Children's Home run by SureCare Residential Ltd in Essex

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 spoken to say they receive good support and understanding from the whole staff team. They feel valued. As a result they know the progress they make in the areas reflecting their individual circumstances.  Staff spend time getting to know each young person. They are attuned to each young person’s needs. As a result, relationships are very good.  Parents spoken to recognise the help that their child receives. For example, they can pinpoint where incidents of aggression have reduced. They say that their child is happier as a direct result of living in the home.  Young people do not go missing from this home.  Staff rarely use physical restraint. They patiently encourage and coax young people to identify new strategies for managing emotions and behaviour. This helps the young people to develop a range of self-management skills to use in any environment.  Aspects of the Statement of Purpose require further revision to reflect

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The children's home provision is good because:

current regulation.  The home’s policy on restraint and restriction of liberty requires review to reflect the current strategy used to help and protect one young person.  Staff complete risk assessments to identify the action for all to take to keep each young person safe in and around the home environment. To improve practice, all staff should consistently apply the guidance in the risk assessments.  Staff keep records of young people’s behaviours and experiences in placement. To improve practice, all staff should consistently apply the home’s policy on recording.

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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

The registered person must keep the statement of purpose under review and revise it and notify HMCI of any revisions and send HMCI a copy of the revised statement within 28 days of the revision. (Regulation 16 (3) (a) (b)) 30/09/2015

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that restraint in relation to a child or young person is only permitted for the purpose of preventing-injury to any person or serious damage to property, with specific reference to determining guidance and practice in respect of restriction of liberty. (Regulation 20 (a) (b)) 30/09/2015

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further the service should take account of the following recommendation(s):

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Recommendations

Ensure staff are familiar with the home's policies on record keeping and understand the importance of careful, objective and clear recording. (The Guide to the Quality Standards, page 62,paragraph 14.4)

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Recommendations

Ensure staff continually and actively assess and evaluate the risks to each child or young person and the arrangements in place to protect them. (The Guide to the Quality Standards, page 42,paragraph 9.5)

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Information about this children's home

One of a small group run by an independent provider, this home offers care for up to four young people assessed to have emotional or behavioural difficulties, mild learning difficulties or autistic spectrum disorders.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

03/02/2015 CH - Interim Sustained effectiveness

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Good

Young people receive individualised care, support and encouragement from a staff team who are genuinely interested in their development, progress and emotional well-being. One young person who has recently completed GCSEs said: ‘All of the staff know what they are doing. They are good at what they do and what they do best is to understand us and give us good support.’

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Good

Those who have difficulty engaging with education receive consistent reassurance and guidance, helping them to understand their potential and the value of education. This has resulted in one young person returning to an education setting and another improving reading and writing skills through formal home tutoring. Staff patiently nudge those who have left school towards finding and sustaining employment. This encourages young people to prepare for their future.

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Good

Young people receive significant help and support to maintain and rebuild relationships with those who are important to them. For the majority, this results in an increase in contact with family. One social worker said: ‘The staff are excellent at supporting young people to spend time with their family.’ This places value on attachment and identity.

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Good

Staff encourage young people to engage in the local community and to lead healthy lifestyles. For example, some young people go to the gym and have had the opportunity to go skiing abroad. Young people who smoke are discouraged from doing so and receive relevant advice about the associated risks. One young person said: ‘I have reduced how much I am smoking.’

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Good

The homely environment ensures sufficient space for young people to relax and for family to visit. One parent said: ‘The house is really nice and spacious. The living room is the best I have ever seen.’

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Good

Routines and placement goals help the staff to guide the young people towards developing the required skills for adult life. Young people who do well receive recognition and rewards. Where young people require more support they receive gentle, yet clear direction. This helps those young people worried about leaving care to prepare for the transition at their own pace. Judgement grade

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Good

Young people spoken to are definite about feeling safe in this home. They describe an environment where staff proactively help them to take responsibility for their behaviour and make time to encourage them to reflect on their actions. Staff work calmly and skilfully with young people to de-escalate brewing scenarios and as a result, there are no reported incidents of bullying. Practice falls short because there are some gaps where staff should fully record information to highlight examples of inappropriate behaviours. In this home, this has a minimal impact on the quality of the overall help young people receive.

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Good

Staff know the young people well and are attuned to their feelings. Young people feel valued; they have good relationships with staff. The result is a relaxed and homely atmosphere. They create regular opportunities for young people to talk about their experiences and the running of the home. This results in young people seeking advice from staff. Those who choose to, receive direct support to attend therapeutic appointments. This helps to process emotions in a safe place. Consequently, individuals make good progress in relation to their psychological and emotional wellbeing and the number of incidents in the home has reduced. Staff skilfully help young people to develop new skills to self-regulate, which can be adapted to any environment. One parent said: ‘Each and every member of staff is doing a great job. My child has settled really well and seems to be a lot happier than he used to be.’ This reflects the staff team’s skilful ability to manage the

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Good

Staff write risk assessments to help them to work together to apply agreed approaches to general and specific areas of risk. This provides an infrastructure towards keeping young people safe both in and out of the home. While young people are clear about the rules and boundaries of the home, naturally they test these out. Staff practice falls short because they do not recognise that there are occasions where they fail to apply the content of some agreed risk assessments. This has resulted in one young person having access to age inappropriate games for a games console.

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Good

Young people do not go missing from this home. Physical restraint is rare in the extreme. In one particular instance, staff have adopted a position to protect a young person from harm in the wider community. This involves removing permission for him to leave the home without an adult present. This has minimal impact for the young person, who goes out regularly with staff and states he is very happy living in the home. Nevertheless, the strategy does not meet regulation because of the potential for misconstruing this as a formal restriction of liberty. Staff are mindful to use praise, positive consequences and structured incentives to recognise and acknowledge good behaviour. This helps young people to recognise where they are making progress and raises self-esteem. One professional who visits the home said: ‘Staff are good at knowing how to interact with the young person without alienating him.’

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Good

The Registered Manager has been leading the team since the last full inspection and has their support. During this inspection, staff described him as ‘focused on the young people and very supportive’. He continues to work towards completing the required level five management qualification. This is within the required timescales. The recent promotion of a member of the team to deputy manager adds value to the quality of leadership within the home.

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Good

The Registered Manager works closely with the staff team and directly with the young people. As a result, he understands the progress that each young person is making. This contributes towards the young people feeling safe in their home.

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Good

Staff receive good support. Those spoken to say supervision is helpful in encouraging them to prioritise the needs of the young people. Opportunities for training are positive and varied. They understand the aims and objectives of the home. This results in a dedicated team motivated to make a positive difference to the lives of the young people they care for.

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Good

External monitoring enables managers to action areas where improvement is required. Managers have met the two recommendations from the last interim inspection.

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Good

The company infrastructure supporting the maintenance and review of the home’s procedures is clear. Senior leaders work closely with the Registered Manager and regularly update policies. The homes Statement of Purpose requires further amendment including a description of the home’s position regarding the approach to the monitoring and surveillance of young people. This has minimal impact for the current young person not permitted to leave the home without staff supervision.

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Good

The home has good relationships with other agencies who visit the home. One professional said: ‘Communication is really good. The managers and staff always provide feedback. They are really great at noticing all the differences in the young people.’

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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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