Midmeadows

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:

 The registered manager has a clear vision for the development of the service and how it meets the needs of young people. She and her staff team work effectively in partnership with families, placing authorities and external professionals. They advocate strongly on behalf of young people and give robust challenge where necessary. The registered manager also advocates strongly on behalf of the service and as a result continues to successfully drive up standards.  Young people make good progress from their starting points because the service is tailored to their needs. A key strength of this staff team is the strong relationships they build up with young people. These relationships form an excellent platform for young people to progress in other areas of their lives.  Young people are experiencing positive academic outcomes. Staff have effective professional relationships with schools and colleges. They promote the

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The children's home provision is good because:

importance of attendance and progress. They celebrate participation in trips and activities, friendships, exam and interview outcomes. They support with visiting schools and colleges, researching courses, buying equipment, transport and homework.  Young people are safe. They have resilient relationships with staff, in whom they confide. Staff are non-judgemental and listen. Young people know that staff will appropriately share information to ensure they remain safe. Young people state that staff are ‘fair’. They set high expectations and ensure ‘all relationships are respectful and will not allow nasty language or upsetting behaviours’.  The young people and staff team are proud of the home they live in. They are all actively involved in purchasing furniture and items for the home. Choosing paint colours and wallpaper and decorating rooms. Also maintaining the garden. As a result they live in warm, friendly welcoming environment which is very

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Information about this children's home

This is a privately operated children’s home. It provides care and accommodation for four 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

07/01/2015 CH - Interim Improved effectiveness

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good

Young people make good progress because they are supported by a staff team who effectively identify and meet their individual needs. As a result, young people successfully move onto placements in line with their plans, or in line with new assessments of need.

p.5

good

Staff form meaningful relationships with young people who have often experienced a succession of relationship breakdowns or placement changes. These stable reassuring relationships prepare them to move on; for example, into a foster placement. They also allow young people to share important information in confidence. As a result, the staff team help them resolve issues and manage sensitive problems such as health concerns. A social worker stated: ‘The young person had been so badly let down. The staff team have had to work very hard to build his trust in them. They have had to be very resilient but they have been successful.’

p.5

good

Young people and external professionals say skills of the staff team and registered manager are a key strength of this service. A social worker stated: ‘The staff team were really good to work with. They were always professional and the needs of the young person were always at the centre of their practice. There was a full psychological assessment of need at the point of placement. The staff team were always very clear of his emotional needs and worked hard to meet them. As a result he really thrived. He developed excellent relationships with staff. This was his longest placement with the most stability.’

p.5

good

Young people lead healthy lifestyles, exercising and participating in physical activities through football clubs, gym membership, evening and weekend activities. School attendance and academic success is good. For example, one young person has moved into fulltime mainstream education. Another young person, went through interview and achieved the exam grades he required to successfully start his chosen college course. Another young person has had one of his poems published in a book.

p.5

good

Staff support young people to develop and build on their experiences. They purchased a suit and hired a ‘stretch limo’ for a young person’s school ‘prom’. His key-worker supported him to write his prom speech. They plan activities that promote educational and cultural development. For example, a trip to the Royal Welsh Show this summer resulted in the young people developing their knowledge of food. They visited the food hall which involved lots of food tasting and participation in a bush tucker trial. The young person and staff discussed how he found the bugs tasted better than the wasabi popcorn he also tried. Staff have also supported a young person to visit colleges, research courses and successfully attend interviews.

p.5

good

Staff value young people’s backgrounds, diversity, families and friends. They have good insight into particular needs of young people living a long way from home. Family relationships are promoted by staff who ensure visits take place and are successful. There is good recognition that for some young people moving to a rural community is a very different and new experience that may be difficult to cope with. Staff support young people to remain in contact with their home area. They also support them to experience new communities. For example, going to Birmingham Gay Pride celebrations.

p.6

good

Staff effectively support young people to develop the skills they require to move on from the home. These are appropriate to their age and individual future plans. Household tasks and independence skills are part of a normal day’s routine. Staff and young people undertake them alongside each other to make them enjoyable. As a result all young people can cook meals from scratch. Some young people have learnt to use public transport to visit friends and family and another young person has learnt to appropriately store and administer his medication.

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good

One young person has successfully moved on from the home to live nearer his friends and family. Staff expressed how proud they were when he: ‘researched new college placements and managed to transfer his plumbing course to a college near his new home with minimal support from staff’. The young person is pleased to be back in his home area but remembers the home fondly stating: ‘The best times were all the times we had a laugh and a joke. Also when all staff and young people went to Alton Towers.’

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good

The registered manager and staff team have established routines and strategies which clearly identify potential risks for individual young people and how to reduce them. They successfully help young people understand behaviours such as making false allegations or using illness to avoid situations. They identify patterns and give them new language and tools to express their emotions and manage stressful situations.

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good

Missing from home incidents have significantly reduced since new appropriately matched and assessed young people have moved into the home. Staff work effectively in partnership with external agencies when young people do go missing from care, but these incidents are rare and more recently have happened while young people have been on family contact. Staff work with young people to ensure they understand the risks they take by going missing. The police missing from care co-ordinator stated: ‘The staff have worked hard over the last year and have improved on their policy with regards to missing persons. I have personally met the manager on numerous occasions and we have a good working relationship.’

p.6

good

Behaviour is well managed and young people learn to socialise and communicate emotions effectively. Staff support them to develop coping strategies. A social worker stated: ‘The young person’s plan within the home, his activities and personal development are monitored and adjusted in accordance with his progress. He is offered time to reflect following periods of challenging behaviour and he is provided with consistent boundaries and emotional support. Despite frequent outbursts, staff are non-judgemental in their approach and their relationship with the young person is unchanging.’

p.7

good

The registered manager has good oversight of staff practice and monitors patterns of behaviour and strategies to reduce incidents. For example, she is currently working with staff to reduce the number of consequences used and ensure they record positive rewards.

p.7

good

Managers and staff manage safeguarding allegations robustly. Any investigations have been carried out effectively to protect young people. There has been, and continues to be, close and effective work with the local authority’s designated officer and placing authorities. Internal investigations into staff practice have demonstrated rigor and safeguarded young people at all times. The outcomes of external investigations have been used to inform risk assessments and review if the home can continue to meet the needs of young people. Where specialist external intervention is needed, the staff team work in partnership with the placing authority. They have increased staffing and ensured placements remain stable until a new service is identified and a planned move can take place.

p.7

good

The young people, registered manager, and staff are very proud of their home and garden. It is a safe, welcoming and very homely environment.

p.7

good

The experienced registered manager has been in post since February 2013 . She has substantial relevant experience, including a previous registered managerial position in residential childcare. She is currently working towards a level 5 diploma in leadership in children and young people health and social care. She has the NVQ 4 in health and social care with children and young people. In addition, she and her deputy are completing the organisation’s own management and development programme.

p.7

good

She has successfully ensured the steady progress of this service from an inadequate, to a good, home. She has raised standards, stabilised young people and formed positive partnership relationships with external professionals. She has an excellent understanding of the individual needs of the young people at the home and advocates strongly on their behalf.

p.8

good

The organisation and regional management team have listened to the historical issues raised by the registered manager. This has seen money invested into the home’s environment, an increase in the size of the staff team, and more appropriate matching and placement of young people. The company invest in the property and have recently fitted a new boiler and heating system. Everyone is actively involved in the upkeep of the house. As a result, décor is imaginative and fun. For example, a London themed entrance hall and telephone area and a rhino on a shower room wall.

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good

There are established systems which enable the registered manager and staff to assess the impact of their care and monitor the progress of young people. Staff are proud of young people’s achievements. Information is regularly shared with partner agencies. A social worker stated: ‘Staff at the home, and the local authority where the home is based, have forged an excellent working relationship with the placing local authority, health and education to ensure that the young person’s needs at met to a high standard. Paperwork, including incident reports, placement plans and progress reports are regular and comprehensive.’

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good

Staff are appropriately qualified and have a wide range of experience. They are supported to develop their practice through induction, training, structured team meetings and regular supervision. This enables them to reflect on their practice, discuss how well the young people are progressing, and provide challenge.

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good

There are good relationships with partner agencies. All are positive about the quality of communication and commitment of the registered manager and staff team to the progress of young people. A social worker stated: ‘The manager is a strong manager who runs the house well. The staff team are committed to the young people they care for. You can see and feel it. I have been impressed. They have gone to battle for the young person with his education.’

p.8

good

Overall, the registered manager and growing staff team continue to develop positive relationships with young people, their families and local authorities. They are effectively using these relationships to ensure young people are happy and experience good outcomes.

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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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