Children's Home run by Sheffield City Council in Sheffield

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:

 This is a safe, secure and stable home. Young people know they can rely on staff that provide them with emotional warmth and affection, good humour and clear boundaries.  Young people have the opportunity to explore, understand and manage their emotions. This helps them to make good progress in overcoming their difficulties, achieve success in education and prepare for adult life.  There is effective leadership and management. The manager is a strong advocate for young people and continually strives for improvement. Good partnership working helps to ensure young people's needs are met and they get the services they need.

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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

The registered person must compile in relation to the children’s home a statement (“the statement of purpose”) which covers the matters listed in Schedule 1. (Regulation 16 (1)) 07/11/2015

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further the service should take account of the following recommendation(s):  As well as longer-term support for children to move on from the home effectively (regulation 6(2)(b)(vi)), the home has an important role in supporting each child leaving the home in the period immediately before their departure. The registered person should work with the placing authority to ensure that each child's transition is planned and help each child to prepare for leaving both practically and emotionally. (The Guide to the Quality Standards, page 57, paragraph 11.9). Specifically ensure that planning for independence is structured more directly to each young person's specific needs.

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Information about this children's home

This is a local authority children's home. It is registered to provide care and accommodation for 4 young people with emotional or behavioural difficulties.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

12/02/2015 Interim Improved effectiveness

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good

Young people like living here. The majority have been here a long time and come to see staff as 'family'; people who they can rely on and who will be there for them. One young person commented, 'They care for me and help me through the good and bad times.' Another young person noted, 'They're kind, caring, helpful and understanding of how I feel.'

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good

These sentiments reflect the supportive, nurturing care that staff provide for young people over the long term. This emotional and placement stability makes a difference to young people's emotional well-being, helping them to develop trust and find their way in the world. A mental health professional commented, 'One of my MOST challenging patients was admitted to this home and they did a brilliant job with him.'

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good

Feeling good about themselves has enabled young people to concentrate on other things, such as their education and wider learning experiences. They have participated in citizenship awards, the Children in Care council and enjoyed the enriching opportunities the home offers, such as holidays abroad.

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good

Young people are now on the cusp of adulthood. They more frequently assert their right to make their own decisions; these are not always in their best interests. For example, some are continuing their studies but others have yet to settle on what to do next. Some have health issues with long term implications which they are finding difficult to address.

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good

In these situations the manager and staff act as good parents, with a mixture of support, persuasion and clear guidance. When necessary they take swift and sometimes unpopular action to safeguard young peoples' immediate and long term interests. This helps to prevent situations drifting and young people disengaging from the help they need.

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good

Young people are accomplished in many of the basic skills they will need when they leave the home. They can cook simple meals, budget for food and deal with household chores. Having mastered these generic skills, young people's independence plans now need improvement. This will help to plan for their more individual requirements and capture progression to the next step to independence. Judgement grade

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good

Young people say they feel safe here. They are well informed about the risks associated with going missing from the home. This doesn't happen often, as young people are happy and settled at the home.

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good

When such incidents do occur, staff quickly respond, evaluate and monitor. Young people also receive a 'return home interview'. This means any potential risk to young people is short-lived. A placing social worker noted, 'My young person will abscond occasionally. Staff are extremely pro-active in trying to prevent this.'

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good

Young people occasionally place themselves at risk through their own actions, choices and decisions. Their behaviour can also reach the edges of acceptability. Staff are quick to assess these matters and address them with young people in a calm, reasonable but clear manner and often with good humour.

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good

This helps young people to reverse any worrying patterns of behaviour. Because they respect staff's advice, they usually take it and accept the help they need to get back on track.

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good

A professional noted that this is, 'One of the best homes in the city who look after the most challenging, vulnerable and high risk children. They do this through assertive parenting that helps set clear boundaries but provides affection.'

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good

The manager has been registered with Ofsted to manage this home since 2007 and has the required Level 5 diploma.

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good

The manager has successfully established a home for young people that is safe and secure. Staff persevere and there is a lot of laughter and good humour; a relaxed but purposeful atmosphere where staff get the job done for young people. A social worker described staff as, 'very resilient', and another professional commented on the, 'Excellent staff group, great leadership, superb compassion and expert parenting.'

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good

The manager provides a supportive environment for staff. Difficulties and challenges are met head-on and overcome using a team approach. Reflective practice is evident and all staff work collectively to meet young people's needs and improve their experiences and life-chances. A health professional noted that the team, 'work as a family of professionals.'

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good

Partnership working with other professionals and family members is a strength of the home. The manager makes sure that all those with an interest in or responsibility towards young people are called upon to help. This helps young people to get the resources and support they need.

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good

Because monitoring is effective, the manager has a good grasp of where things need to improve. Her overview of the home's performance is supplemented by the helpful scrutiny of an independent visitor. This helps to drive forward improvement and improve the quality of care for young people. The home's Statement of Purpose needs amendment. This will help to more clearly spell out what the home is offering as well as ensuring compliance with the regulations.

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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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