Children's Home run by Cambian Childcare Limited in Devon

Outstanding

The children's home provides highly effective services that consistently exceeds 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:

 Children make unprecedented and sustained progress in this home, often from very difficult starting points and numerous placement breakdowns. This is most noticeable in their improved ability to interact and communicate effectively with others, and confidently take on new activities and make friends.  Children are considerably safer since moving into this home. The child centred approach to the care and nurturing of children ensures that they feel valued. Their improved confidence and self- esteem impacts on their emotional well-being and reduces difficult and unsafe behaviour. Numbers of missing from home events, and incidents which require children to be physically restrained have significantly reduced. Children who have learnt to trust the adults caring for them gradually and consistently feel safer.  The manager is exceptionally skilled in leading the care team to sustain high aspirations for children, and is creating positive experiences for them. The

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The children's home provision is outstanding because:

staff team understands the impact of loss, trauma and disruption on the behaviours of children. Consequently the approach to care planning is pro- active rather than reactive. In addition reflective practice allows for incidents to be understood, considered and reduced.  Research and working in close partnership with other agencies supports the progress of children in this home. The manager makes sure that the staff team are aware of information and updates provided by organisations concerned with the welfare of children. Amongst a number of support agencies a clinical psychologist has oversight of behaviour management plans and quality assures staff practice. The police provide support, guidance, and training to staff. This avoids children’s behaviour becoming criminalised and keeps them safer.

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further the service should take account of the following recommendation(s):  ensure that all areas of the home including the gardens, provide a homely and well maintained environment (The Guide to the Quality Standards, page 15, paragraph 3.9)

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Information about this children's home

The home is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to 2 children who may present with 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

10/03/2015 CH - Interim Improved effectiveness

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Outstanding

Children’s progress and experiences in this home are directed by an exceptional leader, and dedicated staff team. Their practice is informed and assured through consultation and support from specialist agencies, including mental health specialist. Research into practice is used to inform staff and support them in their work with children.

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Outstanding

The care provided focusses on all aspects of the child’s welfare and links to understanding how their previous experiences impact on their ability to engage with others and make the most of the opportunities available to them. Consequently the support and nurture provided involves listening to and valuing children. No matter how difficult children’s behaviour gets, they are not let down by the staff team who have high hopes for their futures and expect them to do well. Children gradual begin to trust the adults caring for them; this lessens their anxiety, reduces difficult behaviour, and allows them to progress. The development of children’s emotional well-being is exceptional.

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Outstanding

The staff team have their own ethos statements which include ‘‘to inspire and nurture children for a positive life’ and ‘it is here we can change the course of their life’. Careful assessment of need and care planning supports these aspirations and very little is left to chance.

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Outstanding

Staffing levels provide for one member of staff to be available to each child at all times. Two vehicles are available so that children can be transported to and from school, contact visits and out on activities. This feels like a family home, it has toys and games about, and is personalised with pictures of the children. The kitchen cupboards are decorated with children’s art work and their certificates of achievement. Interventions support children to feel valued; if a child hurts themselves or is distressed staff will rush to comfort them.

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Outstanding

All activities are planned in advance and support children to gain physical skills and improve their social skills out on the community. The staff team share their skills, talents and interests with children, recently one child has been night fishing, and another is spending time with friends and swimming most days. Both children are looking forward to a summer holiday; one is going to a holiday park another to an adventure park with staff.

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Outstanding

The staff team support children to broaden their knowledge. They are helped to understand issues about the environment and ecology. The staff team also support a particular interest in science and experimentation. The staff team help children look at a different culture, the children can dress up and sample the food of a particular country, looking at traditions and language.

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Outstanding

To help children understand issues of equality and diversity they look at children’s charities across the world and choose one to sponsor each year. Last year they choose ‘water aid’ and this year charity is ‘African Children’s Fund’ which supports children who have been abandoned to live happy and fulfilled lives. This practice also supports children’s development of empathy for others.

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Outstanding

The gardens of the home although well used by children lack attention to effective maintenance and distract from what is otherwise a wholly suitable environment.

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good

Children are safer because of the child centred care provided in this home. The risks they present are fully documented and reviewed so that care planning is constantly adapted to meet their changing needs, and to keep them safe. Children have come to live in this home following several previous placement breakdowns where their behaviour was not well managed and they couldn’t be kept safe. Police records state that a child had been missing 39 times in the period leading up to moving in. Since this time, in 9 months there have been 2 incidents and none of these in recent times.

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good

Children have a comfortable and easy relationship with the staff team who are fully attentive and responsive to their needs. Children’s anxiety gradually reduces as they learn to trust the adults working in this home. As incidents of aggression and violence have reduced the need to use physical intervention to keep children safe has also reduced. Reflective practice following incidents supports staff to understand what is affecting the child’s behaviour and see if additional support can be provided to avoid a repeat. Behaviour management is focussed on the use of clear expectations and boundaries. Rewards are used to support positive behaviour. Children have both long term goals, and they earn things such as large toys and play equipment, and then short terms daily goals to earn additional pocket money, which they can spend as they choose. Sanctions are used significantly less than rewards; the manager monitors these to make sure they are fair and effective.

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good

Complaints and grumbles from children are taken seriously. They are passed on to independent agencies if appropriate and investigated thoroughly by the Registered Manager. Children are happy with the outcomes; they feel valued and listened to. Staff apologise where children have been upset, or don’t understand why staff did something in a particular way.

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good

The voice of children is important in this home. Independent visitors are available to them and one child is just beginning to make use of this service. In addition children have regular individual support sessions and residents meetings. They are involved in planning and are able to shape the service and express their likes and dislikes. Feedback from children is sought to inform staff appraisals and monitoring activities. One child attended and contributed effectively to their review meeting for the first time.

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good

Monitoring by the manager is effective in identifying and dealing with issues. A mistake in medication records was noted within 24 hours. The action taken to avoid a reoccurrence included, time added to shift changeover so that checking of records could be more through, additional training for staff, and discussions in supervision.

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good

A police community support officer (PCSO) visits the home; she is contributing to keeping children safe by highlighting any issues in the local community which could affect them. She described the home as ‘a really good set-up’, adding,’ the staffing ratio is good and they work in partnership with us’. Despite many violent incidents, children’s behaviour has not become criminalised. The police have provided training sessions in team meetings, recently helping the staff team to look at restorative justice.

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good

The staff team understand how to safeguard children. They can access online training and as part of team development all staff will do level two safeguarding training. Any issues of concern are quickly shared with independent support agencies so that action can be taken if needed to protect children. Referrals evidence independent scrutiny of any issues.

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good

The manager and staff have sort support from a number of health specialist agencies to consider the impact and risks of smoking on the health of children. Following careful consideration of risk and agreement from the placing authority, social workers, and health staff it has been agreed to focus interventions on the most serious risks. As such one child continues to smoke as part of an agreed reduction plan until it is considered likely they will be able to successfully stop smoking without creating additional risk.

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good

Regular health and safety checks, and robust vetting and checking of staff during the recruitment process supports the protection of children and avoids them being exposed to unnecessary avoidable risks.

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outstanding

The Registered Manager was appointed to this post when the home opened in August 2013. Prior to this appointment she had more than 15 years’ experience in child care including successfully managing a similar service. She is educated to degree level and holds a suitable child care qualification.

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outstanding

The manager leads by example, her ability and focus on the needs of children are infectious. Support to the staff team, which includes regular quality supervision, reflective practice, and coaching demonstrates a clear understanding of the difficulties and stresses involved in dealing with children with complex emotional needs. A member of staff commented ’the manager has an amazing knack of being able to bring out the best in people and her approach is constant’.

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outstanding

Children have, and continue to make remarkable progress in this home. Having arrived without a school placement they are now attending full time. Behaviour which put them at serious risk of harm such as going missing or running off from adults has significantly reduced and stopped altogether for one child. An improvement in children’s self-esteem and confidence has impacted on their emotional well-being and their ability to express their feelings and anxieties more appropriately.

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outstanding

Work in partnership with other agencies supports all aspects of the care provide to children. The organisations clinical psychologist attends team meetings to discuss behaviour management; she has oversight of care planning and is able to provide specific resources for staff to use in helping children. Children have recently been encouraged by the staff to think about relationships and ‘what makes a good friend’. Much of the external support is quality assuring the work done with children. A police officer did some training with staff around restorative justice, and the community nurse proved guidance and reassurance around smoking cessation.

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outstanding

The manager researches information available about developments in practice, this is then shared with the staff team. They have a child approaching the age when they can legitimately access social networking sites; hence, recent research has been around educating children in the safe use of these sites.

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outstanding

Effective monitoring of the home contributes to development planning, and identification of any issue which could impact on children. The development plan is reviewed and updated on a regular basis and evidence of improvements is recorded. Amongst many development areas the staff team have been planning summer holidays for children, learning how to complete on line notifications to other agencies, and engaging children in activities which help them to understand issues around equality and diversity.

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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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