Children's Home run by Stockport Supported Accommodation Service in Stockport

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:

 Staff work hard to help young people overcome the challenges they face.  Staff work well in partnership with other services to improve young people’s outcomes. This has led to improvements in educational attendance, emotional well-being and a reduction in concerning behaviours such missing from care.  Staff are very motivated by a manager who provides strong leadership. She has a good understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the home and has clear plans in place to ensure the service continues to improve.  Staff promote regular and positive contact with young people and their families. This helps them to maintain important attachments.  A young person confirmed that incidents of bullying are responded to. A more consistent approach to dealing with this will assist staff to respond more effectively to any further incidents.  Communal areas of the home are very well maintained and decorated. Young

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The children's home provision is good because:

people are encouraged to personalise their bedrooms to reflect their own taste and style. However, in one bedroom the carpet is heavily soiled and the curtains and blind damaged.  Good systems are in place for monitoring the quality of care provided to young people. However, HMCI has not received a copy of the independent person’s report or the managers quality of care review report.  Feedback gained from a placing social worker, Independent Reviewing Officer (IRO) and drug worker are very complimentary about the manager and staff and how they work collaboratively with them in the interests of 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

9: The enjoyment and achievement standard:

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Requirement Due date

In order to meet the enjoyment and achievement standard the provider must ensure that staff:

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Requirement Due date

2 (a) (i) help each child to develop the child's interests and hobbies. 31/08/2015

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must provide a copy of the independent person's report to HMCI (Regulation 44 (7) (a)) 31/08/2015

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must supply to HMCI a copy of the quality of care review report within 28 days of the date on which the quality of care review is completed.(Regulation 45 (4)(a)) 31/08/2015

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further the service should take account of the following recommendation(s):  ensure children are given a choice and are supported about how their personal space is decorated. This specifically relates to ensuring bedroom carpets are clean and damaged curtains and blinds are replaced. ( The Guide to the Quality Standards, page 16 paragraph 3.19)

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Recommendations

 ensure children are consulted regularly on their views about the home's care, to inform and support continued improvement in the quality of care provided (The Guide to the Quality Standards, page 22 paragraph 4.11)

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Recommendations

 ensure that procedures for dealing with allegations of bullying are in place and staff have the skills required to intervene, protect and address bullying behaviours effectively.(The Guide to the Quality Standards, page 39 paragraph 8.16)

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Information about this children's home

This home is managed by a local authority, providing care and accommodation for up to five young people with emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

20/03/2015 CH - Interim declined in effectiveness

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good

Young people benefit from a supportive environment which helps to improve their emotional well-being and overall development. From their starting points young people’s experiences and progress are good. One young person said, ‘I like it here and I like the staff. I’m much happier as the staff are helping me.′ The young person recognises the progress she has made in the short time she has lived here. Her social worker said, ‘I am impressed with how things are going…the staff are on the ball and engaging her. I feel quite reassured she is there.’

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good

Staff promote young people’s health and welfare by providing them with sound advice on maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Young people have good access to specialist services, including MOSIAC who provide specialist intervention to young people who use drugs and alcohol. They provided training to the staff team and updated them on the issues of ‘legal highs’. Although a young person still refuses to fully engage with this service, his use of these substances has reduced because he is increasingly listening to advice.

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good

Young people benefit from positive and constructive relationships with staff. Staff help young people to reflect on their past experiences and improve their understanding about their backgrounds. This has enabled two young people to return back home. Additionally, it delivers outreach support to them and their families to offer further support in order to maintain positive relationships and prevent their return to care.

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good

Young people are well prepared for moving into the home. Transition between placements is carefully managed and includes visits by staff to meet young people. There is a new placement planned for August 2015, however, it was recognised the staff need some training on attachment to ensure they have the skills and knowledge to meet the young person’s complex needs. This is being organised and demonstrates a commitment to the ongoing development of staffs skills and knowledge in order that they are able to meet young people’s needs.

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good

Educational attendance and engagement is steadily improving. Staff actively support young people to participate in some form of education because they are keen for them to achieve. A placing social worker said, ‘they are supportive of her education.’ They work closely with social workers and education providers to support their educational needs. For example, they have developed good links with a community service that provide training opportunities for young people. An IRO commented ‘if he buys into this it could swing it for him.’ One young person is engaging in positive social activities, including being a member of a choir. Staff provide young people with a choice of activities, however, one young person often chooses not to engage as he prefers to spend time with friends. Staff try to get young people to play a more active part in the running of the home; this is not always successful as young people refuse to engage in any

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good

form of house meetings. One young person is receiving the support needed to ensure she has the skills and confidence to assist her transition to more independent living.

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good

A young person spoken to said they feel safe and that they have staff they can talk to if they are worried. Clear risk assessments identify young people’s needs and how these will be met. These are regularly reviewed to ensure they are up-to-date and inform practice. Staff have a good understanding of young people’s specific risks. For one young person’s in particular these have significantly reduced since she arrived. Monthly safeguarding meeting further promote their safety by reviewing the risks associated with certain behaviours, such as self-harming and reflecting on the strategies used to see if they are making a difference.

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good

Young people are protected by robust safeguarding procedures. For example, when a young person goes missing, staff take effective action to manage risk and minimise harm. They try to maintain contact with the young person as well as actively looking for them. In addition they contact the CCTV operators in the local town centre to help try and find them. On their return young people are offered the opportunity to speak to someone independent of the home to discuss the reasons for their absence. This gives them a chance to talk about any issues which may have influenced them to go missing.

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good

Consistency of care is seen as key to helping young people develop socially acceptable behaviour. Positive behaviour management strategies focus on rewards and a restorative approach. Regular consultation with a clinical psychologist provides staff with good support to help them understand and manage young people’s complex needs. Consequently, there have been no sanctions imposed since the last inspection.

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good

Young people understand how to make a complaint should they wish to do so. One young person recently complained about being bullied. She acknowledged the staff responded to her complaint by speaking to the other person. Although this was the only incident recorded, she said it had happened once before. Therefore the recording of these incidents does not provide a clear picture of how often this is happening. Some training and guidance will support staff in responding to and preventing further incidents in the future.

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good

The local authority operates careful selection and vetting of staff to protect young people. Safeguarding training ensures the staff have a good understanding of their role and responsibilities in keeping young people safe. Regular health and safety checks ensure the home is a safe environment for young people to live in.

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good

The Registered Manager left the organisation on 31 March 2015; Ofsted was informed of the management changes. The new manager has the necessary skills, experience and qualifications to manage the home. She is in the process of applying to register. She receives good support and supervision from the deputy head of children’s services. Together they demonstrate a clear commitment to improvement and raising standards of practice.

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good

There is sufficient staff to meet the needs of the young people and they all have a minimum of a level 3 childcare qualification. There have been a few changes to the staff team; some have left to take up different posts within the organisation. They have been replaced with staff from the authority’s 16 plus service which closed. The manager said the staff changes have helped to motivate the team.

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good

Staff confirm they receive regular supervision and are well supported in their work. Regular team meetings ensure staffs work and young people’s progress is monitored and kept under constant review. One member of staff said, ‘my supervision helps me to know how I am progressing and flags up areas of development… I am able to reflect on my practice.′ Ongoing training focuses on providing staff with the skills and competencies to support young people with complex needs such as attachment disorders.

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good

The quality of relationships between the manager, staff and other professionals is excellent. One said,‘ they are very proactive…we have a strong relationship with them…they are adept and able to identify early concerns.’

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good

The requirements made at the last inspection have been met. The home is conducted in a manner which is consistent with its Statement of purpose. Improvements in safeguarding practice ensure young people are kept safe. The home does not impose financial penalties other than for reparation. Independent visits occur each month and provide rigorous scrutiny in relation to the quality of care. Furthermore, the manager undertakes a monthly audit to identify deficits in practice. However, HMCI has not received a report in relation to the independent visits since February 2015 or a report from the managers monitoring since December 2014. Up-to-date copies are available in the home. The manager has a clear vision of how she wants the home to develop. They can demonstrate a good capacity for continuing improvement. It is evident that outcomes for young people are improving as a result of the help and support the

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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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