Children's Home run by Five Rivers Child Care Limited in Wiltshire

Unique reference number SC059717 Inspector Heather Chaplin Type of inspection Interim Provision subtype Children's home

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Registered person Five Rivers Child Care Limited Registered person address 47 Bedwin Street SALISBURY SP1 3UT

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Responsible individual Richard Marshall Cross Registered manager Christina Wainwright Date of last inspection 09/07/2014 2 of 5 Inspection date 09/12/2014

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Previous inspection good Enforcement action since last inspection none

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This inspection

This home was judged good at the last full inspection. At this interim inspection Ofsted judge that it has improved effectiveness .

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This inspection

The home has improved in effectiveness because it achieves good outcomes for the large majority of young people who live there, in spite of the fact that some have very complex difficulties.

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This inspection

When the home cannot meet young people’s needs, the Registered Manager takes swift action to ensure that their welfare is safeguarded. For example, when one former resident could no longer be kept safe, they were moved to another home within the group, where there was a higher probability that their needs could be met. Subsequent events have shown that this young person's needs can only be met in a healthcare setting. In spite of several changes of placement since they left the home, this young person has kept in contact with staff and they continue to maintain a positive relationship. This shows that some positive attachments were made while the young person lived in the home.

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This inspection

Staff are firmly committed to outreach work and show a very caring, dedicated response to former residents. One young person left the home because they were approaching their 18th birthday. Although they found the initial freedom difficult and experienced a rocky start to independent life, they, too, remain in regular contact with staff. This has undoubtedly been the stabilising influence that has enabled them to settle down, look after their own flat and make very good progress.

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This inspection

Following gradual introductions, two new residents have arrived and are now settled into the home. They are making good progress in all areas. For example, they attend school every day and have improved in their behaviour. They do not go missing and there have been very few incidents within the home.

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This inspection

Staff work hard to find activities to engage the young people. Therapeutic support is available from the company’s Clinical Psychologist and from the local child and 3 of 5 adolescent mental health service. Young people have all their physical, emotional and sexual health needs met.

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This inspection

The home has a skilled and experienced Registered Manager. She monitors the home’s activities with care and effectiveness. The company produces a generic, corporate development plan, which identifies areas for further improvement over the coming year. The staff team is fully involved in developing the generic plan further to meet the needs of this particular home. The manager said, ‘the team has done a fantastic piece of work, and I am so proud of them.’

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This inspection

The Registered Manager continues to consult with social workers and other professionals to obtain their views about the quality of care. Regulation 34 reports are very clear and detailed.

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This inspection

The home receives regular visits under Regulation 33. These provide a clear, detailed and robust view of the service, and are submitted regularly to Ofsted. The independent visitor's inspections afford considerable scrutiny. The service responds positively to comments and recommendations, showing that it is open to challenge and improvement.

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This inspection

Ofsted have received very few notifications since the last inspection. Most relate to previous residents. Notifications are made appropriately and in a timely manner.

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This inspection

There have been no restraints, incidents of going missing from home or complaints in relation to the present young people. A recent safeguarding concern was addressed quickly and with sensitivity by staff.

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This inspection

The Registered Manager works very effectively with other agencies to ensure that young people have positive experiences. The home’s records show good liaison with the police, schools and social workers. Staff work with the University of Bath to bring messages from research into their assessments of young people’s needs. This in turn informs the children's therapeutic plans.

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This inspection

The home has fully addressed the requirement and recommendation from the previous inspection. The requirement was made in response to two inappropriate restraints. This was identified through the home's own management monitoring systems and was addressed with the person concerned prior to the last inspection. There has been no repetition since then, so the requirement is met.

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This inspection

A recommendation was made in relation to the need to record in more detail all telephone conversations with referees to verify references. Detailed records for recently-appointed staff show that references were fully verified. A very good system is now in place to check all recruitment information to ensure that only suitable people are appointed to work with children. 4 of 5

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Information about this children’s home

The home is one of four settings in the locality which are owned and managed by a national company. There are operational links with the organisation's fostering service and school. The home is registered to care for up to six young people who may have emotional or behavioural difficulties. The home currently accommodates girls only.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

09/07/2014 Full good 31/12/2013 Interim satisfactory progress 07/08/2013 Full good 28/11/2012 Interim satisfactory progress Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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.

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What inspection judgements mean

At the interim inspections we make a judgement on whether the home has improved in effectiveness, sustained effectiveness, or declined in effectiveness since the previous full inspection. This is in line with the Inspection of children’s homes: framework for inspection.

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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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