Children's Home run by Salford City Council in Salford

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 home is a short term reception unit and as such, will often admit young people in emergencies or in a crisis. Their needs and those of their families are the focus of staff practice All young people make some progress, depending on their length of time in the home. Progress has been good for the majority of young people and they have moved on in line with their agreed plans Work in partnership with other professionals and support agencies has contributed to the development of young people Sound arrangements are in place at the point of admission, to identify and meet the individual health, education and psychological needs of young people Relationships between staff members and young people are strong. They understand individual and group behaviours and consistently follow agreed strategies to enable young people to change their ways Placement plans and risk assessments are detailed and allow staff members to

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The children's home provision is good because:

understand what young people need to do to meet targets. Young people and their families are involved in decisions made about them. Good arrangements for consultation ensure young people feel listened to and their views are valued This is a safe home and young people say they feel safe. Staff members regularly review risks to support and protect them Effective arrangements to respond promptly when young people are absent or missing ensure risk is minimised and young people return to the home safely The home maintains professional relationships with agencies charged with protecting young people. There is regular communication about safeguarding issues ensuring young people are protected The home is managed well by an experienced and qualified registered manager. She has the support of an experienced and qualified management team. Support and training for staff members ensure they are skilled to deal with any challenges

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The children's home provision is good because:

presented to them. No requirements or recommendations are made.

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Information about this children's home

 The home is registered to accommodate four young people with emotional and/or behavioural difficulties  The home is managed by a local authority  This is a short term reception home. We aim to provide a nurturing environment in which young people can feel safe, supported and respected with opportunities to rebuild confidence and regain feelings of self-worth, as written in the home's statement of purpose document  The home will provide a PACE bed for young people of either gender aged 10 – 17. Greater Manchester Police should provide staff with information regarding the nature of the offence committed, and any known risks, as outlined in the home's statement of purpose document

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

18/03/2015 CH - Interim sustained effectiveness

p.4

good

Young people make progress in all areas of their development regardless of the length of time spent in the home. For some young people a break away from their family environment has created enough respite for them and their family to resolve conflicts and return back to their home. Other young people have successfully moved on to long-term care, foster care or independent living.

p.5

good

Since the last inspection in March 2015, 26 young people have lived in the home ranging from overnight stays to longer periods not exceeding six months. All have benefited from their time spent in the home and moved on in line with their agreed plan of care. Staff members are good role models and quickly build trusting relationships with young people. This has a positive impact on young people and some remain in touch with the staff for support and return to visit them in the home.

p.5

good

The home is a short-term reception unit and as such, will often admit young people in emergencies or crisis. As a result, group diversity and compatibility is sometimes compromised. However, staff members are skilled, experienced in dealing with rapid change and spend time with young people on a daily basis. Collectively staff say, ‘It has been busy and challenging at times particularly over the summer holidays but this is what we are about and we respond well to challenges. We have and are constantly reflecting on our work with young people, Their needs and those of their families are the focus of our practice.’

p.5

good

Positive intervention from staff members has led to a reduction in the number of difficult incidents. As a result, young people living in the home have become increasingly safer and their risk taking behaviours including drug use and being away from the home for long periods has significantly decreased. This improvement in line with their agreed plan of care allows them to move on.

p.5

good

At the point of admission, established systems enable staff members to acquire sufficient information in relation to young people, and they have an initial plan of care in place identifying their needs. Effective partnership working with other professionals, support agencies and families contribute to the development of young people’s health, education and psychological needs.

p.5

good

Staff members work well with the virtual head and virtual school team. Often young people are out of school or unable to manage classroom environments. Suitable education provision is identified and young people respond well to this. As a result, attendance, engagement and participation has improved and this benefits young people’s learning opportunities which will help them in the future.

p.5

good

Young people’s health, medical and dental needs are met through local service which they are registered with. Support agencies, such as, drug and alcohol, mental health services and a youth offending team provide young people with opportunities to improve social skills and address their psychological needs.

p.6

good

Consultation takes place with young people, their views are sought in formal meetings, key worker sessions and during interactions with staff members and each other. Families are very much involved in the home, they support the work the staff members undertake. Young people and their family attend reviews, contribute and agree plans for the future. This ensures options are explored and plans agreed for young people to return home. Where this is not the case, suitable provision is identified for young people to move on to. Young people are fully aware of their targets to achieve and understand their plans for the future.

p.6

good

One young person is in the home. He is fully aware of the plan to return to his family. Targets set are being achieved, such as education, behaviour modification and adhering to boundaries set. All of which is supported by dedicated staff members who are resilient and supportive to the young person and their family. As a result the young person will return to his family home during the week of the inspection. This young person says, ‘Yeah its good here, you know where you stand and what I have to do. I get a lot of support here and get on with everyone.’

p.6

good

Young people who come to live in the home are comprehensively assessed at the point of admission. Differing needs and behaviours are fully understood by staff members who have a good track record of adapting, supporting and meeting the needs of young people. Staff fully understand issues young people present and respond accordingly to individual and group needs.

p.6

good

Detailed risk assessments are understood by staff members and agreed strategies are consistently followed. The support and care provided help young people to become increasingly safe. There is regular and effective contact with young people’s social workers and their family. A parent confirmed this during a visit to the home and a social worker says, ‘I have worked with them (staff) in the past with other young people, they know what they are doing and bring out the best in young people.’ Young people are safe and say they feel safe in the home. They have sound and sustained relationships with staff members and feel they can trust them. Staff are aware of procedures to follow in relation to safeguarding concerns. Recent training has been completed on child sexual exploitation. Regular refresher courses keep staff informed of how to keep young people safe including internet and social media safety.

p.6

good

Young people know how to complain and have information accessible to them without having to approach staff members. Contact details of independent people and organisations are available to them. One complaint has been made since the last inspection and is recorded. This is not in relation to the care received in the home, it is a complaint raised by a young person who did not want to leave the home. This demonstrates the trusting and supportive relationships staff members and young people have.

p.7

good

When young people are missing from the home, staff members actively look for them, contact all known addresses and inform all appropriate authorities including young people’s family. Independent interviews are carried out when young people return and are recorded well, this helps to identify patterns and trends and informs the risk assessment and care plan.

p.7

good

Records show an increase in some young people’s disruptive behaviour and being missing or absent from the home during the summer holiday period. Effective strategies where agreed during this period by professionals and staff members through multi-agency meetings. Inappropriate friendships with other peers in the local community were disrupted, the manager and managers from other children’s homes communicated the whereabouts of their and other young people. As a result, the risks to young people significantly reduced, behaviour improved and young people were not unnecessarily criminalised.

p.7

good

Restraint is rare and sanctions are only imposed for damage to property or inappropriate use of monies. Staff members communicate clear boundaries, use consistent de-escalation techniques and humour to promote positive behaviour. The staff team regularly review and reflect on their responses and are supported well by the management team. This has a positive impact in reducing young people’s inappropriate behaviour.

p.7

good

The home is suitably furnished and decorated. Regular health and safety checks are carried out and recorded with appliances being checked periodically by qualified contractors. All internal and external maintenance work is carried out promptly and there is no damage or outstanding repairs in the home. Fire evacuation and drills are explained to young people on admission and all visitors to the home. These are regularly carried out and recorded. Judgement grade

p.7

good

An experienced and suitably qualified management team, lead the staff who are provided with good training, support and supervision to give them the competencies to meet the changing needs of young people. All staff members have worked in the home for a considerable time and work extremely well together. They are resilient and respond in a caring and professional manner when faced with challenging young people.

p.8

good

The registered manager places the needs of the young people and their family at the centre of the homes practice. There needs are prioritised, understood and well planned for. This provides a good foundation for exploring all possibilities to rehabilitate young people back to their family environment.

p.8

good

Clear development plans demonstrate that the strengths and weaknesses of the home are defined, understood and acted upon. The two recommendations from the previous inspection have been met in line with the development plan. Good arrangements are now in place to ensure each young person following admission has a planning meeting within the required timescales. All young people at the point of admission now have an initial placement plan in place. These systems allow information to be sourced and agreed plans put in place.

p.8

good

Comprehensive quality assurance monitoring takes place to identify and address any shortfalls in the home. These processes contribute to the ongoing development and improvement of the home.

p.8

good

The homes statement of purpose document is clear about the aims and objectives of the service. These are being met and the document is a good source of information for placing social workers and families about the services this home provides. Equally young people receive information and have display boards informing them of services available to them in the home and support agencies outside of the home.

p.8

good

The home is sufficiently staffed to meet the needs of young people. All staff members are qualified. There are clear arrangements to cover sickness, annual leave and the absence of the registered manager. This ensures any disruption to staffing levels has a minimum impact on the care provided to young people. All staff members are regularly vetted and competent to deliver good services to young people and their families.

p.8

good

There are clear lines of accountability and staff members are delegated duties in the home which they are responsible for and take seriously. They work effectively in partnership with other agencies and professionals to secure positive outcomes for young people. Written and verbal feedback from other professionals is complimentary about the work carried out with young people in the home.

p.8

good

Young people’s progress is monitored regularly and shows improvements made by them in relation to education, behaviour and missing from home incidents. Records demonstrate the positive impact the home has had on young people, how they have improved and ready to move on.

p.9

good

Incidents which are required to be notified to the appropriate authorities are understood by staff members. This ensures any significant event is followed up and strategy meetings convened, which protect young people and keep them safe.

p.9

good

No requirements or recommendations are made at this inspection.

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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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