Children's Home run by Compass Children‟s Homes Limited in Calderdale

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 make progress across all aspects of their lives. They feel listened to and valued. The care they are given ensures they become confident and are able to address previous life adversities.  The home provides holistic and responsive care. Staff are highly motivated, dedicated and experienced. They provide care that is individualised, responsive and respectful of each young person.  Young people experience consistent and transparent boundaries that they both adhere to and understand. This is underpinned with nurturing responses from staff that have a genuine interest in their emotional development.  Young people are given timely and appropriate therapeutic input which is embedded into the day to day running of the home. Care is highly thoughtful and outcome focused.  Young people’s welfare is safeguarded and risks well understood by staff. Young people’s previous harmful behaviour significantly reduces whilst

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The children's home provision is good because:

living at the home.  The home is both comfortable and well-equipped. Young people’s individual interests are encouraged and fully supported and they are given opportunity to try new challenges.  Areas for improvement are identified. These do not currently impact upon the welfare of young people.

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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

If the person who is in day-to-day charge of the children’s home proposes to be absent from the home for a continuous period of 28 days or more, the registered person must give notice in writing to HMCI of the proposed absence.

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Requirement Due date

(2) Except in the case of an emergency or unforeseen absence, a notice under paragraph (1) must –

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Requirement Due date

(a) be given no later than one month before the proposed absence

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Requirement Due date

commences, or within such shorter period as may be agreed with

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Requirement Due date

(b) specify with respect to the proposed absence –

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Requirement Due date

(iii) the arrangements which have been made for running the home

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Requirement Due date

(iv) the address, name and qualifications of the person who will be

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Requirement Due date

responsible for the home during the absence; and

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Requirement Due date

(v) in the case of the absence of the registered manager, the

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Requirement Due date

arrangements that have been, or are proposed to be, made for

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Requirement Due date

appointing another person to manage the home during the

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Requirement Due date

absence, including the proposed date by which the appointment

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Requirement Due date

is to be made (Regulation 48, (1)) 11/09/2015 The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if-

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Requirement Due date

(e) there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered

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Requirement Due date

person considers to be serious (Regulation 40, (3) (e)). 11/09/2015

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further the service should take account of the following recommendation(s):  The review should enable the registered person to identify areas of strength and possible weaknesses in the homes care which will be captured in the written report (page 65, paragraph 15.4, The Guide to the Quality Standards). With particular reference to the homes development plan being child-focused in its outcomes.

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Information about this children's home

The home is privately owned and is registered to provide care for up to 5 children with emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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good

Young people experience positive and affirming relationships with staff. They feel that staff care about them and listen to them. The environment of the home provides a high level of stability and young people are successfully encouraged to develop good routines and healthy life styles. All young people attend school regularly. There are high expectations from staff for young people to achieve and make successful transitions into young adulthood.

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good

The security that young people enjoy enables them to positively engage with the therapeutic care which is offered. They are able to discuss their previous life experiences and as a result they grow in self-awareness. One young person commented, ‘They’ve helped me see – it’s been a massive difference – helped me understand why I was doing what I was doing.’ This helps young people make positive changes in their behaviours. Complex behaviours are positively addressed within a structured framework that young people understand.

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good

Engaging young people quickly and achieving their commitment is a particular strength of the home. One social worker commenting on the progress a young person has made commented, ‘It has been a bit of surprise to everyone – he is thriving in placement – he is engaging in positive activities, whereas before he was busy using substances. He use to look pale and gaunt – but now he has put weight on, looks brighter in himself – he has also engaged in the therapeutic side – for the first time he has opened up. One of the first things he said to me is that he feels safe.’

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good

Through living at the home young people positively develop self-worth and self- respect. They grow in confidence and learn to negotiate relationships. Young people adhere to the boundaries and expectations that are in place and understand the planning that is made on their behalf. One young person reflecting on the care he is given said, ‘They respect us and we respect them. It’s a really good place to live.’

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good

Young people are emotionally supported to face the challenges of being in care and their need to change harmful behaviours. One Independent Reviewing Officer commented, ‘He is reflecting on previous behaviours and being challenged whilst also being supported through this work….the emotional support to X in placement is robust.’

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good

Young people are regularly consulted both individually and as a group in decisions that affect the running of the home. Their meetings not only address choice over activities and menu planning, but separate meetings also focus on issues that arise from group living. These meetings provide opportunity for young people to celebrate achievements and develop skills in resolving any difficulties they may have with each other. One young person commenting on the culture in the home commented, ‘We’ve worked out if we work together we get more – like time on the x-box, we share it.’ Another young person said, ‘The staff help us to resolve any problems.’

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good

Young people enjoy group and individual activities such as cinema, kick-boxing, gym, pool and snooker. They are also encouraged to take-part in more physically and mentally challenging events such as walking up Snowdon, runs for charity and outward bound residential breaks. All the young people positively commented on this recent trip with several saying, ‘I loved it.’ Success in these activities compliments and reinforces the emotional and social growth young people make.

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good

Planning for young people prior to admission is thorough and carefully assessed. Those new to the home say they were made to feel welcome and that they had positive experiences of being supported. One young person commented ‘Staff helped me through this move.’ These positive early experiences help young people to form trusting relationships with staff. Young people are given practical and emotional help to maintain contact with people who are important to them.

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good

The safety of young people is a central concern of the staff at the home. The complex behaviours and histories of the young people placed forms the basis of individualised risk assessments and care plans. Risk assessments are written by therapists and adhered to by the staff. They are regularly reviewed in light of progress and plans towards greater independence. Young people develop insight into the risks as a result of the therapeutic interventions and good quality daily care they receive. They work with staff to progress through incremental stages towards self-management.

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good

Young people become increasingly safer in the choices they make and the thinking which underpins negative choices. Expectations of behaviour are made explicit by the staff and are understood by the young people. From their starting points young people make good progress. Previous behaviours include frequent incidents of missing from home, child sexual exploitation, harmful behaviours towards others and regular drug and alcohol misuse. Other than one short incident of missing from home, these behaviours no longer feature as an aspect of their lives. Information regarding risk is shared with other professionals in a timely manner. Reports are both focused and detailed. Challenging behaviour is managed on an individual and group basis. Sanctions are rarely employed. Positive goal setting, emotional support and discussion are successfully used to promote self-awareness and positive behaviour. One young person was particularly proud that he had

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good

successfully stopped smoking whilst on contact. This was rewarded with a ticket to a music festival.

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good

Young people say they feel safe and are safe living at the home. They say they trust the staff who help them resolve any difficulties they may have, including living with the other young people. Bullying does not occur in this home.

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good

Although safeguarding young people in all other respects is both focused and carefully assessed, the Registered Manager did not notify Ofsted of a concern which he considered serious. Although this is a breach of regulation it has not impacted on the welfare of young people.

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good

There is currently no Registered Manager in post. Management of the home is being effectively carried out by the two senior staff members. This is with the close support and supervision of the responsible individual and two Registered Managers from other homes. The seniors and staff feel well supported in their roles and have sufficient experience and qualifications. Appointment of a manager has taken place and they are due to take up post imminently.

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good

Notification was not made to Ofsted however regarding the departure of the previous manager, nor the plan outlining how management functions of the home were to be carried out. This is a breach of regulations but has not impacted on the care of young people.

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good

Young people at the home are central to decision-making, staff recruitment and resources that are made available. Careful consideration is given to activities, programmes of intervention and general running of the home. This strong focus on young people’s individual needs ensures that all young people make good progress from their starting points.

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good

Staff are cohesive and committed to the young people they care for. They are regularly supervised and given daily access and support from an on-site therapist who is integral to the home. They make good use of efficient administration systems which allow staff to spend a greater percentage of time with young people. Staff benefit from good quality training experiences that ensure they have the right skills and knowledge base to fulfil their roles. This is further supported by team meetings which are child-focused and individually review the changing needs of each young person. Focused communication between all staff about the needs of the young people is a strength of the home.

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good

Quality of care is regularly reviewed by managers. The progress of young people and striving for continuous improvement in the care provided is a central concern. Although most aspects of oversight are thorough, the homes development plan does not outline nor focus its outcomes on young people.

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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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