Children's Home run by Progress Children’s Services Ltd in Walsall

Unique reference number SC038526 Inspection date 18/02/2014 Inspector Julian Parker Type of inspection Interim Provision subtype Children's home

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Date of last inspection 23/10/2013 Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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Brief description of the service

The home provides care for up to five children and young people. This service is available to children and young people with a learning disability, a physical disability, sensory impairment or any combination of the three. The service is operated by a private organisation.

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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.

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Progress

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

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Progress

At the last full inspection in October 2013, the overall rating for the service was judged as good. There was one action and two recommendations made. Since the inspection this service continues to demonstrate its capacity to improve. The service is judged to be making good progress.

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Progress

Young people continue to make very good progress living in this home. Although some have difficulty with communication young people present as being positive about their care and demonstrate this through their actions, behaviour, compliance and in in some cases verbal feedback. Young people are able to progress because they are treated as individuals and according to their individual needs, with the staff looking after them knowing how these needs may be sensitively met and how to best encourage on-going achievement. Excellent progress in reducing challenging behaviour, maintaining and improving educational achievement, and developing children’s communication and social skills is evident.

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Progress

Young people actively enjoy their living environment and respond with pleasure when engaging with the broad variety of activities on offer both indoors and outside of the home in the wider community. Staff are imaginative and aspirational helping young people encounter stimulating experiences and visits and these are celebrated by the many wall murals throughout the home and photographs in the children’s personal diaries. Observed practice confirms meaningful person-centred and nurturing interaction between staff and young people encouraging improved communication using the formats most preferred by young people.

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Progress

Staff provide clear boundaries in a stimulating nurturing environment. The ethos of the home and staff practice promote individual identity and respect difference and equality. This all-embracing culture results in young people being fully supported by care that is based on identified need, assessed risks, cultural awareness and that promotes each individual's potential to develop.

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Progress

Since the last inspection much has been achieved across all aspects of practice within the home. On-going renovation and redecoration ensures that young people continue to live in clean, homely and well personalised accommodation that promotes their feeling of emotional security, familiarity with their home and broader social achievement.

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Progress

Investment in staff training and improved leadership has invigorated staff involvement in the homes on-going development. The introduction of comprehensive daily planning tools has improved the way in which young people’s progress is recorded and the enhanced monitoring of daily records and children’s personal case files ensures individual records are current and accurate. Newly appointed staff have brought fresh ideas and impetus to the staff team.

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Progress

The home remains active in supporting parents contact arrangements and in maintaining their children’s continued access to the specialist services they require to enhance the quality of their life. For example children make and receive daily phone calls to their families whenever they can with staff passing on details of the children’s daily activity and achievements.

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Progress

Effective monitoring systems both in the home, through an amended regulation 34 format and commissioned from an independent source, inform the homes management about the quality and effectiveness of the care currently provided. Improvements to in house management systems including a revision of the home's Statement of Purpose and an updated young person’s guide, provided in various communication media, comprehensively inform stakeholders of the service being provided.

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Progress

No requirements or recommendations arise from this interim inspection.

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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 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.

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