Children's Home run by The St Christopher School in Southend on Sea

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:

 Staff know young people and their complex care needs well and individualised care plans reflect this.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 Relationships between staff and young people are warm, respectful and positive.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 The highly skilled staff group is stable, consistent and committed to providing good experiences for young people.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 The home is bright, welcoming and maintained to a high standard. Thought and care has gone into the every aspect of the environment.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 Staff have high aspirations for young people, who are encouraged and enabled to contribute to the running of the home and their own care.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 Young people make progress in developing self-care and social skills and staff recognise and encourage success.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 Young people have access to activities and pastimes in the home and local environment that may otherwise prove difficult.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 Individualised positive behaviour plans are in place for each young person, are of high quality and used on a daily basis.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 Good communication with other agencies is open and of a high standard, ensuring relevant information to a young person’s care is shared.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 There is a lack of clarity for new staff about safeguarding procedures and policies.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 The manager has not updated the statement of purpose to reflect current regulations.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 Staff have not consistently updated care plans and risk assessments.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 Reports to parents about incidents of restraint are not always comprehensive.

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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

The registered person must keep the statement of purpose under review and, where appropriate, revise it. (Regulation 16 (3)(a)) 16/11/2015

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Requirement Due date

In order to meet the protection of children standard, with particular reference to safeguarding procedures, the registered provider must ensure that staff: 2 (a) (vii) are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home's child protection policies. 16/11/2015

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further the service should take account of the following recommendation(s):  Ensure staff continually and actively assess the risks to each child and the arrangements in place to protect them, with particular regard to placement plans and children's risk assessments (The Guide to the Quality Standards, page 42, paragraph 9.5)  Ensure staff seek to develop the home's effective working relationships with each child's placing authority and with other relevant persons, particularly parents and family members. (The Guide to the Quality Standards, page 52, paragraph 10.3)

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Information about this children's home

This home is a purpose-built residential short-break facility for six children and young people with learning and physical disabilities. It is run by a charitable organisation.

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Information about this children's home

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Information about this children's home

09/12/2014 CH - Interim Sustained effectiveness

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Good

A stable and consistent staff group, who know the young people very well, deliver a high level of individualised care. Therefore, young people develop warm and trusting relationships with staff and look forward to their stays. Parents of a young person who has been staying for many years said: ‘We are completely confident that our child is both safe and happy every time he stays; he thinks of staff as his friends.’

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Good

Every aspect of the environment has been considered and adapted to meet the specific needs of the young people who use this service; the home is bright, warm and welcoming. It is exceptionally clean and well maintained and there are good quality furnishings and fittings in bright attractive colours throughout. Rooms are spacious with en-suite facilities. They are personalised with preferred bed linen, pictures and personal possessions prior to the young people arriving.

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Good

Staff offer young people alternative ways to communicate their wishes and feelings if they are non-verbal. Picture exchange communication aids are visible and used widely throughout the home, aiding young people to have their voices heard.

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Good

Staff have high aspirations for young people, who, regardless of ability are encouraged and enabled to do things for themselves. Staff recognise and celebrate all achievements, from cooking a meal to the simplest of tasks. They seek to find creative ways to enable all young people to contribute and achieve. As a result, young people make progress with their self-care and social skills, thereby increasing their confidence and self-esteem. Parents consistently said that their children had become more independent since coming to this home. As a result, young people are better prepared and equipped for the possibility of moving to semi-independent living.

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Good

Young people are able to continue to access their education provision during their stay and staff have good communication links with education staff. Some young people attend the onsite school with which the home shares some facilities.

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Good

The home is well equipped for activities, with an art and craft room, electronic games and television room and soft play centre. Work has started on a sensory room. Young people are able to access a wide range of facilities on site, including a swimming pool, bicycle track and sports hall. Staff regularly arrange activities and outings within the local community and surrounding area. Young people are able to access and enjoy experiences that they may otherwise not be able to.

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Good

Staff undertake detailed risk assessments for every young person, taking account of potential hazards, both in the home and the wider community. Each assessment identifies and grades specific risks and details strategies to minimise dangers. Staff have not updated some assessments frequently enough to take account of changes. Work is ongoing in relation to assessing specific locations visited for any particular risk, as recommended at the last inspection.

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Good

Each young person has their own positive behaviour plan. The plans provide a clear picture of each individual and how they like to be treated, offering strategies to best to manage behaviour. These are personalised with a photograph, laminated and placed on bedroom doors. Young people understand what is expected and the plans act as a reminder of expectations. Staff display additional safety information where appropriate. For example, one young person has a new electronic wheelchair and information about how to use this safely is clearly on show when he stays. In addition, each young person has their own personal evacuation plan.

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Good

Young people do not go missing from this home. The complex needs of the young people mean they are vulnerable to high levels of risk. Managers mitigate risks through the staffing ratios, levels of supervision and their insightful knowledge of each young person.

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Good

The staff group is stable and consistent and on the rare occasions when additional staffing is required, only regular bank staff known to the young people are used.

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Good

The manager carefully considers the grouping of young people visiting the home at any one time. Staff consider the needs of each individual and planning is careful to ensure that the mix of personalities and behaviour does not increase the likelihood of challenging behaviour. The registered manager considers an emergency placement only if the young person is known to them. This helps to maintain the safety and wellbeing of young people already staying.

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Good

Sanctions and restraint are sometimes used; staff record this clearly but do not share details of incidents of restraint thoroughly enough with parents and carers.

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Good

Safeguarding procedures and policies are in place and understood by the majority of staff. In one instance however, new staff did not receive a comprehensive safeguarding induction prior to undertaking their role. This meant they were not immediately clear about the procedures to follow.

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Good

The registered manager is experienced in working with children with disabilities and has completed an NVQ Level 5 in Management and Social Care. Her staff describe her as ‘leading by example’. A very confident and competent assistant manager with many years’ experience supports her. The staff group are extremely skilled and very knowledgeable. They are highly motivated and committed to offering young people the best possible experience when they stay. Staff are ambitious for young people and enable and encourage them to achieve.

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Good

All staff regularly undertake relevant training, to both increase and refresh their knowledge and skills. They receive regular professional supervision from both the registered manager and a qualified counsellor. The manager and staff recognised that additional supervision, provided by a professional outside of the team would be of benefit to staff and offer a new dimension to practice and staff development

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Good

The views of parents and other professionals are extremely positive about the service. One referring social worker said: ‘I only have good things to say, they are fantastic. The flexibility they offer is second to none. I just wish all services we use could be as good.’ Parents and colleagues from other agencies unanimously described communication with the home as ‘excellent.’ Clear written reports are available to parents and carers after every stay and staff attend all meetings and reviews, which often take place in the provision.

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Good

Staff obtain feedback from parents and carers in the form of questionnaires, seeking their views about the service offered. Staff have designed a pictorial questionnaire to gain young people’s views and suggestions. Information gathered then informs the home’s ongoing development plan. Staff seek young people’s views wherever possible. One parent said: ‘Our son’s view is included in every aspect of what happens when he is here, he feels very safe and always listened to.’

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Good

Managers have not updated the statement of purpose in line with new regulations but consistently meet the aims and objectives of the existing document. Staff are not all aware of the content or purpose of the document.

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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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