Children's Home run by The Partnership of Care Today in Stoke-on-Trent

Unique reference number SC008269 Inspection date 24/03/2014 Inspector Rachel Ruth Britten Type of inspection Interim Provision subtype Children's home

p.1

Date of last inspection 10/01/2014 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

The home is registered to provide care and accommodation for three young people with emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. The service is owned by a private company.

p.3

The inspection judgements and what they mean

Good progress The children’s home has demonstrated continued improvement in quality of care and outcomes for children and young people and where appropriate has addressed all requirements and the large majority of recommendations that were raised at the previous inspection. Satisfactory progress The children’s home has maintained quality of care and outcomes for children and young people and where appropriate has addressed all requirements and the majority of recommendations that were raised at the previous inspection. Inadequate progress The children’s home has failed to address one or more requirements and/or has not met the majority of recommendations and/or the quality of care and outcomes for children and young people have declined since the last full inspection.

p.3

Progress

Since their previous inspection the service is judged to be making satisfactory progress .

p.3

Progress

The home was graded as good overall at the full inspection in January 2014. There has been adequate progress in all respects over the two months since then. Children and young people continue to make significant individual progress. For example, some are enjoying more frequent and better quality contact with siblings and family members. They are more relaxed and confident to talk with staff about matters which concern them. Other siblings are now on a phased introduction to foster carers because they have demonstrated that they can live alongside one another whilst here in the home. All children and young people's continuing good progress is clearly attributable to the good quality, consistent care given by the long standing staff team. This extends to clear commitment to practical, on-going support, agreed with all responsible agencies, after children and young people have moved out.

p.3

Progress

The requirement to ensure that the home's Statement of Purpose gives clear information about the names, qualifications, accreditation and supervision arrangements of therapists who work with children, has been acted upon by the home's owner organisation. The required information is being added to the Statement of Purposes of all the homes and is therefore being prepared centrally. The aim is to ensure that the document makes it clear that therapists work with children across the organisation and may undertake their work either on or off the children's home site.

p.3

Progress

Monitoring of the home by the home's monthly visitor and by the Registered Manager has been improved following the recommendation and requirement raised at the last inspection. The manager's improved evaluation of the home's records and the messages they can give, was clear in the manager's last six monthly review of care. The registered manager and the home's monthly visitors now make time to discuss sanctions and rewards in a professional way, looking for trends and patterns and identifying what works best.

p.4

Progress

By improving the effectiveness of manager monitoring activity, the manager has also addressed the recommendation to review how children are helped to take responsibility for their behaviour, given their age and ability. The manager promptly scrutinised the use of sanctions and rewards in the home based upon the relatively high figures. She concluded that there was 'room to revisit the use and documenting of sanctions'. Staff and the manager agreed that a positive rewarding atmosphere created by positive relationships is the most appropriate way forward. Nevertheless, they felt that some sanctions would still be required. A new 'traffic light system' is now being trialled where behaviours listed on the agreed 'red card list' automatically lead to certain sanctions, listed and agreed with children and young people. Since the beginning of the trail, the number and length of sanctions has somewhat reduced. Sanctions are more often reduced or wiped away if children are sorry for

p.4

Progress

the loss of control and hurt or damage that they caused. Nevertheless, staff and managers are continuing to review the new system because it still feels rigid and, at times, too punitive.

p.4

Progress

Staff continue to strive to improve their expertise and use it to improve the quality of care. For example, a member of staff recently undertook attachment training and is bearing this in mind, for example, when dealing with bullying or play fighting behaviour. A particular strength is the team's commitment to adapt to children and young people's current needs. For example, the shift pattern was recently changed to ensure that more adults were around from the end of school time through the lighter evenings. The evening meal has been brought forward as children are hungry after school but want to maximise time for evening activities. Children are enjoying the increased choice and longer activity time now available to them. As a result, their behaviour is good overall and they frequently earn a reward of staying up later at the weekends.

p.4

Progress

Leaders and managers keep up to date with social care issues and are working to address the requirements of the amended children's homes regulations. For example, they are ready to compile, and send to Ofsted, three monthly reviews of care. They have also prepared a location risk assessment for the home. They have plans to adapt it so that it more clearly explains the home's known location risks in relation to children and young people who are vulnerable to going missing or to sexual exploitation.

p.4

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.

p.5

About this inspection

The report details the progress made by the provider since the last full inspection, identifies any further strengths, any areas for improvement and makes judgements as outlined in the Inspection of children’s homes – framework for inspection.

p.5