Children's Home run by Progressive Care Limited in Sheffield

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.

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because:

 Levels of qualified and experienced staff on some shifts remain low. They still require on-going support until good practice is fully embedded.  Young people who are not in full time education do not have a timetable and clear routines structured around the school week.

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The children's home strengths

This section should only be included for homes that require improvement or for an inadequate home if there are key headline strengths to report. For good and outstanding home the key strengths will have already been set out above.

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The children's home strengths

 All of the requirements and compliance notices from the last inspection have been met. Improvements are noted particularly in safeguarding practice, working together with other professionals and support for new and inexperienced staff.  The new management team are focused on change. They are striving to improve the quality care children receive and have high aspirations for the future.  Managers are actively working on shifts to ensure quality of care and model good working practices

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standard of care further the service should take account of the following recommendation(s):

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Recommendations

 The registered person and staff must work closely with the placing authority so that the child is supported and enabled to resume full time education. In the interim the child should be supported to sustain or remain this confirmed in education and be engaged in suitable structured activities. (The Guide to the Quality Standard page 28, paragraph 5.15)

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Recommendations

 The registered person should plan staffing level to meet the needs of children and can respond freely to unexpected events or opportunities. (The Guide to the Quality Standard page 54, paragraph 10.15)

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Recommendations

 The manager should be available and accessible with particular reference to a manager being available to support staff at all times given low numbers of suitably qualified and experience staff (The Guide to the Quality Standard page 52, paragraph 10.7)

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Recommendations

 Staff need the knowledge skills to recognise and be alert for any signs that might indicate a child is in any way at risk of harm. The registered person should ensure that skills in safeguarding are gained, refreshed and recorded in the homes workforce plan (The Guide to the Quality Standard page 43, paragraph 9.12)

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Information about this children's home

This home provides short, medium and long term placements for children aged 12- 17 years old. It can accommodate up to eight young people. It aims to support young people towards independence within a safe and managed environment, offering skills to prepare for independent living.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

p.5

requires improvement

Young people generally have good relationships with staff, although there are some they get on with better than others. The overall experience of young people is that all staff work towards giving them stability and security and make them feel valued. This helps young people to begin to accept the help they need to address their very complex psychological needs.

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requires improvement

Progress for these young people is therefore measured in small but important steps. For example, all young people engage in formal education on a part time basis. Attendance is not always consistent even with this limited timetable. The rest of the school week lacks structure and routine, although young people do have some good learning experiences and opportunities. For example, one young person has been part of an interview panel for youth offending service staff.

p.6

requires improvement

Young people generally enjoy good health, apart from smoking. Some are engaging voluntarily with drugs and alcohol workers to help combat their on-going problems with substance misuse.

p.6

requires improvement

Young people’s opinions are listened to and acted upon. This has made a significant difference to how young people feel about the home. One young person’s bedroom has been decorated how he wants it, and he has added his own art work. The young person commented, ‘yes it’s good now. It did nothing for my street cred before’.

p.6

requires improvement

The heating is fixed and all bedrooms have lights that work. Damage rarely occurs because young people feel valued and respect their home. Requirements made to improve the fabric of the home have been met. It is now suitably furnished and decorated, warm and welcoming. Changes in this area now need to be sustained.

p.6

requires improvement

Young people get the help they need to be independent and self-sufficient. They are good at planning, preparing and cooking food for themselves and other people. As part of the day to day running of the home they are also learning how to manage their laundry and other household tasks. Judgement grade

p.6

requires improvement

Safeguarding practice has improved. A compliance notice issued for staff to receive training in particular on the use of ligatures as a means of self-harm has been met. This means staff are more aware now of the warning signs to effectively support young people in crisis.

p.7

requires improvement

Improvements have been made in working together with other professionals. This work fulfils the compliance notice issues at the last inspection. There is now better consultation with other agencies involved with young people. As a result young people are receiving a more holistic and multi-agency approach to their care.

p.7

requires improvement

Requirements to strengthen safeguarding across a number of areas have also been met. This includes improvements in practice when dispensing medication and in the content and purpose of risk assessments.

p.7

requires improvement

Staff conduct room searches sensitively. They are undertaken in line with young people’s risk assessments. Young people are fully informed of why this needs to happen. This fits in with the homes statement of purpose which states ` We ensure children and young people are consulted in every possible area.’ As a result young people have an understanding of why staff are keeping them safe.

p.7

requires improvement

The changes that have been made are positive but not fully embedded. The staff team has received additional training however they still lack experience which will take time to achieve. Change now needs to be sustained and ongoing.

p.7

requires improvement

There is a new manager in this home; the fifth manager in seven months. She is suitably qualified and experienced to undertake this role and she has applied for registration with Ofsted.

p.7

requires improvement

Although the manager has been in post only a few weeks, she has begun to have a positive impact on the home. She is aware weaknesses and areas for development and has made a start on addressing those. She has identified what is working well and is building on that. Senior management are now more engaged and are focused on change and improvement.

p.7

requires improvement

A significant number of staff lacks qualifications and experience. Managers are shadowing shifts and working to lead by example. As a result staff feel they are supported. One staff member commented, `I feel supported there is always a manager there for you.’ This will in time improve the quality of care young people receive.

p.8

requires improvement

Positive leadership changes have led to staff being more committed to their role. This was demonstrated at the last team meeting when all staff attended. This commitment needs to continue to sustain change. This enhances staff knowledge and provides in house training which will help to support young people’s care.

p.8

requires improvement

A requirement was set at last inspection to ensure the Statement of Purpose was being put into practice. This has now been updated and the home is working within it.

p.8

requires improvement

A compliance notice was set at last inspection to ensure the provider notified Ofsted of any significant events. This has been met. As a result safeguarding action has been effectively monitored and assessed. This is helping to keep young people safe.

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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.

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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

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What the inspection judgements mean

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

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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

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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 .

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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,

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Information about this inspection

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

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Information about this inspection

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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

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