Children's home run by Crystal Care Solutions Limited in Newcastle-under-Lyme

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 have positive experiences and make good progress. They are safer and have improved educational opportunities. Their participation in education is very good and they are making progress and achieving. A young person who was previously not attending education has progressed to the top sets for core subjects and is predicted to achieve good grades.  Young people who previously had been at high risk of sexual exploitation are now safer and have significantly reduced the risks they formerly faced.  Young people benefit from having regular and positive contact with family members and those significant in their lives. Parents report high levels of satisfaction at the support staff provide. One parent stated; ‘we all go as a family for dinner to the home and it has been great for us as a family to have that time together.’  Young people take part in a wide range of social activities in the local

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The children's home provision is good because:

community. This includes attendance at local gyms, museums and local youth centres. This promotes their engagement and inclusion and increases their sense of worth and self-confidence.  Excellent collaborative multi-agency working has led to a reduction in concerning behaviours, for example in managing risks involved in self-harm. This has also led to improvements in the emotional wellbeing, social skills and educational achievements of young people.  There is good management oversight of staff practice and sound external review helps maintain good standards of care. The staff team demonstrate a detailed awareness and understanding of young people’s needs and work hard to ensure these are fully considered and addressed.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 The home is decorated and furnished to a very good standard and provides a homely and welcoming environment for young people. Areas for development include; ensuring that all bedrooms are maintained to a high standard at all times, particularly when young people first arrive; ensuring that all staff receive training to meet the needs of all young people and ensuring all staff receive supervision in line with the providers policies and procedures.

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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

12: The protection of children standard In order to meet the protection of children standard the registered person must –

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Requirement Due date

(2) (d) ensure that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed, furnished and maintained so as to protect each child from avoidable hazards to the child’s health

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Requirement Due date

This relates to ensuring that bedrooms are fit for purpose prior to a young person's admission to the home. 17/08/2015

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Requirement Due date

13: The leadership and management standard In order to meet the leadership and management standard the registered person must –

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Requirement Due date

( 1) ensure that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that— (a) helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and (b) promotes their welfare.

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Requirement Due date

(2) (c) ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child;

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Requirement Due date

This relates to all staff receiving training with regard to self-harm and appropriate responses to keep young people safe during self- harm. 17/08/2015

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience. (Regulation 33 (4) (b)) 17/08/2015

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Information about this children's home

This home is one of several homes within a private organisation that provides care and accommodation for up to two young people.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

15/07/2014 CH - Interim improved effectiveness

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good

Young people make significant progress while living at the home. They benefit from consistent care which enables them to reflect on their pasts and to develop positive coping and social skills. This has led to a significant reduction in incidents within the home, specifically missing episodes, risks associated with child sexual exploitation and self-harm. A young person said ‘I don’t get into trouble here I like it because it’s quiet and it’s very calm so it helps me to be calm.’

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good

Young people benefit from positive relationships with a committed staff team, who are enthusiastic about their potential. Through this, young people develop an understanding of their needs, and what they need to do to reach their goals. Behaviour management plans are created with young people and where appropriate parents. This means young people are motivated toward achievement and a consistent approach is taken by both the staff at the home and parents.

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good

Young people who display very high levels of self-harm are supported, quickly and sensitively by staff. This means that despite very serious incidents the risk to significant harm is vastly reduced. A parent commented ‘we couldn’t cope with the severity of the self-harm but the workers there are very good and I feel that my daughter is kept safe, despite her self-harm.’

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good

Where sanctions are used, they are fair and proportionate. The amount of rewards for good behaviour significantly outnumber the sanctions. This ensures that young people are encouraged to display and maintain socially acceptable behaviour.

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good

Young people say that their views, wishes and feelings are captured in young people’s meetings and key worker sessions. For example, young people have been consulted about the building of a new conservatory. A young person commented ‘we have been asked about a new conservatory and I think it’s a great idea.’ This level of young people’s involvement ensures that young people feel valued and listened to.

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good

Staff respectfully challenge decisions in order to get the best for young people. For example, in ensuring that all young people receive their full entitlement to an educational provision. This ensures that issues and decisions involved in the day to day care provided for young people are not allowed to drift. Young people who previously refused to attend education are now in full time education with almost 100% attendance record.

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good

Young people who have left the home have been very well supported in their transition. One young person was helped to buy furniture and received help from staff to personalise his new accommodation. Young people maintain contact with the home and are made to feel welcome back to the home for visits. This gives young people a sense of belonging and ensures that they have ongoing support after leaving the home.

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good

Young people say they feel safe. A young person commented ‘I feel safe in here, it’s so nice and much better than where I was before.’ Robust arrangements are in place to protect young people. Staff are diligent and demonstrate a full understanding of their role and responsibilities to promote young people’s welfare.

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good

There are clear individual protocols in place for staff to follow in the event that young people are missing from the home or absent without permission. Young people, their parents and placing authorities are very clear that these strategies have ensured incidents have significantly reduced.

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good

Young people benefit from planned and supported contact with their family and friends. Staff maintain close links with families and involve them, where appropriate, in the overall planning of the young people’s care. For example, some parents work very closely with the home and this helps to maintain a consistent approach with regard to young people’s general well-being and behaviour.

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good

Consistent staff practice, sound analysis of risk and strong partnership working effectively underpins a range of safeguarding measures. For example, as part of a multi-agency agreement, a young person who had moved from the home to a foster carer was offered ongoing support from the home. Staff from the home assisted in looking for the young person during a missing episode. This collaborative approach means that young people are protected from harm. Young people’s placement plans are regularly reviewed to ensure they are up to date to reflect their current needs. Young people also demonstrate a full awareness and understanding of their risk assessments and how staff will support them with any concerning or unsafe behaviours. A young person said ‘I sign my stuff sometimes but I always know what the plans are for me. I have talked to staff about what winds me up and how I calm down.’

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good

The home has excellent communication with fellow professionals. This collaborative approach means staff are working together to ensure young people are kept safe. A social worker said ‘I receive weekly updates which are shared with fellow professionals these are really useful in the forward planning for her care, she is a very complex young lady and communication between professionals is vital.’

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good

Bespoke and comprehensive individual risk assessments, including missing from care assessments, promote young people’s safety and well-being. Young people are encouraged to take appropriate risks in line with their age and development such as going to local youth clubs and meeting up with peers from school. This helps build their confidence and resilience to make better informed choices.

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good

Young people understand how to make a complaint if they wish to do so. They rarely complain because they feel their views are listened too and taken account of on a daily basis. A young person said ‘I know how to complain but I haven’t had to cos I would talk to any of them or I would talk to my mum or dad. I don’t feel worried in here it’s sound.’

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good

In general the home is well maintained and very comfortable. However, one of the bedrooms had numerous burn marks in the carpet, caused by a previous young person. The carpet was not replaced before the present young person arrived although new carpet was fitted during the inspection.

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good

The interim manager at the home is in the process of being registered. She is appropriately qualified. She has a very good knowledge of the staff, young people and the home as she has been employed there as deputy manager for 2 years.

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good

Internal and external monitoring of the home takes place regularly and is of an exceptionally high standard. This process takes account of the views of young people, placing authorities and families. The monitoring system provides a robust review of the home’s practice relating to the quality of young people’s care and has secured improvements in young people’s safety. This feeds into the development plan and demonstrates the manager’s commitment to continue and sustain improvements in the home’s function.

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good

Staff morale is high. Staff members commented ‘it is really important that we are able to talk honestly with each other and make sure we are consistent’, ‘the team is solid and we do our very best for young people’. The staff team is diverse, dedicated and experienced. This is further supported by a programme of on-going appropriate training in matters related to the needs of the young people accommodated. For example training in self-harm, however, some staff had not received training in the use of specific equipment used to reduce risk in the removal of ligatures.

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good

An effective management team ensures staff are well motivated and maintain their enthusiasm. Good and reflective staff supervision and appraisal takes place regularly and staff say they feel well supported. A staff member commented ‘the managers are always on hand for support.’ However some staff employed via an agency have not received the appropriate supervision within the timescales set out in the home’s policies and procedures.

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good

Team meetings take place regularly. This allows the staff team to discuss the running of the home and to look at ways to improve the service they offer. Staff also use this time to reflect on young people’s progress and to decide how best to support them to reduce risks such as self-harm.

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good

Overall, the home’s written records are completed and audited to a good standard, being stored with due regard for confidentiality. The files and care plans give a very good oversight of each young person's progress and history of their time at the home.

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good

Staff practice is supported by comprehensive guidance, policies and procedures. The home has appropriate systems in place to notify Ofsted and other relevant bodies of significant events that occur within the home or with young people. This ensures that those with an interest in young people’s welfare are kept appropriately informed. Records kept in the home are clear, accurate and up to date.

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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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