Children's Home run by G B A Care Limited in Calderdale

Outstanding

The children's home provides highly effective services that consistently exceeds the standards of good. The actions of the home contribute to significantly improved outcomes for children and young people who need help, protection and care.

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The children's home provision is outstanding because:

 Young people make outstanding progress from their starting points across many aspects of their lives including education, relationships with their families and emotionally.  The safety of young people is a priority for all staff. Young people feel safe at the home and they make significant progress through the positive choices they are supported to make. The home provides care that results in openness and trust between young people and staff.  Young people’s emotional and physical health improves as they experience positive and enriching care. Previously harmful experiences are replaced with nurturing responses from a dedicated and experienced staff team.  Progress is underpinned through high quality care that is consistent and establishes boundaries that young people respect and adhere to. They feel valued, listened to and their views taken into account in the running of the home.  The manager and staff act as effective advocates for the young people and

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The children's home provision is outstanding because:

this ensure that services are delivered in a timely way to address young people’s individual needs.  Young people learn both practical and emotional skills to make a successful transition into young adulthood. They take age appropriate responsibility for their actions, emotional responses to people and learn skills in self-care. Young people develop aspiration for their future.  Areas for improvement are identified. These do not currently impact upon the welfare of young people.

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further the service should take account of the following recommendation(s):  The child should be supported to sustain or regain their confidence in education and be engaged in suitable structured activities (the Guide to the Quality Standards, page 28, paragraph 5.15). In particular, the homes plans in this respect should be outcome focused and clearly indicate the desired benefits to the young person's development.  For the home's to be nurturing and supportive environments that meet the needs of their children, they will, in most cases, be homely, domestic environments (The Guide to the Quality Standards, page 15, paragraph 3.9). In particular, repair to the bathroom.

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Information about this children's home

This children's home is run by a private organisation. It provides care and accommodation for up to three young people with emotional and behavioural difficulties and young people with learning disabilities

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

p.5

Recent inspection history

16/02/2015 Interim Improved Effectiveness

p.5

outstanding

The excellent care that young people receive is well informed, thoughtful and individualised. They make considerable progress from their starting points in attending and achieving in education. This supports their future aspirations and gives structure to their lives. The unwavering guidance and patience young people receive is successful. They learn to manage their emotions and respond to the high expectations that staff communicate. This means that young people are willing to learn and recognise its importance. One young person commented on the care she received, ‘The home is bang-on and if wasn’t for them none of us would have sorted our heads out.’

p.6

outstanding

A particular strength and characteristic of the care given is that all young people develop and maintain respectful and trusting relationships with staff. The consistency combined with the warmth they experience helps them to accept the advice given and learn from the positive role-models staff provide. Young people feel that staff genuinely care about them as individuals and make decisions that are in their best interests. They are successfully helped to understand decisions which may not always be their initial wishes.

p.6

outstanding

Previous harmful behaviours such as drug use, incidents of missing from home and exposure to sexual exploitation significantly reduces and for some ceases. This is as a result of the highly stable and positive environment the home provides. One young person describing her relationship with her keyworker said, ‘He’s my rock.’ An independent reviewing officer (IRO) commenting on the progress of one young person said, ‘She needed a safe and nurturing place and that is what she has there. She is doing remarkably well.’

p.6

outstanding

Young people feel listened to and their views respected. One young person commented, ‘They always take our views on board before they make decisions, they always talk to us first.’ For example, as a result of staff regularly listening, the garden has more furniture, bedtimes have been adjusted, bedrooms have been re-carpeted, make-up trays and a rocking chair purchased.

p.6

outstanding

Staff value and quickly identify young people’s talents, strengths and interests. These are promoted and enthusiastically supported. For example, one young person new to the home with a particular skill and interest in cooking frequently makes meals for the whole home. In this respect the home fulfils its Statement of Purpose in, ‘The promotion of activities, interests, hobbies and leisure … due to the positive holistic benefits, including the opportunity to experience success and achieve in in one way shape or form.’ Young people influence how they are responded to as individuals, such as agreeing any sanctions or reparation, and these are reflected within their plans.

p.6

outstanding

Young people’s diverse cultural and identity needs are met with sensitivity and insight. Alongside religious and dietary needs being met, the use of casual staff has been specifically adjusted to compliment and reflect the backgrounds of the young people. There is close and open liaison between staff and family members and this supports the young people’s sense of belonging.

p.7

outstanding

Through high quality planning and attention to their needs, young people learn the necessary skills to enable them to move successfully into young adulthood. For example they learn to cook, budget, secure part-time jobs and positively manage the relationships that are important to them. They successfully learn to recognise risk and are encouraged to take age-appropriate decisions.

p.7

outstanding

Some young people, who do not currently receive 25 hours formal educational due to complex and challenging behaviour, are supported within the home to ensure this remaining time is spent in positive activities. The plans however are not sufficiently focused on how these activities contribute to the young person’s learning and development.

p.7

outstanding

Young people become consistently and increasingly safe whilst living at the home. Previous behaviours which posed a risk to their emotional and physical health diminish and for some young people no longer feature as a part of their lives. This is because their individual circumstances and histories are well understood by the staff and the plans developed are carefully considered and adjusted. This highly responsive approach means that missing from home incidents, sexual exploitation and drug use significantly reduces or is no longer considered prevalent risk factors.

p.7

outstanding

When young people are absent from the home or missing there is pro-active response from the staff. They follow appropriate plans and persistently look for young people. On their return young people are given a warm and welcoming response. They are given timely access to services which supports and results in reduction of behaviour such as drug-use, exposure to adults who may harm them, and criminal activities.

p.7

outstanding

All the young people feel cared for and safe. One young person said, ‘This is my home, my safety net.’ They are sensitively and consistently helped to understand their own actions and the risks others may pose to them. Over time young people replace unsafe behaviours with positive and beneficial activities which increase their self-worth and emotional resilience. One young person commented, ‘They’ve helped me realise that violence and anger isn’t the answer’; ‘I use to stay in any Tom, Dick or Harry’s house. They have taught me to read people and keep safe.’

p.7

outstanding

The home is a positive and healthy environment. Any difference of opinion between staff and young people is managed and resolved positively and they are offered good role models in managing relationships. Young people have genuine regard and warmth for the staff. Young people respond to the incentives that they are set and physical intervention is rarely required or used. The staff thoroughly understand the role that some harmful behaviours play in the lives of young people and replace these with healthy and stable relationships. One social worker commented, ‘I could tell you at length at how impressed I have been with the home and how committed they are to her. I think she has become a different person and she is much safer than she was.’

p.8

outstanding

There is excellent planning for young people new to the home. Information is rigorously sought by the staff and detailed preparation made in order to offer them good immediate care. Risks are well understood and services quickly established to support their move. This is complimented by detailed understanding of the young person’s interests and preferences. For example, one young person’s room prior to admission contained posters of his favourite football team. One social worker commenting on the extensive work which the staff had completed to ensure services were in place said, ‘They contacted their local agencies, got her quickly back into education and got child and adolescent services to be at the first review which is unbelievable. It was just right for her.’

p.8

good

The manager has been registered for this home since 2014 and has suitable experience and qualifications. He is social work qualified and holds the Level 5 Diploma in Management. He has 10 years experience in the residential care of young people and has continued to professionally develop his skills through a variety of relevant training courses. He provides confident leadership and creates an ethos of high expectations in the care to be offered. Other professionals such as IRO’s and social workers consider the home to be well managed and that the needs of young people to be the home’s priority.

p.8

good

The manager has a good insight into the strengths and areas of development for the home. Since the last inspection there have been improvements in consultation with young people, sharing of staff skills across the associated homes and training provided to staff on understanding the underlying reasons for resistance to change. Other improvements also include greater evaluative recording by staff and a reduction in paperwork required. These developments increase the effectiveness of the care provided to young people in that they feel their views matter, that staff have the rights skills and experience and that the impact of their previous life experiences are understood.

p.9

good

The staff receive on-going support via formal and informal supervision. There is a clear and accountable structure in place that ensures staff provide individualised care. Recent learning-style questionnaires completed with staff offers supervisors insight into the most efficient ways of communicating and embedding good practice.

p.9

good

The staff and manager have good insight into each young person’s needs and they tailor their care to ensure that progress is continuously made. The staff ensure that any shortfall in services from other agencies is acted upon and that plans are reviewed and remain relevant. There is active and on-going discussion with other professionals with regards to young people’s progress. This ensures that when progress stalls a multi-professional approach is taken to addressing risk and ensures that services are reviewed. One social worker commented, ‘They have been very active in organising services around X and the manager has been very keen on asking me what I wanted from the assessment’ and, ‘I’m very impressed with them, they share information and are on the ball … overall they are doing everything to promote her care plan.’

p.9

good

The staff and manager work hard to ensure that young people feel that this is their home. Family and friends are encouraged to visit and are made to feel welcome. Therefore, young people invest within the home whilst maintaining their identity with the people who are important to them. One parent said, ‘I usually visit the home weekly and they are very welcoming and we always have a chat and they update me. The home is absolutely fabulous.’

p.9

good

The home is fulfilling its Statement of Purpose in that, ‘Young people are enabled to gain appropriate levels of self-control and personal responsibility, and to observe social boundaries not only in terms of group living, but more importantly on an individual level, therefore enabling them to function on a multitude of setting, such as family, school and local community.’

p.9

good

On the whole the home is well maintained and homely in its presentation. There is however outstanding repair work that requires completing in the bathroom such as repainting of wood work and repair of sealant to the toilet.

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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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