Children's Home run by Cambian Childcare Limited in West Northamptonshire

Requires improvement

The children's home is not yet delivering good help and care for children and young people. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

p.2

because:

 This home requires improvement because it has been without a Registered Manager since July 2014, with the result that, until recently, management arrangements have lacked stability. Positive changes are not yet fully embedded.

p.3

The children's home strengths

 A new manager has been in post for six weeks. The new manager is experienced and proactive. As a result of this appointment, there has been considerable positive change in the environment, young people and staff. The home is now delivering care consistent with its Statement of Purpose.

p.3

The children's home strengths

 There is a core group of stable, experienced and qualified staff who young people have trusting relationships with. Since the new manager started, the staff members report they have improved their morale which impacts positively on young people.

p.3

The children's home strengths

 Positive outcomes for young people are at the core of staff practice. Consultation with and involvement of young people in their own care are priority areas. A young person stated, ‘The new manager came in and she asked us our views and opinions and she’s got a lot of stuff for us. She got the staff views and opinions too. Things are a lot better here now.’

p.3

The children's home strengths

 The aims and objectives of young people’s care plans are reviewed to ensure the home can still meet their needs. Where the placement is not meeting young people’s needs, swift action is taken, in consultation with the placing authority, to review the care plan.

p.3

Information about this children's home

The home is registered to accommodate six children and young people with emotional and behavioural difficulties. It is owned by a large private provider.

p.4

Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

p.4

Recent inspection history

06/01/2015 CH - Interim Declined in effectiveness

p.4

requires improvement

The overall experiences and progress of children and young people in the home require improvement as the home has been without a Registered Manager for a considerable length of time. Despite a new manager being in post for the last six weeks, the lack of stability in management arrangements since July 2014 has had a negative impact on the overall experiences and progress of young people. A young person stated, ‘I love it here but I don’t always like all the changes.’

p.5

requires improvement

Outcomes for young people are variable. Some young people have struggled to settle at the home and the placement has not met their needs. A social worker said, ‘The home did everything it could to try and make the placement work. They kept me updated all the time.’ Other young people remain settled and are making progress. A young person said, ‘I think because I’m more relaxed I’ve got a better relationship with my parent now.’ Some young people are getting ready to move to semi-independent provision.

p.5

requires improvement

The staff and manager demonstrate a detailed understanding of young people’s needs. Since starting in post, the new manager has reviewed all young people’s care plans and has consulted with the placing authority where there are concerns about the placement not fully meeting young people’s needs. Young people are fully consulted and involved in these discussions, they are encouraged to negotiate and understand why decisions are made about them, and as a result they feel involved in their own care. Any health needs are well met.

p.5

requires improvement

Young people make sustained progress with their educational achievement, with most young people studying for GCSEs. Education providers report that young people’s attendance at education can be sporadic. The manager has identified this as an area for improvement and is proactive at reviewing the plans for young people’s education, in consultation with the young person, school and placing authority. For example, currently short-term plans are in place to give a young person a lift to school in the mornings. Teachers consulted identified a slight increase in school attendance for another young person since the new manager has taken over.

p.5

requires improvement

As appropriate to their age, staff support and encourage young people to learn new skills, which will assist a smooth transition to adult life. This includes assisting in food shopping, cooking, and engaging in daily chores. During the inspection, a young person was taking part in a mock interview to give them the chance to practise for forthcoming college or job interviews. Young people develop in confidence and are better prepared for adult life because of this.

p.5

requires improvement

Contact is promoted and for those young people who live a long way from home, they are supported to travel to their contact locations, as well as stay in touch with loved ones by telephone or social media, where appropriate. This helps ensure young people maintain positive relationships with important people in their lives.

p.6

requires improvement

At the last inspection, a requirement was made relating to the maintenance of the home. Since then, the home has benefited from significant refurbishment. Bathrooms have new radiators, fixtures and fittings. The majority of walls have been re-skimmed and repainted. There are rugs, pictures, ornaments and homely touches in communal areas. A young person stated, ‘It feels much more homely here now, it’s more relaxed.’ Young people have had the opportunity to paint their bedroom walls in their own choice of colour and are waiting for the delivery of new beds. Young people say they now ‘love’ the way the home looks, they are proud of it and value it. There is no longer any damage. The requirement made at the last inspection is met.

p.6

good

Young people say they feel safe living at the home. Care planning documentation accurately describes young people’s needs. Up-to-date risks assessments support new and existing staff to understand young people’s vulnerabilities and how to best promote their safety.

p.6

good

Staff support young people to learn how to keep themselves safe through general discussion and direct key working sessions. Due to the trusting relationships they have with staff, young people are confident in informing staff if they feel unsafe, for example, if young people have been targeted through social media. Staff understand safeguarding and whistleblowing procedures and there is a strong response to any risk of harm.

p.6

good

Some young people show a significant decrease in missing from home events in comparison to their previous placements. However, since the last inspection, there have been occasions when young people have been missing from care. Staff followed appropriate procedures, including attendance at safeguarding meetings with the local police. As a result, the manager identified that the home could not meet the needs of one young person who was becoming increasingly at risk of harm and worked with the placing authority to ensure the young person moved to a more suitable placement. This demonstrates the manager’s confidence and skill in advocating for young people’s needs. The recommendation made at the last inspection, in relation to ensuring care provided at the home minimises the risk of young people going missing, is therefore met.

p.6

good

Safer recruitment practice helps ensure that young people are not at risk of contact with unsuitable adults. They physical environment is made safer through regular health and safety checks and fire audits.

p.7

good

Positive behaviour is promoted. Young people respond well to the clear boundaries which staff put in place around behaviour. Due to the strength of the relationship between staff and young people, incidents of negative behaviour have reduced. Staff confidently employ skills of de-escalation, and as a result there have only been two occasions when physical intervention was required to keep a young person safe.

p.7

inadequate

The impact and effectiveness of leaders and managers is judged as inadequate as the home has been without a Registered Manager since July 2014. Various interim management arrangements were in place during this time and one applicant submitted their application to register with Ofsted but subsequently withdrew it.

p.7

inadequate

A new manager took up her post in April 2015 and is preparing her application to register. In the short time she has been in post, the new manager has quickly evaluated the home’s strengths and weaknesses. The new manager identifies priority areas for further development as: staff recruitment and development; continuation of improvements to the home environment; improving young people’s attendance at school; and increasing links with the local community. Her decisive and effective action has already promoted considerable positive change in the environment, staff team and young people.

p.7

inadequate

Staff describe the manager as a ‘positive force’. They state they feel ‘refreshed’ and that morale has increased. Young people describe the new manager as firm but fair, stating, ‘You know where you stand with her.’

p.8

inadequate

As well as changes in the management arrangements at the home, several staff have left and new staff have joined. There is a core group of experienced, qualified and stable staff who work at the home. The impact on young people, due to the changes in staffing, is reduced because of this.

p.8

inadequate

Young people say they have trusting relationships with staff. The mix of staff is diverse in age but there are predominantly more female than male staff. The manager has prioritised the recruitment of male staff to ensure young people are cared for by a team which reflects a better balance of both genders.

p.8

inadequate

The manager’s initial evaluation of the home has included a thorough evaluation of young people’s care plans and of staff skills and experience. Staff have already undertaken refresher training in physical intervention with further training planned. This helps ensure that young people are cared for by a staff team who understand the needs of looked after children.

p.8

inadequate

Despite the considerable improvement in the home’s functioning and quality of care, new processes and ways of working now require time to embed to ensure that positive progress is maintained.

p.8

What the inspection judgements mean

The experiences and progress of children and young people are at the centre of the inspection. Inspectors will use their professional judgement to determine the weight and significance of their findings in this respect. The judgements included in the report are made against Inspection of children's homes: framework for inspection.

p.9

What the inspection judgements mean

An outstanding children's home provides highly effective services that contribute to significantly improved outcomes for children and young people who need help and protection and care. Their progress exceeds expectations and is sustained over time. A good children's home provides effective services that help, protect and care for children and young people and have their welfare safeguarded and promoted. In a children's home that requires improvement , there are no widespread or serious failures that create or leave children being harmed or at risk of harm. The welfare of looked after children is safeguarded and promoted. Minimum requirements are in place, however, the children's home is not yet delivering good protection, help and care for children and young people. A children's home that is inadequate is providing services where there are widespread or serious failures that create or leave children and young people being

p.9

What the inspection judgements mean

harmed or at risk of harm or result in children looked after not having their welfare safeguarded and promoted.

p.9

Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people living in the children's home. Inspectors considered the quality of work and the difference adults make to the lives of children and young people. They read case files, watched how professional staff work with children, young people and each other and discussed the effectiveness of help and care given to children and young people. Wherever possible, they talked to children, young people and their families. In addition the inspectors have tried to understand what the children's home knows about how well it is performing, how well it is doing and what difference it is making for the children and young people who it is trying to help, protect and look after. This 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 Children's

p.10

Information about this inspection

Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards. the guidance raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted, which is available from Ofsted's website: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted . If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.10

Information about this inspection

achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, workbased learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It inspects services for looked after children and child protection. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team,

p.11

Information about this inspection

The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.11

Information about this inspection

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.11

Information about this inspection

Store Street Manchester M1 2WD T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted

p.11