Children's Home run by Partners in Care Limited in Westmorland and Furness

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:

 Children and young people are fully invested in their placements and feel a cohesive sense of ‘family’ and belonging, which enables them to make fantastic progress and form strong trusting relationships.  Education is supported, promoted and celebrated and this encourages young people to participate and achieve within their educational settings.  Young people are effectively helped to address their individual issues and the support they receive is tailored to their needs, this allows them to make exceptional progress across all areas from their starting points.  A positive ethos of trust, respect and accountability is promoted by all staff. Young people respond well to this and develop a good understanding of personal responsibility alongside the capacity to develop respectful and trusting relationships with others.  Young people are healthy. They are supported to understand and fully engage in

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The children's home provision is outstanding because:

their health plans and address their health needs.  A key strength of this home is the recognition of young people’s individuality and providing a bespoke plan to develop and progress each young person. This results in the young people feeling valued for who they are and improves their confidence and self-esteem.  The relationships between staff and young people are trusting, affectionate and highly caring. Young people benefit from knowing that staff really do care about them.  The house feels like a family home, it is a friendly and welcoming environment where young people feel relaxed and can take pride in their home.  Young people’s views are actively sought and acted upon. They feel included and that their wishes and feelings are valued.  Young people’s risk taking behaviours reduce significantly throughout their placement through coordinated risk management strategies and confident planning

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The children's home provision is outstanding because:

to minimize risks.  The home is managed in a highly efficient but very sensitive manner by a manager who has high aspirations for young people and staff alike.

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Information about this children's home

A private organisation operates this children’s home. This service is registered for up to three young people aged between eight and 17 years of age. The home cares for children with emotional and behavioural difficulties.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

30/03/2015 CH - Interim improved effectiveness

p.4

outstanding

The care provided in the home is highly individualised with very good attention to the specific needs of each young person. The impact of this is that the support young people receive is tailored to their needs and gives them the best possible opportunities for progression and development.

p.5

outstanding

Staff provide the young people with a warm, nurturing, caring and positive environment which allows young people to feel valued, respected and loved. This promotes their confidence, self-esteem and identity. Staff have high aspirations for young people and this is communicated to them in an inclusive way which helps them to have high expectations and aspirations for themselves. One young person commented ‘ we care because they care about us.’

p.5

outstanding

All young people make very positive progress and achieve far beyond expected levels. For example one young person made over five years’ progress in an individual area in only one year in education. Young people engage well in health services, education and in respect of their emotional and social wellbeing. Young people sometimes decline to participate in services from external agencies because they feel so well supported by staff at the home. Key worker sessions are meaningful and in depth and young people look forward to having their one to one time to discuss things that are important to them.

p.5

outstanding

For young people who have specific health or behavioural issues a robust approach is taken to ensure that staff and young people are fully educated and supported to manage these. Expertise from external agencies is sought and information and resources are identified in order to best meet the young people’s needs.

p.5

outstanding

There are a range of forums for gathering young people’s views and young people understand that these are not tokenistic, but their views are important and matter. They have a strong voice in the running of the home and in their own plans and this adds to their sense of ownership and accountability within the home.

p.5

outstanding

On a day to day basis young people report very high levels of satisfaction with their experiences. One young person commented ‘I am 100 percent happy here’. External agencies also report that the experiences of young people in this home are exceptional ‘they go the extra mile and put in a lot of effort for each individual’.

p.5

outstanding

Transitions to independence or other establishments are well managed. Young people are very gradually prepared for independence, and this is achieved in a thoughtful and sensitive way, by ensuring that the young person is fully involved in the planning and target setting, whilst still being offered a high level of support and inclusion within the home.

p.5

outstanding

Young people benefit from gradually increased contact in line with their plans. Careful consideration takes place about how best to progress contact and this ensures it’s successful progression.

p.6

outstanding

Risk management elements of care planning are very carefully considered for each young person. There is clear identification of the risks, potential triggers for risk taking behaviours and strategies to minimise or manage risks.

p.6

outstanding

Staff are highly motivated to keep young people safe and work hard with young people to help them to address their risk taking behaviours. Key worker sessions evidence frequent discussions around areas of risk and in identifying proactive ways of supporting young people to manage their own behaviours and reduce their risks.

p.6

outstanding

Physical intervention is rarely used to manage challenging behaviour and when it is it is done so only as a last resort. Any incidents of physical management are thoroughly documented and young people are fully involved in discussion around prevention of further incidents.

p.6

outstanding

Missing from home episodes have dramatically reduced for the young people placed at this home. There has been one extended missing incident and this was managed with very good inter-agency communication and with strict adherence to the procedures. The follow-up work with the young person regarding this incident has involved a multi- agency approach and a pro-active strategy to prevent further missing incidents.

p.6

outstanding

The staff and young people are extensively trained in the risk of child sexual exploitation and this is considered in a number of forums including staff team meetings, young person’s meetings, training, supervision and individual keyworker sessions. This helps staff and young people to better understand the risks and to understand the motivation and behaviour of people who may pose a risk to them.

p.6

outstanding

On-line safety is taken seriously and training, research and ongoing education ensure that young people’s use of the internet and social media is supported in a way that protects them from harm.

p.6

outstanding

Clear and consistent boundaries are in place for all young people and target setting and rewards which the young people are involved in planning help to keep young people’s behaviour positive and motivate them to address any areas where they need to improve. Young people say that the rules are fair and understand that they will be applied consistently.

p.7

outstanding

Safe recruitment practices are utilised to ensure that young people are protected and that all staff at the home are suitable and safe to work with young people.

p.7

outstanding

Young people live in a physically safe environment where all routine checks, risk assessments and safety policies and procedures are rigorously adhered to.

p.7

outstanding

The home is led by an experienced manager who has been in post since July 2014. The manager is working towards the National Vocational Qualification level 5. An experienced deputy manager offers proactive support and brings personal and professional experience to the roll. The staff team are stable and all either have the National Vocational Qualification level 3 or are working towards it.

p.7

outstanding

The staffing team is cohesive, supportive and brings to the home a variety of different skills which are valued and acknowledged by the team. The team work very closely together and have positive relationships which adds to the settled and happy feel to the home. The consistency they offer in their approach greatly benefits the young people and there are positive relationships across the board.

p.7

outstanding

The needs of young people are kept central to all aspects of the running of the home and the management team effectively communicates a child centred methodology to the wider staff team.

p.7

outstanding

There is a clear approach to evaluating the progress that young people make with detailed evidencing of their achievements and development, this ensures that progress is continuous and young people are able to see the progress they are making which motivates them to continue striving to fulfil their potential.

p.7

outstanding

Staff supervision and appraisal are considered important and are used to provide a supportive, developmental environment for staff. External training is sourced for issues that are specific to young people and this helps staff understand and meet young people’s needs in the best way possible. The management team are highly proactive in progressing and developing the home, using research to inform improving and evolving practice. Any shortfalls or weaknesses are quickly identified and effectively addressed through the use of robust monitoring systems.

p.7

outstanding

Young people’s records are of a very high quality and staff are fully invested in maintaining this quality. They are aware that the records will inform the young persons’ understanding of their time in care when they are adults and realise the significance of this.

p.8

outstanding

The home is achieving its aims and objectives as set out in its statement of purpose. The statement of purpose sets out clearly the help and support on offer to children and young people which keeps placing authorities, families and other agencies informed. The young person’s guide provides detailed information in an appropriate way to young people so that they know what to expect when they arrive at the home to commence their placement.

p.8

outstanding

The quality of professional relationships with families, host authorities and other agencies is exceptional. External agencies consistently report high levels of satisfaction with the way they are kept informed of all relevant information and praise the home for good levels of communication. Similarly parents and families of young people report that they are kept very well informed of the young person’s progress and any issues affecting them.

p.8

outstanding

There are no recommendations or requirements made at this inspection. The one recommendation made at the previous inspect in respect of staff qualifications has been met with all staff working towards the relevant qualification.

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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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