Children's Home run by Future In Mind Limited in Staffordshire

Unique reference number SC063653 Inspector Sandra King Type of inspection Full Provision subtype Children's home

p.1

Registered person Future In Mind Limited Registered person address 3 West Street BOLTON BL1 4RE

p.1

Responsible individual Norma Powell Registered manager Jolanda Patricia Brookes Date of last inspection 12/03/2014 2 of 8 Inspection date 12/11/2014

p.1

Previous inspection good 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

The home is effective in providing children and young people with well-planned therapeutic care that meets their individual needs and achieves positive outcomes. Children and young people make good progress in their health, education and independence skills.

p.2

Overall effectiveness

The quality of interactions between staff, children and young people was observed to be constructive and the behaviour of children and young people is good. Children and young people’s views are regularly sought. Staff encourage awareness of safety and responsibility and children and young people feel safe and are safe. The home demonstrates high aspirations for children and young people which support them to progress and achieve.

p.2

Overall effectiveness

Leaders and managers know and understand the home strengths and areas for improvement. The home’s development plan is being well progressed. 3 of 8

p.2

Information about this children’s home

This privately owned home provides care and accommodation for up to two young people with emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. The service provides a specialist therapeutic programme and staff practise therapeutic techniques under supervision of a qualified therapist.

p.3

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

12/03/2014 Interim good progress 18/12/2013 Full good 06/03/2013 Interim good progress 13/09/2012 Full good

p.3

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.

p.3

Reg. Requirement Due date

5 (2001) ensure to notify HMCI of any such revision within 28 days in respect of the children and young people's guide (Regulation 5 (b)) 07/01/2015

p.3

Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) ensure, for the purposes of paragraph (1), a person is not fit to work at a children’s home unless full and satisfactory information is available in relation to him in respect of each of the matters specified in Schedule 2 (Regulation 26 (3)(d)). 07/01/2015 4 of 8

p.3

Outcomes for children and young people good

Outcomes for children and young people are good because they are making good progress with their health, education and independence skills and this improves their self-esteem and well-being. Young people develop a positive self-view and this increases their sense of security. Children and young people speak well of the adults who care for them and their experience of living here is good.

p.4

Outcomes for children and young people good

Children and young people make good progress in their health, both physically and emotionally. The service ensures swift access to therapy that helps children and young people to come to terms with past experiences and manages current difficulties. Health needs are met through registration with relevant health professionals.

p.4

Outcomes for children and young people good

Children and young people have educational placements and attendance is very good.

p.4

Outcomes for children and young people good

Young people’s independence is fully promoted. They make the most of the opportunities they have to develop practical skills including budgeting, shopping, cook, laundry and taking responsibility for their own personal healthcare. One young person commented, ‘I was helped a lot with independence and supported, I would not change anything about the home’.

p.4

Outcomes for children and young people good

Children and young people get the help they need to maintain and build positive relationships with their families. They have opportunities to develop friendships at school, invite friends home for tea and meet up outside the home, when safe to do so.

p.4

Outcomes for children and young people good

The home promotes a positive ethos that fully embraces diversity and difference. As a result children and young people learn to appreciate the significance of differing values and cultures and to have respect for other people.

p.4

Quality of care good

The home makes good arrangements to deliver medium to long- term therapeutic care. The registered manager drives a quality service that plans for and delivers what placing authorities have asked for and what children need, in a caring, clear and effective way.

p.4

Quality of care good

Children and young people’s emotional and physical health is good. In-house therapeutic support is utilised by children and young people. There is a circle of therapeutic and residential support for them that respects confidentiality while 5 of 8 ensuring good communication and action aimed at reducing distress and anxiety. This ensures children and young people’s physical and emotional needs are being met in a seamless manner by the staff group who is providing for their care. Staff work closely with health care professionals to ensure children and young people benefit from a high degree of support to ensure their optimum health.. Medication is safely managed by trained staff.

p.4

Quality of care good

Education is valued and staff act as good parents in supporting children and young people’s educational achievement. Each young person has their own chosen organised activity schedule. Children and young people take part in a wide range of activities both in the home and out of the home. As a result, young people develop an attitude of wanting to try new things and are stimulated in their daily lives. One young person commented, ‘I have a new trampoline to play on and I like riding my bike.’

p.5

Quality of care good

The service values children and young people’s views and uses a range of consultation methods; children and young people’s meeting; one-to-one key working sessions and children and young people’s consultation papers. The staff ensure their views are reflected in the care planning and review process and recorded within their individual placement plan. Any complaint made by a child or young person has a proper investigation and agreed outcomes with the complainant and manager. This means they have confidence the Registered Manager will deal with their concerns or complaints in a respectful and meaningful way that values conciliation.

p.5

Quality of care good

The home is well maintained and attractively presented with some personalisation of young people’s bedrooms. The home environment allows for private space as well as communal areas. Areas of the home have recently been redecorated and home furnishings replaced. These improvements have enhanced the look and feel of the home. Children and young people’s photographs are exhibited in photograph frames. This gives them a sense of belonging and a pride in their surroundings coupled with making children and young people feel valued.

p.5

Keeping children and young people safe good

Arrangements to keep children and young people safe are strong. Staff are trained and confident in the action they take when any child makes an allegation or disclosure. Safeguarding investigations are handled fairly and consistently in a timely manner. Full details and chronology of events are recorded and all necessary professionals are involved ensuring effective working with external partners, such as the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO). Regular training in child protection ensures the continued development of staff’s knowledge and understanding of safeguarding young people.

p.5

Keeping children and young people safe good

Incidences of physical interventions are infrequent. There have been only two interventions since the home was last inspected. Staff work with the young people 6 of 8 using reflective therapeutic interventions to help them reflect on significant incidents following an intervention. The manager monitors each intervention, ensuring the intervention was necessary, applied correctly and comprehensively recorded. The manager also ensures parents, where appropriate, and social workers are fully informed. There have been no incidences of young people going missing or of bullying since the last inspection.

p.5

Keeping children and young people safe good

Staff promote a positive culture of managing behaviour, with a focus on identifying and dealing with issues quickly to avoid escalation. Staff manage children and young people’s behaviour by building good relationships and placing a strong emphasis on promoting positive behaviour through praise and talking through any difficulties in a constructive way. This strengthens attachments and encourages children and young people to be able to develop alternative strategies in dealing with their own behaviour.

p.6

Keeping children and young people safe good

A wide range of recruitment checks are completed on all staff before they start working at the home. In a minority of instances the manager needs to be more rigorous in ensuring all relevant references are sought to consistently safeguard children and young people.

p.6

Keeping children and young people safe good

The environment is safe and secure. Staff ensure that health and safety takes a high priority. General environmental and risk assessments are in place and regular checks are completed in areas such as gas and electrical supplies to promote the safety of young people and staff. Impact assessments are completed on all admissions to ensure that placements are appropriate and young people continue to be safe within the home. All these actions show that children and young people’s welfare is promoted throughout their time at the home.

p.6

Leadership and management good

The service is effectively managed by a qualified, competent and resourceful Registered Manager. Children, young people, their families and the placing authority are clear about the support the home provides. Information about the home in the Statement of Purpose reflects the aims and objectives of the home and is supported by the children and young people’s guide. The guide includes details of external advocacy services young people can access for additional support. This promotes the young people’s safety because they are able to seek independent support to raise any concerns they may have. Children and young people’s files are securely stored. This ensures the confidentiality of children and young people is respected. There were no requirements or recommendations from the previous inspection.

p.6

Leadership and management good

The home has an excellent equality and diversity programme for children and young people that values and embraces diversity. For example; a young person experienced a day using crutches to give an understanding of disability. A ‘challenge yourself quiz’ in respect of diversity issues is also promoted within the home. 7 of 8 Staff deployment recognises children and young people’s fundamental need for good adult relationships to influence and overcome their experience of poor parenting or trauma. Staff value and children and young people benefit from team working by a long standing staff group. The home clearly supports the professional development of its staff and staff report they love working in the home. The staff team clearly have the interests of the children and young people at the centre of their practice and as a result young people are cared for by an enthusiastic and committed staff team.

p.6

Leadership and management good

Staff and managers ensure records are up-to-date, stored securely and fully contribute to an understanding of a child and young person’s life at the home. All staff hold an appropriate level 3 qualification or are currently completing their Induction Standards for the Children’s Workforce portfolio. Mandatory training is routinely held and supplemented by more specialist inputs; for example, all permanent staff have completed a Diploma in Neuro Linguistic Programme (NLP). This provision of supervision and training ensures that staff are fully equipped and supported to provide good quality care to young people alongside the therapy they receive.

p.7

Leadership and management good

The Registered Manager makes good use of a range of monitoring activities, such as Regulation 33 & 34 reports, to ensure the home operates to a high standard within its statement of purpose. The manager has a home’s developmental plan, which highlights areas for further development and improvement. Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

p.7

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.8

Judgement Description

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

p.8

Judgement Description

Good A service of high quality that exceeds minimum requirements.

p.8

Judgement Description

Adequate A service that only meets minimum requirements.

p.8

Judgement Description

Inadequate A service that does not meet minimum requirements.

p.8

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.8

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.8