Children's Home run by Cambian Childcare Limited in Herefordshire

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 is an experienced registered manager. She has significantly improved leadership, organisation, and consistency in staff practice and staff support since starting in post in April 2015.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 The new staff team has been stable since appointmet at the beginning of 2015. They are well qualified and have a range of previous work experience. They are effectively working to meet the identified needs of young people.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 The regional team, registered manager and staff team have successfully stabilised this service. They have identified and effectively addressed previous shortfalls. They have supported young people whose needs could no longer be met by the service, to move on.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 The young person in placement is making excellent progress. He is now in fulltime mainstream education and making good academic progress. He socialising and an active member of a number of school and community based clubs. The progress he has made means that he is now ready to move on in-line with his local authority plan.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 Young people have not consistently had return interviews carried out by an independent person when they have been missing from care. Although this is not the responsibility of the home, staff need to be more proactive in challenging partners to carry out this important piece of work.

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What does the children's home need to do to improve?

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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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 each child has an independent return interview following every missing from care incident. (The Guide to the Quality Standards, page 45, paragraph 9.30)

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Information about this children's home

This is a privately operated children’s home. It provides care and accommodation for four young people with emotional and behavioural difficulties up to the age of 18 years old.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

06/01/2015 CH - interim Sustained effectiveness

p.5

Good

Young people make good progress and are supported by a staff team who effectively meet their needs. The new registered manager quickly identified that some young people’s needs had changed. The staff team supported them to move onto services that could better meet those needs. Where necessary the responsible individual and registered manager provided robust challenge to placing authorities to ensure moves took place.

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Good

In the interim, although there were challenging incidents of self-harm and sexualised behaviour, the new, more experienced staff team effectively managed these. Young people maintained their educational placements and positive partnership work with medical professionals saw a reduction in the use of medication.

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Good

Since June 2015, there has been one young person living at the home. He has excellent relationships with staff. He is able to identify each of their key strengths which he clearly values. Staff are effectively influencing him and increasing his opportunities and horizons. He can identify the progress he has made: ‘I am settled and my behaviour has improved. I have had the best ever summer’. He is leading a healthy lifestyle, exercising and participating in physical activities through after school clubs, evening, and weekend activities. His mainstream school attendance has increased from 46% to 95%. He is participating in school events such as sports day and the latest school production. He has formed friendships through education and clubs, which have result in additional social opportunities such as invites to birthday parties. He is a regular member of Scouts and, during the summer holiday, successfully went on a camping holiday.

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Good

Staff celebrate, support and build on his experiences. They volunteer at school, participate in sports days, and attend school performances. They introduce age- appropriate play that promotes his current learning needs. They encourage him to develop his interests, for example, they have extended fishing trips to include overnight expeditions.

p.6

Good

Young people and their families are valued and listened to. Young people are actively involved in the life of the home. They choose activities, plan menus and chose furniture and decor. The young person during the inspection was excited about the arrival of two new computers. He helped find a suitable computer desk, went out to purchase it, and then built it. The staff team have good insight into particular needs of young people living a long way from home and promote family relationships. Staff provide transport and supervision where necessary. They are good at ensuring visits take place and are successful.

p.6

Good

Staff help young people to move on and out from the home in line with their plans. They encourage learning about age-appropriate life skills as part of the home’s normal routine to support these transitions. Young people see this as a normal part of the day, as well as being enjoyable. The young person was proud to show me photos of recent fishing catches. ‘I can now gut a fish and cook it. I bake it in the oven with some lemon.’ Staff also promote independence and were very proud that over the summer holiday the young person had successfully attended and enjoyed a week’s outdoor activity holiday on his own.

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Good

When young people go missing from care, they are not receiving return interviews from their local authorities. Although the organisation has put in place its own independent interview process, this cannot replace a visit completed by the young person’s local authority.

p.7

Good

Since the last inspection, two young people have moved on from the home. Prior to them leaving, the newly appointed registered manager and staff team introduced new routines and strategies which clearly identified risks and how to reduce them. Staff ensured they worked in partnership with external agencies when they went missing from care. They undertook work with young people to ensure they understood the risks they took by going missing. As a result, there was a significant reduction in incidents and there have been no missing from care incidents since February 2015.

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Good

Behaviour is now well managed and there was a significant reduction in the use of physical interventions and consequences before the two young people moved on. Since June 2015, there have been no physical interventions. Staff use incentives, positive relationships and role modelling, rather than consequences, to achieve positive outcomes.

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Good

Young people learn to socialise and communicate emotions effectively. Staff support them to develop coping strategies. One young person struggled in education and staff supported him in school on a daily basis before gradually withdrawing. His virtual school education adviser stated: ‘Over time the young person has settled very well in the school and at his last review it was noted that there had been no seriously disruptive behaviours for some months. This improvement reflects the work done by the school and the home in assisting the young person to feel secure and able to contribute to the life of the school.’

p.7

Good

Managers and staff manage safeguarding allegations robustly. There is good awareness of whistle-blowing procedures. Any investigations have been carried out effectively to protect young people. Where necessary, staff are suspended pending the outcome of an investigation. There has been, and continues to be, close and effective work with the local authority’s designated officer. Internal investigations into staff practice have demonstrated rigor and safeguarded young people at all times.

p.8

Good

The home’s environment is safe, welcoming, and homely. Previous damage to the home has been repaired and areas of the home that were tired and worn have been revamped. The register manager and staff team have involved young people in this process and everyone is proud of what they have achieved.

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requires improvement

The home has had some changes of manager. The previous registered manager resigned in January 2015. The first post holder after this did not stay long enough to register with Ofsted. The current registered manager has been in post since April 2015, but was supporting the previous manager prior to taking up the post.

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requires improvement

The registered manager holds a level 5 diploma in leadership in children and young people health and social care. She also has both the NVQ 4 in health and social care and in leadership and management. In addition, she has substantial relevant experience, including previous registered managerial positions in outstanding residential childcare.

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requires improvement

Internal and independent monitoring reports demonstrate that the registered manager has a strong understanding of the service’s shortfalls, where improvements need to be made, and how these are going to be achieved.

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requires improvement

She has successfully achieved the actions she identified in her initial action plan. She has developed and supported a staff team recruited at the beginning of 2015 to strengthen the service. They have excellent understanding of the individual needs of the young people at the home and the reasons which underlie certain behaviour.

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requires improvement

There are good systems which enable the registered manager and staff to assess the impact of their care and support on the progress young people make. Staff take pride in seeing the young people develop and progress. Staff are appropriately qualified and have a wide range of experience. They are supported to develop their practice through structured team meetings and regular supervision, both of which enable them to reflect on their practice, discuss how well the young people are progressing, and provide challenge.

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requires improvement

There are some good relationships with partner agencies. All are positive about the quality of communication and commitment of the new registered manager and staff team to the progress of young people. A headmaster stated: ‘Staff changes were put in place which enabled the young person to build very positive relationships with different members of staff. The registered manager’s leadership of the home has shown skill and passion to encourage staff to be pro-active in their approach with the young person. He has the opportunity to ‘play’ and discuss his feelings in a secure environment. Information is now regularly passed on between the home and school, and staff participate in the life of the school at fund raising events and sports day. For the young person, this has meant his education has been constant and supported by staff members at the home. He has made some steady progress as a result.’

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requires improvement

Overall, the current registered manager and staff team have demonstrated to the home’s monthly visitor, placing social workers and the regulator, Ofsted, that the home has improved significantly and has the capacity to sustain and extend that improvement.

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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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