Children's Home run by Cambian Childcare Limited in Durham

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:

 Effective leadership ensures that the home operates consistently in promoting the welfare of young people, upholding their rights, and respecting their dignity. Both material and staffing resources are excellent, providing highly individualised care and an extensive range of quality activities.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 Young people develop close relationships with staff. These are the bedrock of the home’s success in managing behaviour and helping young people to achieve care plan targets.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 Staff involve young people in their plans and give them choice in all aspects of daily life, irrespective of their abilities. Staff are creative in ensuring that any barriers to young people’s involvement in the community are overcome.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 Staff promote healthy living and this approach has helped young people to improve their physical and emotional well-being, some significantly so. The home’s relationship with other services, such as schools, has led to similar excellent progress for young people in education.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 The home is outstanding in keeping young people safe. Of particular note is its success in reducing the need to use physical restraint. The staff’s skills in understanding and supporting young people with significant emotional needs has been key to helping them become much safer and happier.

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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 complete a review of the quality of care provided for children (“a quality of care review”) at least once every 6 months. The system must provide for ascertaining and considering the opinions of children, their parents, placing authorities and staff. (Regulation 45(1), (2) and (5)) 4/09/15

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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 the e-safety policy is up-to-date and available within the home for the reference of staff. (The Guide to the Quality Standards, page 44 paragraph 9.19)

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Recommendations

 Ensure that the workforce plan includes clear actions and timescales for all staff to attain the appropriate qualifications by the required date. (The Guide to the Quality Standards, page 53 paragraph 10.8)

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Recommendations

 Ensure that staff receive supervision of their practice from an appropriately qualified and experienced professional, which allows them to reflect on their practice and the needs of the children assigned to their care. (The Guide to the Quality Standards, page 61 paragraph 13.2)

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Information about this children's home

The home provides accommodation for up to five children who have learning disabilities. It is operated by a private company.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

10/03/2015 Interim Sustained effectiveness

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good

The numbers of staff on duty at any one time ensure that young people always receive sufficient support to meet their needs and keep them safe. It is clear that they love the attention of staff and spending time with them. The range of activities available to young people is extremely varied, and staff constantly seek to keep young people busy. Staff and young people sharing time together is at the centre of the home’s practice, whether it be sat at the kitchen table colouring in, going out for a walk, playing in the garden, or going on more organised outings. These include horse riding, snow tubing on the artificial ski slope, trips to concerts and plays, swimming, and outings to parks and beaches. During the inspection, young people were enthusiastically joining with staff in preparing for a Scottish theme night. Scottish flags were draped around the home and haggis was on the menu. One young person was excitedly looking forward to wearing his kilt that

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good

evening. Staff and young people go for pub meals and to other restaurants. These activities are fun in their own right, but also mean that young people can remain connected to the wider community. They also enable them to gain satisfaction from achieving new goals and enhance their self-esteem and confidence. Staff help young people to record their experiences in photo scrap books. One young person took great delight in going through their book with the inspector. As they turned the pages they were reliving each particular activity or day out with evident pleasure. Care plans address the full range of individual young people’s needs, and include targets for progress based on these needs. Targets are realistic and achievable and also set out in attractive displays on each young person’s bedroom wall. This is an excellent way of involving young people in their plans in a way which is meaningful and tailored to their level of understanding.

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good

Staff and young people have excellent relationships. Young people often seek, and receive, appropriate physical contact with staff. This provides young people with affection, reassurance, and a sense that they are wanted and valued. Conversation is lively and laced with gentle humour. The spacious kitchen/dining room is the heart of the home, where staff can do some of their administrative tasks while young people help themselves to fruit or drinks and chatter away. Young people make excellent progress as a result of living here. They are all in good health, helped by the strong promotion of healthy lifestyles by staff. Food is varied and nutritious, staff ensuring that young people with dietary issues receive extra support. As a result, for example, one young person is now a much healthier weight. They said, ‘I’ve lost loads of weight since I came here. I don’t eat chips every day, I take plenty of exercise, I go to aquarobics, use the Wii, and walk the

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good

dogs at the Dogs Trust.’ Staff are also proactive in meeting the emotional needs of young people. They work in partnership with health services, for example, in attending reviews of young people’s medication. One health professional said, ‘Staff work really well with me and other agencies such as school. We planned the young person’s admission carefully and this ensured that the plan for how to support them effectively was right from the start.’ Young people make excellent progress at school or college, as a direct result of the work done by staff. An education provider commented, ‘The young person has achieved results beyond all expectations, they have embraced college life, they’ve had their difficulties, but the partnership between the college and the home has been great. The young person recently had their prom, and I’ve never seen anyone look so proud of themselves.’ Staff give young people as much control over their lives as possible. They involve

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good

them in decisions about their care plan, how they want their bedrooms decorated, and what activities they want to do. Monthly house meetings enable young people to meet and make decisions about what affects the whole group such as outings and holiday destinations. Minutes of these meetings are typed up by one of the young people. Regular key worker sessions enable young people to make other choices, and are recorded in a way which suits each individual, such as in picture symbols for those who cannot read. One record showed that the young person wanted some Toy Story posters for his room. The next month’s record posed the question, ‘Are you happy with your room?’, the answer being a big smiley face. Staff are good at preparing young people for moving on from the home. They undertake planned, formal work to ensure that young people have the skills they will need as they progress to adulthood. For example, there are programmes which

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good

are formally accredited in how to budget, how to shop for food, and how to plan and cook meals. One young person has used their cookery skills to raise money for charitable causes. This helps them to feel that they can contribute to others in society less fortunate than themselves.

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outstanding

When a young person is being considered for admission to the home, managers gather all relevant information from the placing authority. They visit the young person in their current placement and assess whether the home will be able to meet their needs. This includes consideration of how well the young person will fit into the existing group. Staff then begin to formulate risk assessments and identify areas where the young person will need extra support to keep them safe. These assessments are simple and clear, outlining actions to be taken and how staff will know when the risk is being controlled effectively. As young people acquire greater skills, staff adapt risk assessments. For example, before a young person starts to learn basic meal preparation, staff will ensure they know how to use utensils and appliances safely.

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outstanding

The home’s exceptionally effective management of risk has contributed to outstanding improvement in many young people’s safety and quality of life. For example, some young people who had an entrenched pattern of self-harming behaviour prior to coming here have reduced it to virtually nil. Others with extremely challenging behaviour have modified it significantly. Day-to-day practice is responsible for these improvements. The quality of relationships between young people and staff creates an atmosphere of trust within which young people can talk to staff when they are feeling unsettled. This is particularly important for young people who have used self-harm to express their hurt, but now can talk about these feelings with staff and find different ways of coping with their distress. One young person said, ‘When I start to get stressed I use my stress ball and go and talk to staff.’ Staff are attentive to young people’s mood and skilled in

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outstanding

interpreting what their individual behaviours mean. For example, some young people will play loud and aggressive music when they are feeling low and in need of comfort. Staff pick up on this and offer immediate support. Young people do not go missing from the home. This is because of the high level of support and supervision by staff which provides safety for young people without unduly restricting their liberty. Because of young people’s particular vulnerability arising from their disabilities, staff undertake appropriate work with them to make them aware of potential threats to their safety. For example, one young person is completing worksheets on child sexual exploitation. There are good systems to keep internet access safe, although the home’s e-safety policy is currently being updated and at the time of the inspection was not available for staff.

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outstanding

The home has very simple rules, based on mutual respect, consideration for others, and acting responsibly. Staff model this behaviour to young people, expecting no more from them than they would from themselves. Staff make young people aware of the boundaries of what is acceptable from the outset. In order to encourage and shape good behaviour, staff use a structured incentive system which is tailored to each individual young person. It takes account of young people’s differing levels of understanding, for example, over what period of time the young person is able to maintain focus on their objective. Young people fully engage with the incentive scheme, mainly because staff involve young people in choosing their reward. For example, staff asked one young person shortly after they came here what they would like as their incentive. He was incredulous but very happy when his choice of a visit to an Italian restaurant was agreed

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outstanding

immediately by the Registered Manager. The home’s approach to behaviour management is grounded in a theoretical model which all staff understand thoroughly. The attentiveness of staff enables them to be aware at an early stage when a young person is becoming unsettled, distressed, or angry. They then act positively to intervene, using a variety of strategies (according to the situation) to de-escalate tension. These include: diverting the young person’s attention onto something else; reminding them of their plan and goals; providing time out of the group with continuing staff support; and offering choices which allow the young person to retain some control of the situation. This approach is applied consistently by staff and has resulted in some outstanding success in reducing the number of times when physical restraint has been necessary. It also helps young people to develop empathy, and their own appreciation of the needs of others. A member of staff said of one young person,

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outstanding

‘They can now say sorry, this is a massive step for them. Their coping mechanisms have come on loads.’ Another said of a different young person, ‘They are more aware of how other people are feeling. They know when people are not feeling well, and will go and fetch them a blanket and give them hugs.’

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outstanding

On the occasions when restraint is the only option to keep people safe, it is used in accordance with the training which all staff undertake. It is applied for the shortest time possible and recorded thoroughly. Both the staff involved and the young person are able to talk about the incident with someone not involved with it. This enables staff to reflect whether they could have done anything differently. It also gives the young person, when they are in a calmer state, the opportunity to understand what happened and that staff still care about them. As one social worker commented, ‘Staff make it clear to the young person that, although they sometimes do not accept their behaviour, they will always accept them as a person.’

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good

The Registered Manager is experienced and suitably qualified. She is continuing to add to her skills and knowledge, for example, in relation to new adult care legislation. This will help the home in managing transitions of young people into adult services more effectively. The responsible individual is also highly experienced, providing professional support and supervision to the Registered Manager. Both are effective leaders, ensuring that the ethos of the home is maintained and directing the efforts of staff productively. Staff meetings happen regularly, and place children’s plans and progress at the core of their business.

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good

Managers and staff have a good understanding of how their work has an impact on the progress made by young people. This enables them to evaluate what they do and make changes if necessary. Monitoring by an independent person provides a good overview of the quality of care. The Registered Manager’s own monitoring is not as effective. It is not particularly evaluative; for example, describing the procedures for using physical restraints rather than analysing patterns and trends of the restraints themselves. It also fails to take account of the views of those who use the service. This means that the opportunity is missed to use what young people, parents and social workers say to improve the service further.

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good

Staff receive a good range of training to keep their skills and knowledge refreshed. It is commendable that some mid-level supervisory staff have been supported to obtain a management qualification. All staff have undergone suitable induction to prepare them for their role. However, the great majority of staff have not yet obtained the required child-care qualification, and there is no clear plan setting out timescales for when this will be achieved. This creates the risk that staff will not be qualified within the time required by regulation.

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good

Managers and staff work very effectively with parents and professionals. One parent said, ‘Unlike other places my child has been, staff listen to what I’m saying and act on it. The home is marvellous, and has improved them in so many ways. They get involved in the community, they do age-appropriate things, and at home they have grown up a bit and are acting more responsibly.’ A social worker commented, ‘The young person’s parents were really distrustful of organisations, including social services. Here, they have really committed to the placement and are very pleased with their progress.’ Another said, ‘The staff working well with the school has paid off, the young person is very happy here, there is a stark difference in their presentation between how they are now and in their previous placement.’

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good

The standard of accommodation is excellent. It enables young people to socialise with each other and staff or have private time if they wish. They are able to personalise their bedrooms to their own tastes. This gives them a sense of ownership and enhances their feelings of self-worth.

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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

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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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