Children's Home run by North East Lincolnshire Council in North East Lincolnshire

Unique reference number SC441553 Inspector Ann-Marie Born Type of inspection Interim Provision subtype Children's home

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Registered person North East Lincolnshire Council Registered person address Vulnerable Children Management Team Western Site, Cambridge Road Grimsby Lincolnshire DN34 5TD Responsible individual Daren Russell Hale Registered manager Nicola Jayne Ward Date of last inspection 15/07/2014 2 of 6 Inspection date 06/01/2015

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Previous inspection adequate Enforcement action since last inspection None

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This inspection

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

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This inspection

This home was judged adequate 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 demonstrated improved effectiveness. Stringent attention to detail has ensured that all of the previous recommendations have been fully met improving outcomes and care for young people. The new manager achieved Registered Manager status on 11th November 2014. Since she has been in post senior roles have been clearly defined ensuring all of the staff team are aware of who is responsible for specific areas. This effectively provides a sense of security and stability. Young people benefit from this consistency. A staff member stated, 'I think we have made some amazing progress since we’ve had (name) as manager. She listens to us and works with us. Staff are much happier now.'

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This inspection

Young people report they are ‘very happy’ in this home. Admissions are carefully planned for and young people benefit from meeting with staff and visiting the home before they move in. Young people and their parents are part of the planning process. As a result, young people build positive relationships with staff from the start of their involvement with the home enabling them to feel secure and enhancing their opportunities for success. For example, improved attendance in education provisions. A social worker said, 'the home have really supported him and tried lots of different interventions to get him to go to school and he’s recently started to attend more often'; and a young person stated, 'I'm going to school regularly which I never did before.'

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This inspection

Young people report that they are very impressed that staff remember important things about them, for example, their favourite colour, and that their bedrooms are decorated exactly how they wanted before they move in. Young people’s sense of 3 of 6 self and feelings of self-worth are substantially improved. As a result they gain the confidence to engage with the care provided leading to a marked improvement in their health and personal care skills. A dietician said, 'she’s doing loads better, she's lost a stone in weight and she’s being provided with things she wasn’t getting before. She’s progressed massively since I first met her.'

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This inspection

Much improved internal monitoring processes enhance the quality of young people’s care and provide further safeguards. The development of a new graph system to identify trends in missing episodes has proved to be particularly effective. The results of this work are shared sensitively with young people in one to one sessions. This effectively enables young people to recognise their own patterns and work with staff to reduce absences. One young person said, ‘I’m sorry for being late,’ after one such session demonstrating a growing understanding of why staff are concerned when they are missing.

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This inspection

Young people report they are, and feel, safe in this home because ‘staff listen to me and they always know where I am.’ Young people’s individual vulnerabilities are recognised and planned for. The majority of young people’s behaviour management and positive handling plans are clear, robust and reviewed together with the young person. However, this is not the case with all plans, therefore not all young people are being provided with the opportunity to understand what is expected of them and recognise when they are making progress.

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This inspection

Young people feel listened to and valued in this home, and enjoy positive and nurturing relationships with staff. Consequently, young people display positive behaviours for the majority of the time and the use of physical intervention is not necessary. One young person said, 'I can't pick out any special staff because they are all good' and another said, 'I have different staff to do different things with and I really like that. But (name) is my stone because I can go and talk to her about anything, she is my care mum.'

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This inspection

Much improved recording processes demonstrate that any sanction imposed for negative behaviours is carefully linked to enabling young people develop an understanding of consequences. They are also provided with the opportunity to comment upon the experience. For example, being tasked to assist in repairing damage to a wall rather than just having to make a financial contribution. In addition, the manager’s robust monitoring of such sanctions ensures that both young people and staff learn from the experience.

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This inspection

Young people are further safeguarded by much improved notification of significant events to appropriate bodies, including Ofsted, within requisite timescales. Professionals report, and records evidence, that strong partnership working ensures that all of a young person’s specific and holistic needs are met. A social worker said, 'we’re in good communication with the home and they keep us well informed with everything and work as a team.' 4 of 6 Young people’s quality of care remains good. They enjoy living in a spacious, comfortable home which has recently been re-decorated and refurbished to meet their needs and taste. The committed manager and staff team have a proactive, consistent approach in supporting young people to maintain positive contact with parents, family members and friends. This effectively supports them to maintain their cultural and community links. Family members and friends are also welcome in

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This inspection

the home further promoting young people's sense of belonging and self-esteem. 5 of 6

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Information about this children’s home

This is a local authority long-stay children's home registered to accommodate five young people with emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

15/07/2014 Full adequate 10/03/2014 Interim good progress 23/10/2013 Full good 09/01/2013 Interim good progress

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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 the information on children’s behaviour management and positive handling plan is recorded clearly, comprehensively updated and in a way which will be helpful to the child when they access their files now and in the future. Children are actively encouraged to read their positive handling plan and add personal statements. (NMS 22.5) Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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Recommendations

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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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