Children's Home run by Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council in Tameside

Unique reference number SC357979 Inspector Anthony Kyem Type of inspection Full Provision subtype Children's home

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Registered person Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council Registered person address Council Offices, Wellington Road Tameside Ashton-under-Lyne Lancashire OL6 6DL Responsible individual Anthony Griffin Registered manager Carolyn Wild Date of last inspection 21/03/2014 2 of 9 Inspection date 15/10/2014

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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 outstanding Keeping children and young people safe outstanding Leadership and management outstanding

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Overall effectiveness

Young people enjoy being at the home. They thrive and clearly benefit from the time they spend living there. Young people enjoy exceptionally good relationships with staff and sustain their positive attachments. Young people's views about their care and their relationships with staff are consistently positive. Young people are kept safe and they have a very strong sense of personal safety.

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Overall effectiveness

The progress young people make and the outcomes they achieve are exceptionally positive. Young people are routinely involved in all aspects of their care. They feel that their views, wishes and feelings are actively sought and enable them to influence the running of the home. The views of young people are central to all aspects of how the home operates and develops its practice. Young people are involved in key decisions and their participation and engagement is positive.

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Overall effectiveness

A previous young resident said, 'I loved it. I really regret leaving. It was like a real family because we got on so well together. It wasn’t like a care home. There was always someone to talk to. I miss it so much; they're like my family...The one thing I will remember is that they pushed me to do my GCSE's.'

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Overall effectiveness

Leaders and managers have an exceptionally good understanding of the home's strengths and weaknesses. They are rigorous in monitoring performance to promote 3 of 9 positive outcomes for young people. Leaders and managers are energetic and ambitious to achieve continuing improvement. Staff are passionate about their roles and their efforts are channelled effectively.

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Overall effectiveness

An Independent Reviewing Officer commented, 'I have (two children) at the home. I can say the home is an excellent placement. Staff are very nurturing in their care of children and care about them. They are in tune with their care plans and contribute written and oral information to reviews. I would advocate any young person to be placed with them.'

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Overall effectiveness

A social worker said, 'I am very pleased with the service. The staff have a good understanding of (child's) needs and support him in line with the care plan. The young person is very happy in this placement. The staff support his contact and facilitate this. They have a good independence plan in place for him and have encouraged him to build skills in this area. The staff and management are always available to liaise with and share information.'

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Overall effectiveness

There are no breaches in regulation. One good practice recommendation has been made; to formally involve young people staff appraisals as a way of further promoting young people’s participation. 4 of 9

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Information about this children’s home

This local authority children's home provides care and accommodation for up to three young people with emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

21/03/2014 Interim good progress 25/11/2013 Full outstanding 27/03/2013 Interim good progress 24/05/2012 Full good

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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 staff have their performance individually and formally appraised at least annually and their appraisal takes into account any views of children the service is providing for. (NMS 19.6) 5 of 9

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Outcomes for children and young people outstanding

The outcomes achieved by young people are extremely positive. Young people make exceptional progress to develop a positive self-image. Young people are self-confident and resilient. Staff help young people to make sense of their past and support them to understand their plans for the future.

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Outcomes for children and young people outstanding

Young people benefit from a caring, highly supportive and nurturing environment. Staff are positive role models for young people. Young people have appropriate adults they can look up to and learn from. Young people make exceptional progress across all aspects of their welfare and physical, social, emotional and behavioural development as result of the high quality of the support provided to them.

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Outcomes for children and young people outstanding

Young people are registered with doctors, dentists and opticians so that they have prompt access to the services they need, when they need them. Young people are encouraged and supported by the staff to attend routine health. Young people benefit from the services they need to promote their physical, emotional and psychological well-being.

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Outcomes for children and young people outstanding

Staff have consistently high aspirations for young people and strive to achieve the best outcomes possible for them. Staff invest in their relationships with young people to maximise young people’s progress and the outcomes they achieve. Young people do not engage in risk-taking behaviours. Young people are not at risk of harm.

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Outcomes for children and young people outstanding

Young people attend school, college or alternative educational provision. The educational achievement of young people is exceptional, taking into account their both their attainment and progress in relation to their individual starting points. Staff demonstrate a positive interest in young people's education. They attend parents’ evenings and school meetings, where necessary. Staff promote young people's full participation in education and young people benefit from extra-curricular activities to promote their learning. Staff work pro-actively with the schools to ensure that young people attend regularly and their educational outcomes improve. Young people enjoy and achieve.

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Outcomes for children and young people outstanding

Young people receive excellent support to prepare them for independence. Eligible care leavers benefit from effective support to promote their successful transition to adulthood. Young people who have left the home return to visit. They are warmly greeted by staff on their return. As part of growing up, young people are allowed to take appropriate risks. They develop practical skills in shopping, cooking and budgeting. An advocate for young people commented, 'Their after care support is excellent; it is properly planned and they stick their necks out for young people and ensure everything's well managed.' 6 of 9 The home maintains highly effective partnerships with other professionals and with young people’s families. The home actively promotes contact so that young people maintain their close relationships with the people who are most important to them. Young people enjoy regular contact with their friends and family.

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Quality of care outstanding

Young people benefit from excellent relationships with staff and with each other. The views of young people are central to all aspects of how the home operates and develops its practice. Young people are able to influence and make a positive contribution to the running of the home. Young people’s views, wishes and feelings are consistently acted upon. Young people know how to make a complaint and their rights are promoted very effectively.

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Quality of care outstanding

An advocate observed that '…staff always listen to the views of young people. They give young people the opportunity to see someone who is completely independent. They make a difference and I think they really do promote young people having a voice. They care about young people. They go above and beyond definitely. I have been in plenty of children's homes and there's a real difference there. You can tell they really do genuinely care.'

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Quality of care outstanding

Young people benefit from an extremely well planned and outstanding quality care that promotes their needs very effectively. Care planning and practice are highly individualised to meet the needs of individual young people. Young people are involved in key decisions so they are able to influence all aspects of their care and support. Young people's needs relating to their age, gender, race, ethnicity and personal identity are all positively addressed in both care planning and daily living. Consequently, young people's needs are comprehensively met.

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Quality of care outstanding

Young people make a positive contribution to the home and the wider community. Young people are involved in positive, constructive and enjoyable activities. For example, trips to the cinema, pamper nights and singing and music lessons. Young people develop their social skills and self-confidence as result of their participation. Young people said, 'I like the activities. I go to jujitsu, that's cool, and to guitar lessons, that's cool too.'

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Quality of care outstanding

Young people's medication is stored and safely administered, by well trained and competent staff. Young people are taught about key health issues and lead and maintain healthy and active lifestyles. Staff are imaginative in finding ways to support young people. Young people benefit from a warm, comfortable, nurturing, and homely environment. The home is consistently maintained to a high standard. The location of the home is safe and suitable. Young people benefit from good access to local amenities and are able to access places of potential interest to them. 7 of 9

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Keeping children and young people safe outstanding

The welfare and safety of young people is at the centre of staff practice. Young people are protected from abuse, bullying, neglect and all other forms of significant harm. Staff are trained on child protection, e-safety and child sexual exploitation to enable them to recognise potential abuse. Staff know how to deal with allegations and are clear about their roles and responsibilities to keep young people safe from harm. Clear risk assessment and a pro-active approach to safeguarding ensure young people are protected and are not at risk of harm.

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Keeping children and young people safe outstanding

Staff are carefully selected and vetted to ensure they are suitable to work with young people. Visitors to the home are strictly monitored and chaperoned. There have been no allegations of abuse or referrals to children and young people's services. Staff demonstrate a good understanding of safe working practice. They understand young people's particular needs and vulnerabilities and take appropriate action to address them.

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Keeping children and young people safe outstanding

Young people rarely go missing from the home. If they do go missing, there are effective arrangements in place ensure they return quickly and safely. The home maintains a highly effective partnership with the local police to support and protect young people. Staff promote young people's positive behaviour. Positive behaviour management strategies are applied consistently. Staff share and implement the home's ethos, approach and philosophy in caring for young people.

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Keeping children and young people safe outstanding

The use of sanctions are kept to an absolute minimum. Incentives and rewards are used frequently to praise young people on their individual achievements. The use of restraint is extremely rare. Restraint is not used unless it is absolutely necessary to protect young people from harm or injury. There have been no restraints since the last inspection and none for some considerable time.

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Keeping children and young people safe outstanding

Young people benefit from a physically safe and appropriately secure environment. All health and safety matters are managed effectively to promote the safety of young people. There are regular fire drills and evacuations so that young people and staff know to leave the premises safely.

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Leadership and management outstanding

Leaders and managers are energetic and ambitious. They consistently communicate high expectations to staff about sustaining improvement. Written development plans are in place to promote the home's continuing development and improvement. Development plans are reviewed annually.

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Leadership and management outstanding

The home employs a well-qualified and very experienced registered manager and deputy. Both are well established in their roles. Managers and leaders exercise strong and effective leadership of the home's staff and ensure the efficient operation of the 8 of 9 home. Young people benefit from a home that is managed extremely efficiently and effectively.

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Leadership and management outstanding

The home can demonstrate the positive difference and impact it has made to the lives of young people. It can clearly evidence how young people's outcomes have improved for the better over time. The home has an excellent track record based on its performance and its previous inspection history. No requirements or recommendations were made at the time of the last inspection.

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Leadership and management outstanding

Staff benefit from effective support, high quality training, appraisal and professional supervision. Managers and leaders are consistently supportive of staff and the work they do. Young people benefit from well qualified, trained and experienced staff who promote their needs comprehensively. The home meets the aims and objectives of its Statement of Purpose in a way that delivers improved outcomes for young people.

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Leadership and management outstanding

Managers and leaders routinely make good use of the home's monitoring arrangements to improve outcomes for young people. Young people benefit from a home that is consistently managed to the best of the managers’ abilities. The home is appropriately staffed and well-resourced to meet the needs of individual young people. The performance of the home is monitored efficiently and effectively.

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Leadership and management outstanding

Young people are routinely consulted about the quality of their care. Independent monitoring visits take place on a regular basis. Managers and leaders have a positive understanding of the home's strengths and robustly tackle identified weaknesses to secure improvement. Young people are informally involved in staff appraisal. However, their formal involvement would strengthen their participation and allow staff to receive constructive feedback on their performance.

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Leadership and management outstanding

There are no breaches of regulation. Significant incidents are extremely rare. If and when they do occur, the manager notifies the appropriate authorities promptly to ensure appropriate action is taken by those charged with a duty to protect young people. Young people's records provide a clear, accurate and factual account of their time at the home. Young people have personal journals and memory boxes to recall their memorable experiences and events. 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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