Children's Home run by Castle Homes Care Limited in Barnsley

Unique reference number SC363630 Inspector Pauline Yates Type of inspection Full Provision subtype Children's home

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Registered person Castle Homes Care Limited Registered person address Castle Homes Care Ltd, The Manor House High Street, Rothwell KETTERING Northamptonshire NN14 6BQ Responsible individual Lee Aaron Jones Registered manager Joanne Marie Sharp Date of last inspection 11/11/2013 2 of 10 Inspection date 26/11/2014

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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 make exceptional progress at the home. Their quality of life greatly improves across a wide spectrum of areas from their starting points. The young people respond well to the quality of care offered, which is provided by highly motivated staff. The care offered is both personalised and highly effective in meeting young people’s needs.

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Overall effectiveness

Young people’s views and needs are central to the running of the home, and improvements are driven by active monitoring and consistent reflection upon the young people’s progress. This is turn facilitates flexible and responsive care. Leadership and management arrangements are strong and the staff are cohesive in their approach to the care they provide.

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Overall effectiveness

Safeguarding procedures are managed very well and young people’s safety and well- being is closely monitored. Effective collaboration takes place with safeguarding agencies on any concerns that may arise. Management of risk is purposeful and responsive to the young people’s needs. Young people’s risk-taking behaviour has reduced significantly whilst living at the home.

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Overall effectiveness

Young people have very positive and warm relationships with staff. As a consequence young people are better able to build trust, manage emotions, 3 of 10 relationships and set-backs. These positive relationships support the young people in engaging with the guidance offered, enabling them to make positive choices. 4 of 10

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Information about this children’s home

This service is a privately run children's home. The home provides accommodation for up to three young people. It is registered to provide care for young people who have behavioural or emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

A separate building within the home's grounds is registered as a school with the Department for Education. The school facility is available to young people placed in this home.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

11/11/2013 Interim good progress 12/06/2013 Full outstanding 14/03/2013 Interim good progress 05/12/2012 Full good 5 of 10

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Outcomes for children and young people outstanding

Young people make extremely good progress in overcoming the difficulties they have to face. They are offered significant and comprehensive support and guidance, which enables them to accomplish set goals in education, managing relationships and making safe choices.

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Outcomes for children and young people outstanding

The starting points for some young people involved a combination of high-risk situations. This included crime, daily use of drugs, violence, gang culture, sexual exploitation, going missing and complete refusal to engage in services offered. These previous negative choices and experiences are now replaced by stability, routine, and educational success, underpinned by the secure and nurturing relationships that staff provide. An Independent Reviewing Officer described the changes for one young person as ‘quite a leap’.

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Outcomes for children and young people outstanding

Young people successfully understand and manage to avoid risk-taking behaviours and situations. This in turn has led to the young people to develop responses and judgements which keep them safe. Young people are able to make positive decisions and confidently avoid choices that lead to unsafe or poor outcomes.

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Outcomes for children and young people outstanding

Young people are now engaged in education after significant periods of non- attendance. An Independent Reviewing Officer commented, ‘The young person’s education is the best it has ever been and the home are supporting this.’ As a result the young people are achieving recognised qualifications which prepare them for employment or further education. A placing social worker considered the life chances for one young person to have, ‘improved enormously’. Young people were able to describe their future goals and aspirations. One young person commenting on their ambitions said, ‘anything is possible’. This optimism for the future is underpinned by realised educational success whilst at the home, which was not previously a feature of the young people’s lives.

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Outcomes for children and young people outstanding

Young people are successful in developing the skills required for smooth transitions to adulthood. They express confidence in the steps towards independence and feel prepared for this challenge. Through this process, young people’s confidence and knowledge has substantially grown. Not only are young people prepared with skills for independence, but some young people have been instrumental in developing a new young people’s skills-programme to be used by staff. This has developed this young person’s sense of achievement, and contribution to the home.

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Outcomes for children and young people outstanding

Young people enjoy positive and trusting relationships with staff and this has promoted their openness to advice and guidance. This militates against their previous life experiences and influences. As a result young people are establishing much more favourable relationships with significant others. One Independent Reviewing Officer 6 of 10 commented that staff had achieved substantial and positive change by establishing communication between the young person and their family. She considered that staff had ‘laid the foundations for relationships and communication’. Another young person commented that their relationship with their family had improved significantly, when previously it had been fraught with argument and discord.

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Outcomes for children and young people outstanding

Young people are provided with safe care that facilitates their participation in community activities. For example, young people are actively engaged in fund-raising for charities, such as coffee mornings and preparing homeless parcels. Some young people engage in local runs with staff. Young people eat healthily and take steps towards managing their own health needs. As a result their health is maintained and improves.

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Quality of care outstanding

Young people are very positive about the care they receive. One young person commented, ‘It is proper family-orientated. It’s just the way they are with you, you’re not just some random kid.’ The high quality nurturing, care and attention the young people receive as individuals is a particular strength, and reflective of the ethos and approach used by the staff. Young people benefit from this exceptional level of care as they grow in self-worth and recognise their own potential.

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Quality of care outstanding

The quality of care is judged by other professionals as exceeding their expectations. One placing social worker commented, ‘They have bent over backwards and then some’. An Independent Reviewing Officer said that, ‘This young person has made more progress than I expected.’ These comments are reflective of the persistent and extensive work staff undertake with the young people.

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Quality of care outstanding

This is evident in the exceptional amount of effort that was employed to attain a young person’s commitment and full agreement to the plans for managing risk whilst balancing unsupervised time. Young people benefit from this sense of security, and understanding that the staff are committed to their welfare. This means that young people more readily cooperate and adhere to the boundaries that staff put in place.

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Quality of care outstanding

Young people’s wishes and views are valued by staff and these significantly influence the running of the home. The means of collating these views are not only evident in regular young people’s meetings, keyworker sessions and staff meetings, but also in the individual time given by the Registered Manager to speak with each young person on a regular and informal basis. The effect of this concern for their views has resulted in the young people for example, taking an active and vocal interest in their care plans, contact arrangements and re-decoration of the home. An Independent Reviewing Officer commented that the staff at the home had been extremely active in promoting the needs of one particular young person and acting as an effective advocate with other agencies on their behalf. Consultation on food has led to good- quality, daily ‘snack-boxes’ being made available to each young person, in addition to

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Quality of care outstanding

7 of 10 the regular healthy meals that are prepared.

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Quality of care outstanding

The staff work cohesively and have the skills and abilities to communicate effectively with young people who present their own individual challenges and barriers. One young person said that, ‘staff sit down and talk to you, instead of telling you, they speak to you on a level’. Staff are proactive on behalf of young people and are ambitious for them.

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Quality of care outstanding

Young people also benefit from the effective working relationships that are established with extended family, the extensive support given to ensuring contact takes place, and positive and proactive relationships with other agencies. This ensures young people access the resources they need and contributes to them achieving positive outcomes. Placing social workers commented upon the distance that staff were prepared to travel to facilitate contact and ensure school attendance. Staff have regularly travelled over 400 miles to ensure contact takes place for one young person. One social worker commented, ‘They have been extremely helpful in getting (yp) to school, I feel that this is always a massive issue when I place a child, but they have got (yp) to school very quickly’.

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Quality of care outstanding

The home is suitably located and offers a warm reception in both its external appearance and internal décor. Each room is well-furnished and welcoming and the home is maintained to a high standard. The Missing from Home Coordinator commented, ‘It is a well-run home, very well appointed, lovely and nice to go in and very friendly’.

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Keeping children and young people safe outstanding

Young people are safe and say they feel safe at the home. Professionals involved with the young people also concur with this view. Clear risk assessments are in place and these are actively reviewed and monitored by the staff alongside other agencies.

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Keeping children and young people safe outstanding

The home’s proactive involvement in care planning with other agencies ensures that young people’s commitment to safeguarding plans remain active. The interest and commitment of young people to their plans ensures they cooperate with appropriate and safe extension of their own decision making, in line with professional assessment and establishment of trust. For example, one young person was noted by the Registered Manager and Independent Reviewing Officer to actively talk about their plans and the changes they would like to see carried out.

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Keeping children and young people safe outstanding

Staff implement rigorous safe care procedures which the young people understand and have a high level of adherence to. Physical restraint is not a feature of the home and is rarely used. This is because staff have good insight into the past experiences of the young people and how those experiences influence current behaviour.

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Keeping children and young people safe outstanding

Young people have made substantial and demonstrable progress in reducing and in 8 of 10 some cases eliminating damaging or risk-taking behaviours, and episodes of missing are minimal. This achievement is exceptional from young people’s starting points.

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Keeping children and young people safe outstanding

Staff recognise the individual vulnerabilities of young people, and the factors that may influence or trigger behaviours giving rise to safeguarding concerns. Robust procedures are in place to monitor missing episodes, absences and physical restraint. Staff are recruited safely and receive training they need to equip them to carry out their role.

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Keeping children and young people safe outstanding

Strong and active relationships with other agencies ensure that young people’s vulnerabilities are responded to in a timely manner. The police consider staff at the home to be professional in their approach, communicate well and be knowledgeable in joint protocols.

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Leadership and management outstanding

The Registered Manager has been in post for almost three years. Her leadership and management is strong, consistent and pro-active. Her availability and the ease with which young people approach and discuss their concerns with her is testament to the confidence and trust they have developed. The manager ensures that the care provided is continuously improved and keeps the young people at the centre of those improvements.

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Leadership and management outstanding

Examples of recent developments are a young person’s consultation book, staff consultation forms that can be completed by staff and sent directly to the Regional Manager and revision of the young person’s complaints form, which has made it more young person friendly. These changes maintain, refresh and improve the communication between the young people, staff and the manager, ensuring care remains contemporary and relevant to young people.

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Leadership and management outstanding

The manager demonstrates a good understanding of young people’s needs and backgrounds and is highly committed to delivering meaningful, high quality and nurturing care. One Independent Reviewing Officer spoke highly of the input the manager had in actively progressing the young person’s care plan. A placing social worker also commented on the ‘exceptional work done by the keyworker and manager.’

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Leadership and management outstanding

The manager leads a highly motivated and child-centred staff group. Difficulties and challenges are met with a team approach. Staff report high levels of support and respect for their manager. Two members of staff independently described their enthusiasm for working at this home. One member of staff stated that, ‘It’s the best career move I ever made’, ‘We support each other and it’s second to none.’

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Leadership and management outstanding

The manager rigorously reviews, monitors and evaluates the systems that record the care offered by staff. She actively challenges the shortfalls of other agencies in 9 of 10 providing timely services to young people. There is clear evidence of advocacy on behalf of the young people and of activity which drives young people’s progress.

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Leadership and management outstanding

The home is well-regarded by stakeholders and families. One family member felt that they ‘had their grandchild back’ and having visited the home, thought it was ‘wonderful’. 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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