Children's Home run by Inspire Children’s Services Limited in St Helens

Unique reference number SC441410 Inspector Lynn O'Driscoll Type of inspection Interim Provision subtype Children's home

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Registered person Inspire Childrens Services Limited Registered person address Ground Floor 121 Church Street ST. HELENS Merseyside WA10 1AJ Responsible individual Paul Edward Keogh Registered manager Michael Joseph Farrelly Date of last inspection 14/08/2014 2 of 7 Inspection date 27/03/2015

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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

Young people are very happy and settled and feel safe and secure at this home. They also enjoy excellent trusting relationships with the staff. This is outstanding progress especially given their specific diagnoses. They are actively involved in local clubs, which strengthens their sense of belonging. Consequently, there have been no incidents of going missing since the last inspection.

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This inspection

Positive reinforcement of good behaviour and effort is highly effective. This means there has been a marked reduction in the frequency and duration of restraints. Therefore, the ratio of staff to individual young people has also reduced in recognition of their significantly improved behaviours. In fact, one young person has developed the ability to not get embroiled when other young people are struggling. Rather, he is actively choosing to walk away. Another young person is now better able to manage his own emotions. Consequently, he no longer causes criminal damage when frustrated. This is significant progress. The extremely positive impact is that children's services are no longer pursuing care proceedings.

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This inspection

This decision is also due to this staff team's excellent partnership working with families. In particular, they provide regular additional support to empower parents and to enable young people to benefit from regular constructive contact. Estranged family relationships have been re-established which helps young people to better understand their backgrounds and maintain their unique identities.

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This inspection

Young people's wishes and feelings are central to the day-to-day running of the home and in the development of the company as a whole. All reasonable requests are positively responded to if it is in their best interests. This reinforces the fact that their opinions genuinely matter, which demonstrably increases their self-esteem and confidence. 3 of 7 Young people have recently been involved in reviewing their own placement plans so they are more meaningful and user friendly. They also now have personalised memory boxes and photo albums. These provide positive reminders of all the varied experiences they enjoy at this home. Individual interests and talents are actively encouraged and supported which further develops their competencies and confidences. Examples include, archery, football and martial arts.

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This inspection

The young people living at this home are active participants in the company's children's council and really enjoyed the Christmas party they helped to plan. They also successfully negotiated an increase in the clothing allowance for 14 year olds and above.

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This inspection

At the last inspection, one young person only just admitted, was excluded from school. This home immediately secured a few hours a week home tuition and due to their strong and effective advocacy this continually increased. The tutor said, 'The staff are very supportive of my role and assist him to stay motivated to learn.' In sharp contrast, both young people are now in full time education, attending every day and fully engaging in lessons. This is outstanding progress from their individual starting points.

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This inspection

Since the last inspection, this company have also employed an educational psychologist who provides consultations to young people and to staff. This effectively supports young people's complex emotional needs. He is particularly impressed with the knowledge and enthusiasm of this staff team and says, 'They genuinely want the best outcomes for all the young people.' A head teacher wrote, 'The working relationship between the school and this home is a model of good practice and the impact it has had on the behaviour of the young person is most notable.' One young person recently attended a formal award ceremony for his educational achievements. He proudly accepted his certificate for his, 'Significant improvements in his education and attitude. He has completed some excellent pieces of work. He is a bright and interesting pupil who will continue to impress and improve. Since moving to this home he has worked tirelessly to turn his life around.'

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This inspection

The feedback from parents, social workers and other stakeholders on the quality of care provided in this home is consistently very positive. Any constructive criticism is used to improve practice. Comments from parents include, 'I am more than happy with my son's placement and the staff are very supportive of contact arrangements', 'My son has definitely made progress in managing his behaviour with the support from the staff. We have an excellent working relationship', 'I am happy with the high level of care and support and my son is continuing to make good progress' and, 'I have found the staff to be very person centred and flexible in their approach to managing my son.'

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This inspection

An independent reviewing officer wrote, 'The staff are astute to the young person's needs and are working well with school and mum to ensure consistent routines and boundaries. I receive good quality information for reviews and excellent 4 of 7 communication.'

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This inspection

Feedback from social workers include, 'I strongly agree that this home provides my young person with the safety and stability he needs and it meets all his individual needs. I am provided with thorough information regarding his progress. It is excellent partnership working' and, 'The staff are very dedicated and provide a good standard of care. There is a very good relationship with his family and they keep me well informed'.

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This inspection

The manager of this home has been successfully registered with Ofsted since the last inspection. He is suitably experienced and has commenced a management qualification. He also demonstrated, through the application and interview process, that he has the integrity, good character and passion to manage a home for young people with such complex emotional and behavioural difficulties. In turn, he benefits from the support of a good deputy and regular professional supervision.

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This inspection

The four requirements made at the last full inspection on 14 August 2014 have been fully addressed. In response there are more effective daily and weekly cleaning rotas in place and closer monitoring to ensure that the home is always maintained at a good standard throughout. The décor has also markedly improved. In recent months young people were actively involved in redecorating the majority of the home and in personalising their own bedrooms. They also helped to clean the front drive and plant three trees. This demonstrates a strong sense of pride in their surroundings and teaches them a range of very useful practical skills in preparation for future independence. Photographs on the wall in the main lounge, showing all the positive experiences young people take part in, creates a homely ambience. For example, they thoroughly enjoyed a camping holiday together over the summer holidays. The conservatory now has a new television, electronic games, cabinet and settee, thus

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This inspection

providing another inviting communal area for young people to relax in.

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This inspection

Following consultations with young people this home now provides more varied, wholesome and nutritious homemade meals which young people enjoy helping to cook with fresh ingredients. Young people and staff also purposely now sit around the dining table together for their main meals, taking the opportunity to relax and enjoy these social occasions.

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This inspection

There has been a significant amount of focussed work since the last inspection to promote healthy lifestyles and positive self-image, which the boys are enthusiastically engaging in. This has resulted in healthy weight losses which has served to boost young people's self-esteem.

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This inspection

They now have a very good awareness about, for example, portion control, eating more slowly and the importance of eating breakfast. To their credit young people have also broken the habit of drinking fizzy drinks and now choose water. One young person is currently taking part in a six week healthy lifestyle course and is now enjoying educating some of the staff. Moreover, none of the young people 5 of 7 smoke cigarettes, drink alcohol or take illicit drugs. Other positive outcomes include improved sleep patterns and personal hygiene.

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This inspection

The staff and young people have also significantly increased the frequency and range of physical and challenging exercise they enjoy together, often in the fresh air. One young person was thrilled to win a brand new cycle for completing a questionnaire for the youth service about the activities he engages in. A specialist nurse for children looked after confirmed that, 'This placement supports young people's health needs very well.'

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This inspection

Monitoring visits by a person independent of the home are now undertaken every month and a report forwarded to Ofsted in a timely manner. Responses from the manager demonstrates that any shortfalls identified are efficiently addressed. The new manager has produced his first three monthly report on the quality of care provided in the home. Although this is a detailed document and does include all the required information, it is not particularly evaluative of, for example, the patterns and trends of sanctions and restraints over this period. It also does not specify the outcomes of consultations with young people, parents and external stakeholders. This shortfall is particularly unfortunate given that a plethora of data and feedback is available within the home.

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The home's statement of purpose is now accessible on the company's website.

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There are robust arrangements in place to safeguard and protect young people. For example, recruitment and selection processes have been strengthened with the appointment of a new human resources manager to ensure a safe and competent workforce. Young people also benefit from regular age appropriate sessions on keeping themselves safe on line and when they are enjoying independence in the community.

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All the actions on the home's development plan to April 2015 have been addressed. The home's new development plan demonstrates a strong commitment to continuously improving and developing the service and the consequent outcomes for all the young people. This has been produced in full consultation with the staff team and the young people, so there is a shared sense of responsibility and accountability.

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This inspection

The new management team have ensured that staff are well prepared and motivated to implement the new regulations and quality standards. The registered manager also attends regular local provider forums to share good practice.

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This inspection

The young people are clearly thriving in this very structured and nurturing environment. Comments from young people include, 'All is good here. It is brilliant. I am safe and happy and well cared for and I am enjoying school', 'It was the best Christmas ever' and, 'It's outstanding. The staff are nice and kind and we do lots of activities.' 6 of 7

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Information about this children’s home

This is a private children's home registered to provide care and accommodation for up to two young people with emotional and behavioural difficulties.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

14/08/2014 Full good 24/02/2014 Interim satisfactory progress 28/11/2013 Full good 15/02/2013 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

 ensure that the three monthly Regulation 34 reports forwarded to Ofsted include an evaluation of consultations with young people, parents and social workers and identifies any patterns and trends in respect to sanctions and restraints. (NMS 21) 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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