Children's Home, Residential special school run by The Partnership of The Chartwell Group in Cambridgeshire

Unique reference number SC015264 Inspector Deirdra Keating Type of inspection Full Provision subtype Residential special school (>295 days/year)

p.1

Registered manager Jason Wright Date of last inspection 10/01/2014 2 of 9 Inspection date 25/09/2014

p.1

Previous inspection inadequate progress Enforcement action since last inspection none

p.2

Overall effectiveness good

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

p.2

Overall effectiveness

Young people benefit from well-planned care tailored to their individual needs. This has helped them make very good progress particularly in education, attitudes and behaviours.

p.2

Overall effectiveness

Young people are very settled and speak positively about the care they receive. They have established strong attachments with staff, giving them stability and security. Young people fully recognise these benefits.

p.2

Overall effectiveness

Young people feel safe and relaxed in the home. Staff are consistent in their approach to behaviour management treat young people respectfully. This helps young people feel equally valued and clear about expectations.

p.2

Overall effectiveness

There have been no concerns reported to Ofsted about this home.

p.2

Overall effectiveness

The long serving manager has a very good oversight of the home, staff and young people. The manager has a clear understanding of the home’s strengths and areas for development. There is a commendable commitment to the resourcing and support of young people's education, their physical safety and leisure time. The requirements raised at the previous inspection have been fully addressed, resulting in radical improvements to health and safety. Monitoring is much more robust. The 3 of 9 areas identified for improvement are promoting young people's independence regarding domestic chores, gaps in the records of supervision and the décor of the home. 4 of 9

p.2

Information about this children’s home

This home is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to seven children with emotional and/or behavioural difficulties, and/or learning difficulties. This is a children's home which specialises in offering long-term placements to boys. The home has an independent special school on site.

p.4

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

10/01/2014 Interim inadequate progress 29/04/2013 Full good 08/11/2012 Interim good progress 29/05/2012 Full good

p.4

Recommendations

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

p.4

Recommendations

 ensure there is an electronic record kept by the home detailing the time and date and length of each supervision for each member of staff (NMS 19.5)  encourage young people to develop practical skills, including shopping, buying, cooking and keeping food, washing clothes and contributing to domestic routines in the home (NMS 12.1 (e)  ensure that the wishes and feelings of children are taken into account in developing the home. This is in relation to the furniture and décor in the home (NMS 1.7) 5 of 9

p.4

Outcomes for children and young people good

Young people make significant and measurable progress. They recognise how past behaviours have affected them and take great pride in the changes they have made. One young person said: ‘I love it here, it has helped me and it feels like home.'

p.5

Outcomes for children and young people good

Young people have an extremely good attitude to education and learning. Their attendance in school is excellent and this gives them strong foundations to build academic and vocational achievements. This encourages young people to recognise their individual potential and promotes confidence in their abilities.

p.5

Outcomes for children and young people good

Young people benefit from healthy daily routines. They enjoy outdoor activities and regular sport including; ball games, swimming and skating. Young people have good appetites and eat a well-balanced diet. They take responsibility for their diet by monitoring foods and requesting healthy desert options. Healthy routines have given young people the benefit of a nutritious diet, physical exercise and good sleep patterns.

p.5

Outcomes for children and young people good

Young people participate in a wide range of community activities and clubs. They attend scouts, drama and youth club giving them opportunities to make social connections outside the home. Young people invite the local community to some events at the home. This helps them take pride in their home and get to know local people.

p.5

Outcomes for children and young people good

Young people see their families regularly this helps them maintain family ties, visit their home location and start to understand their diverse backgrounds.

p.5

Outcomes for children and young people good

Young people help with some household chores although opportunities are not maximised. This means they are not always able to be actively involved in meal time routines. This does not fully support them to learn new domestic skills that will support them in later life.

p.5

Quality of care good

Staff have formed established relationships with young people, based on trust and mutual respect. Staff proactively advocate for young people. They show them genuine care, take pride in their achievements and plan carefully to support their transition to adulthood.

p.5

Quality of care good

Staff ensure young people know how to make their grumbles and complaints known. They promote clear rules and consistent boundaries. These are key in helping young 6 of 9 people change. This has established a culture in which young people know what to expect and what is expected. This helps young people feel secure.

p.5

Quality of care good

Detailed care plans guide staff in their care of young people. Staff capture young people’s views in care planning supporting them to take part in their reviews and discussions about their futures.

p.6

Quality of care good

Staff support young people to take part in regular activities that build on their interests and helps them develop their skills. They transport young people to a range of clubs and activities after school. This gives young people productive routines and new opportunities.

p.6

Quality of care good

Staff support young people to attend education exceptionally well. They work very closely with teaching support staff and respond immediately to concerns raised in school. Attendance is excellent, this helps young people feel positive about their lives, recognise the changes they have made and aspire for their futures.

p.6

Quality of care good

Staff seek young people’s views and these are somewhat reflected in the home. Staff discuss menus with young people; enable young people to have pets, choose their activities and decide on holiday destinations. Staff refurbish bedrooms in décor of young people’s tastes and preferences, making rooms personal to young people. However, the communal rooms of the house do not reflect young people’s choices. The furnishings and furniture are dated and do not reflect the young people who live there. Despite this the house is very well maintained and housekeeping staff keep it extremely clean. This helps young people know where their belongings are.

p.6

Keeping children and young people safe good

Young people say that they feel safe. They are relaxed in the house and appear comfortable in communal rooms. There are minor disagreements which can lead to tensions within the group, although generally, these do not escalate. Young people spoken to say that staff are very strict about bullying and this has promoted a safe environment in which young people are relaxed with their peers.

p.6

Keeping children and young people safe good

Behaviour is extremely good. Young people are welcoming and considerate; they are tolerant of one another and live alongside one another amicably. Use of physical restraint is minimal and reporting provides a clear chronology of the lead up to events. The staff provide proportionate sanctions to help young people reflect on their behaviours. A social worker spoken to said about a young person ' he is very well contained and has learnt to manage himself '.

p.6

Keeping children and young people safe good

Young people do not engage in risk taking behaviours in the community and there are very few incidents of young people going missing from the home. There is a culture of young people who consistently adhere to the safety rules helping them develop an awareness and understanding of their own personal safety. 7 of 9 The safeguarding procedures in the home are clear. Training is provided and this teaches staff to understand their responsibilities in safeguarding young people. This includes the management of allegations and reporting of disclosures, protecting young people from potential harm.

p.6

Keeping children and young people safe good

The staff recruited undergo satisfactory checks prior to taking up posts. The manager ensures all checks are meticulously documented. This ensures that adults working with young people are safe and suitable.

p.7

Keeping children and young people safe good

The manager has made a comprehensive investment in health and safety at the home. He has commissioned a company to carry out risk management in the home. This has given staff the tools to assess risk to young people using a thorough and calculated approach. Fire prevention checks are all conducted and professionals regularly service equipment. These systems work well and ensure young people are protected from accidents and fire.

p.7

Leadership and management good

The home has an experienced manager registered by Ofsted to manage this home in 2007. The manager demonstrates a dedicated commitment to the young people and has high aspirations for each individual.

p.7

Leadership and management good

Improvements made since the last inspection fully address the previous shortfalls. The manager has addressed the environmental shortfalls previously identified. There has been a significant improvement to the safety checks in the home and assessment of risk to young people has been reviewed and changed. The manager and senior staff have a realistic understanding of the key strengths and weaknesses of the home.

p.7

Leadership and management good

Professionals have positive views of the care staff provide for young people. Feedback from three professionals is extremely good. They summarise young people's progress and say they make strides with their education and behaviour. One said; ‘He has made amazing progress.' The staff have a good relationships with a range of external professionals. This ensures young people's care is supported by working in partnership with a multi-disciplinary team.

p.7

Leadership and management good

Young people’s needs are central to staff practice and some outcomes for young people are outstanding. The positive value of living at the home is measureable in terms of young people’s progress in; education, confidence in their abilities, increase in family contact and attitudes to behaviour. The staff team are very successful in helping young people turn their lives around. Placements are established and there are few changes. New admissions are given robust impact risk assessment and this has resulted in a group of young people who are able to live alongside one another peacefully feeling equally valued and safe. 8 of 9 The established staff team staff team provide experience and stability to young people. They enjoy working with the young people and are enthusiastic about their roles. This supports young people to form lasting attachments. There is a good and varied programme of training and mandatory courses for staff to attend. Staff say

p.7

Leadership and management good

they feel supported and supervision guides them in carrying out their roles. The senior staff are readily available to support staff. However, there are gaps in the frequency of supervision and no record of supervision for the Registered Manager. This does not support performance management of staff.

p.8

Leadership and management good

The manager undertakes monthly monitoring of the practice and care in the home. Following previous shortfalls in monitoring a new independent visitor has been commissioned. The monitoring is more robust, it provides consultation with stakeholders and raises action points. This has been instrumental in improving the quality of care.

p.8

Leadership and management good

Records provide clear chronologies of children’s daily lives. All events are filed and notifications are made within reasonable timescales. This provides an extra safeguard as it ensures Ofsted gain a comprehensive picture of events at the home. Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

p.8

Leadership and management good

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.9

Judgement Description

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

p.9

Judgement Description

Good A service of high quality that exceeds minimum requirements.

p.9

Judgement Description

Adequate A service that only meets minimum requirements.

p.9

Judgement Description

Inadequate A service that does not meet minimum requirements.

p.9

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.

p.9

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.

p.9