Children's Home run by Enhanced Young Persons Care Limited in Middlesbrough

Unique reference number SC455864 Inspector Ann-Marie Born Type of inspection Full Provision subtype Children's home

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Registered manager Heather Lillian Portues Date of last inspection 15/01/2014 2 of 11 Inspection date 18/11/2014

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Previous inspection good progress Enforcement action since last inspection None

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Overall effectiveness good

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

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Overall effectiveness

This is a good home overall. Young people are thriving within a warm and positive culture where their individual and diverse needs are sensitively identified and robustly planned for. As a result they are making significant progress in all aspects of their lives. In particular, emotional resilience and feelings of self-worth; involvement in education and building and maintaining positive relationships with family members. A social worker said, 'You can see from the other young people how much they have achieved and that’s what I want for her. When she was at (name) I was getting referrals and notifications every single day from the police but things have calmed for her.'

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Overall effectiveness

Young people are universally positive about the care they receive from the proactive and nurturing staff team. Once young people settle and accept that staff will continue to be there for them, they see staff members very much as family and enjoy excellent relationships. This in turn allows young people to trust their judgement and build positive friendships with their peers. One young person said, 'This is my home, I'm staying till I’m 18’ and another, 'You know what the manager is like, she just won’t give up on anyone.’

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Overall effectiveness

Young people report they feel safe in the home. Stringent attention to safeguarding processes and robust individual risk assessments ensure young people are kept safe. 3 of 11 A young person said, 'I feel very safe here. I would trust (the manager) with my life.’

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Overall effectiveness

The inspiring manager and motivated and skilled management team are fully aware of the areas of development for this home. They are in the process of implementing new auditing processes to ensure that strengths continue to be built upon and any weaknesses swiftly addressed. Nevertheless, there are still some areas of development identified in this inspection. These include the quality of the external monitoring processes, the quality of staff recording and the administration of medication. 4 of 11

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Information about this children’s home

This children home provides care and accommodation for up to eight children with emotional and behavioural difficulties and mental disorders. The home is operated by a private provider.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

15/01/2014 Interim good progress 26/07/2013 Full adequate

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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) ensure that when carrying out a visit the independent person shall interview, with their consent and in private, such of the children accommodated in the home, their parents, relatives and persons working at the home in order to form an opinion as to whether the children are effectively safeguarded and that their well-being is promoted (Regulation 33 (8) (a) (i) (ii)) 31/01/2015

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) ensure that there are suitable arrangements for the recording, handling, safekeeping, safe administration and disposal of any medicines received into the children’s home. (Regulation 21 (1)) 31/01/2015 5 of 11

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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 all staff are familiar with the home’s policies on record keeping, trained to maintain them and to understand the need to be careful, objective and clear when making records. (Children Act 1989 guidance and regulations - Volume 5 – 3.28) 6 of 11

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Outcomes for children and young people outstanding

Young people make exceptional progress in developing emotional resilience as a result of the consistent, nurturing care they receive within appropriate boundaries. Young people’s much improved sense of security and belonging enables them to make sense of their backgrounds, including how past negative experiences have had an impact on their emotional health and development. Consequently young people's confidence in in trusting others is enhanced enabling them to form sustainable attachments to staff and each other. Young people learn to recognise that others genuinely care about them and they are likeable people.

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Outcomes for children and young people outstanding

Young people’s holistic health needs are markedly improved as a result of concentrated efforts to engage them with appropriate health provision. Effective partnership working with local child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) is enhanced by the in-house provision of psychological and therapeutic services. Young people’s substantial emotional health and well-being improvements enable them to take full advantage of the care provided. This leads to further enhancements in health and well-being as young people embrace the healthy lifestyle provided by the home. A social worker stated, 'They ensure she keeps her medical appointments, encourage her to eat good food, she’s stopped smoking and drinking, she’s got a healthy lifestyle.'

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Outcomes for children and young people outstanding

Young people make substantial progress in engaging with education provision. The in-house school provides young people with the opportunity to start attending classes again. This effectively stimulates young people's interest in learning and improves their confidence in their abilities. Extra tuition is provided in subjects young people are struggling with, for example mathematics. As a result young people are achieving a great deal from their starting points enabling some to be able to move on to mainstream provision. A young person said, 'I'm really proud I am now going to school. I never thought that would happen. I find it stressful but I have home to come back to, to talk about it.'

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Outcomes for children and young people outstanding

Young people’s increased self-confidence and feelings of self-worth empower them to make a positive contribution to their home. They make suggestions as to decoration and improvements in the home and participate in the recruitment of new staff. Young people also help staff care for the home’s chickens and Shetland ponies. This regular care of animals effectively allows young people to outwardly express affection and caring safely further enhancing feelings of self-worth. As a result young people feel valued and that they are important.

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Outcomes for children and young people outstanding

Young people’s cultural roots and community links are fully maintained as a result of the exceptional support provided to them by the home. Staff work closely with young people’s family and friends to enable contact to take place safely. This includes 7 of 11 collecting family members and friends to bring them to the home for contact. This consistent, persistent approach is of real benefit to young people sustaining them now and for their future independent lives. An independent reviewing officer (IRO) said, 'The home have improved relationships with his mum and that is down to the input of the staff and the in-house psychologist' and a social worker said, 'She has some very positive links still with her mother and friends and those can be maintained because of the input of the home'.

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Outcomes for children and young people outstanding

Young people are effectively prepared for transition to independence and adult life. For some this will mean moving in to a semi-independent provision and for others a return to live with family. Young people are fully aware of the individual plans for their futures and gain confidence in the knowledge that their wishes and feelings are included in the planning.

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Quality of care good

The warm and nurturing staff team provide young people with patient and consistent care. They sensitively explore areas of stress and distress for young people to identify ways of building better relationships and provide young people with a sense of security. For example, reading a young person a bedtime story of her choice every night. As a result young people feel secure and valued. This enables young people to enjoy excellent relationships with staff and each other for the majority of the time. A young person said, 'We are a huge dysfunctional family who will argue with each other but no one else can hurt one of us because we’ll take them all on together.'

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Quality of care good

The proactive and dedicated staff team use a variety of methods effectively to ensure they capture young people’s wishes and feelings. They sensitively enable young people to understand why some of their wishes cannot be granted. As a result young people feel that they contribute towards the organisation and planning of the home and feel secure.

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Quality of care good

Comprehensive complaint procedures are well known to young people. In addition they have access to independent advocates. Young people’s increased confidence in expressing their views means that they have no hesitation in stating what they think about their care, including to inspectors. There have not been any complaints.

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Quality of care good

Robust care planning ensures that all of a young person’s holistic, cultural and diverse needs are identified and met. A social worker commented, 'They are the first place that takes on that identified role, the settling routine at night reading her stories is exactly what she needs and she’s never had that.' Exceptional new weekly progress reports, prepared for social workers, detail young people’s achievements. The majority of records are appropriately detailed and completed however there are some inconsistencies in the standard of recording.

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Quality of care good

Young people’s health needs are well met by effective partnership working between 8 of 11 the home and health professionals in the community as well as the in-house therapeutic care. The staff recognise the benefits of ‘horticultural care’. Young people’s stress levels reduce as they enjoy the physical activity of gardening in the fresh air. In addition the warm and nurturing cook calmly provides young people with a range of healthy foods and supports them in exploring new tastes. Young people's holistic health and well-being improve as a result of this consistent, innovative care. An IRO said, 'At the last review it was obvious he was making huge strides in his therapeutic progress. It has been such a positive experience he is thinking of making that part of the world his home.'

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Quality of care good

However, the quality of medication procedures and recording is not as good as it could be. The record keeping for the safe handling of Homely Remedies is poor. This has not had a significant impact on the health and safety of young people living at the home as Homely Remedies are not routinely used. No young person has experienced any adverse effects linked to the administration of medication. Nevertheless, there is a potential risk of unsatisfactory handling of medication in the home if poor practice and recording continues.

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Quality of care good

The proactive and knowledgeable staff team fully support young people to engage in formal education and educational activities. They attend events in schools and colleges, as good parents would, and celebrate all achievements with young people. As a result young people make substantial improvements in educational attainments. A social worker said, 'We’ve been impressed with the progress.'

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Quality of care good

Young people’s horizons are broadened by involvement in inclusive activities in the home and community. Sharing care of the home’s animals with staff provide young people with the opportunity to learn new skills, both emotional and practical, while they are building relationships. The well-equipped computer and games room allow young people to spend time alone or engage in activities together. For example, working with a member of staff to write a song about the home. Attendance at events in the community, including music concerts and comic conventions build young people’s social and life skills while they have fun. A staff member said, 'He didn't like being in crowds and around too many people but with the conferences we’ve been too he’s got over that. He’s able to be himself now.'

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Quality of care good

Young people enjoy living in a spacious, warm and welcoming home. They take great pride in their home and facilities. The dining room and kitchen are very much the heart of the home. Young people and staff come together to enjoy the meals prepared by the cook and share details of their days. A young person said. 'It’s grand to come home.'

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Keeping children and young people safe good

9 of 11 Young people report that they feel safe in this home. Professionals corroborate that they are safe. The committed, proactive staff team are aware of the potential for bullying behaviours. Any such incidents are dealt with swiftly and restorative practice employed so that all young people understand the impact bullying has on each other. Young people are safeguarded by these measures. An independent advocate commented, 'This young person is so distressed that in other places other people have given up on her. But they won’t there and that really reassures (name), so she feels safe.'

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Keeping children and young people safe good

Stringent attention to missing person procedures, coupled with proactive partnership working with local and specialist police officers, safeguard young people if they go missing from this home. The strong relationships and the sense of security young people feel within the home mean that episodes of missing dramatically reduce once they feel settled. A social worker said, 'She’s had three foster placements and two residential placement breakdowns, there have not been those issues there. One of the main problems in the past is absconding and there hasn’t been that in (name).'

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Keeping children and young people safe good

Young people benefit from the staff’s thorough knowledge of their individual vulnerabilities and triggers. Effective behaviour management plans are robustly applied thereby promoting positive behaviours. Young people’s ‘explosive’ outbursts reduce as they feel settled and engage with the care provided. Young people further benefit from a new ‘Incentive Scheme’ whereby positive behaviours are noted by staff in a log kept for the purpose. Young people then receive a reward and a certificate specifying what that positive behaviour was at the end of education on a Friday. As a result, young people learn to recognise the benefits of appropriate behaviours and the impact their actions has on others. For example, one young person won an award for the support she gave to a new resident. A youth offending team worker said, 'She’s settled here better than anywhere because of the way they deal with her.'

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Keeping children and young people safe good

On occasion physical intervention is still necessary in order to safeguard young people. Any such event is robustly managed and effectively recorded allowing young people to learn from the consequences of their actions.

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Keeping children and young people safe good

Stringent attention is paid to appropriate recruitment and vetting procedures. These ensure that young people are not cared for by a person who may pose a risk to them.

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Keeping children and young people safe good

Robust health and safety procedures are effectively followed. Regular fire evacuation drills ensure that young people would know what to do in an emergency. Young people are effectively safeguarded by these measures.

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Leadership and management good

10 of 11 The suitably qualified Registered Manager has been in post since this home opened in December 2012. She has substantial experience in working with young people with emotional and psychological problems. She knows the young people in her care extremely well and they trust her. She is ably supported by two qualified senior practitioners. Young people benefit from their care being overseen this consistent, skilled management team. A police officer commented, 'They do it right.'

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Leadership and management good

The home’s Statement of Purpose and Children’s Guide are detailed and colourful. They provide young people and other interested parties with a comprehensive picture of the care to be provided. As a result young people are appropriately placed enhancing their opportunities for achievement.

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Leadership and management good

Excellent internal monitoring processes include young people’s views and those of their parents and the professionals who are involved in their care. The impact care is having on young people’s progress is evaluated enabling further development and that young people remain safe. The information gathered is implemented to inform the short, medium and long term development plans. This ensures that growth is consistent and effective. However the external monitoring systems are not sufficiently robust and do not fully comply with regulation.

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Leadership and management good

Young people benefit from being cared for by a skilled, motivated and well supported staff team. High staffing numbers ensure that young people’s needs are met. Professionals confirm that the home maintain good levels of communication with them. Staff are well prepared for all reviews and ensure that the young person’s voice is heard at their review. Young people fully benefit from this proactive, persistent communication and partnership working. An IRO commented, 'The difference in her being able to sit through review meetings is excellent. She’s managing herself a lot better with huge differences recently.'

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Leadership and management good

Young people’s records are comprehensive, detailed and contribute to an understanding for the reasons for their placement in this home. They will assist young people in planning for their future and an understanding of their past. They are stored securely.

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Leadership and management good

Young people are safeguarded by the swift notification of all significant events to appropriate agencies, including Ofsted. A youth offending service worker said, 'They keep in regular contact, I always know what is happening. (I) can’t fault them at all.' Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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Leadership and management good

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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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