The Banyan Tree

Unique reference number SC396186 Inspector Mary Timms Type of inspection Full Provision subtype Children's home

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Registered person Living Life (UK) Limited T/A The Banyan Tree Registered person address 60 Overstone Road Sywell NORTHAMPTON NN6 0AW Responsible individual Lorraine Louise Andrews Registered manager Jacqueline Stuart Stone Date of last inspection 17/03/2014 2 of 9 Inspection date 25/06/2014

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Previous inspection good progress Enforcement action since last inspection none

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Overall effectiveness outstanding

Outcomes for children and young people outstanding Quality of care good Keeping children and young people safe outstanding Leadership and management outstanding

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Overall effectiveness

The service is highly successful in providing a very homely and extremely nurturing environment, within which children are able to develop new skills and become more self aware and confident. A particular strength is the embedded culture of always putting children's needs and views at the forefront of all areas of the service.

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Overall effectiveness

The experienced management team operate rigorous monitoring systems and have an excellent understanding of both the strengths and weaknesses of the service. There is a tangible passion for service development with evidence that the focus is to maximise children's progression.

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Overall effectiveness

A high standard of individualised well-planned care is afforded to each child. Placements are stable and the outcomes for children are consistently positive across all aspects of care since the time of their admission.

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Overall effectiveness

Children are highly valued as individuals and their needs and wishes are respected. They feel safe and have consistently positive views about the care that they receive. All of the children either said they 'would not change anything' or that 'everything about the home is good.'

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Overall effectiveness

No breaches of regulation are identified. Two recommendations are made to guide 3 of 9 further development of service arrangements. These relate to the need to incorporate a programme of learning in relation to equality and diversity within the team training programme. Also, to strengthen the stock control and administration records for over the counter remedies administered within the home. 4 of 9

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Information about this children’s home

The home is a privately run and provides care for five young people with emotional and behavioural difficulties and/or learning disabilities.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

17/03/2014 Interim good progress 11/06/2013 Full adequate 24/01/2013 Interim satisfactory progress 18/10/2012 Full outstanding

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Recommendations

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

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Recommendations

 ensure that there is a written record of all medication given to children during their placement. In particular this relates to the need to improve the records k of over the counter remedies. (NMS 6.15)  ensure that there is a good quality learning and development programme. In particular this relates to the need to facilitate learning across the whole team relation to required learning in the area of Equality and Diversity (NMS 18.1) 5 of 9

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Outcomes for children and young people outstanding

Children make exceptional progress towards developing a positive self view and an improved knowledge and understanding about their personal histories. Examples of the imaginative work taking place which promotes personal success and development include: life story work in consultation with placing teams and children creating a personal collage display which reflects the positive experiences and personal progress made during their placements. Each child has a 'positivity book' where staff enthusiastically record positive feedback for each child. Additionally children make particularly good progress towards developing emotional resilience. Placing social workers comments include 'xx is now using emotional language and literacy showing they have a much improved awareness about their emotions'.

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Outcomes for children and young people outstanding

Children enjoy good health and given their age and ability have an exceedingly good awareness of key health issues. For example, they understand the importance of healthy eating and that physical activity is important to maintain good health. None of the children smoke or are involved risk taking behaviours which would impact negatively on their health. Children are extremely confident in the emotional support that they receive. This is because of the high priority that staff place on children's emotional wellbeing.

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Outcomes for children and young people outstanding

Attendance and achievement within education are consistently extremely good, when reviewed against each child's starting point on admission and the complexities of their individual needs. Additionally children themselves recognise their progress and some take on increasing responsibility in this area. For example, by opting to stay to after- school homework club.

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Outcomes for children and young people outstanding

Children have numerous opportunities to choose and take part in diverse and also individually planned activities in the community. Examples include, tap dancing, horse-riding, swimming, boys club and fencing. Holidays are also arranged each year, including for some to take part in what has become an annual trip to a holiday camp in the USA. As a result children's confidence and self-esteem is improved and they develop an improved ability to develop social relationships

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Quality of care good

Staff and children enjoy positive relationships built on mutual trust and respect. Children feel that staff care about them and are confident in the care provided.

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Quality of care good

The views of children are seen as important and a range of tools are used to capture their opinion of the service and suggestions they may wish to make. For example, 6 of 9 weekly discussions are held with children in order to gather their views. The Registered Manager plans in structured discussions with each child and has recently obtained feedback from children about the personal attributes they would most value in a new member of staff. Additionally their views about events and incidents are captured within daily records and then reviewed within management monitoring. As a result there is clear evidence that children's views inform service development.

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Quality of care good

The service values difference and provides highly individualised care for each child. Staff show a broad understanding of children's individual needs and plans are found to be very detailed and to be implemented in practice. Children are able to develop and maintain their personal identity. This is because needs relating to culture and personal interests are promoted.

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Quality of care good

Staff have high aspirations for the children in their care and actively promote attendance at school. The attendance levels for children are very good within their individual full-time education programmes. Staff set an expectation that all children undertake a homework task or complete some extra learning for approximately twenty minutes on each school evening. As a result children learn that education is important and that achievement can be improved through extra work.

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Quality of care good

Staff support children to learn new skills and to support their personal interests. Comments from involved professionals include 'They build experiences around the child's interests and work hard to stimulate, engage and interest the child'. For example a child had recently shown an interest in media exposure to world war events and wanted to learn about links to religion so this was facilitated. Children talk positively about the way the service supports them to become more independent. Comments include 'I really liked it when staff let me have my own shopping list for my baking and let me put the items in my own trolley and pay for them'.

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Quality of care good

Challenging behaviours are reduced and young people understand what is expected of them in relation to behaviours. This is because staff are well trained and work consistently with agreed plans and boundaries.

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Quality of care good

While there is a safe and effective system for the storage and administration of prescribed medication, some shortfalls were noted in records kept for over the counter remedies. No detrimental impact on children was found and action was taken promptly during this inspection to address the area of shortfall.

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Keeping children and young people safe outstanding

Children's protection is promoted by the provision of a safe living environment. This is because of the effective implementation of a broad range of health and safety monitoring checks and prompt action being taken when required. Fire safety is prioritised and children understand the actions to be taken should a real fire occur. 7 of 9 Children report a strong sense of feeling safe and well-cared for. Also, saying that they feel able to raise concerns, to talk to staff and they report that the staff help them to deal with any worries they may have. The direct work undertaken with children assists them in making excellent progress towards understanding how to keep themselves safe. Reflection is used as an insightful way to assist children to understand how their behaviours may impact on others and also to promote protective behaviours.

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Keeping children and young people safe outstanding

Children say that there is no bullying in the home and any conflict between children is responded to promptly by staff. The lack of reported bullying is at least in part linked to the educational achievement award work undertaken with children within the home. Recently each child has completed a four module award on bullying which commenced with designing their own poster.

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Keeping children and young people safe outstanding

Staff consistently and effectively manage children's behaviour. Children say that the 'house rules are fair' and confirm that they understand what is expected of them in relation to behaviours. There is an emphasis on positive reinforcement within behaviour management strategies. As a result children learn that positive behaviour is beneficial and on occasions is rewarded. Staff are committed to physical intervention being used only as a last resort and in order to safeguard children or staff. Children say that they understand why physical holds are sometimes necessary and confirm that staff and managers talk to them following such incidents.

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Keeping children and young people safe outstanding

New staff are subject to rigorous pre-employment checks before commencing work in the home. The identity of visitors to the home is also checked. This ensures that children’s safety is promoted and that they are not exposed to unsuitable persons having access to the home

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Keeping children and young people safe outstanding

There have been no incidents of children going missing from the home in the last twelve months. Additionally children do not engage in risky behaviours in the community. This is linked directly to the broad understanding staff have of each child's vulnerabilities. Additionally the home has developed extremely rigorous missing from care procedures which have been reviewed with the local vulnerable missing person's police officer. Policies and procedures emphasise the importance of preventative practice in this regard.

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Keeping children and young people safe outstanding

Safeguarding arrangements are enhanced by the high level of supervision of the children and the effective implementation of comprehensive risk management strategies. While promoting children's protection staff understand that children need to take managed risks. These are planned into children's care and are well-managed. Staff are extremely knowledgeable about the individual risks facing each child and understand how best to safeguard them.

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Leadership and management outstanding

8 of 9 This inspection finds that there is a strong leadership and management team who ensure that the quality of care provided to children is of a high standard. Staff speak very positively of leaders and managers and their role within the delivery of a high quality service. Comments include 'management support here is fantastic'. Since the last full inspection in June 2013 changes have been made within the management team, including the registration of a new manager for the service in April 2014. The Registered Manager has substantial experience of working in residential care. While this manager has relevant qualifications she has confirmed that she will shortly be commencing further training in line with amended regulations for registered managers of children's homes. .

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Leadership and management outstanding

Staff understand the objectives of the service and care is provided in line with the home's Statement of Purpose. The extremely child focused ethos provided within this home is led from the front by both the responsible individual and the Registered Manager. Staff report that 'the message that children will always come first from managers is very clear'. A tangible enthusiasm about the provision of only a high quality service to children was evident throughout this inspection from both managers and staff.

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Leadership and management outstanding

Children are cared for by competent and knowledgeable staff. This is because training and staff development is prioritised. Examples of recent training include a two day training event about attachment and child development provided by mental health professionals. Also, during the first day of inspection the team were attending training about child sexual exploitation and missing from care. While no shortfalls in practice or service delivery were identified a recommendation has been set as recent Equality and Diversity training has not been facilitated. Children's needs are met through the provision of appropriate numbers of experienced and competent staff.

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Leadership and management outstanding

The independent monitoring of the service provides an insightful oversight of the quality of care provided. When areas for improvement are suggested these are reflected in reporting and action is taken promptly to address them. Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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Leadership and management outstanding

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Judgement Description

Outstanding A service of exceptional quality that significantly exceeds minimum requirements.

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Judgement Description

Good A service of high quality that exceeds minimum requirements.

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Judgement Description

Adequate A service that only meets minimum requirements.

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Judgement Description

Inadequate A service that does not meet minimum requirements.

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Information 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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Information 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 framework of inspection for children's homes.

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