Children's Home run by New Horizons (Stockport) Limited in Manchester

Requires improvement

The children's home is not yet delivering good help and care for children and young people. However, there are no longer any serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

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The children's home provision requires improvement because:

 The current management arrangements are not permanent because there is no registered manager in post.

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The children's home provision requires improvement because:

 Two requirements and two recommendations raised at the inspection on 1 June 2015 have not been fully addressed or cannot be measured because of the absence of young people living in the home.

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The children's home provision requires improvement because:

 Improvements made since the last inspection have yet to be embedded and tested in practice.

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The children's home provision requires improvement because:

 A further shortfall is identified. This relates to the content of the external visitor’s monitoring report.

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The children's home strengths:

 The responsible individual has demonstrated a commitment to improving the care and safeguarding arrangements in the home. She has worked transparently with Ofsted and made considerable progress in addressing these shortfalls. This includes a large majority of the requirements and recommendations that were raised at the last inspection.

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The children's home strengths:

 A new, experienced and qualified manager has been successfully recruited and will be taking up post in October 2015. Suitable interim arrangements are in place.

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The children's home strengths:

 A child-focused staff team, who have a good range of experience and skills, have been appointed to work specifically in this home. This will improve the continuity of care provided for young people.

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The children's home strengths:

 Staff receive better support from the point they start work in the home. New staff have been well inducted and existing staff have been supported to acquire the majority of outstanding mandatory training. Consequently, staff are better equipped to meet the needs of any young person who is admitted to the home in the near future.

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The children's home strengths:

 Staff are waiting enthusiastically for a new young person to be admitted to the home. The responsible individual is acutely aware of the need to ensure this admission is rigorously assessed to ensure the home gets the best new start possible.

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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

8: The education standard In order to meet the education standard the registered person must ensure-

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Requirement Due date

(1) that children make measurable progress towards achieving their educational potential and are helped to do so- and (2) that staff- (iii) understand the barriers to learning that each child may face and take appropriate action to help the child overcome any such barriers

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Requirement Due date

This is with specific reference to identifying appropriate educational placements for any children placed at the home and ensuring that staff work effectively with education professionals to ensure their full participation in education is promoted. 01/09/2015

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Requirement Due date

14: The care planning standard In order to meet the care planning standard the registered person must ensure-

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Requirement Due date

(2)(a) that children are admitted to the home only if their needs are within the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the home is to provide care and accommodation, as set out in the home's statement of purpose.

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Requirement Due date

Specifically that their needs are rigorously assessed and can be met by the home, including a sufficient number of permanent staff who are in place prior to their admission. 28/07/2015

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that the independent person must produce a report about each visit ("the independent person's report) which sets out, in particular, the independent persons opinion as to whether the children are effectively safeguarded and the conduct of the home promotes children's 01/09/2015 well-being (Regulation 44 (4)(a-b))

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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 the systems for consulting children regularly on their views about the home’s care, to inform and support continued improvement in the quality of care provided, are put into practice and that that children are able to see the results of their views being acted upon (The Guide to the Quality Standards, page 22, paragraph 4.11)

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Recommendations

 Ensure that children are offered a wide range of activities both inside and outside of the home (where appropriate) and are encouraged to participate in those activities (The Guide, page 31, paragraph 6.5)

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Recommendations

 Ensure there is a workforce plan which details the processes and agreed timescales for staff to achieve induction, probation and core training and details the process for managing and improving poor performance (The Guide, page 53, paragraph 10.8)

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Recommendations

 Ensure staff establish and build positive relationships with each admitted to the home. Where these positive relationships exist between children and staff this should be respected and maintained as far as possible when making any decisions to alter staff arrangements. The registered person should respond to children's views about changes to staff and be aware of the potential impact this may have for the child's stability and emotional well-being (The Guide to the Quality Standards, page 39, paragraph 8.12)

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that staff can access appropriate facilities and resources to support their training needs. This is with specific reference to ensuring all staff complete have the opportunity to complete any outstanding mandatory training (The Guide to the Quality Standards, Page 53, paragraph, 10.11)

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Information about this children's home

This is a privately run children's home. It provides care and accommodation for up to 5 children who have 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

17/03/2015 CH - Interim sustained effectiveness

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requires improvement

This is a re-inspection of the home following the judgement of inadequate made in June 2015. The provider and the acting manager have made every effort to ensure the serious failings noted at the last visit have been suitably addressed.

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requires improvement

All young people have left the home at various points since the last inspection. It was recognised that the needs of one young person could not be met, mainly due to their overtly risk taking behaviour, including going missing from home and vulnerability to child sexual exploitation. Robust action was taken to notify the placing authority with a view to them finding a more suitable placement for them. Other young people, one of which is in the latter stages of his leaving care transition, have moved on to live with their family or into semi-independent living accommodation. Consequently, there are no young people currently living at this home. This makes it difficult to measure progress in terms of how it will directly impact on the progress and experiences of young people.

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requires improvement

Due to the fragility of the home the responsible individual has not admitted any young people since the previous visit. She has demonstrated a commitment to ensuring that the next young person to be considered for admission will have their needs rigorously assessed, before admission. An assessment tool is in place to assist this process and the matching of any future admissions. The responsible individual has agreed to inform Ofsted of the care arrangements prior to admissions, in particular those pertaining to staffing. This will ensure that the right support is in place to meet the young person’s needs and keep them safe, prior to them starting their placement.

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requires improvement

There are good foundations in place to make a new start in providing good quality care for young people. Fundamental to this is the appointment of a manager and a credible staff team who are dedicated to this home. This will enable young people to benefit from consistent care, which is delivered by adults with whom they can form positive and trusting relationships. This is an essential component of providing stability and routine for any young person coming to live at the home and should not be disrupted without good cause or reason.

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requires improvement

Mechanisms for gathering young people’s views have been improved to ensure they have a range of opportunities to have their say. This was noted at the last inspection when young people were beginning to make choices about their day to day care and the running of the home. However, the effectiveness of these systems cannot be tested rigorously due to the reduction in occupancy and the limited time young people have been in the home. This includes enabling young people to make choices about activities and encouraging them and facilitating them to engage in positive recreational pastimes.

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requires improvement

Young people were being provided with a range of educational placements prior to leaving the home. For the majority, attendance was infrequent and progress was poor. When young people refused to engage in education staff did not work in partnership with education providers to ensure the barriers to participation were overcome. The acting manager and staff are much clearer about their responsibilities in ensuring young people attend school, not dissimilar to those of a parent. However, this commitment cannot be tested due to the absence of young people.

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requires improvement

Safeguarding practice is underpinned by improved procedures for managing child protection concerns. The registered person is much more aware of her safeguarding responsibilities and has discharged these appropriately as required. She has successfully challenged the local authority, who have now fulfilled their duties in relation to coordinating a multi-agency response to outstanding child protection concerns.

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requires improvement

Risk management has improved. The interim manager has been routinely monitoring young people’s risk assessments to ensure that they accurately reflect young people’s known and emerging risks. Information has been shared amongst the staff team who are now much clearer about their safeguarding responsibilities. For example, clear supervision protocols have been discussed and agreed to ensure young people’s whereabouts are consistently known. This includes a series of welfare checks which should be fully recorded and monitored by the manager. Consequently, this means that when young people are admitted to the home in the future, they will be afforded sufficient supervision and support to ensure their risks and vulnerabilities are effectively managed.

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requires improvement

There have been a number of incidents of young people going missing from care since the last inspection. Detailed records have been maintained and reflect a robust and rigorous response to managing absences. Staff are diligent in their efforts to ascertain the whereabouts of young people by searching and contacting family, friends and know acquaintances. Staff will contact the police and work collaboratively with them and any other relevant persons to promote a safe return. Upon their return, young people are now seen by an independent person. This affords the opportunity to explore the reasons for young people going missing and take action to minimise this in the future. For example, one young person was persistently absconding to his local area because this is where his girlfriend and family are. Staff arranged a meeting with his social worker who then took action to speed up his planned transition to semi-independence.

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requires improvement

Behaviour management has not been a problem since the last inspection. This is because the majority of young people left the home soon after the inspection. However, it was noted at the time of the last inspection that young people’s behaviour had improved significantly. This was mainly due to the fact that young people were being cared for by a dedicated team of staff and the reliance on agency and relief staff had significantly reduced. As a result, young people were beginning to forge mutually respectful relationships with some staff, prior to them leaving the home. It is important that the current staff team continue to promote this philosophy when new young people are admitted to the home.

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requires improvement

A number of staff have been recruited to the home since the last inspection. Relevant checks have been undertaken to ensure any staff recruited are safe to work with vulnerable young people.

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requires improvement

The home is safe and secure. The acting manager and her deputy manager are currently undertaking a review of the home’s security including electronic monitoring and exit points. The aim of this review is to improve the existing system which alerts staff when young people exit their bedrooms or leave the home. The acting manager is clear that any new systems are not a substitute for staff vigilance and supervision.

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requires improvement

There is currently no registered manager in this home. Suitable interim management arrangements were put in place and have recently been amended due to the interim manager leaving. The current acting manager is experienced and demonstrates a commitment to her role. She has been supported in her efforts by a manager from another home in the organisation and the responsible individual who is much more proactive in the discharge of her responsibilities as the registered person.

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requires improvement

The responsible individual has been proactive in her efforts to address the inadequacies identified at the previous inspection. However, there is still no written strategic plan that identifies how continuous improvement is to be promoted. The responsible individual has worked closely with Ofsted, including offering a commitment to consult with them prior to admitting any new young people. A great deal of progress has been made and there are some good foundations in place for providing young people with the right circumstances to succeed. There does remain a fragility to this home due to the fact that a number of improvements have yet to be embedded into practice and tested, as currently there are no young people living in the home.

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requires improvement

11 out of 13 requirements and two out of the four recommendations from the last inspection have been addressed. It is recognised that some progress has been limited by the absence of young people since this visit.

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requires improvement

Procedures are in place to ensure young people have the opportunity to have independent return interviews following any absence from care. Safeguarding procedures have been improved to ensure child protection concerns are robustly managed. This includes challenging external agencies and escalating concerns when they do not meet their statutory obligations. This procedure has been further strengthened by the introduction of an escalation policy which clearly sets out expectations and steps to challenging underperformance of external services.

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requires improvement

It was noted at the previous inspection that the arrangement of the manager running two homes had not been effective in maintaining the leadership and oversight that this home required. The manager at the time has resigned her registration for this service. A qualified and experienced manager has been recruited and is due to start working in the home in October 2015. This will strengthen the management arrangements significantly as the home continues to rebuild and further develop its care provision.

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requires improvement

A significant reduction in the use of agency staff was noted at the last inspection. This is because a number of experienced and qualified staff had been recruited specifically for this home. Recruitment has been ongoing and there are is now a large staff team in place. Staff demonstrate a strong commitment to sustaining improvement and appear much more cohesive, both in practice and their aspirations for the future. This has, and will continue to improve the continuity of care for young people. Leaders and managers recognise that they face the challenge of retaining these staff, given that there are currently no young people living in the home.

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requires improvement

The home’s Statement of Purpose has been updated. It now accurately reflects the current management and staffing arrangements in the home. This gives a true picture of who will provide dedicated care to young people in this home.

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requires improvement

The arrangements for inducting staff have significantly improved. Staff who have started working in the home since the last inspection have completed a thorough induction, which they confirm has prepared them for their role of working with young people. There has been a real effort to ensure existing staff who missed their induction, due to starting work in the home at a point of crisis, have had the opportunity to complete this. This includes the completion of mandatory training, which most staff have now done. The acting manager is aware that any outstanding training needs need to be met before the admission of young people. This will ensure that staff are equipped with the basic skills to meet young people’s needs.

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requires improvement

Staff are now receiving regular supervision from suitably experienced people. Supervision responsibilities have been redefined and a number of staff has completed supervision training. The acting manager has devised a system for maintaining oversight of supervision practice. If this is effectively administered it will ensure that staff are being given the right support to facilitate further professional development as well as providing the opportunity to address underperformance.

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requires improvement

A new independent visitor has been appointed since the last inspection. There has been limited opportunity to demonstrate the impact of this change. However, subsequent reports indicate an increased level of scrutiny, which if maintained will ensure that shortfalls are recognised and addressed. However, in the limited number of reports seen, there is an absence of the visitor offering their opinion as to whether the children are effectively safeguarded and the conduct of the home promotes children's well-being. This opinion is of significant importance as it will enable the responsible individual and the manager to identify where there are significant concerns about young people’s welfare, safety and care.

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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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