Children's Home run by Care Today Parallel Parents in Leeds

Unique reference number SC403890 Inspector Simon Morley Type of inspection Full Provision subtype Children's home

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Registered person Care Today (Children's Services) Ltd Registered person address Care Today Children's Services, Lansdowne House 85 Buxton Road STOCKPORT Cheshire SK2 6LR Responsible individual Vivien Anne Snape Registered manager Clare Louise Garmory Date of last inspection 15/10/2013 2 of 11 Inspection date 15/07/2014

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Previous inspection satisfactory progress Enforcement action since last inspection There has been no enforcement action since the last inspection.

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Overall effectiveness good

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

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Overall effectiveness

There is a pleasant homely environment in which young people are happy, supportive of each other, feel safe and enjoy good relationships with staff. Young people have diverse backgrounds and experiences relating to their race, culture, religion, gender, disability and health needs. Staff are passionate about their work and aim high for each young person regardless of their individual needs. This commitment of staff in promoting equality and diversity helps young people feel accepted and valued in the home. A young person said 'I can be whoever I want to be here'. The security this gives to young people helps boost their self-confidence and they make good progress in various aspects of their welfare.

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Overall effectiveness

Young people have a good say about what happens in the home. Their wishes, views and needs all contribute significantly to decisions about their care, plans for the future and day-to-day life in the home. Staff listen well to young people, support their chosen lifestyles, interests, hobbies and provide consistent routines where needed to help young people feel relaxed and comfortable. The inside of the house provides young people a homely environment which is in contrast to the exterior which is scruffy and dirty.

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Overall effectiveness

Staff fulfil their responsibilities with regard to safeguarding competently and are 3 of 11 good at keeping young people safe. Staff are trained and competent in looking after young people effectively and make a positive difference to their lives.

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Overall effectiveness

In certain respects the home is well run for example, maintaining good standards of care and promoting positive outcomes for young people. However the absence of rigour in which the service is monitored and evaluated limits the capacity for future improvements. The provider is currently planning to improve these quality assurance systems. Delays in maintaining up-to-date case records also has the potential to compromise how well care is planned. These shortfalls result in the leadership and management of the home to be judged as adequate. The identified shortfalls have led to five areas that require improvement. 4 of 11

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Information about this children’s home

This children's home is one of a number that is owned and managed by a private organisation. It provides care and accommodation for up to four young people who have emotional or behavioural difficulties.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

15/10/2013 Interim satisfactory progress 13/06/2013 Full good 13/12/2012 Interim satisfactory progress 18/06/2012 Full good

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Statutory Requirements

This section sets out the actions which must be taken so that the registered person/s meets the Care Standards Act 2000, Children's Homes Regulations 2001 and the National Minimum Standards. The registered person(s) must comply with the given timescales.

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) maintain in respect of each child who is accommodated a record in permanent form which the information. documents and records specified in Schedule 3 relating to that child (Regulation 28(1)(a)) 30/09/2014

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) ensure all parts of the home are kept clean and reasonably decorated and maintained (Regulation 31 (2) (e)) 30/09/2014

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) ensure that visits by the independent person report on their opinion as to whether children accommodated at the home are effectively 30/09/2014 5 of 11 safeguarded and whether the conduct of the home promotes the well-being of the children accommodated there (Regulation 33 (8) & (9))

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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 the home is managed effectively and efficiently, identifying concerns about specific incidents, identifying patterns and trends and taking action to address any issues raised by this monitoring (NMS 21)  ensure independent visits carried out under Regulation 33 scrutinise how the home is supporting children to enjoy and achieve. (Statutory Guidance Volum Children's Homes, paragraph 3.12) 6 of 11

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Outcomes for children and young people good

Young people live in a nurturing, caring home where they can build safe and trusting relationships with the adults who look after them. Young people benefit as a result and make good progress across a range of different aspects of their welfare, including their self-esteem, social and practical skills, resilience, health and family contact.

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Outcomes for children and young people good

All young people have some form of educational provision including mainstream, special schools and home tutoring. Some young people have excellent attendance and achieve well because of the support from staff and professional relationships staff have established with their school. Where young people struggle with a school environment they continue to make progress with a mixture of home tutoring and part-time school attendance. Young people benefit educationally compared to their backgrounds and past educational achievements before coming to this home. Young people are engaging with staff about next years education plans, potential college courses and vocational studies such as dance or health and social care.

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Outcomes for children and young people good

Young people improve their emotional health and well-being as a result of one to one time with staff, the praise, rewards and encouragement they receive. Young people's self-esteem is enhanced by the caring and nurturing environment staff provide. Young people have good access to the provider's in-house therapeutic services as well as local mental health and general health services. Young people's individual needs are supported with specialist health care including speech and language therapy and maternity care. Young people improve their physical health through exercise, gym membership, widening their dietary choices and in some cases significant reduction in smoking. Young people explore personal and health issues such as relationships, safety, sexual health and identity with staff. This helps young people develop a broader knowledge and understanding about healthy lifestyles as they get older.

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Outcomes for children and young people good

Young people socialise well with each other talking and playing games. At their own pace they reduce their levels of challenging behaviour as they settle into the homely environment and expectations of the home. As a result young people are also able to improve the quality of contact with their families. Young people enjoy good levels of contact with relatives where this is agreed with their placing authority. This helps young people maintain important family relationships and reinforces their sense of identity.

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Outcomes for children and young people good

Young people develop their life and practical skills which will benefit their transition to adult life. They are assisted to open bank accounts, learn about budgeting and health and safety practice. Young people become more confident in their skills through the regular opportunities to go shopping and cook meals. 7 of 11 Young people also benefit from the commitment of the manager and staff to provide on-going support to make sure future placements are successful.

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Quality of care good

Young people enjoy good relationships with staff and each other. Young people said, 'We like it here, staff care about us and there is lots to do.' Staff are passionate about helping young people do well and want the best for them regardless of their individual needs. Staff are friendly and welcoming, giving young people a homely environment, which is a safe place for them to grow up in. There is a comfortable, calm atmosphere which helps young people be themselves and contributes to their positive well-being.

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Quality of care good

Referrals to admit new young people are assessed well to ensure their needs can be met and also consider the impact on those already resident in the home. The manager uses referral and assessment information to formulate detailed in-house care plans to provide support to young people, set targets and agree how these will be met. Young people are involved in the care planning process and choosing individual targets which helps them understand their support strategies and future aims. Regular updates and reviews of the plans are carried out meaning targets can be adjusted to ensure they are realistic and reflect young people's progress.

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Quality of care good

Staff are thoughtful and considerate in helping young people overcome barriers to their progress such as low self-esteem, difficult family relationships, inappropriate and sometimes obsessive behaviour. Stakeholders commented, 'Staff are intuitive and will try different approaches to help young people understand things.' Staff give young people time to talk to young people about their concerns, needs and views, for example their behaviour, targets, rewards, relationships, activities, family contact and education. Staff respect young people's lifestyle choices keeping them at the centre of care practice. For example young people can have their own pans and crockery. This upholds religious beliefs of young people in avoiding particular foods and regognises their autistic traits to need their own equipment.

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Quality of care good

Staff ensure there are good arrangements for young people to access routine and specialist health care to meet their individual needs. This includes counselling, help with speech impediments, sexual health and maternity care. This helps young people benefit from a home environment where their physical health and emotional well- being is actively promoted. Staff also work closely with schools, colleges and other local education services to ensure young people are getting the education they need. This helps them progress with their education and improve basic skills such as numeracy and literacy which were lacking prior to admission. 8 of 11 The staff work well with partner organisations and other stakeholders to ensure young people receive the support they need. Working closely with parents, placing authorities and youth justice helps develop strategies to keep young people safe, reduce their risk taking behaviour and improve their welfare.

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Quality of care good

Young people live in a suitable and safe home in a residential neighbourhood. There is easy access to local shops and the town centre. Inside the house there is a homely, well maintained environment and staff help young people personalise their bedrooms. The exterior is less welcoming as the grounds and front of the house have not been well maintained, look scruffy and dirty.

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Keeping children and young people safe good

Staff give the safety of young people a high priority. Young people confirmed they feel safe, get along with each other, and there is no bullying. Young people feel able to talk to staff at any time about any of their concerns. They also know how to complain should they wish to do so and can contact relevant safeguarding agencies external to the home if they do not want to tell staff. Stakeholders commented, 'Young people are safe in this home.'

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Keeping children and young people safe good

There are comprehensive risk management plans in place that address individual young people's vulnerabilities such as their potential for self harm, risk taking behaviour and emotional well-being. The manager regularly reviews these with staff, allowing young people to take appropriate risks as part of their normal development and transition to independent living. For example independent travel, safe use of scissors and knifes for art work and cooking.

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Keeping children and young people safe good

Staff are trained in de-escalation skills and conflict resolution. Staff use their skills to engage young people in developing good behaviour and how to cope with difficult situations. Staff use individual incentives that young people have chosen such as guitar lessons and star charts. A young person said, 'If you are good you can get everything.' This successful approach means staff rarely use sanctions as a consequence and there is limited use of physical intervention to keep a young person safe. A social worker said, 'Staff have had to put up with a lot of abuse but young people's behaviour is much better.'

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Keeping children and young people safe good

Staff effectively implement the safeguarding procedures and protocols that are in place to keep young people safe. All staff receive regular training about safeguarding issues including issues around missing from care, self-harm and exploitation of children and young people. The manager and staff know the actions to take to take if there are any concerns or allegations of harm to a young person.

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Keeping children and young people safe good

The robust, thorough approach to engaging young people in activities and promoting their interests helps prevent young people from wanting to go missing from the home. Staff use individual strategies worked out with young people balancing 9 of 11 incentives, risks and independence. This reduces the amount they are absent and encourages them to return on time. When any young person is missing, staff follow individual risk strategies to ensure they return safely. This includes frequent and regular attempts at communicating with young people, their family, friends, police and placing authority of their whereabouts. Staff will go out and look for anyone who is missing and keep trying until they are safe. When young people continue to go missing the manager works well with local safeguarding agencies, reviewing strategies and the young persons placement. This ensures a good multi-agency approach to safeguard young people.

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Keeping children and young people safe good

Young people are further protected by a home which provides a safe and secure environment. Staff follow a range of safety procedures including regular health and safety checks to keep young people safe from potential hazards. In addition, the vetting and recruitment processed ensure only appropriate adults are employed to work there.

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Leadership and management adequate

The Registered Manager has been in post for seven months has a range of suitable experience and is appropriately qualified to manage this home. She is supported by a senior care worker and the provider to ensure the home is adequately resourced to meet the needs of young people living there.

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Leadership and management adequate

While the manager and provider undertake regular monitoring of the standards of care, subsequent quality reports lack evaluation of the impact care practice on the lives of young people. This compromises the ability to comprehensively evaluate the service and drive forward improvements. This has been reviewed and there were plans in place at the time of inspection to improve the monitoring process. Some monitoring reports are short on views of young people, parents and social workers. However, there are other effective systems of consultation to ensure that the views of young people and other stakeholders are central to the planning and review of care. For example, after listening to parents the manager has improved the content and format of weekly reports of young people's achievements that are given to parents.

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Leadership and management adequate

The manager demonstrates some capacity for improvement by consulting stakeholders and she has complied with the two recommendations from the last inspection. These relate to the safety of young people and effectively monitoring record keeping. Arrangements for protecting the safety of young people have improved and there are improvements to in-house case records. This includes how staff set targets with young people, tracking their outcomes and the quality of information in weekly reports.

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Leadership and management adequate

The manager chases placing authorities for relevant information about educational needs of young people and outcomes of care reviews. Where this information is 10 of 11 missing from young people's case records it compromises the effectiveness of the care planning system to address all the individual needs of a young person. This is offset by regular discussion with social workers and multi-agency planning meetings.

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Leadership and management adequate

There is a new Statement of Purpose, providing interested parties detailed information about the home and the intended aims and objectives for young people. A separate child-friendly guide is given to young people, letting them know what to expect, how to complain and contact external advocacy if they wish to do so.

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Leadership and management adequate

The staff group are experienced in working with young people and are confident carrying out their role. They have a range of skills and individual strengths which mean young people can be fully supported. There is an appropriate number of staff employed and on duty at any one time to support young people with their education, family contact, meetings, appointments and activities. Staff receive good individual support to carry out their role, including regular formal supervision, appraisals, team meetings and training.

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Leadership and management adequate

New staff undertake induction training and then progress to achieving the required qualification for working with children and young people. This helps ensure they are able to work competently with young people. In addition mandatory training is undertaken by all staff covering subject areas such as safeguarding, physical intervention, first aid and health and safety. This is enhanced with additional training for example, self-harm to ensure staff are equipped with the required skills and knowledge to work meaningfully with young people's individual needs. Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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Leadership and management adequate

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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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