Children's Home run by Walsall Metropolitan Borough Council in Walsall

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:

 Managers and staff develop strong professional partnerships with external agencies. These support children’s development and reflect their needs.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 Children make good progress in all aspects of their growth and development because staff are competent in identifying and meeting their needs.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 Children develop their social interaction skills and are encouraged to form friendships with their peers. This expands their social circles and promotes their self-esteem.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 Staff have a good understanding of safeguarding and child protection factors that impact on children’s safety. They work in partnership with families to identity, manage and reduce these risks. However, there has been one occasion when safeguarding procedures have not been correctly implemented.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 Some areas for development have been identified. These include: ensuring that children are provided with suitable activities; that their views are sought and recorded, and that the statement of purpose is reviewed and updated.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 Policies and procedures do not clearly define the parameters of the use of restraint when this extends to physical barriers. This compromises children access and freedom around the home.

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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

7. The children’s views, wishes and feelings standard

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Requirement Due date

In order to meet the children’s views, wishes and feelings standard the registered person must ensure that staff— (2)(a)

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Requirement Due date

(ii) help each child to express views, wishes and feelings;

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Requirement Due date

(iv) regularly consult children, and seek their feedback, about the quality of the home’s care. 09/11/2015

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Requirement Due date

9. The enjoyment and achievement standard

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Requirement Due date

In order to meet the enjoyment and achievement standard the registered person must ensure that staff help each child to— (2)(a)

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Requirement Due date

(i) develop the child’s interests and hobbies;

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Requirement Due date

(ii) participate in activities that the child enjoys and which meet and expand the child’s interests and preferences. 09/11/2015

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must keep the statement of purpose under review and, where appropriate, revise it; and notify HMCI of any revisions and send HMCI a copy of the revised statement within 28 days of the revision. (Regulation 16(3)(a)(b)) 09/11/2015

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that children can access all appropriate areas of the children’s home’s premises; and any limitation placed on a child’s privacy or access to any area of the home’s premises is intended to safeguard each child accommodated in the home; is necessary and proportionate; is kept under review and, if necessary, revised; and allows children as much freedom as is possible when balanced against the need to protect them and keep them safe. (Regulation 21(b)(c)(i – iv)) 09/11/2015 The registered person must prepare and implement a policy which is intended to safeguard children accommodated in the children’s home from abuse or neglect; and sets out the procedure to be followed in the event of an allegation of abuse or neglect. (Regulation 34(1)(a)(b))

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further the service should take account of the following recommendation(s):

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Recommendations

 Ensure records of restraint also include restricting a child’s liberty of movement. Some children, perhaps due to impairment or disability, may not offer any resistance, but such measures should still constitute a restraint. (The Guide to the Quality Standards, page 47, paragraph 9.42)

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Recommendations

 Ensure that homes that care for children where, as a result of their impairment or disability, restraint is a necessary component of their care, information relating to this is included in the behaviour management policy and Statement of Purpose. (The Guide to the Quality Standards, page 47, paragraph 9.44)

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Information about this children's home

The home is registered to provide short break care and accommodation for up to six children with learning disabilities and / or physical disabilities and / or sensory impairments. The home is owned and operated by a local authority.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

22/12/2014 CH - Interim Improved effectiveness

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good

Children enjoy a positive experience when they access this short break service. They have good relationships with staff and each other and this supports the development their social and emotional skills. Children benefit from using this service and are relaxed and settled in the home, although the activities available to them are limited. Activity plans focus on ‘in-house’ stimulation, such as garden games and the use of the sensory room. These do not encourage children to develop their hobbies and interests, or expand their preferences.

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good

Staff work with the local authority and children’s families to provide personalised care. In-house plans reflect children’s complex and multi-faceted learning difficulties. These detail their support needs and demonstrate the progress they make when accessing this service, but they do not include children’s views or wishes. When children use non-verbal communication methods, such as picture exchange systems, they are unable to freely access these. This limits their ability to express their wishes and feelings. Furthermore, staff do not consistently seek children’s opinions regarding the development of the home.

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good

Internal care and support plans are compatible with those devised by other agencies, and set targets for children to work towards. These are regularly reviewed to identify progress and ensure that the service meets their needs. Furthermore, behavioural plans used in children’s schools are mirrored in the home. This integrated approach means that children experience a smooth transition to and from the different environments and services that they attend. This reduces their anxieties and promotes their self-confidence. Staff work with parents to make sure that children’s health needs are met when they stay at the home. This includes liaising with allocated specialist consultants when necessary. One parent said: ‘The staff are so caring and so understanding. They know my child’s needs nearly as well as I do so I can relax.’

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good

Introducing and welcoming children to the service is a considerable strength of the home. Managers and staff work closely with the local authority and children’s families to familiarise them with the home over a number of weeks, or months, depending on their individual needs. Children have short visits at teatime, building up to longer visits and eventual overnight stays. This supported transition means that they are able to form positive relationships with staff and peers at their own pace, before staying in the home. This increases the likely success of their placement. Judgement grade

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requires improvement

Children are safe and protected in the home. Staff are competent in recognising the risks that are associated with children’s diagnosed disabilities, and those that may increase their vulnerabilities.

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requires improvement

Staff work with the local authority and children's families to ensure that risk assessments are regularly reviewed to share any changes to behaviour. Although this means that they access up-to-date information regarding children’s risks, the management of these is not personalised to each individual child. For example, some internal doors are locked at all times, regardless of the children’s presenting behaviours and risks. This routine restriction on children’s access around the home is not individually assessed, or proportionate to promoting their safety. Staff do not ensure that should this restriction is necessary to safeguard children, or that records are completed to validate this need. Furthermore, the potential to restrict children’s access, as part of agreed behaviour management strategies, is not detailed in the behaviour management policy. These shortfalls mean that the registered manager does not continually review the appropriateness of these

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requires improvement

measures of control, or ensure that they are only used to promote children’s safety.

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requires improvement

Children respond well to verbal compliments and praise. This reduces the need for staff to physically intervene in their behaviour. The use of sanctions is rare because staff recognise antecedents to unacceptable behaviour and take action to manage children’s frustrations. They deploy distraction techniques to calm children and alleviate their anxieties. This reassurance helps children to feel safe in the home.

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requires improvement

Staff receive regular training in child protection. Safeguarding policies are available online. However, the policy is contradictory and there has been one occasion when the procedure was not implemented. The registered manager failed to report a safeguarding concern to the designated officer as required. The detrimental impact of this shortfall is reduced because the allocated social worker was informed, but this potentially compromises children’s safety.

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requires improvement

Fire safety checks and general health and safety checks are regularly completed along with maintenance checks. The home operates a phased fire evacuation procedure as agreed with the fire and rescue service; and the home is fitted with a sprinkler system. This further promotes children’s safety. Judgement grade

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good

The Registered Manager holds relevant qualifications in children’s residential care and the management of children’s services. He has the skills, knowledge and experience necessary to manage a short break service and has been registered with Ofsted since August 2013. Supporting children’s growth and development is embedded in the ethos of the home. The registered manager continually prioritises children’s needs and reviews their achievements during their time in placement. This means that children make measureable and sustainable progress that reflects the aims and objectives of their care plans and short break plans.

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good

Partnership working between the registered manager, children’s families, the local authority and other professionals is a considerable strength of the service. These strong relationships mean that children receive comprehensive and integrated care across specialist services. One social worker said: ‘The manager acts as a focal point to bring all the professionals together so we can keep in touch and work in children’s best interests.’ Children receive good quality care because the registered manager confidently challenges partner agencies when their practice falls short of acceptable standards.

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good

Staff receive regular formal supervision. They say they find these meetings to be, ‘supportive and helpful’. Staff practice is annually appraised to identify any performance shortfalls that may compromise the quality of care. The registered manager regularly reviews the training plan to ensure that this reflects children’s individual needs. For example, when they have specific medical conditions such as epilepsy, staff undertaken specialist training to allow them to administer emergency medication. This ensures that the service evolves to meet children’s specific health needs and that staff have the necessary skills to support them.

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good

The registered manager uses a number of internal reporting systems to monitor the development of the home and support the regular visits completed by the independent visitor. These allow the registered manager to assess the strengths and weaknesses of the service, along with children’s progress. This review forms part of the short break evaluation process and ensures that access to this service continues to meet children’s individual needs. The positive impact of this activity is reduced because children’s views and opinions regarding the care they receive are not part of the process, or included in monitoring documents.

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good

The service continues to meet the aims and objectives of the statement of purpose, to provide children with short break care and accommodation that reflects their needs and supports their development. Although this document has not been reviewed or revised as required, external agencies confirm that they understand the purpose of the service.

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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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