Children's Home run by Resicare Alliance Limited in Birmingham

Outstanding

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

 Young people are kept safe as staff know them well and have a very good understanding about their particular vulnerabilities.  Young people enjoy excellent relationships with staff caring for them. Staff are attentive, diligent and want the very best for the young people in their care. They go above and beyond to ensure young people’s needs are met.  Young people have an excellent quality of life. They enjoy activities at the home and in the community. They are treated with respect and dignity by staff.  The registered manager and staff are innovative in their approach to helping young people express their views and wishes.  The staff team work very well together. The team is led by an experienced registered manager who sets very high standards and ensures young people’s progress is maximised.  Parents and professionals wholeheartedly praise the standard of care received by young people at the home.

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The children's home provision is outstanding because:

 Multi-agency working is highly effective and ensures young people progress in all areas of their lives.  Young people live in a well-furnished, homely, comfortable environment.

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Information about this children's home

The service is operated by a private company and is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to four young people with learning and physical disabilities.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

03/02/2015 CH - Interim Sustained effectiveness

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outstanding

Young people make exceptional progress as a result of living at the home. Parents say, ‘Staff are brilliant, my son has changed so much. He has two homes now – our home and the home he lives in. We are like an extended family’. Another parent said, ‘my son has so many opportunities to do things there that he did not have at home. I am so happy with the care he receives’.

p.5

outstanding

Young people develop warm and trusting relationships with staff. Staff consistency and support means that young people understand what is expected in terms of behaviour. They begin to understand the house rules and that they are there to keep everyone safe. Incidents and physical interventions have decreased and young people benefit from living in a calmer and well-managed environment. They learn to respect each other and their differences. Young people say, ‘I like it here. They are nice to me’.

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outstanding

Staff strive to improve their ability to communicate with young people. A variety of methods are employed to do this, including a significant amount of information being presented pictorially. Young people’s communication has improved since living at the home and staff continually reflect and revise methods in line with young people’s progress. Where possible, young people contribute their views to their statutory reviews. Young people contribute their thoughts and feelings to their review via a staff devised feedback form presented in widget. Young people feel involved and are able to participate in their care planning.

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outstanding

Young people make choices about how to spend their leisure time and choose from a variety of pictures of places they want to go to. Young people benefit from a sensory room in the home which is a relaxing space for them to enjoy. They also help staff construct menus for the week and feel involved and know that staff listen to and value their views.

p.5

outstanding

All young people benefit from full time education. Staff are responsive to young people’s needs. For example, when young people were taken to school by school transport, some would become upset and distressed if the transport was late. Staff have taken responsibility and now take each young person to and from school. This has enabled young people to stay calm.

p.5

outstanding

Young people receive seamless care as staff and school communicate effectively with each other. This is enhanced by home school books each keeping the other informed of positives and any difficulties in the young people’s day. Young people’s health needs are constantly promoted and reviewed. Where one young person was significantly underweight, the situation is improved. Another has lost weight which has improved his health. Young people enjoy a varied, freshly cooked diet where fresh produce and healthy eating is carefully considered.

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outstanding

Young people and staff work together to promote a positive attitude towards eating including being able to wait for meals, and reducing anxiety if meals are delayed. Young people are reassured that their meals are regular and that they can sit together and enjoy them, thereby promoting a harmonious atmosphere during mealtimes.

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outstanding

Young people contribute to the running of the home wherever possible. This includes helping with chores at meal times, cleaning areas of the home and keeping their rooms tidy. Young people develop age appropriate skills that help them move towards increased independence with suitably equipped life skills.

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outstanding

Young people are welcomed to the home through careful planning and matching. The impact of new young people arriving and others leaving is carefully considered by staff in relation to other young people living at the home. This ensures all young people’s emotional welfare needs are met. Where young people are moving on to other planned placements, work is completed with each young person who is leaving and those staying. The information is provided pictorially allowing accessibility and understanding for all young people.

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outstanding

Staff support young people and their families and promote good quality contact. Families say that staff have helped their confidence in relation to managing challenging behaviour. This in turn has improved the quality of contact they have with their child.

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good

Staff know the young people well and have a clear understanding about their vulnerabilities and what they have to do to ensure they stay safe. Risk assessments are regularly reviewed and updated. Young people are safeguarded as staff have strategies in place to minimise risks. Care plans are tailored and understand individual needs and how these can be met over a 24 hour period.

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good

Young people have complex needs and staff ratios ensure that young people are supported throughout the day and stay safe. Some young people have challenging behaviour and staff awareness and understanding of their needs ensure they stay protected. Young people have made significant progress in self-regulating their behaviour since living at the home and incidents have notably decreased. Young people enjoy a calmer atmosphere in their home as they understand the expectations and consistent boundaries implemented by staff.

p.6

good

Where young people have complex health needs, staff work closely with health and other professionals to maintain young people’s optimal health. Staff have received additional training to meet young people’s specific health needs and are confident in undertaking their day to day care. Young people are kept safe as staff recognise early signs of health problems and take appropriate action.

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good

Staff are skilful in understanding young people’s communication ability. Where young people are non-verbal, staff understand how they communicate distress or discomfort and they take necessary action to rectify this. Young people use a variety of communication tools enabling them to let adults know their choices, views and wishes. This includes Makaton, picture exchange symbols and picture boards.

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good

There is a safe and robust system for managing young people’s medication. This contributes to a good standard of care. The registered manager has oversight and audits the records and practice to ensure safety and compliance.

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good

Young people live in a home that is safe and secure. Regular safety checks are undertaken with gas, electric and fire systems to ensure good working order. Young people are familiar with the need for checking fire alarms and completing fire evacuations from time to time. Staff have devised an information sheet for young people which is presented pictorially. This helps them understand about fire risks and promotes their safety.

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good

Young people’s safety is further promoted through the appropriate vetting of staff. This effective and safe recruitment practice means young people are protected from adults who may wish to harm them.

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outstanding

The home is very well managed by an experienced registered manager who is a strong and effective leader of the home. He has been in post for two years and has completed a level 5 diploma in leadership and management.

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outstanding

Young people benefit from a suitably qualified and mixed experienced staff team. Where staff do not have the necessary level 3 diploma qualification, plans are in place for this training to begin. Staff have a thorough induction and say that they feel prepared for working with young people. Staff say that they are well supported through monthly supervisions, annual appraisals and regular staff meetings. The staff reflect on their practice to help improve and promote young people’s welfare. This in turn ensures high standards of care are maintained.

p.7

outstanding

The registered manager ensures staff receive mandatory and additional training to meet individual young people’s needs. For example, autism training. This commitment to learning ensures staff stay knowledgeable and confident in meeting young people’s global needs.

p.8

outstanding

The registered manager remains committed and focussed on the needs of young people. He drives forward the progress of young people by his oversight of their development. Their welfare is promoted by the swift identification and rectification of any shortfalls of information.

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outstanding

Multi-agency working is strong. The registered manager and staff have excellent systems in place to ensure effective liaison with families and professionals. A Social Worker comments, ‘Staff communication with me has been excellent’. An education professional states, ‘The manager is extremely helpful and caring, and he makes things happen’.

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outstanding

Record keeping and file management is well organised, and this means that staff have relevant and updated information about young people in their care. This collaborative approach means that there is clear coordinated support to meet young people’s needs.

p.8

outstanding

The registered manager consistently monitors and self-evaluates the home’s effectiveness to ensure that young people’s needs are fully met. Feedback is sought from young people, their families, visitors and professionals.

p.8

outstanding

Young people benefit as result of the high level of scrutiny and transparency given to monitoring the quality of care they receive. For example, the home’s independent visitor contributes a source of independent scrutiny which the register manager actively uses to drive forward improve.

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outstanding

Young people have positive relationships with neighbours. The home is situated in a quiet, comfortable residential area and young people benefit from living in a large well - furnished and well maintained environment.

p.8

outstanding

There were no requirements and recommendations from the home’s last inspection and this continues to be the case.

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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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