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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 new manager gives clear direction to staff with a strong focus on improving the quality of care delivered to young people.  Young people say that they have good relationships with staff which enables them to make good choices and improve their life experiences.  Young people benefit immensely from the safeguarding work undertaken with them which, has significantly reduced high risk behaviour.  Staff give importance to making sure young people have regular family contact and facilitate visits with families who live along way from the home.  Improvements have been made to the environment, to provide young people with a safe, comfortable and secure home to live in, that reflects the standard of care provided to them.

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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 maintain records (''case records'') for each child which- (a) include the information and documents listed in Schedule 3 in relation to each child; and (b) are kept up to date. (Regulation 36 (1) (a) (b)) In particular, that all young people's case files have all Looked After Children information including where appropriate an up-to-date and fully completed Pathway plan. 28/09/2015

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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 that staff have an understanding of how schools function, including the processes for admission to schools, the role of designated teachers for looked- after children and the role of the Virtual School Head. If a looked-after child from a different local authority area is placed in the home, the Virtual School Head of that local authority remain responsible for promoting the child’s educational achievement (The Guide to the Quality Standards, page 27, paragraph 5.10) In particular, that work continues to be pursued with all educational professionals including the Virtual School head. This is to make sure that all young people’s education placements meet their needs and that they make educational progress.

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Information about this children's home

This children’s home is operated by a private organisation and provides up to two medium to long-term placements for young people who may have emotional and behavioural difficulties.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

10/02/2015 Interim Declined Effectiveness

p.5

good

Young people’s day-to-day life experience is enhanced greatly as a result of being cared for by staff that know them well that build positive and trusting relationships. This allows constructive work to take place and in turn facilities young people making progress. A young person said, ‘The staff are alright here,’ and a professional said, ‘The staff provide good emotional support to young people.’

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good

Staff sensitively support young people at the time of their admission to the home and continue to maintain positive family contact. A young person said, ’The staff did help me settle in, they told me about the home, the rules and I was given a booklet,’ and another said, ’I speak to my mum every day, and she has been to visit.’ Staff show strong commitment and ensure that young people have regular visits to see their families who live long distances from the home. This has made sure that important links with their family have been maintained and strengthened.

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good

Young people are listened to. They exchange their views with staff daily; have further opportunities to express their opinions in key work sessions, residents’ meeting and their child-care reviews. They know how to complain, and have made complaints. These have been actively investigated, the complainant consulted on the action taken and the outcome. Young people have been satisfied with these outcomes. Young people are being supported to develop the skills required to effectively care for themselves in adulthood. They routinely engage in chores around the home. A young person said ‘We clean our own rooms and I cook some meals.’ Staff confirmed older young people are about to start to extend their skills further to focus more on managing money.

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good

Young people have good opportunities to access community based activities. A young person said ‘We go and play pool or snooker a lot at the moment, that’s what I want to do and I like to go to the cinema, we went last week,’ and another said, ’We are going go-carting next week.’

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good

Young people benefit from being helped to maintain and improve their health. They attend routine health appointments. Young people confirm that the staff explain the risks to their health from smoking, and that this activity is discouraged.

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good

Staff strongly encourage young people’s school attendance. As a result, this has improved young people’s opportunity to learn. Staff are ambitious for young people and have organised meetings with an education provider. This is to start to address identified difficulties. The service does not currently have a working link with the Virtual School Head for the local authority to support further, young peoples continued educational progress.

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good

Young people are safeguarded by staff that have a clear understanding of their potential risks and individual vulnerabilities. This, along with staff’s diligence to follow and implement detailed risk assessments and other safety protocols ensures that young people are kept much safer. This has reduced high risk behaviour relating to going missing, offending and substance misuse. As a result, missing from home and serious incidents involving the police are much lower.

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good

Young people respond well to the clear direction and expectations from staff on acceptable and positive behaviour. Staff focus and promote positive behaviour, where young people receive rewards and incentives for respectful and good behaviour. Young people said they rarely receive sanctions for poor behaviour, when given these are affective. There have been no incidents where a physical intervention has been used since the last inspection. This indicates good parenting methods overtime brings positive and settled behaviour.

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good

Staff have effective links with the police and the youth offending team. This involves regular communication and meetings which support their work to keep young people safe. A Youth Offending Officer said ‘Staff follow safeguarding plans to the letter… and keep me informed at all times.’

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good

This is a well-managed home where young people come first. The manager took up post in February 2015 and has submitted an application to Ofsted to become the Registered Manager. He holds a level 4 in Caring for Children and Young People and a Registered Manager’s Award in Leadership and Management. He has a vast amount of experience, working 28 years with children and young people, including managing a variety of residential settings. The manager is aware of the homes strengths and weaknesses. He has quickly identified areas for development and implemented a number of changes to improve the quality of care delivered to young people. Staff say they are well supported and given clear direction to undertake their work. They say there is a focus on young people making progress. This is evident in the significant progress young people have made. This includes young people reducing risk taking behaviour relating to criminal activities, substance misuse and going missing from

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good

The Statement of Purpose is a comprehensive document clearly setting out what the home has to offer which reflects the care young people currently receive.

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good

Strong and positive relationships exist with other professionals, families and the local police. This ensures that good all-round support is provided to young people to promote their progress. A Youth Offending Officer said, ‘Communication is excellent, it has improved since the new manager has taken up post. I have monthly meetings and regular phone contact and it is the only children’s home where I receive a weekly update. The staff have been really support to X and he is doing well.’

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good

Requirements and recommendations made at the last inspection have been met. The environment has been vastly improved to provide young people with a home that is well maintained, clean and decorated a good standard. All young people have an education placement. Education grades and targets are recorded, which the staff are aware of, to support their learning. The progress of young people is closely monitored and appropriate action taken is to ensure positive progress is being made. Staff records clearly state the training that they have received. Where required staff have received refresher training in safeguarding children, food hygiene, fire safety and first aid. All recruitment checks have been undertaken and recorded for agency care workers prior to them working at the home. The manager has taken immediate action to address all the omissions and deficiencies identified through the homes monitoring systems to bring further improvement to

p.8

good

Young people are cared for by a stable, committed and well trained staff team who provide warm nurturing care which enables young people flourish. Staff say there is regular staff meetings and supervision where they reflect on their practice and the care of the young people. This supports the delivery of consistent care to young people and provides the manager with extra oversight of the quality of care provided.

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good

Young people’s files are well maintained, easy to follow which would enable young people to have a good understanding of their time spent at the home. However, there is no pathway plan for an older individual which is required. This does not ensure that at this time of transition young people have clear plans for their future adulthood.

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good

Monitoring of the service is routinely undertaken by the provider and the Registered Manager, with further supporting auditing undertaken by designated staff within the home. These identify deficiencies and areas for improvement which are promptly addressed to improve quality of care young people receive.

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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

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

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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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