Children's Home run by Step-A-Side Company Limited in Gloucestershire

Unique reference number SC030650 Inspector Heather Chaplin Type of inspection Interim Provision subtype Children's home

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Registered person Step-a-Side Company Limited Registered person address 29 Market Place COLEFORD Gloucestershire GL16 8AA Responsible individual Rachel Emma Carwardine Registered manager Matthew James Underhill Date of last inspection 08/01/2014 2 of 6 Inspection date 03/02/2015

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Previous inspection good progress Enforcement action since last inspection none

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This inspection

This home was judged good 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 improved in effectiveness, because the young people who live there, and those who come for respite care, have all made very good progress since the last inspection. In addition, the home is extremely well managed and has continued to improve the quality of care provided.

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This inspection

There have been no recent admissions or discharges. Young people range in age from 10 to 16 years, and in spite of their complex and widely differing needs, their outcomes continue to improve. They have all been living in, or coming to stay in, the home for long periods of time. This consistency affords young people stability and a strong sense of security.

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This inspection

All young people attend school regularly, and their attendance is almost 100%. They do well in education, enjoy a wide range of interesting activities and benefit from good quality contact with their families.

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This inspection

Some young people can show very volatile behaviour, which sometimes leads to challenging situations. Staff manage these incidents extremely well. Young people generally have very positive relationships with staff and in particular, they are open and honest. This creates a climate of increasing trust, which helps young people to talk over anything that is worrying them. This has led to an overall reduction in significant incidents.

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This inspection

The home commissions external psychological services. Young people therefore have ready access to skilled professional therapy to support their emotional needs. The psychologists also advise staff and contribute towards the construction of young people’s behavioural support plans. Behaviour management is therefore informed by psychological research and expertise, which improves the home’s effectiveness. 3 of 6 The home has received no complaints since the full inspection. The inspector was shown emails from parents and professionals complimenting the home. For example, an education professional said that the staff’s hard work and joined-up, team approach has made a considerable difference to their child, enabling them to return to a full school week. This has significantly improved educational outcomes for that young person.

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This inspection

In spite of their range of needs and ages, young people live together amicably most of the time. They benefit from living in a pleasant, attractive home with an exceptionally well maintained, attractive garden. The home is situated in a forest, with ready access to country walks and other rural activities.

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This inspection

There have been five physical interventions in the home since the last inspection. The majority involve one young person. The Registered Manager monitors incidents very carefully and identifies any patterns of behaviour. Staff and young people are carefully debriefed so that there can be learning from each situation. This positive management oversight and effective action has contributed to a reduction in incidents.

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This inspection

There has been one safeguarding referral to the local authority designated officer. This incident involved a non-employee who was on site to transport a young person. The incident was recorded and actioned swiftly, including notification to Ofsted, as required by regulation.

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This inspection

The home is very well led and managed. There is monthly monitoring through clear, comprehensive Regulation 33 visits and reports. The manager completes regular Regulation 34 reports to provide robust oversight of the service.

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This inspection

Reduced visibility onto the road at the front of the home means that for space and safety reasons, the current car park has had to be located at the rear of the property. The Registered Manager has imaginative plans for the future, including providing a splayed driveway at the front of the house, to provide a more convenient car park and ensure adequate visibility for drivers. The manager also intends to develop the summer house as a sensory room. The home has very positive relationships with placing authorities, schools and with the psychological service. It works effectively with these organisations to maintain good communication and promote good outcomes for young people. The manager is appropriately assertive in advocating for young people, to ensure that they have access to the services they need. Staff from the home have actively supported young people in school to promote positive behaviour and help school staff to

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This inspection

understand the difficulties some traumatised children and those with disabilities experience in a classroom setting. This helps to reduce the risk of young people being excluded from school.

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This inspection

The three requirements made at the last inspection were all met very promptly. The home was asked to review its Statement of Purpose, in light of the fact that the 4 of 6 majority of the young people living there have learning disabilities, rather than emotional and behavioural difficulties, as their primary need. The Registered Manager reviewed the Statement of Purpose immediately after the inspection. This document now describes the full range of the home’s work. Ofsted has changed the home’s registration categories to include learning disabilities, in line with the Statement of Purpose. These changes help placing authorities and young people to understand what the home offers and gives an accurate picture of the current residents’ range of needs.

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This inspection

Although the mix of young people with widely differing needs and the provision of a short breaks service alongside longer term placements might not work well in every case, it has proved to be effective with this particular group. This is because the quality of care is exceptional and the manager and staff have the skills and experience to balance differing needs.

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This inspection

The home was asked to review placement plans for the small number of young people who are not looked after, but who receive short breaks. This work has been completed in exceptional detail, and to a high standard. Parents, who were fully involved in writing the plans, have also commended the resulting document. This means that there is now comprehensive information to help staff to look after young people exactly in line with the parents’ wishes and medical advice.

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This inspection

The home was also asked to ensure that fire alarm tests were done at least weekly. The Registered Manager had already identified this shortfall before the last inspection and had already changed the way in which fire safety tests were carried out. Since that date, tests have been at least weekly and are supported by effective records.

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This inspection

No requirements or recommendations have been made as a result of this inspection. 5 of 6

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Information about this children’s home

This children's home is one of two run by the same limited company. The home currently provides long term and respite care and accommodation for a maximum of five children and young people with emotional or behavioural difficulties, or learning disabilities.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

08/01/2014 Interim good progress 15/08/2013 Full good 12/03/2013 Interim good progress 04/12/2012 Full good Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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.

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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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