Children's Home run by Inspire Children’s Services Limited in St Helens

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 staff provide a particularly nurturing environment enabling young people to experience being children again and to feel safe and secure to discuss their past experiences.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 Staff place the well-being of individual young people at the centre of their practice, irrespective of the significant challenges they may present.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 The staff safely and effectively manage some highly complex and challenging behaviours without resorting to physical interventions.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 This competent staff team are highly skilled at securing good partnership working with families which in turn positively promotes young people’s sense of identity and has prevented the imposition of a care order.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 The staff have successfully helped young people to re-establish constructive contact with their families which promote their unique identities.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 The staff have excellent successes in encouraging young people back into full time education who have previously been excluded prior to moving to this home, and in securing excellent attendance thereafter.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 This home offers a wide range of constructive activities for young people to take part in both inside the home and in the local community. These serve to strengthen their sense of belonging. Individual interests and talents are actively encouraged and supported which further develops their competencies and confidences.

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The children's home provision is good because:

There are two areas for improvement. These are to ensure that: staff demonstrate their work with young people to specifically reach their educational targets; and, there is an effective system for the timely completion and/or refreshers of all mandatory courses.

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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

To meet the education standard the home must demonstrate that staff help each child to achieve their specific educational targets. (Regulation 8(2)(i))

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2015

To meet the leadership and management standard the registered person must ensure that all the staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child. (Regulation 13(2)(c))

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Information about this children's home

This is a private children’s home registered to provide care and accommodation for up to two young people at any given time who are experiencing emotional and behavioural difficulties.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

27/03/2015 CH - Interim improved effectiveness

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Recent inspection history

24/02/2014 CH - Interim Satisfactory Progress

p.5

good

Both young people are very happy and settled at this home and have developed a strong sense of belonging. They benefit from being well cared for by an experienced and stable staff team who know their individual needs and nuances extremely well. They listen to them and show genuine interests in their experiences at school, family contact or playing out with friends. Comments from young people include, 'I found out lots of useful things about the home before I moved in. Moving in here was a good decision. I like the staff. They look after us really well’, ‘I feel safe and happy here and I get on with everyone. I can try out lots of different activities and I am doing really well at school now’ and, ‘I am fine here.’

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good

Young people's wishes and feelings are central to the day-to-day running of the home and in the development of the company as a whole through their active involvement in the children’s care council. All reasonable requests are positively responded to if it is in their best interests. This reinforces the fact that their opinions genuinely matter, which demonstrably increases their self-esteem and confidence. One young person said, ‘I put lots of suggestions in the box. I chose our holiday and I asked to go camping before going back to school. They were both great.’ He then showed me his three stars for taking part in key worker sessions. He explained, ‘Every time I get five I choose something for £5 or I save it to get something bigger. I have made two new bears since you last came. I love teddies. I’ve got loads.’

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good

Young people are sensitively helped to understand why some requests cannot be agreed to. Examples include, watching age inappropriate films and increased family contact that would not be in their best interests.

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good

That said, staff have successfully ensured that estranged family relationships have been re-established which helps young people to better understand their backgrounds and maintain their unique identities. One young person said, ‘I was really pleased that my mum came to visit us when we were on holiday. I have also been to see my grandparents and my Auntie in the school holidays.’

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good

Young people know how to formally complain should the need arise but in practice all grumbles are dealt with immediately. Both young people have independent advocates and one young person has now requested an independent visitor. The other said, ‘I don’t need one because I do so much with the staff already.’

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good

Staff have proven to be strong and effective advocates for the young people. This has successfully resulted in young people previously disengaged with education now attending full time education. They also now have positive future ambitions to go to college. At the start of the new term one young person has moved from a small unit back into the main school and the head teacher is very impressed with his improved behaviour and attitude. Another young person was excluded on admission so was initially home tutored for a few hours a day. Since February this year he has been in full time education and earned the most points for his school house at the end of the summer term winning himself a voucher. Moreover, in September he has made a smooth transition from primary to secondary school. He said, ‘I am happy at my new school.’

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good

Extracts from end of year reports include, ‘This pupil has good school attendance and generally arrives in a positive mood. He is now reading well and shows particular skills in the more practical subjects’ and, ‘It is fantastic that this pupil has achieved his functional skills level 1 in maths. He also has a great knowledge of computers and has exceeded expected progress, so we can now begin accreditation in this subject. He enjoys artwork and it is clear that he has a considerable artistic talent and is able to think in a creative way and could achieve a qualification in this subject.’

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good

One young person now enjoys reading to staff every night which has significantly improved his reading ability and he said, ‘I have joined a book club so I get a free book or game every month.’

p.7

good

Staff use a variety of creative ways to promote young people’s continued learning and development. However, there is no documentary evidence of staff supporting young people to meet their quite specific individual educational targets in subjects where they are not progressing at the expected level.

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good

Staff actively promote young people’s continued good health. There has been a marked improvement in personal hygiene in this placement which in turn increases self-esteem and confidence. Staff have worked extremely hard over the last 12 months sensitively educating young people about healthy eating and working closely with nutritionists and dieticians. Young people now benefit from suitably portioned homemade, nutritious meals and take part in lots of physical exercise. This is giving them the confidence to try out new sports in the community and at school.

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good

Extracts from recent school reports read, ‘This pupil has developed his footballing skills. He works hard and perseveres which is a credit to him and he has been selected for the school team. He is also showing a talent in archery and has gained an award in gymnastics’ and, ‘This pupil has been working on increasing his fitness levels and is making good progress.’

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good

They also now drink lots of water rather than fizzy drinks. Consequently, a recent visit to the dentist showed significant improvement of a young person’s teeth and gums compared to his previous visit. Comments from young people include, ‘I’m not afraid of going to the dentist anymore’, ‘I really like my new cool water bottle which I chose off the internet. It came today and I cut up fresh strawberries to put in it to take to the gym’, ‘I won a medal at my school’s sports day’ and, ‘I love swimming.’

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good

Weight charts clearly demonstrate that their body mass index and body fat is slowly reducing. However, outside the home the young people are not consistently making the same wise food choices. Consequently, they remain overweight. Staff are acutely aware of the consequences for their longer term health and are now actively working with schools and families to try to address this. A parent and the young person’s school have expressed concern about the lack of specialist mental health support for a young person with highly complex needs. In response, the home have recently successfully advocated for a referral to be made by the nurse for looked after children.

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good

A key strength of this home is the wide range and frequency of constructive activities young people take part in both inside the home and in the local community. These serve to strengthen their sense of belonging. Individual interests and talents are actively encouraged and supported which further develops their competencies and confidences. Current examples include, martial arts, rugby and guitar playing. One young person proudly announced, ‘I have now got my yellow belt in karate.’

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good

There is lots of photographic evidence prominently displayed in the home of their recent camping holiday and activities over the summer. The beaming smiles show how much they loved, for example, driving a motor boat, strawberry picking, going on a rugby stadium tour, go karting and sheep racing.

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good

Staff have recently given young people memory boxes to keep their chosen memorabilia of all the positive experiences they have enjoyed whilst living at this home. One young person has already filled two. Comments from young people include, ‘I chose to go sea fishing at night which I have never done before. I caught a big fish and staff didn’t. I now want my own pet’, ‘I really enjoy the theme nights. We had our own bush tucker trials and we tried kangaroo, crocodile and ostrich meats’ and, ‘I liked our holiday. I really enjoyed crazy golf and fell walking and I made some new friends’. This is very significant progress for this young person given his specific diagnoses.

p.8

good

This home offers the young people age and ability appropriate opportunities to learn the practical, emotional and social skills necessary for future successful independent living. They really enjoy cooking. They are also learning to budget and save so they appreciate the value of money. One young person is particularly skilled at bargain hunting and has put up new shelves in his bedroom.

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good

Feedback on the quality of care provided in this home is consistently positive. One social worker recently concluded that, 'This home provides a good service and nice comfortable surroundings. My young person is safe here and his outcomes are improving educationally, socially and behaviourally.' Judgement grade

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outstanding

Young people are extremely happy and settled within this exceptionally nurturing environment. They feel very safe and particularly secure in the knowledge that this is now a long term placement. They enjoy excellent trusting relationships with all the staff and now feel comfortable talking through any worries they have. Self-harming behaviours have ceased. This is all outstanding progress from their individual starting points.

p.9

outstanding

It also means that they are now emotionally ready to commence life story work to help them better understand and to try to come to terms with, past traumatic events.

p.9

outstanding

Staff are highly skilled at supporting family contact so it remains a safe and positive experience for all concerned. In fact, their intervention directly resulted in a ‘no order’ being granted in court allowing the young person to benefit from a shared care arrangement between the children’s home and his mum. This is an exceptional outcome. This parent really values the ongoing support and advice from the staff which helps her to maintain consistent boundaries at home.

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outstanding

Since the last inspection another young person is now enjoying regular contact with his grandparents and siblings at their home which he is really pleased about.

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outstanding

Comments from families are all extremely positive. Examples include, ‘This home provides my son with a consistent and effective service and their communication with me is very good’, 'The care and support my child gets from the staff is excellent and he has formed good relationships with them. He continually reports that he likes the staff and enjoys their company’, 'My child is in a safe environment and is appropriately supervised in the community’ and, 'This is a stable placement for my child and so he has never run away from this home.'

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outstanding

One young person has made a friend who lives locally and he went to his birthday party without staff. They discretely remained in the locality in case he needed reassurance. He behaved impeccably and their friendship is flourishing. This is outstanding progress especially given the complexity of this young person’s needs. Excellent morning and evening routines are now firmly established which has a positive impact on their behaviours and physical and emotional well-being. They are also benefitting from fair, clear and consistent boundaries which keep them safe. One young person, whilst showing off his highly personalised bedroom which he helped to decorate, said, ‘When I first came I could only sleep with the light on because I am afraid of the dark. I now have a bedtime routine which helps me to sleep better. Staff have bought me a dimmer light and a radio which helps me to fall asleep’.

p.9

outstanding

Despite highly complex needs, young people’s behaviours have significantly improved in this placement. Consequently, the need to restrain has gradually decreased over the last 15 months and is now a rare occurrence. All incidents are fully evaluated and multi-disciplinary planning meetings arranged with parents to revise the care plan. This ensures shared responsibility and accountability. Comments from placing social workers include, ‘The improvement in his behaviour is due to the consistency, support and appropriate guidelines and boundaries enforced by the staff’ and, 'There is excellent communication with me, the school and mum to ensure consistent and age appropriate boundaries which has helped him to settle and is keeping him safe.'

p.10

outstanding

All the staff are trained in behaviour management to an advanced level and are highly skilled at de-escalating techniques. This means they have effectively dealt with some extreme behaviours without resorting to police intervention. Moreover, during these particularly challenging times they have still successfully maintained excellent school attendance. One young person who had not been restrained for nine months was displaying new anxieties in May which were directly related to extended family contact. The current frequency now ensures it a beneficial for all parties and there have been no further incidents.

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outstanding

Good behaviour and effort is acknowledged and rewarded which is clearly having the desired effect on young people’s behaviours. The use of sanctions is demonstrably declining. One young person was thrilled to receive a computer in recognition of his sustained excellent behaviour. Another said, ‘I have not committed anymore offences since I moved here and I have never gone missing’.

p.10

outstanding

On admission one young person would frequently cause significant criminal damage in the home as a means of venting his anger and fears. This behaviour has completely ceased because he is now extremely happy and settled and feels safe and secure. As a direct consequence, he is now also positively engaging with mental health specialists to help him to self-regulate his own emotions. This is, by far, his longest placement to date and he has expressed his wish to remain for at least the next five years.

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outstanding

There has been no criminal damage within this home for the last seven months. In stark contrast, the young people now have a genuine sense of pride in the home. Together with the staff they are constantly making improvements to the décor to make it increasingly more homely. Recently they have enjoyed planting tomato plants. They have also purchased gardening furniture and often sit outside together, chatting in the sunshine.

p.11

outstanding

None of the young people smoke cigarettes, take illicit drugs or drink alcohol. None have gone missing from this home or commit offences so they are not putting themselves in unsafe situations. Foul and inappropriate language has much improved and any slips are immediately challenged. This is all exceptional progress given their behaviours and risks prior to admission. There has been no cause to search young people’s bedrooms.

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outstanding

The staff have gradually fostered some excellent relationships with neighbours and the local police which strengthens young people’s sense of belonging. The local community officers regular visit the home on an informal basis so young people feel comfortable to ask their opinion about issues they have heard about on the news.

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outstanding

Young people are empowered to take age appropriate risks as they develop into adulthood and have frequent discussions about how to keep safe online and in the community.

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outstanding

All the required health and safety certificates are in place to ensure a safe and well-maintained environment.

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outstanding

The manager regularly reviews the home’s location risk assessment in consultation with partner agencies and it is deemed to be a low risk area. The local safeguarding officer and the police have no concerns. The latter describe the staff at this home as, ‘Professional and knowledgeable and always work in partnership.’

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outstanding

There are robust arrangements in place to ensure the safe administration of medication which is frequently independently reviewed.

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outstanding

Staff recruitment files are in excellent order demonstrating stringent recruitment and selection processes and timely inductions. This ensures a safe and competent workforce. Young people contribute to this process by having their specific questions answered during formal interviews. Examples include, ‘How would you help me to go on holiday?’ and, ‘What makes you different to the other staff who already work here?’

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good

This home is efficiently and effectively managed by a permanent registered manager. He was appointed in September 2014. Prior to this he had 10 years residential childcare experience. Eight of those were in a supervisory role including two years as a deputy manager.

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good

He has completed 25% of the required level 5 diploma in leadership. The training provider confirms a satisfactory performance to date and is confident that he will successfully complete by the target date of 30 April 2016.

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good

The home’s statement of purpose is frequently updated to ensure it always accurately reflects the aims, policies, practices and the qualifications and experiences of the staff who work in the home.

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good

This home is always sufficiently staffed by a stable, experienced and competent staff team to effectively safeguard and promote the welfare of the young people. However, the manager is mindful that none of his permanent team are female, so he is actively looking to positively recruit. The relief staff who cover are all well-known and liked by the young people.

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good

Detailed handovers ensure consistency of care practice so young people’s unique needs and personal preferences are well met.

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good

Staff confirm regular good quality supervision and timely annual appraisals. They also highlight good opportunities for progression within this company which is a strong motivator. They say management support is good and the directors of the company are accessible and approachable.

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good

Staff are very satisfied with the quality of training provided to aid their continual personal development and to meet young people’s specific needs. Examples since the last inspection have effectively resulted in the increased awareness of: child sexual exploitation; self-harm; autism, Asperger’s and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder; and, staff have explored strategies to counter bullying.’

p.12

good

However, records suggest that the processes for ensuring the timely renewal of all mandatory courses are not sufficiently robust. This is recognised by the company and a training manager has just been recruited to strengthen this regulatory shortfall.

p.13

good

There were no requirements made at the last interim inspection on 27 March 2015. The one recommendation to improve practice has been addressed. In response a new manager’s monitoring format has been produced to inform the required six monthly report on the quality of care provided in the home. The report for August includes an evaluation of consultations with young people, parents and social workers which are all very positive.

p.13

good

The home’s development plan is regularly reviewed by the team as a whole so there is a strong sense of shared responsibility and accountability. Comments from staff include, ‘This is a really good team to work in and I get loads of support. Everyone listens to new ideas and we are all prepared to change to keep improving’ and, ‘There is a strong team approach and we are all pulling in the same direction.’

p.13

good

There are a number of positive developments introduced in recent months. For example, internal placements plans are more child friendly so young people can be involved in reviewing them in a much more meaningful way. A new format has also been introduced to record key worker sessions in line with the new regulations and quality standards. Moving forward, appropriate new arrangements are in place to strengthen the independence of the monthly external monitoring visits.

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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

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What the inspection judgements mean

being 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 Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the Guide to the children's

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Information about this inspection

homes regulations including the quality standards.

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Information about this inspection

out in 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

inspects to 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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