Children's Home run by Plus One South West Ltd in Somerset

Good

The children's home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 Young people thoroughly enjoy living at the home. They say that they feel safe at the home and that staff listen to their views and opinions.  One young person has influenced the organisation’s policies and procedures in respect of having a pet of her own. This demonstrates how confident young people are and how they are supported to have a voice. In addition, this demonstrates how well leaders and managers listen to young people.  The Registered Manager ensures that there are safe working practices to safeguard young people. Staff respond appropriately if young people are missing and they work in collaboration with the relevant agencies and authorities to safeguard them.  Young people enjoy excellent relationships with staff based on mutual respect and trust.  Young people’s attendance at school has increased since they have been living at the home. As a result, young people are doing well at school and

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The children's home provision is good because:

are taking formal qualifications. Another young person is accessing a work placement and is enjoying this experience.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 Placing authorities and consider that young people are well supported at the home and that staff work in collaboration with them to strive for good outcomes for young people. Social Workers said that they have no concerns about the quality of care and support provided.  A motivated and well qualified staff team supports young people. Staff receive regular supervision and appropriate training that equips them with the skills to meet the needs of the young people.

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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 (England) Regulations 2015 and the Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards. The registered person(s) must comply with the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

34: Policies for the protection of children

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must keep under review and, as necessary, revise the home's child protection policies. In particular, that it refers to the revised Working together to Safeguard Children 2015 document

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that a record is made of any complaint, the action taken in response and the outcome of any investigation. In particular, evidence a robust audit trail to clearly demonstrate the action taken

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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 children are encouraged by staff to see the home's records as 'living documents' supporting them to view and contribute to the record in a way that reflects their voice on a regular basis. In particular, encouraging children to view and sign their placement plans and risk assessments

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Recommendations

(Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations including the quality standards, page 58, paragraph 11.19)  Ensure that when a child returns home after being missing from care or from the home without permission, the local authority must provide an opportunity for the child to have an independent return home interview.

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Recommendations

(Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations including the quality standards, page 45, paragraph 9.30)

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Information about this children's home

A private company operates this home and provides care and accommodation for up to two young people who may display emotional and behavioural difficulties and/or learning difficulties.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

24/11/2014 CH - Interim Sustained effectiveness

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Good

Young people make significant progress from their starting points in areas such as education, self-esteem, confidence and seeking work experience. They are encouraged to go to school, to take exams and attend work placement schemes. One social worker said ‘it is the longest she has been in school in the last six years’. Another social worker said ‘she’s doing very well in respect of her education and employment opportunities’.

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Good

Staff recognise good outcomes for young people. One staff member said ‘her school hours have increased and she is engaging with us more now, her confidence has grown. She is able to speak up for herself, and can cook her own meals’.

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Good

Young people have developed very good relationships with staff. They feel secure and that staff listen to them. One young person said ‘I feel I have a connection with all the staff here, they’re amazing really, supportive and friendly, and they’ve bent over backwards for me’. Another young person said ‘I give the home nine out of ten for living here’. One social worker said ‘she has built up really good relationships with the staff, and they have got to know her’. A staff member said ‘it is about building relationships with young people’.

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Good

Young people are able to express their views and influence the way the home is run. One young person appropriately challenged senior managers as they wished to have a pet. This was against the policy of the organisation. However, through effective negotiation and determination the young person succeeded in their wish. As a result, she now has a pet for whom she cares well, and her actions have changed the policy of the organisation. This also demonstrates how the organisation listens to, and responds to young people’s views and wishes.

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Good

When young people are new to the home, staff ensure that they are made to feel welcome. All young people are given the children’s guide. Young people have a good insight to the reasons why they are living at the home. One young person said ‘being in residential care is the best thing for me at the moment although I don’t want to be’. Young people continue to enjoy regular contact with their families and friends based on their individual circumstances.

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Good

Young people are involved in the planning of their care through regular discussions with staff. Nevertheless, at present young people are not encouraged to sign their placement plans or risk assessments to demonstrate their involvement in this process.

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Good

Young people receive support from staff who clearly understand their individual needs and who take robust action to promote their safety and well-being. Young people are unanimous that they feel safe and that they are able to talk to staff if they are worried.

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Good

Investigations into allegations or suspicions of harm are acted upon appropriately and are reported to the relevant agencies as required. The Registered Manager takes robust action if there are any allegations made against staff in order to protect and safeguard young people. Ofsted has received positive feedback from the Local Authority Designated Officer who confirms that leaders and managers follow due process when required. In addition, leaders and managers ensure that there are robust selection and vetting procedures to safeguard and protect young people.

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Good

All staff receive training in safeguarding and demonstrate a good understanding of safeguarding procedures and their responsibilities. The Registered Manager has a copy of the current ‘Working Together to Safeguarding Children 2015’ statutory guidance and is following it in practice. However, the organisational safeguarding policy does not yet refer to this guidance. This is an administrative weakness and the Registered Manager accepts the necessity to update the policy in line with the guidance.

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Good

Detailed risk assessments and comprehensive placement plans are in place and provide staff with guidance on how to meet young people’s individual needs. These documents are regularly reviewed and updated to reflect their changing needs. In addition, staff know the action to take if young people are away from the home without permission, go missing or who are at risk of sexual exploitation.

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Good

It is rare that young people go missing but if they do, staff actively search for them, and make efforts to keep in contact with them. Leaders, managers and staff have good working relationships with other professionals, authorities and agencies including the placing authorities police and local voluntary sector organisations that offer support to young people to keep themselves safe. The manager and staff teams work collaboratively with these agencies to protect and safeguard the young people. The Registered Manager makes every effort to ensure that if young people have been missing, they receive an independent interview on their return. On one occasion, an independent return home interview did not take place. In this case, the manager followed this up with the placing authority to ensure that this takes place.

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Good

Staff promote positive behaviour and young people are encouraged to reflect on their behaviours. Restraint is rarely used and only as a last resort to keep young people safe. The Registered Manager regularly reviews all incidents of restraint to determine that these were appropriate. Records detailing the restraint contain all the appropriate documentation that is required by legislation and demonstrate that the measure was appropriate. All staff are trained in the home’s chosen method of de-escalation and restraint.

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Good

Young people live in a safe environment. The Registered Manager ensures that there are regular checks undertaken of the home’s utilities and that fire safety is promoted. In addition, the home is very well maintained, decorated to a good standard and is homely in appearance.

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Good

The Registered Manager, who is appropriately experienced and qualified, manages the home effectively, placing young people at the centre of their care. He has a good awareness of the strengths and weaknesses of the home. He ensures that there are regular visits by an independent visitor, and acts upon any recommendations for improvement. The requirements and recommendations from the previous inspection have been met.

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Good

The Registered Manager has a good awareness of the recent changes in children’s home legislation and the introduction of the quality standards. Staff’s awareness of these topics has increased because of reflective discussions at recent team meetings. Staff were able to share their learning during the inspection process.

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Good

The Registered Manager formally consults with young people, parents and social workers bi-annually using a questionnaire. The last questionnaire was conducted in January 2014 and very positive comments were received in respect of the quality of care provided at the home. The Registered Manager uses the information to inform his quality assurance assessment of the home’s performance.

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Good

Young people know how to make a complaint and are taken seriously by the staff. There is not always a clear audit trail to demonstrate how leaders and managers have addressed and resolved all complaints. The Registered Manager and staff work positively with other agencies and professionals. One social worker said ‘I have no concerns about the quality of care and support they are providing’. An independent therapist said ‘staff implement my recommendations as they have to be consistent and revise and review their plans’. Placing authorities confirm that the home keeps in regular contact with them and provides them with regular updates of placement plans, risk assessments, incidents and young people’s achievements.

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Good

Staff receive regular supervision and an annual appraisal. The Registered Manager has recently introduced a process to encourage staff to reflect on their practice. This ‘reflective journal’ forms part of their supervision and staff speak positively about this new initiative. This initiative also encourages staff to identify where their practice can be improved. Staff speak very well of the support that they receive from the Registered Manager.

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Good

Young people receive support from a stable staff team and this promotes continuity and consistency of care. The Registered Manager ensures that there are adequate numbers of appropriately skilled and trained staff on duty at all times. They receive regular training in safeguarding, first aid, Asperger’s and autism, attachment disorders, administration of medicines and first aid. In addition, the vast majority of staff have received training on harmful sexual behaviour, psychosis and behaviour recognition and management. The training supports staff in their work with young people.

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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

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

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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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