Children's Home run by ROC Northwest Limited in Lancashire

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 make good progress while they are living in the home.  Young people are able maintain meaningful contact with family and friends.  Young people engage in a wide variety of activities that stimulate their interest and help keep them fit and healthy.  Positive and respectful relationships are evident between staff and young people and between the young people themselves.  Physical interventions are rare. Young people are learning socially acceptable behaviours and how to manage their emotions.  Young people are not involved in risk taking behaviours. They do not smoke; take drugs or drink alcohol.  Staff work in partnership with local authorities and young people’s families. Their communication is good.  The staff team is stable, enabling them to establish positive relationships with young people.  There has been a recent investment in the home and the quality of furnishings

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The children's home provision is good because:

and decoration is high.  The external monitoring of the home is of a good standard and helps drive forward improvement.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 Areas for improvement include the safe management of serious incidents in the community in order to ensure the safety of all young people; and timely notification of such incidents to Ofsted.

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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

In order to meet the protection of children standard:

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Requirement Due date

the registered person must ensure that the home's day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm (Regulation 12(2)(b)) 23/10/2015

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Requirement Due date

Ensure that arrangements are made for persons working at the home to receive suitable training in fire prevention. (Regulation 25(1)(c)) 23/10/2015

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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 that all serious events are notified, within 24 hours, to the appropriate people. The system should cover the action that should be followed if the event arises at the weekend or on a public holiday; this specifically relates to timely notification to the HMCI. (The Guide to the quality standards paragraph 14.13)

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Information about this children's home

This children’s home is one of a number of homes operated by a private organisation. It is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to four young people with emotional and/or behavioural difficulties and learning disabilities.

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good

Living in the home has a positive impact on the progress and life experience of young people who live here. They benefit from consistent care, as the staff team working in the home is stable. Some staff and young people have known each other for a number of years. Young people feel safe and secure as they receive predictable and reliable care. They benefit from good routines and clear and consistent boundaries. Warm and respectful relationships are evident between staff and young people and between the young people themselves. A social worker confirmed this saying, ‘X always speaks positively about staff. Staff are respectful towards him and in turn, X has a respectful relationship with staff. The care and boundaries provided by the home are fair and consistent. X has a clear understanding of their expectations.’ This reduces young people’s anxieties and enables them to make progress across all areas of their development.

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good

Young people are welcomed into the home and have an opportunity of visiting before they move in, whenever possible. Similarly, staff prepare those living in the home for the arrival of a new resident. Staff help young people to settle in by explaining the routines in the home and by getting to know them. Young people are able to choose furnishings and decoration for their bedroom to assist with this.

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good

Staff demonstrate a good understanding of the backgrounds and needs of young people. They are able to participate in a wide range of recreational activities that reflect their individual preferences and skills. For example, they currently enjoy playing football, supporting their favourite football club and attending clubs in the local community, such as air cadets and St. John ambulance. These activities stimulate young people’s interests, help them develop socially acceptable behaviours and keep them healthy. There are also opportunities to progress and celebrate small achievements, helping to improve their self-esteem. All the young people recently enjoyed a holiday to Greece. This was a once in a lifetime experience for some. They thoroughly enjoyed their holiday and talk about the fun time they had. Photographs of the young people enjoying themselves are evident on a digital photo frame in the home. Such positive experiences are

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good

significant for young people and help improve their confidence and self-esteem.

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good

Young people’s attendance at school and their educational progress is good. Staff provide appropriate support to young people to help them with the transition to college. However, when young people’s fears and anxieties result in them being unable to make this crucial change, staff work at the young person’s pace and try to agree a way forward, without placing unrealistic demands on them. Staff are able to get the best from young people, as they know them well and are able to predict how they will respond.

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good

Young people are in good general health and staff respond to any health care concerns that do arise. A range of information is available to those living in the home, so that they are aware of the impact on their health if they were to participate in their use. For example, smoking or taking drugs. Young people are aware of the implications and do not engage in these risk taking behaviours.

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good

Staff ensure that young people are able to maintain contact with their family and friends. They will facilitate contact and provide transport if required, so that these important connections are maintained. Family members also visit the home and report that they are made to feel welcome, finding staff to be polite and friendly, as well as professional. However, young people are also encouraged, as part of their independence plan, to make their own arrangements and travel on public transport. This ensures that they are confident to undertake such journeys when they move on from the home.

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good

Social work professionals speak highly of staff in the home. They comment on the good communication, comprehensive reports and detailed knowledge of young people’s care plans. For example, one commented, ‘staff are friendly and child focussed. They are professional and respond in a timely manner.’

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requires improvement

Young people say that they feeling safe living in the home. They believe that staff will do their best to keep them safe. One young person said, ‘The staff are good, I feel safe here. Staff are kind and fair but firm.’ They have details about agencies that they can contact for support if they need to and an independent advocate visits the home on a monthly basis. Young people also receive information about how to make a complaint on their admission to the home. However, there have been no complaints for some time. Young people spoken to said they would be happy talking to a staff member if they had any problems, or indeed to the older residents in the home. They are confident that staff will take their problems seriously.

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requires improvement

Staff are clear about standards of acceptable behaviour. There is a calm and homely atmosphere in the home. Both parents and professionals working with them comment on this positive atmosphere. All staff receive training in behaviour management, including the safe use of restraint. However, staff are patient with young people and help them develop their own coping mechanisms. Consequently, restraints are rarely required. The ethos of the home is to reward good behaviour and young people respond well to their individualised incentive programmes.

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requires improvement

Personalised risk assessments help inform staff about the specific areas of risk for each young person. This enables staff to respond in the most appropriate manner. These receive update following any escalation of concern and a good system is in place to alert staff to any changes made.

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requires improvement

Similarly, a range of activity risk assessments ensures that staff take a number of issues into consideration prior to embarking on an activity. However, these do not always take into account the individual circumstances and presenting attitudes of the young people on that particular day. There has been one serious incident in recent weeks where such an assessment may have been beneficial. On this occasion, staff did not ensure the safety and protection of all the young people. The escalating behaviours of one young person culminated in staff leaving him in a vulnerable position and far from home, prior to calling for assistance from the police. Staff also failed to appreciate the significance of this incident and did not notify Ofsted until prompted to by the independent person. A third party did make contact with Ofsted about this incident due to their level of concern.

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requires improvement

Young people rarely go missing from the home. On the rare occasion that they do, staff search the local area and work effectively with the police to ensure their safe return. Staff have established positive relationships with the missing from home co- ordinator and the local community police, who will occasionally call in at the home.

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requires improvement

The home is physically safe and secure. Regular environmental safety checks are undertaken and staff and young people routinely practice evacuating the home in an emergency. The vast majority of staff have completed fire safety training, but a member of the waking night staff has yet to do this.

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good

There is a suitably experienced manager in charge of the home. He has managed the home since May 2014, being formally registered with Ofsted in September 2014. The manager is currently studying for a level five qualification. Similarly, the majority of staff have a level three qualification, with the remaining three staff members currently studying for this.

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good

The current provider purchased the home in December 2014 and this is the home’s first full inspection since the change of registration. There has been a significant improvement in the administration and management support during this period. The current provider has introduced a number of standard templates, which ensures that some essential elements of recording are now completed. The staff team have embraced the changes in the home. They confirm that the new procedures have led to improvements in recording and communication.

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good

The new provider has invested in the refurbishment of the home. It has been decorated throughout and received new carpets, curtains and furniture. Young people were involved in choosing the new colour schemes. The home is warm and welcoming. Staff and young people are appreciative of the improvements and are proud of their improved environment. Young people have ample space to engage in communal activities but also opportunities for privacy. The home is located in a quiet residential area and is indistinguishable from other residential properties. Positive relationships exist with neighbours. For example, one recently commented, ‘I am very happy for the home to be there. The young people cause no trouble to us.’

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good

Staff receive supervision on a regular basis and staff undertaking this task have had the necessary training to enable them to conduct this effectively. Staff have a number of training opportunities that support them to understand the needs of young people.

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good

The home’s Statement of Purpose reflects the aims and objectives of the home. The monthly independent monitoring of the home is of a high standard and is effective at highlighting shortfalls, as highlighted above. This enables the manager to take swift action to address any issues identified. Reports contain a clear action plan and issues are subject to review the following month. This ensures their completion in a timely manner.

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good

Young people’s case records reflect the plans for each young person and good quality reports outline the progress that they are making. Social workers report that communication with the home is excellent and that any requests they make are actioned. They appreciate staff keeping them up-to-date. One professional involved with the home commented, ‘Staff keep me updated with monthly reports and also phone me if there are any other updates. I have no concerns about the home.’ Similarly, parents are positive about staff keeping them updated. This positive partnership working ensures that all those involved with the young person are working together with shared objectives.

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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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