Children's Home run by St Christopher’s Fellowship in Sandwell

home are

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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The children's home provision requires improvement because:

 Young people’s care is not as effective as it should be.  The formal processes for recording and addressing complaints are not being followed.  Participation in education and training by young people is inconsistent.  Arrangements to support independence training for young people are not effective.  Staff members do not use the positive relationships they have with young people to their best effect.  The effectiveness of staff members in their abilities to protect young people is mixed.  Good multi-agency working does not prevent or reduce the incidence of missing episodes.  Where vulnerable young people do not possess the resilience skills to keep themselves safe, staff do not intervene sufficiently to protect them.  Managers’ monitoring of the quality of care is not sufficiently thorough.  Leaders and staff can be more assertive as advocates for the young people.  The maintenance of the physical environment of the home is poor.

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The children's home strengths

 Young people have secure relationships with adults working at the home.

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The children's home strengths

 Young people have developed an appropriate sense of permanence and belonging.

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The children's home strengths

 Young people are involved in a range of activities. The active nature of many of these activities help to keep young people physically fit.

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The children's home strengths

 Young people who are new to the home are welcomed sensitively.

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The children's home strengths

 Detailed and innovative work with partner agencies to prevent child sexual exploitation in the community has been successful.

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The children's home strengths

 Any risks are kept under regular review and there is effective liaison with other agencies to ensure that risks are known and understood.

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The children's home strengths

 Young people who go missing from the home experience well-co-ordinated responses that reduce the harm or risk to them.

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The children's home strengths

 All of the young people say that they feel safe at the home.

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The children's home strengths

 The need for physical intervention by staff is rare.

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The children's home strengths

 The staff team have developed strategies around e-safety not only to keep young people safe, but also to educate them about the dangers associated with new technologies.

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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

In order to meet the education standard so that children make measurable progress towards achieving their educational potential and are helped to do so, the registered person must ensure - that staff- (2) (a) (ix) help each child who is above compulsory school age to participate in further education, training or employment and to prepare for future care, education or employment. 13/08/2015

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Requirement Due date

13 The leadership and management standard

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Requirement Due date

In order to meet the leadership and management standard, the registered person must enable, inspire and lead a culture in relation to the children’s home and –

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Requirement Due date

(2) (a) lead and manage the home in a way that is consistent with the approach and ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set out in the home’s statement of purpose, particularly in relation to the fabric of the building; (g)(ii) demonstrate that practice in the home is informed and improved by taking into account and acting on feedback on the experiences of children, including complaints received. 13/08/2015

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Recommendation Due date

Ensure that everyone working at the home understands their roles and responsibilities and what they are authorised to decide on their own initiative. (The Guide to the Quality Standards, page 54 paragraph 10.20) 13/08/2015

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Recommendation Due date

Ensure that staff support the child to develop emotional and mental resilience to cope without the home’s support. (The Guide 13/08/2015 to the Quality Standards, page 17 paragraph 2.27)

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Recommendation Due date

Ensure that staff do their best to help young people understand the risks and dangers involved in running away or going missing. (The Guide to the Quality Standards, page 45 paragraph 9.27) 13/08/2015

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Recommendation Due date

The importance of understanding who we are and where we come from is recognised in good social work practice, for example through undertaking life story work or other direct work. Staff in the home should play a full role in work of this kind. (The Guide to the Quality Standards, page 16 paragraph 3.14) 13/08/2015

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Information about this children's home

This service provides care and accommodation for three young people with emotional and behavioural difficulties. A charitable organisation owns and operates the setting.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

24/02/2015 CH - Interim Sustained effectiveness

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Recent inspection history

07/03/2014 CH - Interim Satisfactory Progress

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people living in the home are

Young people’s care is not as effective as it should be. There is a lack of sufficient challenge and advocacy on the part of the staff team towards educational establishments and young people themselves. This means that young people’s educational opportunities are limited.

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people living in the home are

Staff members do not use the positive relationships they have with young people to their best effect. The relaxed nature of the interaction does not contain the element of challenge that is necessary. The expectations of staff need to be clearer. Staff must consistently apply boundaries, particularly in relation to education, training and employment. Key working is not used to greater effect to explore important issues for young people, such as the reasons for the need for them to be in care.

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people living in the home are

Although young people are aware of the complaints procedure and this forms part of the admissions discussions with them, staff are not following the formal processes for recording and addressing complaints. The absence of a clear response and resolution to a complaint is likely to affect young people’s confidence in the complaints process.

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people living in the home are

Participation in education and training by young people is inconsistent. Access is available to the books, computers and desks young people need to assist their learning and quiet space is available in the home to allow them to study. Staff are not sufficiently assertive towards education providers on behalf of young people, to challenge the conditions they impose, which limits attendance by young people. Providers deny access to education and meaningful and considered alternatives are not provided by education staff or care staff.

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people living in the home are

Arrangements to support independence training for young people are not effective. Although support is available to promote independence skills, there is limited evidence of its success in relation to even the basic elements, such as self-care, the ability to cook, and the need to study or work. This shortcoming is likely to impact adversely on young people hoping to live independently upon their departure from the home.

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people living in the home are

Young people are in good health. They do physical exercise regularly and have access to local health services when they need them. Managers and staff have effective relationships with health professionals to promote good emotional and mental health. Arrangements for managing medication are safe and effective. Young people are encouraged to eat a balanced nutritious diet that incorporates more diverse choices.

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people living in the home are

Young people who are new to the home are welcomed sensitively. The careful and considered planning of admissions takes account of the needs and feelings of other young people living in the home.

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people living in the home are

Young people have secure relationships with adults working at the home. Staff demonstrate a relaxed and easy rapport with young people. Staff know the children well, listen to them and invest time with them on a daily basis. The adults trust young people and this trust is reciprocated. Young people have developed an appropriate sense of permanence and belonging.

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people living in the home are

Young people are involved in a range of activities. Staff members support young people by transporting them to, and participating with them in leisure pursuits that interest them. The active nature of many of these activities help to keep young people physically fit.

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people are helped and protected

The effectiveness of staff members in their abilities to protect young people is mixed. Whilst detailed and innovative work with partner agencies to prevent child sexual exploitation in the community has been successful, bullying has taken place in the home, which was not dealt with by staff to the satisfaction of a resident. Whilst young people trust staff sufficiently to talk to them about any concerns, the adults’ response has been on occasions, slow and ineffective.

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people are helped and protected

The staff team’s efforts are not sufficiently effective in challenging young people about how to treat others (young people and adults) with respect. Staff are not intervening robustly and promptly enough to protect vulnerable young people. All of the young people say that they feel safe at the home, although that has not always been their experience.

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people are helped and protected

Any risks are kept under regular review and there is effective liaison with other agencies to ensure that risks are known and understood. Young people who go missing from the home experience well-co-ordinated responses that reduce the harm or risk to them. Staff look for young people when they are missing and ensure that parents and carers are aware of the missing episodes. Return interviews happen upon the return of the young person. Despite the evidence of good multi-agency working, all of these efforts do not prevent or reduce the incidence of missing episodes. The need for physical intervention by staff is rare. Staff use effective de-escalation techniques and creative alternative strategies that are specific to the needs of each young person. Young people’s behaviour is modified through negotiation, which is possible as a result of the good relationships they have with staff members. Staff members attempt to help young people to develop a sense of personal

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people are helped and protected

The staff team understands the risks that use of the internet may pose for young people and have developed strategies not only to keep young people safe, but also to educate them about the dangers associated with new technologies.

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people are helped and protected

The home has received praise from a partner agency for its safeguarding practice. A senior representative of that agency said that the staff team: ‘are regularly in touch with us (the Police CSE Team) and as a result, the risk status of one young person has been downgraded’.

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leaders and managers

Managers’ monitoring of the quality of care is not sufficiently thorough. A recent report by the independent person highlights a number of areas for action that have remained incomplete. In his response, the Manager concedes that this is “reflective of the two (staff) vacancies”. A recent recruitment exercise has been necessary to fill these vacancies within the staff team. These vacancies have put a burden on the existing staff team and their ability to meet the needs of young people living in the home.

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leaders and managers

Although leaders and staff work proactively and positively with other agencies and professionals, they are not sufficiently assertive as advocates for the young people. This is apparent from difficulties with educational placements and drift in relation to a care plan.

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leaders and managers

Managers and the staff team have positive relationships with partner agencies, but they continue to encounter challenges in relation to securing information for their locality risk assessment. Despite the provision of regular supervision, team meetings and staff development activities, the conditions are not in place for good practice to thrive. There is not sufficient clarity or accountability around specific responsibilities. For example, the deputy manager approached schools to challenge the legality of their decisions about attendance. Team leaders and residential workers are not yet equally capable of addressing such issues about the day-to-day education of young people. The maintenance of the physical environment of the home is poor. Instances of damage and wear and tear require quick and regular repair. Cleaning is not to a high standard.

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leaders and managers

The one recommendation from the previous inspection has been met in full. Young people express their views in a range of ways, about the care they receive. Participation in young people’s fortnightly meetings is good. The meeting offers the opportunity to discuss matters of common concern to all of the young people and their shared living arrangements, such as weekly activity planners and menu preferences. Young people participate well in these meetings. When straightforward requests are not resolved immediately, these issues feature as separate agenda items in the following staff meeting.

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leaders and managers

The staff members who do not already have a level 3 qualification are due to complete their course of study in the coming year. The staff team’s proficiency in the use of physical intervention is demonstrated at the beginning of each team meeting. Staff members practice at least one type of hold on each other. This usefully refreshes their knowledge, in a safe setting, of situations that occur only occasionally.

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leaders and managers

The Registered Manager has been in post since 2013. He holds a level 5 management qualification in Leadership for Health and Social Care and Children and Young People’s Services. He has over 5 years’ experience of management in residential care settings. A Deputy Manager with 18 months experience of working as a manager within the organisation assists him. Together they also manage a sister home. They are actively involved with the day-to-day running of the home. They are perceptive managers, who work well together. Their Regional Manager provides additional support and maintains an ongoing involvement in the home.

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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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