Children's Home run by Young Foundations Limited in Darlington

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:

 The Registered Manager and staff team are ‘child centred’ in their approach. They see each young person as an individual and provide them with respect and an excellent level of care.  Educational attainment is good. There is a clear message from the home that education is important and school attendance is essential. Those who do not have a school placement are involved in meaningful educational activities.  The Registered Manager and staff team have created excellent links with the local community and statutory agencies. Sharing of information and gaining an understanding of the way others work helps to ensure young people are safe.  Recording systems are robust, accurate and clear allowing important information about the young person to be available to them and other people working with them.  Young people in the home say they feel safe because of the way the Registered Manager and the staff team listen to them and support them.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 The Registered Manager and staff team act as determined advocates for the young people. They ensure that young people’s views are heard in meetings about them and when necessary will escalate concerns to the appropriate people.  There are robust health plans for each young person to ensure their physical and emotional health needs are met. Good liaison with local health professionals allows young people to attend appointments and become more responsible for their own health.

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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

 For children's homes to be nurturing and supportive environments that meet the needs of their children, they will, in most cases, be homely, domestic environments. Children's homes must comply with relevant health and safety legislations (alarms, food hygiene etc.); however in doing so, homes should seek as far as possible to maintain a domestic rather than 'institutional' impression. (The Guide to the Quality Standards, page 15 paragraph 3.9)

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Recommendations

 As part of reviewing and revising where appropriate the Statement of Purpose (regulation 16(3)(a)), the registered person should review and update the children's guide as necessary, and make sure children are given an explanation of any changes. (The Guide to the Quality Standards, page 24 paragraph 4.23)

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Information about this children's home

The home is run by a private company and provides care and accommodation for up to five young people with emotional or behavioural difficulties, or learning disabilities, or mental disorders.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

03/03/2015 Interim Declined in effectiveness

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Recent inspection history

03/10/2013 Interim Satisfactory Progress

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good

Behaviour management plans are personalised and provide excellent insight into how the young people can be best supported. Initial assessment allows the staff team to have a clear understanding of the young people’s starting points and helps them to understand the impact of any trauma or abuse they may have experienced. Staff take time to understand how young people make decisions and what can help them make positive choices. The way in which the plan is recorded is determined by the level of understanding of the young person. The plans are regularly reviewed

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good

The relationship between the Registered Manager, staff team and young people is positive. Secure attachment is important for young people to develop trust. The Registered Manager and staff team prioritise building relationships. These trusting relationships ensure young people can start to understand their lives and start to recover from the traumas and difficulties they have faced in their pasts. One young person said “they saved my life, I wouldn’t be here talking to you if it wasn’t for them.’ The young person also said ‘ they continued to care for me even when I wasn’t in their care’

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good

A positive ethos about attending school or registered alternative provision has resulted in young people who were previously not in school attaining 100% attendance. For those who require additional support in school, staff members remain in school with the young people to allow them to maintain school placements. Their achievements in school are celebrated and young people are proud of what they have achieved. For those who missed school; they are encouraged to attend college and are working towards examinations and completing coursework to a high standard

p.6

good

The home has a clear and accessible complaints procedure. Young people are encouraged to talk with staff to resolve any issues, but are also encouraged to use the complaints process. Young people are informed of the outcome of their complaints and through monitoring the Registered Manager can implement changes to the way the home works if necessary. This allows young people to see their voice is heard and they can have an impact on where they live. Feeling listened too helps young people to develop self-esteem and helps them rehearse important decision making skills that will help them in the future

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good

Remaining in contact with families and important adults is crucial to young people. For some their care plan is to return to their families, for others it is ensuring contact with their families is safe and meaningful. The Registered Manager and the staff team work with other professionals to ensure that contact is positive and is in their best interests. A number of young people have returned to their families and others have rebuilt relationships with important adults. This improves young people’s sense of who they are.

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good

There is a strong safeguarding culture embedded within the staff team. Recent refresher training has updated their knowledge and understanding of the risks young people can face including the risks of exploitative relationships, drugs and substances and the impact of trauma. There is a clear process for reporting safeguarding concerns which is monitored by the Registered Manager. Staff were confident in what they would do if they were concerned about a young person. A young person wrote ‘staff kept me safe they monitored me 24/7... they never gave up on me day and night.’

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good

Young people do go missing from the home, but there is a clear and thorough process that ensures they are returned as soon as possible. Staff do follow young people and try and find them. Where appropriate they report young people missing to the police. The staff and local police have a good working relationship. Any information gathered at return interviews is included in risk assessments to try and prevent further missing episodes.

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good

The Registered Manager and some of the young people have also worked with local agencies helping them understand why young people become involved in child sexual exploitation. One young person said ‘it was important that they understood it from my side, that’s why I got involved in the presentation’.

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good

The Registered Manager has developed an evaluative approach when considering difficult and challenging behaviours displayed by young people. His analysis of incidents and behaviours allows him to identify themes or lessons that could be learnt. This is then put into revised care plans. This approach has had a significant impact on keeping young people safe, by reducing the number of conflicts and difficult incidents. It also allows the young people to gain an understanding of how and why they behave in that way. Learning to understand emotions and reactions is an important part of improving personal safety.

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good

The Registered Manager and staff team have a good understanding of keeping young people safe on the internet. Information is displayed in the home and is spoken about in keyworker sessions. Young people are becoming more aware of using the internet safely and could recall these messages when asked. One young person said ‘I like playing games on my phone and now I’m more careful about what stuff I put on it ‘.

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good

The home is a safe and secure environment with all fire checks and maintenance checks taking place regularly. Visitors all have identification checked and are signed in and out of the building. The home is currently going through a period of restoration and decoration. The home is lacking a homely feel and it is hoped that the current redecoration programme removes the ‘instructional ‘ feel. One young person said ‘I was a bit embarrassed to bring my boyfriend in as it, well it doesn’t feel and look very homely, but now some of the rooms are done it’s a lot better.’

p.8

good

The Registered Manager is an aspirational manager. He ensures that he is knowledgeable and up-to-date and works with his staff team in a motivational way. He is suitable qualified and has considerable experience working in child care. He is supported by an experienced and motivated senior management team. The Registered Individual also plays an active role in supporting him.

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good

Previous inspections identified a number of shortfalls in practice and at the interim inspection in March 2014 it was judged as declined effectiveness. A number of requirements and recommendations were made, specifically about safeguarding processes and leadership and management. To their credit the whole staff team have worked extremely hard to rectify this. It is clear from the detailed action plan that they acknowledged the weakness identified and have reviewed processes and working practices. All requirements and recommendations have been met.

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good

The development plan also demonstrates that the improvement plan is still live and focused on ensuring that new quality standards and regulations are met. The development plan is a ‘live’ document showing capacity for change and builds on the recent reviews.

p.8

good

The recording system in the home is an outstanding feature. It is clear and easy to access, so young people can if they wish read what is written about them. Information is recorded accurately and although there is some duplication allows the reader to understand the starting point of the young person, the things that need to be done and what the plan is for the future. Careful and regular monitoring ensures the flies are up to date and allows changes to make where necessary. The Registered Manager has built up positive relationships within the local community with voluntary organisations and statutory agencies. The senior management team are also involved with local forums which ensure that there is an understanding of the realities for Looked after Children. Minutes of meeting illustrate how the staff team have identified myths and stereotypes about looked after children and have worked to ensure these are dispelled.

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good

There is a statement of purpose and a children’s guide. These are currently under review as they do not contain the information required in an accessible form.

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good

Staff are supported through regular recorded supervision and they have yearly appraisals. Training is available to staff members and they are encouraged to learn. Reflective practice is used to look at all incidents to see what can be learned if the situation arises again. The staff are supportive of one another but will challenge practice if they are concerned.

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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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