Children's Home run by Roundhouse Care in Staffordshire

Unique reference number SC478852 Inspector Elaine Cray Type of inspection Full Provision subtype Children's home

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Registered person Roundhouse Care Ltd Registered person address Ventura House Ventura Park Road TAMWORTH Staffordshire B78 3HL Responsible individual Marilyn Mayer Registered manager Nicky Dudley Date of last inspection N/A 2 of 9 Inspection date 18/12/2014

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Previous inspection N/A Enforcement action since last inspection This is the home's first inspection since registration in 2014.

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Overall effectiveness good

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

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Overall effectiveness

Young people have positive experiences at this home. Young people with history of extensive previous placements establish early stability and make progress. They talk about long term plans for staying at the home until they move onto independent living.

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Overall effectiveness

Excellent working in partnership optimises young people’s safety and quality of care. Staff embrace partnership working. Comments such as ‘the staff are really amazing’ demonstrate professionals’ high regard for the quality of care in the home.

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Overall effectiveness

Clarity of safety protocols ensure staff and all agencies are aware of required actions to keep young people safe. Direct work with the police and health workers promote young people’s safety. They are at less risk of self-harm and child sexual exploitation as a result of living at this home.

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Overall effectiveness

The manager’s positivity and child centred focus permeates throughout the service. Staff say ‘the manager wants the best for everyone here. Young people and staff. This is like a second home. I think all the staff would say that - such a nice place to come to work.’ Young people and staff clearly thrive in this nurturing and positive environment. 3 of 9 There are no statutory requirements or recommendations as a result of this inspection. This is testament to the strong leadership, effective management and staff commitment in the home. 4 of 9

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Information about this children’s home

This home, which is operated by a private provider, is registered to provide care and accommodation for three young people with emotional and/or behavioural difficulties and learning disabilities. 5 of 9

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Outcomes for children and young people good

Young people quickly develop a strong sense of security at this home. They feel safe, nurtured and make good progress because they enjoy meaningful relationships with staff. Young people have a positive view of the home. They say the staff are, ‘fantastic.’ Young people appreciate the time staff spend chatting and supporting activities. They are very pleased they now attend school, enjoy learning and look forward to doing GCSE exams alongside their peers.

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Outcomes for children and young people good

Young people’s safety improves because they do not go missing and therefore sever links to risk taking activities that give potential for child sexual exploitation. Young people develop and grow in confidence because they enjoy a range of activities. For example helping out at the local dog sanctuary gives young people a good sense of responsibility and their self-esteem improves. Learning new skills and interests such as baking motivates young people to join evening classes. These opportunities build confidence and enable young people to extend their social skills.

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Outcomes for children and young people good

Young people’s physical and emotional health significantly improves as a result of living at the home. Mental health support agencies and the proactive staff team enable young people to explore a range of strategies to manage self-injurious behaviours. Young people also have healthier diets and do more exercise with regular access to dog walking. They begin to develop positive identities as they feel more confident and secure. They have scope to develop in adolescence because staff provide positive role models and show young people the importance of identifying, developing and celebrating individuality and difference.

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Outcomes for children and young people good

Young people grow and develop because they take responsibility for looking after their rooms; shopping; cooking; and helping around the home. They also have responsibility for looking after pets. They grow in maturity and self-esteem. They positively look forward to remaining at the home to support their transition into young adulthood. Young people have plans to do well in education and are more motivated about reaching their potential as a result of living at this home.

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Quality of care good

Transition planning is a key strength in the success of young people’s placements at this home. They settle well and feel welcome because staff take time to visit them in their previous placement and share information. Young people’s anxieties are well- managed because all young people have their own individualised transition package. They are fully involved in every step of their move to the home. Care planning is effective because placement plans, risk assessment and behaviour 6 of 9 plans inter-connect across all aspects of young people’s needs. There are clear practical strategies to promote safety and welfare needs. Plans are well-written and easy to understand by both young people and staff.

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Quality of care good

Young people settle well and quickly engage with their placements because staff make time to talk about a wide range of issues, interests, happy times and anxieties. Chatting becomes a norm for young people and they enjoy positive relationships with staff. Addressing care planning aims are effective because staff intuitively capture moments when young people are more reflective. This intuition and positive intervention means work with young people is meaningful and taken at the young person’s pace. Young people grow in confidence because they have a positive sense of self-determination. They feel understood because staff are in tune with their anxieties, positivity and emotional health.

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Quality of care good

Young people engage in, and enjoy, education because staff explore, support and encourage a range of learning opportunities. Staff work well with local education resources and are very proactive in finding placements and opportunities that will support young people to go to school and learn on par with their peers. Staff insight into the individual identities and backgrounds of young people promotes good outcomes. Staff say that covering empathy and looking at how young people feel in the earliest stages of staff induction is an effective start to working in the home. Quality of care is good because staff quickly embrace the ethos of a home where young people come first and are central to staff practice. This child centred approach quickly establishes good outcomes for young people because they experience nurture and engage with staff. Staff value young people’s views and experiences of family attachment. They give young people time and space to explore

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Quality of care good

their feelings and unravel complexities. Young people appreciate the support they and their families receive in order to promote and manage safe and appropriate contact.

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Quality of care good

Young people’s views are important in the running of the home. Weekly meetings ensure young people can discuss and decide their weekly arrangements. They choose menus and activities and feel valued because staff listen to their concerns and ideas. They learn good negotiation skills and begin to understand they may have to wait for certain items. They become more self-assured and behave more calmly because making requests in a reasonable way brings positive rewards and improved relationships. Young people enjoy living in a well-designed and homely environment. They enjoy and respect the comfort and homeliness of the house. They choose items for the home and take pride in the upkeep of their rooms.

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Keeping children and young people safe good

7 of 9 Young people live in a safe, secure and stable environment. Their safety is the highest priority with effective and regularly reviewed safeguarding procedures implemented by well-trained staff. Partnership agencies have a very positive view of the home. Professionals say: ‘risks around self-harm and potential suicide are low at the moment. This is due to young people having a stable base and developing secure relationships and making attachments.’

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Keeping children and young people safe good

Young grow in emotional resilience because they experience positive and trusting relationships with staff. High levels of staff empathy enable young people to express their anxieties and they are safer. For example, identifying and talking about feelings helps young people to make positive adjustments in how they manage self-injurious behaviours. Staff have an excellent backdrop of mental health consultancy from the same outside agencies that provide therapy to individual young people. Young people’s ability to manage their own complex mental health needs significantly improve due to effective partnership working between staff, young people and health agencies.

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Keeping children and young people safe good

Risk assessment and management plans are effective and meaningful because young people are involved in drawing up and reviewing strategies to keep themselves safe. They develop an understanding and better management of their own risk-taking behaviours. For example, young people ask staff to go for walks at night when they are anxious. Getting out of the building, walking and taking fresh air provides a controlled alternative going missing from when anxious and frustrated. Young people are confident they can to talk staff about their worries and concerns. They do not raise any concerns about bullying. Inclusion and involvement enable young people to grow in self-esteem. As a result, they take more control of their lives and personal safety. They also develop more trusting relationships with staff.

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Keeping children and young people safe good

Young people are kept safe with structured boundaries. Behaviour is well-managed with meaningful behaviour plans which directly link to individual risk assessments. Staff have an excellent knowledge of how young people’s previous experiences impact on and influence behaviour. They are trained in behaviour management, including physical intervention. Positive behaviour management is key to improvements in behaviour. There are few sanctions, no physical intervention and clear criteria that this is only used as a last resort. Young people understand what they need to achieve and change in order to show responsibility and earn trust. This working together motivates and encourages young people to improve behaviour so they can enjoy more independence and make safer choices.

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Keeping children and young people safe good

Robust recruitment processes protect young people. Visitors to the home are checked, vetted and monitored. Child protection training ensures staff are knowledgeable about their own and other agencies’ roles and responsibilities in keeping young people safe. Young people are cared for in a safe environment. Regular checks and fire drills ensure young people have a good awareness of how to promote personal and environmental safety. 8 of 9

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Leadership and management good

The manager was appointed at the time of the registration of the home in June 2014. Her level five qualification in in Leadership for Health and Social and Children and Young People’s Services ratifies her previous managerial experience and enables her to lead a team of experienced, motivated and well-trained staff. These strengths provide good quality of care and positive outcomes for young people.

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Leadership and management good

The staff team works well with the local authority, placing authorities, a range of agencies, neighbours and the local community in order to meet young people’s needs and improve the home. The up-to-date Statement of Purpose and young people’s guide provide good information about the home. Young people know how to, and are confident in, raising concerns because their views are listened to and quickly addressed by the management and staff team.

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Leadership and management good

Effective staffing arrangements promote the welfare and safety of young people. Staffing levels adequately address risk management strategies and keep young people safe. For example staff are always available to look for young people should they go missing. The home runs effectively and young people are able to enjoy quality time with staff as a result of effective recruitment and cohesive team working.

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Leadership and management good

Detailed and accountable records promote the safety and welfare of young people. Tracking outcomes, patterns and trends enables the manager to assess young people’s needs and better inform practices within the home. The manager and staff understand their roles and responsibilities with regards to notifying appropriate individuals and agencies. While there have been no serious incidents in the home this knowledge promotes good inter-agency protection and safety of young people.

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Leadership and management good

The home is newly registered and continues to develop. Outcomes for young people are good and continue to improve. Reports by the independent visitor to the home identify the positivity and there are few shortfalls. Regular and comprehensive managerial checks maintain standards. The manager and staff team present good ambition and motivation. They are keen to embrace the changing landscape of legislation and regulatory framework. Adjusting systems, procedures and practice exemplifies the management and staff team’s drive to improve and develop the service. 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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