Children's Home run by Institute of Integrated Systemic Therapy in Norfolk

Unique reference number SC065792 Inspector Fiona Littlefield Type of inspection Interim Provision subtype Children's home

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Registered person Childhood First Registered person address Childhood First 210 Borough High Street LONDON SE1 1JX Responsible individual Stephen Blunden Registered manager Jeanette Langfeld Date of last inspection 09/07/2014 2 of 6 Inspection date 04/03/2015

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Previous inspection good 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

Since their previous inspection this service is judged to be making improved progress.

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This inspection

The home was last inspected in July 2014 when the overall judgement was Good with Outstanding elements in Quality of Care and Keeping Children Safe. Since then the Registered Manager has addressed the two requirements and one recommendation. The Statement of Purpose has now been updated and has been published on the website. The details of the Registered Manager are now correctly recorded. This is in line with regulations. Independent monitoring arrangements are more robust and routinely make efforts to ascertain the views of those directly connected to a young person. As a result there is a more complete understanding of the progress of the young people. All personnel who are involved in recruitment and selection of staff have now received training and are supported to carry out this work. As a result, young people are looked after by staff who have been appropriately vetted and the safety of the young people is not compromised. The

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This inspection

home continues to make significant progress, which has led to positive outcomes for the young people.

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This inspection

When young people are first referred to the home, their needs and vulnerabilities are carefully identified by the Registered Manager who visits the young person in advance of a placement. Very detailed risk assessments are developed in liaison with social workers, other professionals and families of the young people. These are matched with management plans that are designed to keep the children safe and secure. Imaginative and resourceful planning helps young people settle into the home. For instance, staff prepared a DVD of the home showing the rooms and facilities and introducing the young person to their link worker. As a result, young people feel safer and more prepared when they arrive. 3 of 6 On occasion, the behaviour of some young people when they first come to the home has been challenging. Staff are committed and determined to support young people to settle into the home. Each young person is allocated a key worker and individual

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This inspection

sessions begin immediately. As a result, young people immediately start to develop sound attachments to staff. The social worker for one young person said’ it is very early days but she has really opened up to staff. This is very impressive at such an early stage’.

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This inspection

Some young people in the home are preparing for adulthood. Staff support young people to achieve reasonable but achievable goals such as using public transport. This has helped young people develop confidence and make progress in becoming more independent. The Registered Manager and staff are considering new ideas to strengthen and improve transition planning with young people. A member of staff said ‘there needs to be a balance between practical and emotional issues, such as how to manage their money and also exploring what it is like to be alone. One doesn’t work without the other’. These plans will be discussed with external professionals. The social worker for a young person said ‘we feel that they are in agreement to try something different’. The Registered Manager is aware of this shortfall.

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This inspection

Young people are actively and regularly consulted, their views listened to and taken into account. Each young person benefits from a close relationship with their allocated link worker. However, there is no summary of the issues raised in these sessions and the current filing system for these sessions does not show how regularly they occur. As a result, it is not clear what progress a young person may be making. The Registered Manager is aware of this shortfall.

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This inspection

Staff are skilled in establishing and reinforcing boundaries that ensure the young people’s safety. Risk assessments are detailed and provide guidance to manage specific issues such as sexualised behaviour and the emotional well-being of young people. Risk assessments are reviewed regularly and frequently by the Registered Manager. However, there is no date to indicate when the assessment was last considered. Consequently, it is not possible to immediately ascertain how recent the assessment is and, as a result, some plans could be out of date. The manager is aware of this shortfall.

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This inspection

Staff focus on positive behaviour, communication and positive role modelling in their relationships with young people, as a way of demonstrating the importance of mutual respect. For instance, there has recently been an increase in the number of restraints used. Each restraint is recorded in detail and young people are encouraged to give their views. In addition, staff regularly review all restraints as part of their staff group meeting. They use the opportunity to assess possible trends and triggers and to consider alternative ways of managing the young person’s behaviour. Young people’s behaviour is managed in a considered and empathetic way. One member of staff said ‘this is a planned environment, a community and a family. This is a place where feelings are talked about’. As a result, young people's 4 of 6 self -esteem and confidence improves.

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This inspection

The Registered Manager monitors the quality of care provided by the home. Feedback from parents and professionals is positive especially when referring to partnership working. An example is the effort that staff make in promoting contact between young people and those important to them through the imaginative use of alternative media. Consequently, the young people feel secure and safe knowing that both staff and families are working together.

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This inspection

The home is comfortably furnished, homely and nicely decorated for the young people. There is ample room for communal living. Young people who live at the home are able to relax in surroundings that promote their well-being and comfort. 5 of 6

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Information about this children’s home

This children's home is owned by a registered charity. It is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to six young people who have emotional and behavioural difficulties. The home is a therapeutic community based on an Integrated Systemic Therapy model.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

09/07/2014 Full good 25/03/2014 Interim good progress 09/08/2013 Full good 14/02/2013 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

 liaises with the child's responsible authority and their IRO about the progress of the child's readiness to move to any future accommodation where they would be expected to take on greater responsibility and personal independence. This is raised with particular reference to transitional planning for young people in the home (NMS 12.3)  ensure that records are legible, clearly expressed, non-stigmatising and distinguish as far as possible between fact, opinion and third party information. This is raised with particular reference to recording dates of when risk assessments are reviewed and when individual link worker sessions are completed, and provide a reflective summary of issues raised. (NMS 22.4) 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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