Children's Home run by Warrington Borough Council in Warrington

Unique reference number SC442779 Inspector Pamela Nuckley Type of inspection Full Provision subtype Children's home

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Registered person Warrington Borough Council Registered person address Children's Services Directorate New Town House, Buttermarket Street Warrington Cheshire WA1 2NJ Responsible individual Paul Connolly Registered manager Julia Elizabeth Donnelly Date of last inspection 26/02/2014 2 of 12 Inspection date 16/12/2014

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Previous inspection good progress Enforcement action since last inspection There has been no enforcement action since the homes last inspection.

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Overall effectiveness good

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

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Overall effectiveness

Young people are cared for very well and that they are respected as individuals. The individual needs of young people are met through good care planning. They are fully involved in the care planning process and therefore have a good understanding of their needs and how to work with the staff to achieve them. The individual vulnerabilities and risks of young people are fully identified and carefully planned for. This ensures that all young people are safe at the home.

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Overall effectiveness

Young people are given a good level of individual support by a competent and committed team of staff. They say they have very positive relationships with staff and they feel that they are very well supported. They are confident about raising issues or concerns with staff and say that they are listened to. Professionals speak highly of the service in regards to: ensuring individual needs are met; excellent relationships; child centeredness and excellent communication between services. One social worker said ‘other homes I have been to are not as proactive as this one. You can clearly see the excellent relationships which bring about positive outcomes for young people.'

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Overall effectiveness

The Registered Manager provides good leadership and works consistently to improve upon the quality of care and outcomes for young people. She understands the 3 of 12 strengths and weaknesses of the home and there are clear plans for improvement. The views of staff, parents and professionals from all disciplines are used constructively to constantly raise standards. 4 of 12

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Information about this children’s home

This local authority provision provides care and accommodation for two young people with emotional and behavioural difficulties.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

26/02/2014 Interim good progress 14/08/2013 Full good 06/02/2013 Interim good progress 21/08/2012 Full good 5 of 12

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Outcomes for children and young people good

Young people say this home is ‘great’. One young person said: ‘It is really good here and I hope I can stay until I am ready for independence.’ Young people’s identity and culture is truly appreciated by everyone. Therefore, they receive individual support that is unique to them. Young people are at different stages of accepting the support offered to them. Some young people are making excellent progress in all areas and some are just beginning to accept the support offered.

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Outcomes for children and young people good

Young people come to and leave this home in a planned manner. Good impact risk assessments and plans for introduction show how the home can meet individual needs. Young people say that they are fully included in this process, come for visits and help draw up their care plan. As a result, young people say that they can influence the care that they receive and their transition into the home is good.

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Outcomes for children and young people good

Each young person has a dedicated key worker and regular discussions take place about matters concerning them. Further to this, young people say they are confident in exploring any concerns, worries, anxieties and feelings they may have with staff. Therefore, young people are making good progress towards developing a positive self-view, emotional resilience and knowledge and understanding of their background.

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Outcomes for children and young people good

Young people’s physical and emotional health needs are promoted well. Their health plans are linked with their care plans and good links are made with community provision to enable the young people to maintain that support when they move on into independence. One young person has received support from staff and a specialist nurse to be able to administer their own medication and to understand the associated risks of not taking their medication on time. This has allowed them to take more responsibility and be more independent. Staff promote healthy lifestyles and they encourage young people to take an active interest in their own physical and emotional health. Young people are offered excellent guidance from staff on a wide range of health and social issues. This includes their emotional health and self- esteem. They also benefit from taking part in a number of activities that promote exercise, such as football and attending the gym. Young people enjoy good health

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Outcomes for children and young people good

because they receive both routine and specialised healthcare support that meets their needs.

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Outcomes for children and young people good

Young people are being well supported to attend educational provisions that meet their needs. One young person’s wish was to attend mainstream school. Due to their excellent attendance and behaviour they are currently being integrated into a school. The young person said: ‘It is great and I am really enjoying it.’ Some young people who have recently been placed are of an age to attend further education. A young person said: ‘I do not know what I want to do. I hope the training course in January will give me some ideas.’ In the meantime, a reduced time table has been set with 6 of 12 education and independence targets to work towards so they are meaningfully engaged during the day. Some young people have aspirations of becoming a footballer and others want to gain good grades. The ethos of the home strongly promotes education, and the benefits of structure and routine in order to improve self-esteem and develop social skills.

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Outcomes for children and young people good

Young people’s contact arrangements with their parents and significant others, where appropriate, are promoted and well supported. Very good arrangements are in place to enable young people to maintain that contact. Staff will transport young people to venues that are comfortable for young people to meet others in and stay and support them during that contact if needed. In addition, young people say they can use the telephone in private and have friends in the home to visit. Young people say that staff help them to keep in touch with family members and comment that this is very important to them. This supportive approach helps young people to maintain their sense of identity and belonging.

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Outcomes for children and young people good

Staff help young people to prepare for future independence by encouraging them to develop basic life skills and by giving them practical and emotional support. The home assists young people to gain skills through a bronze, silver and gold independence award. These awards cover basic skills such as recognising money, ironing through to planning journeys or completing application forms. Therefore, a good range of skills are developed and assessed with additional help given when necessary. As a result, young people said they carefully prepared and confident in going into independence.

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Quality of care outstanding

Young people thrive in a nurturing environment. Relationships between young people and staff in the home are excellent. Young people say they get on well with all of the staff and feel that staff help them. One young person said: ‘Staff are brilliant here. I know it’s their job but you wouldn’t think it. They really care.’ Staff have an excellent understanding of the needs of young people. They spend a lot of time individually with young people and clearly enjoy working with them and doing things together. For example, staff will give their free time to accompany young people on school trips or for activities. Professionals commented on the excellent communication and relationships that are made here. A social worker said 'the excellent relationships have enabled them, to accept help and they are now making small progressive steps in lots of areas.’

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Quality of care outstanding

Individual placement plans are developed in the home to show how young people's needs are to be met and to ensure consistency of care. These plans are a good working tool which staff implement daily. Young people contribute to their placement plan and say they are fully involved in all aspects of their care. Statutory reviews take place within timescales and the home prepares well for these by completing thorough reports, and encouraging young people to contribute to the consultation process in order to express their thoughts on their care and aspirations for their future. This 7 of 12 ensures they are part of the decision making process and are aware of and inform any changes to their care plans.

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Quality of care outstanding

Young people have input regarding life in the home through regular young people's meetings, key work sessions and daily interaction with the staff. Young people report that their opinions and suggestions are put into practice whenever possible. They have not needed to make a complaint about their care but are aware of the procedure if they needed to do so. They also demonstrated that they knew several other independent agencies that could assist them if they felt that they needed to speak to someone not connected with the home. This ensures that young people have the opportunity to discuss any elements of their care, if they are unhappy, with someone of their own choosing.

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Quality of care outstanding

Staff encourage and support young people to make the best of educational opportunities to maximise their individual potential. They work closely with schools to ensure this. For example, they have worked tirelessly to ensure a young person got their wish to attend mainstream school. In addition to this, the young person has a health condition which the school cannot support on outings. Staff make sure they are available to go with them. This ensures they have the same opportunities as their peers. Staff at this home believe that education is important for young people. They have built up several links within the community, so that they have a range of opportunities for young people to access. They contact these agencies quickly when young people are not receiving education and, therefore, young people are not out of education for long periods. Staff are proactive and consistent in supporting the educational achievement of young people. They engage with educational provisions

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Quality of care outstanding

successfully and retain all documents, reports and certificates for young people. As a result, young people have important documents to assist them with employment and have mementoes for their future.

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Quality of care outstanding

Young people are encouraged to take part in a variety of purposeful activities in order to promote their inclusion in the local community. There are a number of local amenities available for young people to access such as leisure facilities and youth clubs. This promotes self-esteem and confidence as they acquire new skills and interests, and allows for young people to develop positive relationships within the community. One young person had difficulty in forming relationships and was becoming isolated. Through the excellent support and opportunities offered they now have a number of friends within the community who often visit for tea. In addition to this, they are a volunteer at the local football club teaching younger children football skills. This shows that young people are benefitting from the support and opportunities offered and in turn contributing purposefully within the local community.

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Quality of care outstanding

Young people live in a healthy environment where their physical, emotional and psychological health is promoted and where they are able to access the services to meet their health needs. If necessary, there is access to health agencies and specialised services. Young people are encouraged to take responsibility for their 8 of 12 health and lifestyle choices; this leads to a positive impact on young people understanding the risks and choices that they make. Effective policies and procedures concerning the storage, handling, administration and disposal of medication safeguard young people's welfare. All staff have received up-to-date safe medication and first aid training. As a result, young people receive their medication in line with their prescription.

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Quality of care outstanding

The home is decorated, maintained and furnished to a very good standard. Young people live in a healthy environment that actively supports their physical and emotional health. The home is suitably located in a residential area where there are good public transport links and access to local facilities.

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Keeping children and young people safe outstanding

Young people are safe at this home and are protected from significant harm. Young people have previously placed themselves at risk of harm and the home has responded proactively by identifying individual strategies to protect them. This has been successful in reducing most risky behaviours. When young people place themselves at risk of significant harm, staff work closely with external agencies to recognise and devise strategies. A professional said: ‘This young person was of great concern but this has significantly reduced due to the excellent relationships, communication and individual work completed with them. I cannot praise this home enough.’ Staff continually explore unsafe behaviours with young people and ensure that they have all the information available to them to keep themselves safe. This ensures young people are protected and assisted to understand why adults are concerned about them. Young people are supported to take reasonable risks to

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Keeping children and young people safe outstanding

promote their natural growth, development and maturity. Staff actively promote the welfare of young people living in the home. Staff demonstrate that they understand their role and responsibilities in protecting, recording and following policies and procedures in all safeguarding issues.

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Keeping children and young people safe outstanding

Safeguarding young people is at the forefront of practice in the home to ensure that young people's welfare is appropriately safeguarded. Individual risk assessments address all aspects of young people's care and behaviour. Risk assessments are reviewed regularly to ensure that they continue to be appropriate to the needs of young people. There are close links in place with the local safeguarding children board and safeguarding procedures are available to all staff. Staff are very clear on these safeguarding procedures and know what to do to protect a child. Due to the effective arrangements in place young people are cared for safely and they themselves say that they feel safe in the home.

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Keeping children and young people safe outstanding

There has been a reduction in young people going missing from the home. When young people have gone missing staff know how to follow agreed protocols to promote their safe return. Young people are well advised about the dangers of going missing and they receive consistent support, to help them reduce their risk taking 9 of 12 behaviours. The home has the local missing from home protocol in place and professionals say that staff are excellent at following this. A professional said: ‘It is always going to be difficult due to the pull of their friends but I am extremely confident that this home does everything in their power to minimise the risk.’ Another professional said: ‘They have a great support network around them, with a lot of professionals all working and communicating together really well. The young person is making improvements and that is fantastic.’ The home's good procedures promote the safety of young people and staff demonstrated that a young person’s safety

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Keeping children and young people safe outstanding

Young people generally behave well. They say that they get on well with staff and relationships between young people and staff are very good. Care staff are trained in methods of care and control and they respond positively to challenging behaviour. Restraint is only ever used as a last resort which is reflected in the fact that there has been no physical intervention since the last inspection. Sanctions are very minimal and young people feel that when they are given, they are fair. The staff pride themselves on the turnaround of young people's negative behaviours and say this is due to rewarding good behaviour, talking with young people and explaining choices, actions and consequences with them. Young people say that bullying is not an issue in this home and staff would challenge any incidents quickly.

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Keeping children and young people safe outstanding

The home has a clear policy in respect of whistle blowing and allegations of suspicions of harm; this was clearly understood by staff in the home. This ensures that any allegations are handled fairly, quickly and consistently in a way that provides effective protection for young people, the person making the allegation, and at the same time supports the person who is the subject of the allegation.

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Keeping children and young people safe outstanding

Young people are protected by the organisation's safe recruitment practices which ensure that all staff are thoroughly vetted before they are allowed to start work in the home. The identity of all visitors is checked and their whereabouts in the home monitored during the time they are there. These systems ensure the safety and well- being of young people.

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Keeping children and young people safe outstanding

The home has established systems and structures in place to maintain safe practices and fulfil health and safety obligations. Fire safety and health and safety checks are regularly carried out and young people confirm they know how to respond in an emergency or fire drill. No hazards were identified during the course of the inspection and all associated checks are undertaken on a regular basis. Therefore, young people live in a home that provides physical safety and security.

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Leadership and management good

10 of 12 A dynamic, enthusiastic and dedicated manager manages this home. She has been registered with Ofsted for three years and has a social work qualification. She is due to finish her Level 5 in Leadership and Management in December 2014. She also managers another two bedded children’s home. She divides her time equally between the homes. She is supported by an excellent deputy and a staff team who are highly skilled, qualified and dedicated to improving outcomes for young people.

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Leadership and management good

Young people have a close and positive relationship with the home’s manager who knows them well. One young person said, ‘she is great and I can talk to her about anything.’ The manager has identified the areas of development within the home, is building upon the strengths within the staff team and is working towards implementing improvements in all areas.

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Leadership and management good

The service has a clear Statement of Purpose that accurately sets out how the home works and how young people are cared for. It clearly reflects the ethos and values of the home and staff team. The aims and objectives of the Statement of Purpose are fully met with staff providing a stable, cohesive and structured environment for young people to grow and develop. This document is available to the placing authorities, families and other stakeholders and accurately reflects the current staffing arrangements and the services being provided by the home. Staff are clear about the aims and objectives of the home and work consistently to achieve these and promote positive outcomes for young people.

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Leadership and management good

Communication between agencies is prompt and effective in ensuring all parties are kept well informed of young people’s progress. A range of professionals confirmed they are: 'kept up-to-date with information and that communication between them and the home is excellent'. Young people receive information prior to admission which tells them of the services, boundaries, expectations and allowances they can expect during their time in the home.

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Leadership and management good

Young people are cared for by a consistent, stable staff team. This is reflected in the stability of the young people and the excellent relationships that they have made with the staff. Staff are competent and have a good understanding of their responsibilities. All staff are qualified and continue to develop their knowledge through training opportunities. Training programmes covering mandatory requirements are carried out at induction and continued through regular refresher training. This ensures that all staff are up to date with new legislation and guidance. Monthly staff meetings take place to ensure consistent messages are conveyed to the team. Staff are supervised regularly which means that they are supported in their work with young people and also that their work is monitored. They say that communication within the team is very good. This promotes consistency of care for young people.

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Leadership and management good

Visits to young people by their placing authority are regular, as are statutory reviews in which young people actively engage and contribute. This ensures they can influence decisions in relation to their current and future lives. Significant events are 11 of 12 reported appropriately, the home is quick to report any concerns to the appropriate authority, to safeguard young people and protect them.

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Leadership and management good

Established systems ensure the home runs smoothly on a day-to-day basis, and up- to-date policies and procedures support and promote good practice. Regulation 33 and 34 monitoring is regularly carried out and young people are consulted during monitoring visits. The Registered Manager communicates and notifies agencies, including Ofsted, of significant information. Young people are therefore protected by multi-agency information sharing and decision making.

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Leadership and management good

Records are securely kept, well maintained and any identified shortfalls are promptly addressed. They provide an understanding of each child's life, experiences and plans for the future. Regular reviews of these clearly chart progress. This ensures high standards are maintained as well as contributing to young people's explicit sense of belonging. These measures mean that young people experience a consistent approach that is personalised to meet their individual needs.

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Leadership and management good

The manager maintains a good overview of key documents, policies and procedures in order to ensure practice is current, relevant to young people's needs and accountable. The views of young people, parents and professionals are routinely captured to continuously improve day-to-day care and promote achievement. A good development plan comprehensively outlines the aims and objectives for the year. There were no requirements or recommendations made at the last inspection and the quality of care remains consistently high. 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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