Children's Home run by SWAAY Child & Adolescent Services Ltd in Bracknell Forest

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:

 Young people are settled and engaging well with education and therapeutic services while building positive relationships with the staff.  The committed staff have developed positive relationships with the young people and have a genuine concern for their safety and well-being.  Young people feel listened to and believe the staff treat them fairly and respectfully. Young people view the rewards and sanctions as fair and proportionate resulting in no complaints being made.  Young people lead healthy lifestyles, have good attendance at school, and make real progress from their starting points.  Contact arrangements with significant others is supported by staff for young people leading to improved relationships.  There are no incidents of safeguarding involving the young people, they feel safe and protected. Effective behaviour management strategies used by staff allow young people to understand and take ownership for their behaviours.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 Risk assessments are completed which identify the risks to young people and strategies to manage them.  The admission process ensures that young people are placed together without hindering the development or progress of others in the home.  All recommendations from the previous inspections have been met and effective monitoring is in place by the registered manager to ascertain the strengths and areas of improvement to the service.

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Statutory Requirements

This section sets out the actions that 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

In order to meet the positive relationships standard the registered person is required to ensure that all staff;

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Requirement Due date

(2) (v) communicate to each child expectations about the child’s behaviour and ensure that the child understands those expectations in accordance with the child’s age and understanding (Regulation 11 (2)(v)) 19 October

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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 each permanent appointment of an employee is subject to the satisfactory completion of a period of probation. This relates to ensuring that staff probation periods are reviewed in a timely manner. (Regulation 33 (b)).

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Information about this children's home

This section should outline:  SC431799 the service is a two-bedded children’s home registered for boys with emotional and behavioural difficulties.  The home is owned and operated by a private organisation that specialises in the assessment and treatment of male adolescents who have experienced some form of abuse and have subsequently been involved in perpetrating abusive behaviour themselves.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

29/01/2015 CH - Interim sustained effectiveness

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Recent inspection history

28/01/2014 CH - Interim Satisfactory Progress

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good

The young people residing in the home presented as settled and happy, even young people that have been residing at the home for only a short length of time. The young people engage well in education and therapeutic services while developing positive relationships with the staff team. This has led to young people making good progress.

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good

The young people are benefiting from positive interactions with a committed staff team. The team demonstrate to the young people the importance of maintaining appropriate relationships within consistent boundaries. During the inspection, the staff were observed providing young people with appropriate boundaries and guidance that was received well by young people.

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good

The staff team is committed to the care of young people and show a genuine interest in their safety and well-being. The young people are rewarded for their accomplishments and good behaviour. The sanctions given to them by staff are fair, proportionate and understood by the young person. A young person said, ‘when I get a sanction from staff, they explain why and it’s not harsh.’

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good

The records for young people evidence that key working sessions are not taking place on a regular basis as outlined in the statement of purpose. The lack of documentation in this area makes it difficult to gauge the impact that staff have on the progress of young people. The registered manager agrees that improvements are needed to evidence the good work undertaken with young people by all staff.

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good

The health needs of young people are met in accordance with their placement plans as set out by the local authority. All the young people are registered with their local health providers and attend all appointments. Young people enjoy a good healthy lifestyle and do not engage in unhealthy acts such as smoking and drug usage.

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good

Weekly individual and group therapeutic services provide an opportunity for young people to address their historical emotional and behavioural difficulties. The young people undertake a psychometric self-assessment that guides their overall care. They are motivated and develop a gradual understanding of their behaviours with the support of an experienced therapeutic team. A young person said, ‘I like attending therapy and talking through things.’

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good

Good attendance at the educational provision attached to the service has assisted in young people making progress academically. The staff work and communicate with the professionals in education by contributing to personal education plans and attending review meetings on behalf of the young people. This working relationship has allowed consistency to occur for young people at school and while in the home.

p.6

good

Young people know and understand their rights. They believe that their views are essential to daily functioning of the home. The young people appreciate that the independent visitor routinely seeks their views during the monthly visits. Their views are shared at house meetings, handover meetings, and individually to staff and professionals. Records indicate that there have been no complaints by young people and when appropriate their views are acted on. A young person wanted a hamster and has responded to the request by showing responsibility and caring for the pet without concern.

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good

There is a broad range of group and individual activities available to young people that enables them to develop social skills whilst building their self-esteem. Young people actively participated in these activities during the inspection, which were selected by them based upon their interest. These activities included fishing, snooker, and a trip to the beach.

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good

Young people make progress in taking age-appropriate risk by developing their own individual levels of independence in cooperation with staff. The young person submits an application with a desired goal selected and their rationale for wanting to accomplish the goal. The key worker for the young person, therapist and management risk assess the goal and offer their opinions. If the goal is approved a plan of action is put in place that allows the young person to safely engage in their desired goal.

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good

Young people are able to enjoy safe contact arrangements with significant others with the support of staff. Staff ensure that contact arrangements are consistent and offer the young person the best opportunity to develop and maintain existing relationships. In some instances, staff arrange and supervise contact within the home.

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Good

Young people continue to reside in a safe environment, their safety is paramount to staff and management. The safeguarding policy of the home continues to be reviewed and updated by the management team despite there being no reported incidents of safeguarding for young people in this inspection period. All young people expressed that they feel safe inside and outside the home.

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Good

The absence of safeguarding incidents for young people relates directly to the policies in place at the home. These policies consist of 24-hour supervision, adhering to personal space boundaries and no lending and borrowing. The close monitoring of young people based upon their historical concerns has prevented incidents from reoccurring.

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Good

Records indicate that young people have not engaged in incidents of child protection including sexual exploration, absconding or missing from care. The missing from care policy of the home is in line with the local authority and has been signed off by the Chief Inspector for the local police.

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Good

As part of behavioural management for young people, the staff are trained to avoid and remove themselves from situations that normally would result in a physical intervention. This practice along with the policy of respecting personal boundaries has resulted in no physical interventions for young people. The lack of physical interventions assist young people with taking ownership of their behaviours when negative.

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Good

All risks for the young people have been identified and incorporated into their care plans. The risk assessments allow staff to understand what issues could influence and affect the care of young people, the risk is then minimised and managed accordingly. The risk to young people are consistency reviewed by the staff and updated accordingly.

p.8

Good

There is well-organised referral process in place when management receives new referrals for the home. The advance planning ensures that young people are motivated to engage in the services available to offer them the best opportunity to succeed. A thorough assessment known as an impact risk assessment details the risk associated with young people being placed together specifically highlighting any safeguarding issues. If a young person is not compatible with a young person already placed in the home, it is highly unlikely the admission would take place.

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Good

The physical environment of the home continues to be safe and appropriate for young people. The location risk assessment of the home has been updated. The area is considered a low risk for young people based upon the moderate crime rate. Judgement grade

p.8

good

A recommendation was made at the previous inspection regarding the recruitment of staff that previously worked outside of the United Kingdom. The management has met the recommendation. Any potential staff member that previously worked outside the United Kingdom must provide a letter of good conduct from the country they previously worked as part of the recruitment process. This ensures safer recruitment of staff to work with young people.

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good

The recruitment process for new staff is good. In addition to the changes in policy previously mentioned, new staff are effectively recruited by undergoing a recruitment process that includes interviews, DBS checks, reference checks and exploring gaps in employment.

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good

Staff are equipped with the appropriate skills to care for young people resulting in consistency in their care. Staff undertake basic training in the key areas such as safeguarding, behaviour management and first aid. The management is effective in ensuring staff training remains up to date. Records indicate that staff are provided with supervision on a regular basis to discuss their practice strengths and areas of development.

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good

New members of staff who pass their probation periods are provided the opportunity to undertake the required qualification to work within the home. Some staff are currently in the process of undertaking their Level three diploma with an anticipated completion date of later in the year. Some probation periods have not been signed off by managers in a timely way.

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good

The registered manager has been in post for three years. She is qualified, experienced and understands the strengths and weaknesses of the service. The staff consider the registered manager to be fair, and approachable whilst actively engaging with the young people and placing their needs first. All previous recommendations from the last inspection have been met.

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good

Effective monitoring of the service provided to young people is in place and undertaken by the independent visitor and registered manager. Monthly visits by the independent visitor are undertaken consistently, which detail the lives of young people. The monthly reports highlight the progress of young people and offer recommendations to improve the service. The registered manager uses the information to inform the six monthly reporting of the service.

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good

The management regularly reviews the statement of purpose, which clearly outlines the ethos and objectives of the home for young people. A placing social worker said, ‘the package offered by the organisation is very detailed and the combination of residential, education and therapy has had a positive impact on the young person.’

p.9

good

The leadership and management is currently considering a new computer system for the organisation. This will improve record keeping for young people by all staff and allow records to be imputed electronically.

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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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