Children's Home run by Castle Homes Limited in Bromley

Unique reference number SC419334 Inspector Maria McGranaghan Type of inspection Full Provision subtype Children's home

p.1

Registered person Castle Homes Limited Registered person address The Manor House High Street, Rothwell KETTERING Northamptonshire NN14 6BQ Responsible individual Christopher Darren Wells Registered manager Tara Jane Cordrey Date of last inspection 24/02/2014 2 of 11 Inspection date 16/01/2015

p.1

Previous inspection good progress Enforcement action since last inspection none

p.2

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

p.2

Overall effectiveness

From their initial starting point young people make progress in the home. Improvements are seen in some areas of behaviour management, emotional resilience and education attendance and attainment.

p.2

Overall effectiveness

Young people’s safety is managed in accordance with placement planning arrangements. Therefore, agreed strategies are implemented quickly should there be a risk of harm. Likewise, individual care plans are in place and consider the specific needs of young people. Plans are regularly reviewed and updated in partnership with young people and this enables them to recognise the progress they make or indeed areas they need to develop.

p.2

Overall effectiveness

Young people are looked after by staff that receive suitable supervision and training in order to meet the sometimes complex and demanding needs of those resident. Staff say, ‘The training has really improved and it helps us to do the best for our young people.’

p.2

Overall effectiveness

The home is well managed with the focus of re-engaging young people in positive, age appropriate routines and activities. Monitoring systems are in place and provide the home with a suitable level of scrutiny. Despite these strengths there are areas for development. Although it is clear that 3 of 11 young people receive regular keywork sessions in order to address pertinent issues in their lives, records fail to fully capture the level of work undertaken with them or include young people’s comments about their session. Likewise, specific consequences for managing behaviours such as smoking in the home are not recorded within the home’s permanent record. Therefore specific sanctions cannot be suitably evaluated with regard to their effectiveness.

p.2

Overall effectiveness

On the whole the internal décor of the home is bright and colourful. However, bedroom windows are not obscured to protect the privacy of some young people, curtains are loose and some windows are filled with notice boards. The external windows frames and front door also require some maintenance in order to present as a warm, welcoming and well maintained home for young people.

p.3

Overall effectiveness

Notifications in the event of the police being called to the home are not consistently made to Ofsted. Consequently, behaviours or risks associated with the presence of the police at the home are not routinely evaluated by the regulatory body. 4 of 11

p.3

Information about this children’s home

This privately owned children's home provides care and accommodation for up to four children or young people who may have emotional or behavioural difficulties. The home has a registered school on site which is available to children and young people not attending an external school or alternative education provision.

p.4

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

24/02/2014 Interim good progress 07/10/2013 Full good 26/02/2013 Interim good progress 16/10/2012 Full good

p.4

Statutory Requirements

This section sets out the actions which must be taken so that the registered person/s meets the Care Standards Act 2000, Children's Homes Regulations 2001 and the National Minimum Standards. The registered person(s) must comply with the given timescales.

p.4

Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) ensure any event listed in column 1 of the table in schedule 5 takes place, and the registered person shall without delay notify the persons indicated in respect of the event in column 2 of the table (Regulation 30 (1)) 13/02/2015

p.4

Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further the service should take account of the following recommendation(s): 5 of 11  ensure information is clearly recorded, specifically keywork sessions in order to be helpful to a child should they wish to access their file now or in the future. Children should be encouraged to review and comment on their file and correct errors and provide personal statements (NMS 22.5)  ensure the home provides a comfortable and homely environment that is well maintained and decorated. Specific attention should be paid to the window's within the home (NMS 10.3)  ensure sanctions are clear, reasonable and fair and are suitably recorded on order to be effectively evaluated (NMS 3.8) 6 of 11

p.4

Outcomes for children and young people good

Young people make good progress in a home committed to meeting their holistic needs. As a result young people have achieved in areas such as education, a reduction in some risk taking behaviours and social integration. Young people are happy in the home and say, ‘I like it here and I really like the staff.’

p.6

Outcomes for children and young people good

From their initial starting point young people develop confidence in order to re- establish themselves in education. For example, young people with a significant history of non-engagement in education now attend schools best suited to meet their individual needs. Importantly, young people want to learn and are enthusiastic about their future. Young people say ‘I haven’t been in school for ages and I feel like I am getting somewhere now.’ Consequently, young people develop a positive view of themselves as achievers and of their future.

p.6

Outcomes for children and young people good

Young people benefit from better health as a result of living in the home. For example, specific programs are developed to assist young people who have developed habits that are harmful to their health such as smoking, drinking alcohol and having unprotected sexual relationships. Young people say, It’s great here. The staff spend time with us and we talk about everything. It’s really open and it makes me feel that I can ask them things.’ Consequently, young people are provided with useful information to aid the choices they make in their lives.

p.6

Outcomes for children and young people good

Consultation with young people is viewed as important in the home. Young people’s meetings regularly take place and provide a forum for young people to discuss how the home can develop and what they feel would make things even better. Likewise, young people regularly participate in individual meetings with their keyworker. This provides opportunities to discuss individual plans and if they are happy with the care provided in the home. However, young people do not consistently sign or comment on the work they have undertaken in order to evaluate the effectiveness of the sessions. This is important in order to sufficiently develop and progress individual sessions.

p.6

Outcomes for children and young people good

Young people’s care is well managed in the home. Keywork sessions coupled with the support of external therapeutic services provide young people with the stepping stones to their future. Young people feel they make progress and say, ‘I am settled. I have had my ups and downs but now I am happy and like it here.’ It is evident that from their initial starting point young people make progress as a result of proactive residential placement planning.

p.6

Outcomes for children and young people good

Young people benefit from planned and supported contact with family and friends. Contact is regularly reviewed to ensure that it is appropriate and serves to meet the needs of young people. Likewise, young people confirm they are happy with their 7 of 11 contact arrangements and feel they are able to discuss any matters arising from contact with staff. A parent said, ‘The staff keep me informed and contact me regularly. I have no complaints.’

p.6

Outcomes for children and young people good

Young people participate in activities ranging from attending the cinema. Pamper nights, baking and trips out in the community. Young people say, ‘If it is expensive activity we have to save for it, but most times we can try anything.’ Consequently, young people are provided with new experiences and opportunities to enrich their lives and promote personal achievement.

p.7

Outcomes for children and young people good

Young people are provided with suitably opportunities to develop independent skills ready for adult life. Tasks such as shopping, cooking meals, completing their own washing and helping with their ironing are an example of the skills they develop. Young people say, ‘I like to cook. The staff advise me and I get on with it. I can make lots of things.’ Consequently, young people begin to develop the skills that promote self-esteem and confidence while preparing for adult life.

p.7

Quality of care good

On the whole, young people are settled in the home. Relationships with staff are formed and demonstrate a trusting partnership with most young people. A staff member said, ‘We want the young people to do well. We want them to understand that we are here to help them. It can be hard but it is very rewarding when they make progress.’

p.7

Quality of care good

Placement plans suitably highlight young people’s individual needs and include the external services that work together with the home in order to support young people’s on-going development. Staff say ‘We try to engage young people with services that can help them make positive changes, we are clear what help and support young people may need and understand how important it is they get the right help, I think all the staff work really hard to help young people.’ However, records of some keywork sessions do not provide sufficient detail about the level of work undertaken with young people which will be helpful should they wish to review their files now or in the future.

p.7

Quality of care good

Young people’s individual identity is acknowledged in the home. Residential placement plans serve to highlight what makes each young person a unique and special person. Comparably, the highly diverse staff team serve to enrich young people’s lives. Young people say, Staff are great we get to try all sorts of different foods and learn how to cook them.’ Likewise, young people are encouraged to decorate their bedroom in a way that reflects their own personality. As a result, young people have gained ownership of their home.

p.7

Quality of care good

Young people living in the home have a history of limited or non-engagement with educational services. Staff work hard to ensure young people are provided with 8 of 11 educational opportunities that inspire them and enable them to return into the most appropriate educational setting. Consequently, attendance and attainment is good with young people now viewing education as their daily routine.

p.7

Quality of care good

Young people know how to complain. Information is provided in the young person’s guide and organisational complaints documents. Procedures for managing complaints are in place to ensure they are handled fairly and investigated by the manager or external nominated person. Records of complaints being made by young people provide a narrative of how they have been managed. As a result, young people are confident that any worries or concerns they have will be managed appropriately.

p.8

Quality of care good

Young people live in spacious home that fits well into the local community. Young people are encouraged to make their house into their home and play a significant role in the decision making process around décor and furnishings. However, some bedroom windows are bare and do not provide privacy for young people should their curtains be open. Some curtains were not suitably hung and other window’s on the lower floor contained notice boards and posters, highlighting the building as a service and not a home. Likewise, the exterior windows and front door are in need of maintenance in order for the home to present as a warm and welcoming home for young people.

p.8

Keeping children and young people safe good

Staff undertake safeguarding training in order that they are able to respond to suspicions or allegations of abuse. Appropriate policies are in place to ensure the correct procedures are undertaken without delay should a concern arise. Likewise, individual risk assessments are developed in partnership with the placing authorities and highlight specific risk factors for young people including some strategies for reducing risk. Therefore, risk assessments are regularly reviewed and updated and this helps young people to understand where their behaviours have improved or indeed declined.

p.8

Keeping children and young people safe good

Young people are encouraged to demonstrate socially acceptable behaviour. Behaviour management plans are in place to identify strategies to manage and reduce unacceptable behaviour, including the use of sanctions and keywork sessions. However, a reoccurring concern is young people smoking in the home. While sanctions are in place, these are not consistently recorded in the home’s sanction record in order to sufficiently evaluate their effectiveness.

p.8

Keeping children and young people safe good

Staff focus on de-escalation and re-direction techniques in order to defuse situations between young people. This has proven successful as there are limited episodes of physical intervention taking place in the home. Similarly, staff are aware of the impact of bullying and are vigilant in monitoring episodes of bullying in the home. This is because staff have undertaken training in the area of bullying and have used this productively in young people’s meetings and keywork sessions. 9 of 11 Young people live in a home where their safety and well-being is suitably protected. Individual missing from home plans are in place and highlight the agreed procedures and strategies to be implemented should a young person be missing. Likewise, external agencies work with staff and young people to emphasise the risks of being missing and to look at strategies to reduce risk taking behaviour. However, although some young people still absent themselves from the home to friends and family

p.8

Keeping children and young people safe good

members, there has been a significant reduction within the past six months.

p.9

Keeping children and young people safe good

The home employs a robust recruitment procedure that ensures young people are looked after by staff that are appropriately checked in order to work in the home. Visitors are appropriately vetted and this helps to make sure that young people are protected while in their home.

p.9

Keeping children and young people safe good

Staff promote young people’s on-going protection by undertaking regular fire drills and service tests making sure that all faults are efficiently addressed. Clear evidence highlights consistent monitoring of all systems within the home.

p.9

Keeping children and young people safe good

Staff are vigilant when managing visitors to the home and take appropriate steps to verify visitors identity in order to protect the young people.

p.9

Leadership and management good

The home is managed by a Registered Manager with over twenty years’ experience working with children and young people. She is suitably qualified having gained the NVQ at level 3 and 4 in children and young people and the Registered Managers Award.

p.9

Leadership and management good

Young people live in a home that is suitably managed. The home meets the aims and objectives of the Statement of Purpose, and young people, social workers and families are clear about the service and support the home provides. A social worker said, ‘This home tries really hard with young people. They update me all the time. I am happy with the service they provide.’

p.9

Leadership and management good

Young people live in a home offering bright and spacious living accommodation. The home is situated within a close knit community with easy access to transport links and local amenities. Young people are encouraged to make the house into their home and are supported to individualise their bedrooms.

p.9

Leadership and management good

The external monitoring systems provide the home with a good approach to the overall monitoring of care. Detailed information highlights areas for development and the manager’s action plan highlights the action to be taken to address matters. Likewise, staff receive suitable support from the manager. Supervision takes place regularly and serves to identify training needs and personal development targets. Staff receive suitable training and this ensures that young people are looked after by 10 of 11 informed staff. Likewise, the numbers of staff on duty are sufficient to meet the needs of the young people living in the home.

p.9

Leadership and management good

The manager is aware of the procedure for notifying Ofsted of incidents under Regulation 30, Schedule five. However, and with particular regard to circumstances where the police are called to the home, these matters are not routinely reported to Ofsted. Consequently, information about specific risk factors and how they are managed are not shared with the regulatory body in order to be reviewed and evaluated. Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

p.10

Leadership and management good

This document may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided that the information quoted is reproduced without adaptation and the source and date of publication are stated.

p.11

Judgement Description

Outstanding A service of exceptional quality that significantly exceeds minimum requirements.

p.11

Judgement Description

Good A service of high quality that exceeds minimum requirements.

p.11

Judgement Description

Adequate A service that only meets minimum requirements.

p.11

Judgement Description

Inadequate A service that does not meet minimum requirements.

p.11

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.

p.11

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.

p.11