Children's Home run by Oracle Care Limited in Bedford

Outstanding

The children's home provides highly effective services that consistently exceed 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 exceptional progress from their point of moving into this home.  Young people’s views, wishes and feelings are apparent in all decision making that affects them and staff are extremely creative at seeking, and encouraging young people to record, their opinions.  Young people experience a smooth, meticulously planned transition. This involves their current carers, professionals and where appropriate, family members.  Individualised care encompasses and promotes unique identities.  Social, emotional, and statutory education is ingeniously integrated into everyday living in the home and attendance at the linked school provision is 100%.  The home is warm and welcoming and does not stand out as a children’s home in the local community, where it is unremarkable amongst the other homes.  The home is very well equipped to meet individual needs and young people receive encouragement to personalise all areas of the home. There

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The children's home provision is outstanding because:

are no areas of the home where the young people are not represented.  The manager is robust and dependable; she supports and promotes an upbeat and harmonious staff team.  All staff access a broad spectrum of generic training and support that is specifically tailored to young people’s individual needs.  Staff quickly attune to young people and carefully balance care and safety; they confidently introduce young people to new experiences whilst non-oppressively managing risk.  Strong links exist between the home, key professionals and in line with care plans with family members; these links underpin a unified approach to children’s care.

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Information about this children's home

The home is a privately owned children’s home. It is registered to provide care for up to three young people up to the age of eighteen who present with emotional and behavioural difficulties. The home provides a therapeutic approach to care.

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Recent inspection history

The home was registered on the 30 March 2015, this is the first inspection.

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Outstanding

Young people enjoy living in this home, they identify the home as a place where they are happy and express that the staff feel like a family. There is a high level of trust between young people and staff. One young person uses role-play to communicate, he said: ‘The bus driver thinks this depot is really good, the food is proper bus driver’s food and the bus driver has a room of his own, which is good.’

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Outstanding

The home is warm and welcoming. It is furnished to a high standard and young people’s presence is obvious in all areas of the home. Bedrooms are personalised with posters, pictures, bedding and other items and one young person has recently chosen a ‘tube map’ toilet seat. There are photos of staff and young people in all areas of the home. Books, board games, boxes of toys and dvds are easily accessible to young people. Staff encourage young people to engage in play. Staff have made one young person a bus driver’s jacket to support communication through role-play.

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Outstanding

The manager and staff are creative at seeking young people’s views. This is unique to each young person. Staff record the views and use them to develop provision in and outside of the home. Staff quickly identify alternate ways of communicating with young people. They use pictures and role-play with one young person, who is also being taught sign language by a member of staff. The manager uses a game she has called, ‘pick and mix,’ to seek feedback on young people’s experiences. As a result, young people do not feel like they are being questioned and are happy to share their views through play.

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Outstanding

Focused efforts by staff mean that young people integrate in the local community. Staff and young people join their neighbours in a regular community ‘litter pick’ and the home has a role in the local summer fete. Young people regularly walk with the staff and enjoy seeing the animals in nearby farms; young people have named some of the animals. Young people’s friends visit the home for barbeques and join up with them for outings in the community. Activities related to young people’s likes and dislikes are integral to daily living in this home. There is no expectation that young people engage in an activity that is not to their liking and staffing ratios ensure that individual activities are a priority.

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Outstanding

Staff commit to normalising young people’s life experiences, this affords them maximum opportunity to integrate with their peers and expand their life experiences. One young person took pleasure in sharing the details of a festival that staff are taking him to, where he will be able to socialise with other people who have the same interest as him in lorries. The other young person is not interested in lorries so staff will take him on an outing to a chocolate factory at the same time.

p.5

Outstanding

Staff bring a variety of experience to their work and underpin this with a solid theoretical base, which they gain through in house and external training. Application of therapeutic interventions and understanding is evident throughout the care young people receive in this home. Staff receive training specific to young people’s needs, for example, recent training in learning disabilities and autistic spectrum disorder.

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Outstanding

To ensure that young people have lasting memories in this home, staff create a scrapbook, which is started prior to them moving in. Each photo in the scrapbook has a description of what they were doing, who they are with and how they felt about what they were doing. One young person was keen to share a picture of him on a lorry. He said: ‘I am the lorry driver and that is me on the secret seat on the lorry. We saw the driver on the way to school and he stopped and let me have a photo on the special seat.’

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Outstanding

Care is individualised and planning is informed by the young people, professionals, family members and significant people, such as previous carers. Young people enjoy and develop trusting relationships with staff, consequently they invest in their care and this maximises their opportunities to succeed.

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Outstanding

Staff understand young people and ensure that they are central to the way the home operates; they are able to place themselves into the young people’s shoes and all primarily view the provision as the young people’s home and not a place of work. Staff conduct themselves as positive parenting role models and the household functions in a non-institutional way. A member of staff said: ‘It is different here to the other home where I started. The best thing is the interaction with the young people. We put a lot in; we have the time to do that here. If we have new ideas the manager encourages us to put them into practice.’

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Outstanding

Strong advocacy by staff on behalf of young people maximises their opportunities to achieve educationally, socially and emotionally. Staff take time to understand young people’s life experiences and in consultation with the in house therapeutic support, they identify approaches to promote progress.

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Outstanding

Young people attend the linked school provision and staff from the home support the young people in school. Class numbers are small and levels of supervision are higher than in a mainstream school. Attendance is 100%. Progress is measured from their starting points and staff from the home are actively involved in education planning and review. One member of staff said: ‘The young person has homework tasks and we sit down with him every evening and do 10-15 minutes. Even if he has not come home with homework, we have some agreed educational tasks that we do with him.’ Contact between family members is promoted in line with care plans. Staff value the importance of familial relationships to young people’s success. Where young people are not in contact with biological family members, staff support them to maintain key relationships. One young person has regular telephone and actual contact with his previous carer and another young person is in contact with his

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Outstanding

previous school. He sends and receives pictures from his old friends and letters from his previous teachers.

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Outstanding

Young people are extremely happy in this home. They interact naturally with staff and each other and identify an abundance of positives about the home and the staff. The optimism young people share about this home and their care translates into improved self-worth and confidence, which in turn links intrinsically to the progress they make in all areas of their lives.

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Outstanding

Young people experience precisely planned individual transitions into this home. The manager and deputy review all referrals and undertake a thorough matching assessment and analysis. Each young person receives an individual introductory pack before they visit the home. Recently, a member of staff made a talking book for a young person with additional learning needs. This included photographs and descriptions of the home and staff. The manager and deputy meet with young people and carers in their current placements and where appropriate, with family members. This detailed process ensures that the home and staff are not only able to meet the young people’s needs but can promote their development and progress informed by past experiences. Young people prepare to move into this home and look forward to it. On the day of moving in, they receive a welcome present. A young person said: ‘ I was excited about coming here, I met everyone

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Outstanding

On the day they move into the home young people spend some time with staff thinking about who they would talk to if they were unhappy. Both young people in the home have additional learning needs and staff have worked with them to design individual posters with pictures that identify those people, young people proudly display their posters where they can access them.

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Outstanding

Young people live in a home where the manager and staff effectively safeguard them from harm. Consistent, predictable care with appropriate boundaries ensures young people feel safe. None of the young people in the home have time unsupervised and missing from care is not an identified issue. The manager and staff devise comprehensive behaviour risk assessments and management plans; they tailor them to each young person and make them clear and easily interpretable. Individual crisis management plans reinforce dynamic risk and behaviour management plans and assessments. These plans identify contextual responses based upon young people’s presenting behaviours. Staff are acutely aware of the impact of their behaviours; their responses are finely attuned to the young people. They manage risk and behaviour in a natural way, which is not oppressive for young people.

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Outstanding

There have been no incidents of physical intervention in this home and no negative consequences or sanctions. This reflects on the nature of the harmonious relationship between staff and young people.

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Outstanding

The manager has appropriate experience in residential care as a manger and practitioner; she is appropriately qualified to level five and holds a psychology degree. She understands the setting, is passionate about the service provision being right for the young people and leads the team in a unified direction. She works closely with multiple professionals and keeps this home firmly involved in decision-making processes relative to the young people. Staff are overwhelmingly positive about the manager in the home and the support they receive from her. She understands and shares a broad range of knowledge and skills, which are valued by the team. One member of staff said: ‘This home is well organised, it is forward thinking, the manager is awesome. I have no issue approaching her with anything, she has so much valuable experience to share with us.’

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Outstanding

There have been some recent changes in the structure of the managing organisation and the manager has protected the home, the staff and the young people from the impact of the changes. A member of staff said: ‘There have been changes; we have worked very hard not to allow the changes to impact. We have done a lot of work together to debrief; it works so well, and makes sure we are protected from the organisational change. We are very honest and open in this home and we deal with things.’

p.8

Outstanding

The manager supports staff through frequent, good quality supervision, individual induction programs and personal development plans. Staff contribute fully to their plans and supervision and it is clear their views are valued and understood by the manager. More experienced members of staff encourage and mentor staff with less experience and use this to develop their own skill base. One member of staff said: ‘Everybody is equal whatever your role. The manager has put a lot of hard work in, she has a sound knowledge and so much experience that she shares with us. We are valued, we make team decisions and everyone has an input, the manager ensures everyone is included.’

p.8

Outstanding

Staff are passionate about the care that they deliver and understand each young person’s individual needs, experiences and behaviours. They recognise the value of the supervision they are receiving and of the therapeutic support available in terms of their approach to each young person. Staff work well together and the team has a complementary skill base that offers young people a broad spectrum of care and experience. A social worker said: ‘There are so many opportunities here, the staff bring their experiences here and share them. They work so well and it does not matter which member of staff you speak to, they know the answer.’

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Outstanding

Effective monitoring systems are in place and the manager uses these to inform improvements in the home. The manager and staff have devised pictorial documents and a pick and mix game and use these along with role-play and young people’s meetings to ensure they are capturing young people’s views. Parents and professionals are consulted about the care young people receive; this ensures there is an inclusive approach to service development.

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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. 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.

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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. procedures set out in 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

regulates and inspects to 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

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Information about this inspection

Policy Team, 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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