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.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 The young person benefits from accessing hobbies and interests that are very important to him. He continues to develop his confidence and self- esteem.  Staff are very knowledgeable and have a good awareness of the young person’s needs. The young person has lived in the home for a number of years. The young person said ‘I feel very well supported and looked after’. Staff place him at the centre of their care.  Staff promote and encourage the young person’s cultural and personal identity needs well.  The young person attends school full time and achieving well. Staff encourage him to succeed at school and assist him with his homework.  The placing authorities consider that the young person receives good care and support. A social worker said ‘I have no concerns about the quality of care and support provided by the home’ and added, ‘I receive regular updates in respect of his placement plan and risk assessments, a weekly

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The children's home provision is good because:

update from school and home, and a monthly report.’ This demonstrates good involvement with partnership agencies.  The staff team are all qualified, experienced practitioners and receive training that meets the needs of young people.  The Registered Manager has developed recording systems that evidence the progress made by the young person. This information is shared with the young person and interested stakeholders.

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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 recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children's safety. The requirements are that full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of the matters listed in Schedule 2. With specific regard to ensuring detailed references are sought in order to provide satisfactory references. (Regulation 32 (1) (3) (d) ) 31/08/2015

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Information about this children's home

A locally based private company operates the home and provides care and accommodation for up to two young people who may have emotional or behavioural difficulties.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

23/10/2013 CH - Interim Satisfactory Progress

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Good

Staff support the young person to travel to various local and national venues to access the activities and personal interests that are extremely important to him. Staff understand and actively support the young person to succeed in his ambition to become an actor. He has high aspirations and his desire is to gain qualifications and employment in his chosen career. The young person rated the staff 10/10 for the support they provide in him accessing his leisure interests.

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Good

Staff provide the young person with encouragement and support in attending school. Staff provide extra education support by assisting him with his homework. The result of this is that he is achieving well at school.

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Good

Staff have built excellent relationships with the young person and listen to him. Regular one-to-one sessions take place with staff and they seek his views and opinions. He signs the record of these meetings to confirm his agreement with the content of the discussion.

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Good

The young person is able to maintain good contact with family members and friends. This is extremely important to him. Staff support travel arrangements in order to visit his family. He has a wide circle of friends who he has become friendly with where he attends his leisure interests. This is strength of the home.

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Good

The young person receives good quality care and support from staff that place him at the centre of their care. Staff are provided with comprehensive placement plans that clearly reflect the young person’s individual needs and how they are to be met. The young person is involved in the development of his plans and is in agreement with them. In addition, staff regularly update risk assessments to reflect any known risks. Guidance is provided to staff in how to reduce these risks.

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Good

Staff encourage a healthy diet and lifestyle. As a result, the young person does not smoke, he partakes in regular exercise and does not engage in activities that may harm his health.

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Good

Staff encourage him to develop his independence skills and he is very competent in cooking his own meals. His cultural needs are promoted in respect of his dietary needs and staff ensure that specific cooking utensils are provided in support of this. In addition, staff encourage him to partake in religious festivals and celebrations in respect of his identity.

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Good

Through good support, encouragement and praise the young person has become more confident. His social worker said ‘his confidence and self-esteem has increased, he’s very confident and can advocate for himself’.

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Good

Since the last inspection, there have not been any incidents of young people going missing, taking part in high-risk activities and there have not been any recorded restraints. Sanctions are rarely imposed. Staff promote positive behaviour and young people are encouraged to manage and reflect on their behaviour. The young person said ‘since I have been living at the home my behaviour has improved, my hot temper has calmed down a lot’, and I trust people’.

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Good

All staff receive training in safeguarding. The organisation has comprehensive safeguarding procedures and their responsibilities refer to the ‘Working Together to Safeguarding Children 2015’ statutory guidance. The young person said ‘I feel safe at the home’. In addition, his social worker considers that he is safe at the home.

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Good

A reference received from a provider of children’s services, following a recent staff appointment, did not provide the home with detailed information as requested. Despite efforts made to address this, the other provider failed to respond. The organisation sought another reference but again a detailed response was not provided. They made contact with them but the provider refused to give further information other than there were no safeguarding concerns.

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Good

The Registered Manager and operations manager confirmed that they would be reviewing their processes in order to ensure that they receive detailed and satisfactory references. However, staff do not commence working at the home until they have received a satisfactory outcome for the disclosure and baring service.

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Good

Young people live in a homely, well-decorated and maintained home that promotes a safe environment. The Registered Manager ensures that there are regular checks undertaken of the home’s utilities. There are detailed environmental risk assessments and these are regularly reviewed. Young people and staff take part in regular fire drills and there are robust arrangements to promote fire safety. Judgement grade

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Good

The Registered Manager, who is appropriately experienced, manages the home effectively. She has been in post since May 2013 and has a good awareness of the strengths and weaknesses of the home. She is undertaking the Level 5 Diploma in Leadership and Management for Residential Childcare.

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Good

Since the last inspection, the management arrangements have been reviewed and this has resulted is the appointment of a deputy manager. This ensures that there is an identified person to manage the home in the absence of the Registered Manager.

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Good

There is regular internal and external evaluation of the quality of care provided. Recommendations for improvement following independent visits are acted upon. The Registered Manger undertakes regular audits of the quality of care provided by the home in line with regulation.

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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. The placing authority speaks very well of the care and support that is provided and that the home keeps in regular contact with them and advises of any significant events.

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Good

All members of the staff team have formal qualifications and receive comprehensive training that ensures that they can meet the needs of the young person. They receive regular and effective supervision, and an annual appraisal.

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Good

The Registered Manager ensures that she makes contact with the relevant authorities and agencies if there are any safeguarding concerns. This promotes the safety and well-being of young people.

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Good

An experienced staff team 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.

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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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