Children's Home run by Nottingham City Council in Nottingham

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 are cared for by a dedicated and committed staff team. Staff thoroughly enjoy their work with young people. They are motivated by the progress that young people make.  Staff always have young people’s best interests at heart. Young people are completely at the centre of the running of the home.  Staff always ensure that they know where young people are and what they are doing. Young people quickly learn and accept that they should keep in touch with staff when they are out, so that staff can guide and support them.  All aspects of safeguarding are very well considered. Staff training ensures that staff have the skills to improve young people’s knowledge about issues such as e-safety, drug use and radicalisation.  Relationships with family and friends are particularly well considered by staff. They ensure that young people receive as much support as possible to develop positive relationships for their future.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 Young people achieve to their full potential in education and learn about their capabilities and interests.  Despite the registered manager not being present in the home for six months, the interim management arrangements are robust. They ensure that young people are safe, continue to develop, and that there is a momentum of improvement.  The appearance of the home is one area for development. The exterior presentation does not look appealing.

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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 that there is a homely and domestic environment (The Guide to the Quality Standards, page 15 paragraph 3.9)

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Information about this children's home

This home is owned and operated by a local authority. It provides care to two young people 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

01/09/2014 Interim Sustained Effectiveness

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good

Young people are looked after by caring and dedicated staff who understand their needs very well. Very good relationships are developed quickly after admission ensuring that young people can talk to an adult about their problems and worries. The positive relationships enable young people to readily accept help with their difficulties.

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good

Each young person is seen as very individual and care is delivered through a highly personalised care planning process. The home’s statement of purpose is very clear about how staff should deliver care. Care planning effectively leads on from this document, showing that what the home sets out to do actually happens in reality. Staff at the home are very good at evaluating progress and therefore creating further opportunities for development.

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good

Staffing levels ensure that there are extremely regular opportunities for young people to receive high quality support. Young people can explore the reasons for being in care and their family situation, whilst being effectively supported. They also quickly learn about what positive relationships should look like because staff teach them about trust and respect. The positive relationships with staff ensure that young people can experience constructive and supporting relationships.

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good

Staff fully understand that challenging behaviour is displayed for a reason. They seek to find that reason and the route of the problem in consultation with young people. This enables young people to see how their own behaviour can have a negative impact on others and how this may hinder their acceptance into society in the future. There are many examples of staff assisting young people to reflect and think about how their behaviour can be improved. Staff are not afraid to have difficult conversations with young people who display inappropriate behaviours. Therefore, young people are very clear about what is expected of them and are more likely to develop positive behaviour.

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good

Young people are fully able to plan and prepare for adult life and they regularly practice life skills such as cooking, shopping and budgeting. Staff encourage them to fully access education and this makes a difference to their life chances because they attend well. Young people begin to understand and appreciate their own talents. Staff have very high aspirations for them. This empowers them to aim high and gives them the confidence to achieve to their full potential.

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good

Staff are good at supporting young people who are asylum seekers. They receive the help they need to come to terms with their situation and to make as much progress as possible. This increases their readiness to move on, whatever their situation. There is an emphasis on ensuring that English is learned as an additional language. This means that young people can get the most out of their education and express themselves and their views efficiently. Interpreters are used when necessary to make absolutely sure that young people are fully able to understand their situation. One social worker was pleased with this area of work and said, ‘they go out of their way’. In addition, young people quickly learn about how to keep themselves safe in their new environment.

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good

Young people keep in touch with staff very well when they are out of the home. As a result, episodes of missing are few and far between. Where this has happened in the past, staff took effective measures to find and return a young person as quickly as possible. There is a very strong focus on emotional well-being. This is seen as very important in order for young people to develop resilience and a sense of safety. The frequency of self-harm declines because of the staff’s high quality support. Young people learn to talk about their problems and analyse their feelings with staff. This positive approach is instrumental in improvements to young people’s emotional wellbeing. Young people know that staff genuinely care about them because they tell them regularly. This gives them a sense of belonging and significantly increases their confidence. One member of staff said, ‘we always praise her and make her feel special and lovely’.

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good

Safety increases because of the high quality discussions between young people and staff. A robust risk assessment process works extremely well. Young people’s needs are seen as complex and changing. Therefore, planning for care is extremely thorough and individualised. Young people are supported to take proportionate risks to maximise their learning. For example, they develop a good understanding of how to use their free time effectively and safely.

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good

Staff have an extremely good knowledge of individual safety issues and how general aspects of safety in our society might impact on young people. They keep themselves up-to-date and are well trained and informed. They creatively present young people with the information that they need, in a style that works well for the individual. Quizzes, presentations, and the use of internet resources have all helped to engage young people. They understand how to keep themselves safe with regard to radicalisation, e- safety, and sexual health. Staff promote discussion also about personal aspects of safety so that young people have an extremely good understanding of their own sexual health. Young people are not afraid to discuss whatever they want with staff, however personal.

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good

Good working relationships with other professionals ensure that all those involved are working with the most up-to-date information. This allows for action to be taken at the earliest opportunity. Young people are also well included in their risk management plans. Their views are always taken into consideration. They help to evaluate their own safety effectively because they understand their own risks and how they are reducing.

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good

Staff say that young people are safe and young people at the home agree. One staff member said, ‘we safeguard and care well’. There is an open culture in the staff team. Staff are quick to reflect and recognise where safeguarding situations could be handled better. This learning is always shared amongst staff and shows that every opportunity is taken to improve young people’s safety and well-being.

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good

The registered manager has not been available to work in the home for six months. The local authority has ensured that suitable interim management arrangements have been in place. Ofsted has received an application for an additional registered manager to take on the day-to-day management of the home, to ensure stability. The interim manager has the Diploma in Social Work and is very experienced in the management of children’s homes. She has ensured that the management of the home has been very effective and that all young people have made significant progress. She is liked and respected by the staff team and their comments about her performance include, ‘I have noticed a big difference since she came’. A family member also said that the interim manager, ‘is very helpful’, and is, ‘on target’.

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good

Robust quality assurance processes ensure that the home continues to improve. The local authority arranges for independent inspection visits to the home every month. Where there are recommendations for improvement, actions are taken quickly, demonstrating the home’s capacity for improvement. Other aspects of quality assurance work drive further improvement. The management are keen to listen to professionals, carers and young people about the service they receive. Every opportunity is given for young people to contribute to this process. For example, they regularly complete questionnaires so that they can share their views on the performance of staff. These are used in staff supervision to develop practice further. Because the ethos in the home is so open, a relaxed and happy atmosphere is created. Young people enjoy being listened to.

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good

The requirement from the last inspection has been met. Therefore, the continuity of staffing is much improved. The staff team is well established and works very effectively to provide good stability and continuity for young people. This leads to a very settled environment where young people can progress and develop.

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good

The recommendation from the last inspection is also met: training is now well organised. As well as mandatory training, staff complete additional training to ensure that they know how to meet young people’s specific needs. For example, staff have undertaken training in self-harm, drug and alcohol use, and child sexual exploitation. Staff are also able to peruse particular areas of interest so that the team can learn from each other. There is a focus on the latest research on specific issues so that up-to-date approaches can be used. There has been a recent team day where each staff did some research and a short presentation on their particular area of interest. Subjects covered included the pros and cons of video games, sexual health, and the media. There is a feeling of continuous staff development, which motivates and enthuses staff. Staff all say they enjoy their job and it is evident they enjoy their work with young people. One staff member said

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good

that the most positive aspect of the team is, ‘that we love and care well and safeguard young people well’.

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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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