and management of the home is exceptional. The Registered Manager is highly experienced, knowledgeable and passionate about delivering the highest standards to the young people and families who use the home. The management team are ambitious and have a clear vision for the direction of the home. Top priority to given to improving the outcomes for young people

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Leadership and management

There was one requirement made at the last inspection, which has been addressed with the review of all staff files to ensure full and complete information is recorded for each staff member.

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Leadership and management

Leadership is inspirational and ensures that staff enthusiasm is maintained. Staff state clearly that they feel supported and receive consistent supervision that meets their individual needs. Staff are enabled to progress their own professional skills and knowledge. They all undertake a training programme, which provides opportunities to develop upon their existing knowledge. All staff has gained a recognised qualification, or are working towards one, to enable them to effectively support young people and improve the quality of care provided. Young people achieve exceptional outcomes because of the highly competent staff team.

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Leadership and management

Internal and external quality assurance processes identify weaknesses, promote improvement and guide development. Effective management and monitoring of the home ensure that safeguarding is prioritised and a consistently high quality of care. Young people and stakeholders routinely feedback their views on the care provided and outcomes achieved to inform potential improvements and shape the service.

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Leadership and management

Young people's records are up to date, comprehensive and stored securely. They contribute to a thorough understanding of the young person's life, experiences and plans for the future.

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Leadership and management

The Registered Manager has systems in place to notify relevant agencies, including Ofsted, of significant events to ensure the protection of young people by multi- agency decision-making. No notifications have been necessary since the last inspection.

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Leadership and management

There were no requirements or recommendations made at this inspection. The staff and management team continues to demonstrate a high commitment to delivering exceptional standards of care to children and young people.

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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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