Children's Home run by Leeds City Council in Leeds

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:

 This is a new home. It has adopted an exciting new innovative approach; Multisystemic Therapy – Family Integrated Transitions (MST-Fit) in the delivery of care and support to children and young people who are central to how the home operates; a model that staff are enthusiastic and committed to deliver on. They work closely with families both prior to admission and after discharge to facilitate their successful return home.  When young people do go missing staff are proactive in ascertaining their whereabouts. They will continually go out looking for them and knock on doors and telephone known associates, this demonstrates staff’s commitment to safeguard young people.  The trusting relationships that young people have with staff has enabled them to share what they have been doing while they have been missing. This has enabled staff to be proactive in addressing safeguarding concerns.  The staff team take pride and are confident in their work. They are highly

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The children's home provision is good because:

committed and enthusiastic to ensure the success of the MST-Fit model. They have regular training and updates to enable them to review and learn lessons from each placement.

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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 notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if- (b) an incident requiring police involvement occurs in relation to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40 (4) (b)) 01/11/2015 The education standard. 8.-(1) The education standard is that children make measurable progress towards achieving their educational potential and are helped to do so. (2) In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure- (a) that staff- (i) help each child to achieve the child’s education and training targets, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans; 01/11/2015

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Information about this children's home

This local authority children’s home is registered to accommodate four children and young people with emotional and behavioural difficulties.

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good

As this is a new home working with a totally new approach to caring for children and young people; the home is still trying to establish a referral system that will best meet children, young people and their family’s needs. The approach is heavily reliant on the commitment from children, young people and their families to engage fully with the ethos. Occasionally some young people have not been able to fully commit to this and have moved onto alternative provisions. However, when young people and their families do make this commitment it has enabled the young person to return to live at their home. The on-going support the family receive from the MST-Fit team has been fundamental to the continued success of the return home. Social workers speak highly of the support young people receive, one said, ‘I feel that he has gained from the experience. He has seen professionals who are ready to fight for him; those messages are beneficial to him. He will have

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good

Each young person has an individual care plan setting out their needs. The use of the ‘My Plan’ ensures that young people’s wishes and feelings are incorporated into their plan. For example, a young person wanted regular contact with their brothers and sisters. The staff supported the young person to access children’s rights who advocated on their behalf and regular contact with young person’s family was organised. This has enabled the staff to work with some of these family members who are co-operating with the home. This promotes young people’s well-being and promotes their sense of belonging.

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good

The MST-Fit model that has been adopted by the home is heavily reliant on building trusting and meaningful relationships with young people. In the main the home has been very successful at this. Sessions are held with young people following any incident; these sessions enable young people to reflect on their feelings and behaviours and support them to identify alternative strategies. These have proved very effective and empower young people to take control of their behaviours and builds on their self-esteem. The MST-Fit approach incorporates working with families. Positively, parents commend the staff who have also given them the tools to work more effectively with their children when they return home.

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good

Young people enjoy living in this well maintained home. Any damage is quickly rectified with young people being involved in reparation. Young people are encouraged to develop their self-help skills. For example, they maintain their personal space, undertake their laundry and help with meal preparation. A young person was very proud of their culinary skills saying they can even make ravioli.

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good

The Statement of Purpose emphasises the need for appropriate education provision in order for young people to maximise their potential. Although staff work tirelessly to support young people with their education; the amount of missing from care events that young people present affects their educational attendance. These young people were admitted to the home with this history and the staff have worked hard to identify alternative educational providers that would better suit their needs. However, their lack of regular full-time education impacts negatively on their life opportunities.

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good

Young people are protected by staff who have an excellent understanding of safeguarding issues. Risk assessments identify potential dangers and strategies are in place to minimise the risk. Young people say they feel safe. Incidents of bullying are well managed and staff work hard to build positive relationships between the young people.

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good

Staff recognise the vulnerabilities of the young people who could be at risk of child sexual exploitation, although there is no evidence of this currently. Internet access is limited although systems are in place to ensure young people do not access inappropriate sites.

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good

The Registered Manager has systems in place to ensure that there are robust recruitment practices in place to ensure that young people are cared for by suitable people.

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good

There have been a number of incidents where young people go missing or have unauthorised absences. This behaviour was present prior to admission. Staff are vigilant in their duty to protect the young people and to this end will go out searching for them, knocking on doors where they think they may be and telephoning friends and family. The home has also supplied a phone to the brother of one of the young people in order to remain in contact. Following incidents of a young people going missing staff have a work session with them. The trusting relationships young people have with staff enabled them to share what they were doing while away from the home. One such occasion raised further safeguarding concerns which have been shared with other professionals and acted upon appropriately to safeguard all concerned.

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good

Clear, consistent boundaries support young people to manage their behaviours. Young people respond positively to the effective use of an incentive scheme, which helps them to modify their behaviours. A few restraints have been used, usually to protect young people in conflict with each other. These are all recorded appropriately. The home implements a restorative approach to minimise the use of sanctions and enables young people to reflect on their behaviours.

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good

This is a newly registered home which has adopted an innovative approach to support children, young people and their families. It is a well-managed home with the Registered Manager undertaking the level 5 qualification in leadership and management. She holds a degree in exercise science and a National Vocational Qualification at level 3 in the care of young people. She has been a deputy manager for three years and has been a Registered Manager since February 2015.

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good

The staff team speak highly of the manager’s passion for the MST-Fit approach which they all share. The enthusiasm of the staff team is tangible; they are all highly committed to ensure the success of this model. The staff team have fully embraced the ethos of the approach which puts children and young people at the centre of their practice and aim to ensure that they achieve their full potential. The staff team are well supervised and access good training opportunities. They have regular sessions to keep under review the MST-Fit approach. This ensures that they all have a good understanding and are able to reflect on their practice. The staff team has a good gender balance and reflects the ethnic diversity of the city.

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good

This is the first such establishment in the country adopting this model. This is still very early days and the staff are learning from each placement that has not achieved what was initially intended. The Registered Manager is aware of the strengths being the skilled staff team who embrace the MST-Fit model and provide effective support to young people. Professionals working with the home speak highly of the staff’s enthusiasm in embracing the MST model. They say, ‘We work together and share information, this ensures a consistent approach is maintained when working with families.’ Other colleagues have nominated the team for a number of awards in recognition of the hard work the staff team have undertaken.

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good

The Statement of Purpose is a comprehensive document informing interested parties what the home has to offer young people.

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good

Notifications have not been sent to Ofsted in a timely fashion. This does not enable the regulatory body to take prompt action if required. However, this does not negatively impact on the welfare of the 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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