Children's Home run by Nottingham City Council in Nottingham

Unique reference number SC034969 Inspector Caroline Brailsford Type of inspection Interim Provision subtype Children's home

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Registered person Nottingham City Council Registered person address Nottingham City Council, Loxley House Station Street NOTTINGHAM NG2 3NG Responsible individual Kay Sylvia Sutt Registered manager Berardino Labbate Date of last inspection 28/10/2014 2 of 6 Inspection date 25/03/2015

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Previous inspection outstanding Enforcement action since last inspection None

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This inspection

This home was judged outstanding at the last full inspection. At this interim inspection Ofsted judge that it has sustained effectiveness .

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This inspection

This home was judged outstanding at the last inspection and continues to sustain this level of service. The three recommendations made at the last inspection are all fully met. Developments include telephone verification on all references before staff start work at the home. This ensures that the recruitment procedure is followed and that young people are protected from unsuitable adults. The house looks more homely and has undergone a full programme of redecoration. Young people have chosen new wallpaper and paint colours at young people's meetings. This ensures that they have their say and that they can feel proud of their home and learn to respect the property. The outside of the property is also improved and the garden and the building looks neat, tidy and in keeping with the local area. Staff training has improved further to include specific training for staff on drug awareness. In addition, some staff have received a higher level of training in this area. This

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This inspection

enables them to cascade knowledge to other staff and to complete initial drug assessments for young people on their admission. These skills prove useful in ensuring that staff are working with the most up-to-date knowledge.

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This inspection

When young people move into the home, very careful consideration is given to the suitability of the admission. The needs of the other young people are well considered and safety and welfare are a high priority. A risk assessment tool documents how the risks have been considered and identifies what action staff should take to ensure that young people can progress, develop and stay safe in the home. From then on, monitoring tools map progress. Any difficulties are identified at an early stage so that additional support can be given and barriers to progress can be removed. For example, regular meetings with schools ensure that any gaps in progress or attendance are addressed at the earliest possible stage. One Social Worker commented that staff are 'pro-active in calling meetings', demonstrating their energetic and enthusiastic approach. 3 of 6 Most young people who leave the home have a planned transition, where their

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This inspection

feelings about their forthcoming move are well considered. Key worker meetings ensure that young people can discuss their worries and can make as much progress as possible with their independence skills. Some young people have returned home or progressed to fostering placements because they have undergone their period of assessment and have become more settled. One staff member commented on young people since the last inspection saying all people have been 'very settled' and that they all 'seem to be happy here'.

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This inspection

Young people at the home feel well cared for and safe. They make good progress. Very positive relationships are developed with staff and they feel very able to talk to them about their feelings and problems. Young people have a say in what happens in their own life and in the running of the home. Staff and managers are extremely interested in what they have to say. Monitoring tools have been further developed since the last inspection to ensure that their views about the home and about individual staff members' practice are established. Leaders actively seek young people's views in order to progress the management and operation of the home.

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This inspection

Where there have been significant events in the home, the relevant authorities have been informed. There is good follow up support to young people and very good monitoring of the risks. This ensures that young people are as safe as they can be and as a result risks reduce over time, for example episodes of missing decreasing. The manager's formal monitoring system also picks up on any safety issues and the organisation's own inspection visit also adds great value to ensure that the home runs smoothly. This monitoring ensures that the records are scrutinised to ensure that young people are receiving the right level of support.

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This inspection

Leaders continue to ensure that further opportunities for development are identified, showing improved effectiveness since the last inspection. New initiatives since the last inspection include a revised children's guide with more input from young people, a new information technology policy and the expansion of several documents for the purpose of quality assurance and the running of the home. The young people's views have been central to these improvements and young people's meetings have been used well. In addition, documents have been developed so that managers can monitor young people's progress in more detail. This more detailed information is sent to other professionals to ensure that their views about further progress can be captured. This ensures that progress is maximised.

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This inspection

The home is well led by the Registered Manager. He is also well supported by a senior member of staff who helps to lead and motivate staff and ensure that they are well trained to look after the young people. A recent team development day demonstrates the enthusiasm in the team. Each member of staff gave a short presentation on an area of interest and focused on how this could be used to benefit young people. All training is fully evaluated by staff so that managers can see what they have found useful. This assists in developing a clear training profile for individuals and the team. 4 of 6 There has been one requirement made about the home's Statement of Purpose. This document is not clear about how the home intends to care for young asylum seekers, yet the home accepts young people in this category. This regulatory shortfall does not impact on young people who are very well cared for and their needs met. However, there is the potential for professionals, carers and young

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This inspection

people to be unclear about how these young people's needs will be met by the home. 5 of 6

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Information about this children’s home

The home, which is provided by a local authority, is registered to care for three young people with emotional and behavioural difficulties. It is a short-term assessment provision whereby needs are assessed and a suitable long-term placement is identified within a 12-week assessment period.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

28/10/2014 Full outstanding 06/03/2014 Interim good progress 07/11/2013 Full adequate 05/02/2013 Interim good progress

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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.

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Reg. Requirement Due date

4 (2001) ensure that a Statement of Purpose is compiled which shall include all the matters listed in Schedule 1. (Regulation 4, Schedule 1) 30/04/2015 Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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Reg. Requirement Due date

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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