Children's Home run by Plus One South West Ltd in Somerset

Good

The children's home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

p.2

The children's home provision is good because:

 The Registered Manager ensures that there are safe working practices which protect young people. If young people go missing, staff take robust action to promote young people’s safety and well-being  There is good communication between the home, placing authorities and other authorities such as the police. The Registered Manager works collaboratively with these agencies to promote young people’s safety and reduce the risk of harm.  Young people’s attendance at school has increased since they have been living at the home. Considering their starting points, they are doing well at school and have taken formal qualifications. One social worker said ‘she is doing really well in her education and has attended more education there than in the last six years’.  A motivated and well-qualified staff team supports young people. They place the needs of the young people at the centre of their care.  Young people benefit from living in a home that is decorated, furnished and

p.3

The children's home provision is good because:

maintained to a high standard. It is very homely in appearance and they are encouraged to personalise their bedrooms and are involved in the choice of furnishing and decoration of their bedrooms and other parts of the home.  Placing authorities consider that young people receive good care and support. One social worker said ‘I have no concerns about the quality of care and support provided by the home’ and further added ‘she has built good relationships with the staff team’.

p.3

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.

p.4

Requirement Due date

In order to meet the protection of children standard, the registered person must ensure that staff

p.4

Requirement Due date

(i) assess whether each child is at risk from harm, taking into account information in the child's relevant plans, and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child; in particular ensuring all risk assessments are regularly reviewed to reflect the current known risks. 31/08/2015

p.4

Recommendations

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

p.4

Recommendations

 Ensure that the children's homes staff contribute to the pathway planning process. (The Guide to the Quality Standards, page 17 paragraph 3.28)

p.4

Recommendations

 Ensure that children are consulted regularly on their views about the home's care, to inform and support continued improvement in the quality of care provided. In particular, those children’s views are sought following any sanction that has been imposed. (The Guide to the Quality Standards, page 22 paragraph 4.11)

p.4

Recommendations

 Ensure that 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)

p.4

Information about this children's home

A private company operates this home and provides care and accommodation for up to three young people who may display emotional and behavioural difficulties.

p.5

Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

p.5

Good

Young people make good progress from their starting points, particularly in their education. Encouragement and support from the staff has resulted in young people attending school when this was not the case when they first came to live at the home. One young person has recently taken formal examinations. In addition, the frequency of young people going missing has reduced over time. One social worker said ‘missing episodes have dramatically reduced’.

p.6

Good

Staff have built good relationships with young people. One young person said ‘I feel listened to’ and one social worker said ‘he has an excellent relationship with staff and in particular his keyworker’. Regular house meetings take place and ensure that they give young people opportunities to have a voice. They are able to make suggestions such as the activities that they wish to take part in, choices in meals and involvement in choosing items for the home.

p.6

Good

Staff recognise good outcomes for young people. One staff member said ‘her school hours have increased and she is engaging with us more now, her confidence has grown. She is able to speak up for herself, and can cook her own meals’.

p.6

Good

Young people access a wide variety of activities and leisure opportunities based on their individual hobbies and interests. They are encouraged to maintain contact with their families and significant others based on their individual circumstances.

p.6

Good

The health needs of young people are promoted and staff advise and encourage a healthy lifestyle. In addition, they receive specialist therapeutic support based on their individual needs.

p.6

Good

The Registered Manager and staff have good working relationships with other professionals, and agencies including the placing authorities and the police. They work collaboratively when there are concerns of young people going missing and putting themselves at risk of child sexual exploitation. They agree safe working strategies and protocols in order to promote young people’s safety, and to manage risk. All staff have received training in child sexual exploitation, harmful sexualised behaviour and drugs and substance abuse.

p.6

Good

There have been increased levels of missing at the home in recent weeks. However, the frequency of young people going missing since they have been living at the home has reduced. If young people go missing, staff take robust action and follow the agreed protocols. They actively search the local and wider area and attempt to keep in regular contact with young people. All appropriate authorities and agencies are informed. One social worker said ‘they go above and beyond, I’m extremely impressed’. Staff undertake interviews with young people when they return home and offer young people an independent interview, but on some occasions, they choose not to pursue this.

p.7

Good

All staff receive training in safeguarding. The organisations safeguarding procedures and their responsibilities refer to the ‘Working Together to Safeguarding Children 2015’ statutory guidance and staff follow this guidance in practice. Young people receive support from staff who understand their individual needs and who take robust action to promote their safety and well-being. One young person said ‘I feel safe at the home’.

p.7

Good

The Registered Manager takes robust action if there are any allegations or suspicions of harm. Relevant agencies are notified and actions or recommendations made are acted upon. Ofsted has received positive feedback from the Local Authority Designated Officer who has no concerns with the organisation.

p.7

Good

Staff regularly review and update comprehensive placement plans to provide staff with guidance on how to meet young people’s individual needs. However, not all the associated risks assessments are updated to reflect the current known risk. For example, a risk assessment for one young person refers to the risk of being absent and missing as low. Following a recent increase in going missing, this risk assessment has not been reviewed. The Registered Manager acknowledges this and said that the assessment and will be updated immediately.

p.7

Good

Young people are encouraged to develop their independence skills and the home has a facility so they can learn to be more independent. A shortfall identified at this inspection is the lack of a formal independence plan for one young person. Discussions with the social worker confirmed that this plan is in the process of being devised. The Registered Manager stated that it would be completed as part of the home’s responsibility to contribute to the plan.

p.7

Good

Therapeutic support is provided to those young people who require this specialised service. The therapist said ‘staff are very proactive; they work hard and are a committed staff team. They follow through with recommendations and feedback to me’. The vast majority of staff have received training in self-harm and childhood trauma.

p.7

Good

Staff promote positive behaviour and restraint is rarely used. Good records are maintained in line with legislation if restraint is used. The Registered Manager regularly reviews all incidents of restraint to determine that these were appropriate. Sanctions are imposed as part of the homes behaviour management policy. The records keeping of sanctions confirm that the views of young people are not always sought.

p.8

Good

Young people live in a safe environment. The Registered Manager ensures that there are regular checks undertaken of the home’s utilities. Good environmental risk assessments have been undertaken and these are regularly reviewed. Fire safety is promoted and young people and staff take part in regular fire drills. The home is decorated and furnished to a high standard and is very well maintained.

p.8

Good

The Registered Manager, who is appropriately experienced and qualified, manages the home effectively. She has been in post since May 2014 and has a good awareness of the strengths and weaknesses of the home. There is regular internal and external evaluation of the quality of care provided. If the independent visitor identifies recommendations for improvement, these are acted upon in order to improve the delivery of care. The requirement and recommendations from the previous inspection have been met.

p.8

Good

The Registered Manager and staff team are committed in providing high quality of care. They place young people at the centre of their care. At the time of the inspection, a young person was missing. The Registered Manager and staff demonstrated their commitment in ensuring that ‘all avenues’ were explored in order to promote the safety and wellbeing of the young person. There was excellent contact with the placing authority and the local police during this period. This clearly demonstrates how effectively they collaborate to promote young people’s safety and well-being.

p.8

Good

Placing authorities speak very highly of the commitment of the Registered Manager and staff team. One social worker said ‘I receive regular updates from them including the placement plan and risk assessments’. Another social worker said ‘the home keep me informed, I receive information about incidents and I get weekly and monthly updates’.

p.8

Good

Staff receive effective supervision and an annual appraisal. They are an experienced staff team who promote continuity and consistency of care. The Registered Manager ensures that there are adequate numbers of appropriately skilled and trained staff on duty at all times.

p.8

Good

The staff team receive regular mandatory training. In addition, they have received specialist training in Asperger’s and autism, attachment disorders and psychosis and post-traumatic stress disorder. This ensures that staff receive the appropriate training in order to meet the needs of the young people.

p.9

Good

Some records completed by staff do not always demonstrate the importance of clear, specific and clear recording. The Registered Manger has acknowledges this and agrees refresher training is required.

p.9

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.

p.10

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

p.10

What the inspection judgements mean

harmed or at risk of harm or result in children looked after not having their welfare safeguarded and promoted.

p.10

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

p.11

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 .

p.11

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,

p.12

Information about this inspection

The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.12

Information about this inspection

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.12

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

p.12