Children's Home run by Salford City Council in Salford

Unique reference number SC040733 Inspector Caroline Jones Type of inspection Full Provision subtype Children's home

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Registered person Salford City Council Registered person address Civic Centre, Chorley Road, Swinton MANCHESTER M27 5DA Responsible individual Michael Kelly Registered manager Victoria Wright Date of last inspection 24/03/2014 2 of 9 Inspection date 15/10/2014

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Previous inspection satisfactory progress Enforcement action since last inspection none

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Overall effectiveness good

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

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Overall effectiveness

This is a good home where young people receive high quality care in a supportive and homely environment. They make measurable progress in all areas of their lives, in particular to their educational development. This is supported by excellent care planning that focuses upon the individual needs of young people. Young people have positive relationships with staff and can identify a particular staff member that they like very much. Young people comment: 'I feel safe, I like staff, I like 'X' the best.

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Overall effectiveness

Staff hold young people in high regard and are committed to ensuring they succeed. Consequently, young people are achieving at school, are healthy and learning to regulate their emotions and behaviour. These are positive steps forward for young people. Staff work constructively with partner agencies to ensure young people's needs are met and regularly reviewed. Furthermore, staff advocate for young people with partner agencies to ensure that they gain the help and support they need.

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Overall effectiveness

The home is effectively run by an experienced Registered Manager who focuses strongly on developing and improving the service to young people. Plans are in place to secure improvements and tackle any areas of weakness. There are shortfalls identified relating to updating the décor of the home, monitoring and increasing leisure activities. These gaps have not impacted negatively on the welfare of young 3 of 9 people to-date. 4 of 9

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Information about this children’s home

This is a local authority children's home. It provides care and accommodation for up to four young people with emotional and/or behavioural difficulties and learning disabilities.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

24/03/2014 Interim satisfactory progress 09/01/2014 Full good 25/03/2013 Interim good progress 03/10/2012 Full good

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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 views, wishes and feelings of young people are taken into account in monitoring staff and in developing the home. In particular, ensure that monitoring reports produced under regulation 34 demonstrate consultation with young people regarding the quality of care (NMS 1.7)  ensure that the home is well maintained and decorated (NMS 10.3)  ensure that young people take part in a range of leisure activities. (NMS 7.2) 5 of 9

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Outcomes for children and young people good

Young people on the whole achieve good outcomes across all aspects of their development, which helps them grow in confidence. They are attending school regularly, which is a significant progress for them. Packages of education are creative and individualised to ensure young people enjoy learning and reach their potential. Educational achievement is well monitored and shows young people's progress in their behaviour and attainment. Young people enjoy school and their social life, and they are positive about their learning.

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Outcomes for children and young people good

Young people benefit from effective and consistent health care and attend all their appointments. They are registered with medical practitioners and have access to services, including mental health to meet their individual needs. Young people are educated in a variety of health and wellbeing matters and key working sessions are completed with them to enhance their understanding of health risks. As a result, risk taking behaviour, such as smoking is decreasing.

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Outcomes for children and young people good

Young people have contact with their families, which staff fully support. Young people's families are welcomed into the home and visit often. This ensures that young people continue to build relationships and attachments with those significant to them. Additionally, young people benefit from the emotional support of staff at these times. Also, there is a telephone for young people to access at any time to promote and support these relationships further.

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Outcomes for children and young people good

Young people are offered leisure activities to promote their interests and they do participate at times. However, not all young people engage with these, which means that they are missing out on opportunities to develop their skills and confidence further. Furthermore, young people feel that more regular and routine activities would capture their interest better.

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Quality of care outstanding

Young people enjoy warm, positive relationships with staff, which are the foundation for the high standards of care received by them. Staff are enthusiastic about their work and actively engage with young people to promote their welfare. Young people feel that staff care about them and that their views are listened to in the running of the home. Young people comment: 'I would give it a strong eight or nine out of ten, staff really care.'

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Quality of care outstanding

Young people grow and develop in nurturing, homely and supportive environment. Staff have a thorough understanding of young people's individual needs and 6 of 9 placement plans are highly individualised, clear, detailed and subject to frequent review. Child centred practice is well established within the home's culture and young people are the focus of the home. Partner agencies comment: 'This is an excellent home, staff help the children in a creative way’.

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Quality of care outstanding

Young people live in a healthy environment where their physical, emotional and social wellbeing is promoted. They engage in some activities, visit their families regularly and have personal time with staff to discuss individual issues. Additionally, they have prompt access to health care services to meet their needs in all areas of their development. They are involved in menu planning and themed evenings to encourage their understanding of nutrition and their appreciation of different cultures and traditions.

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Quality of care outstanding

Staff champion young people's educational needs with partner agencies and young people's families to ensure their educational needs are fully met. Despite challenges, staff work creatively to ensure young people attend education that meets their needs and they make progress. Staff emphasis the value of education and provide learning experiences to compliment young people's education. These practices help young people achieve their potential.

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Quality of care outstanding

Young people live in homely accommodation that blends into the neighbourhood. A location assessment is in place to reduce any risks to young people's safety and welfare. They have their own bedrooms that reflect their interests. Although, the home is looking tired in some areas and this serves to compromises the otherwise high standards of accommodation for young people. Young people have privacy to see their friends and family. This affords respect and dignity to them.

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Keeping children and young people safe good

There are good arrangements in place to safeguard and protect young people. Staff receive safeguarding training that is refreshed and have a good understanding of their duties in promoting young people's welfare. Young people feel safe and staff work with them individually to address any vulnerabilities and risks. Placement plans, behaviour management plans and risk assessment reports are robust and provide a sound mechanism for responding to young people's changing needs for safety and protection.

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Keeping children and young people safe good

Respectful and warm relationships between staff and young people provides the basis for managing behaviour effectively. There are no incidents of restraints and staff are clear that this is only used as a very last resort to prevent harm to young people. Methods such as reward charts, consequences and adult role modelling encourage young people's positive behaviour and assists them in accepting responsibility for their actions. Staff reinforce an anti-bullying culture and incidents are effectively resolved to protect young people. Sound arrangements are in place to respond and record missing from home incidents and these have significantly 7 of 9 reduced over time.

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Keeping children and young people safe good

Young people live in a home where health and safety matters are considered in ensuring a safe, clean and secure environment. Written records show that staff carry out routine health and safety checks around the home and safety and insurance certificates are up to date. Also, regular fire drills take place to ensure young people and staff are aware of an emergency evacuation route in the event of a fire. Furthermore, visitors are vetted to protect young people.

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Keeping children and young people safe good

Organisational policies and procedures are in place to promote safer recruitment practice. All staff are vetted and reference checks are undertaken before any appointment of staff is made. These are repeated at suitable intervals during their employment to ensure young people continue to be protected.

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Leadership and management good

The Registered Manager has worked in the home from 2004 and registered since November 2007. She has relevant experience pertinent to the role and has achieved a recognised management qualification. The Registered Manager is supported by a deputy manager to assist with the smooth running of the home. Furthermore, there is an experienced senior management team in place that effectively supports the home's operation overall.

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Leadership and management good

The Registered Manager is passionate about the service and inspires and motivates the team. As a result they enjoy their work, which is reflected in the stability of the staff team over many years. This provides consistency and predictability for young people to settle in the home. Furthermore, all staff participate in regular quality training and have the necessary qualifications to work with young people. They receive quality supervision, appraisals and team meetings to support them in their roles, which contributes to their competence in providing excellent care to young people.

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Leadership and management good

Young people's care is examined through quality assurance systems that include monthly management monitoring. However, young people's views are not routinely gained about the quality of care they receive to ensure their ideas count and improve practice further. Trend analysis systems are in place to develop practice, for example, the effectiveness of behaviour management strategies and missing from home incidents are consistently monitored. All significant events are notified to the relevant authorities and appropriate action is taken to protect young people. The manager is well aware of the strengths and weaknesses of the home and a development plan is in place to drive improvements and tackle gaps.

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Leadership and management good

The diversity of the staff team ensures a range of skills and qualities in meeting the individual needs of young people. Staff have a clear understanding of their roles and responsibilities and have high expectations for young people. Recordings are 8 of 9 generally good and provide a picture of young people's daily lives. Young people's information is securely stored and shared confidentiality to protect their safety and privacy. 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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