Children's Home run by Good Foundations Limited in Wirral

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 feel comfortable to openly explore their identity. Staff embrace difference. As a result, young people are kind to each other and accept individuality.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 Young people are achieving in education, staff support them to make choices that assist them to fulfil their aspirations.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 Staff encourage young people to develop independence skills naturally. Young people identify key areas with staff who provide them with a steady focus.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 Proportionate risk assessments are used which enable young people to access free time that would be expected of their age and understanding.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 Staff educate young people on risky behaviours, how to identify these and make the right choices to self-regulate their behaviour.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 Young people have confidence in the complaints procedure and report practice they are unhappy with. Safeguarding concerns are dealt with swiftly and transparently by staff.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 Young people live in a well-furnished and very comfortable home which has a relaxed, welcoming atmosphere. The home enables staff to provide a safe space in which young people can thrive.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 Monitoring by the registered manager is insightful and shows clear leadership. Information is analysed and identifies areas for development.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 Behaviour management records are not consistently good, some lack clarity on how staff have managed behaviour which diminishes transparency.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 Young people are not always supported to complete tasks as part of their independent living skills.

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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 keep the statement of purpose under review and, where appropriate, revise it; and notify HMCI of any revisions and send HMCI a copy of the revised statement within 28 days of the revision. (Regulation 16(3)(a)(b)) 30/11/2015

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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 part of reviewing and revising where appropriate the Statement of Purpose (regulation 16(3)(a)), the registered person should review and update the children's guide as necessary, and make sure children are given an explanation of any changes. (The Guide to the Quality Standards, page 24, paragraph 4.3)

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Recommendations

 Ensure that all incidents of control, discipline and restraint are subject to systems of regular scrutiny to ensure that their use is fair (The Guide to the Quality Standards, page 46, paragraph 9.36)

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Recommendations

 Ensure that staff seek to meet the child’s basic needs in the way that a good parent would, recognising that many children in residential care have experienced environments where these needs have not been consistently met – doing so is an important aspect of demonstrating that the staff care for the child and value them as an individual. This is in relation to ensuring that young people have support to meet the tasks set out in their independence plans, particularly ensuring that young people have clean bedding on their beds. (Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations including the Quality Standards page 15, paragraph 3.7)

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Information about this children's home

The home provides care and accommodation for up to four young people with emotional and/or behavioural difficulties, special educational needs and/or disabilities. The home is owned by a private provider. This is the first full inspection after registration.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

p.7

good

Young people benefit from positive relationships with a committed staff team, who are enthusiastic about their potential. Through this, young people develop an understanding of their needs, and what they need to do to reach their goals. Throughout the inspection young people were observed as being relaxed, happy and very comfortable in each other’s and staff’s company.

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good

While most young people do attend school or college and have made progress, a fulltime college placement has been difficult to secure for one young person. The manager and staff were pro-active in addressing this problem; advocating on behalf of the young person, attending meetings with the Virtual Head and communicating frequently with education departments. This has resulted in the young person having a planned timetable which ensures that he has the opportunity to follow his aspirations in securing fulltime employment.

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good

Young people are supported to lead a healthy lifestyle. Staff develop young people’s understanding of what this means including a healthy diet, exercise and sexual health. For example, one young person has made improvements in his healthy eating plan, which has resulted in a significant weight loss. A social worker commented ‘he is doing great and the healthy options have had a massive impact on him, he tells me about the importance of his five a day.’

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good

Consultation with young people plays a major role in the success of placements. Young people feel listened to and have a say in their care, commonly choosing activities and meals. Staff consult with young people about education placements and help them to make formal complaints to other stakeholders, such as securing additional education entitlements. One-to-one sessions for young people are provided on a daily basis, so that young people can express their likes and dislikes.

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good

Staff have built good relationships with young people. One young person said ‘the staff here are great they really listen to us and we all have our say’ and one social worker said ‘he has very good relationship with staff which has helped make this a stable, nurturing environment for him.’ Regular house meetings take place and ensure that give young people opportunities to have a voice. They are able to make suggestions such as the activities that they wish to take part in, choices in meals and involvement in choosing items for the home.

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good

Young people prepare for their independence by developing their skills in cooking, cleaning and using public transport. The work is very individualised and recorded effectively, so that staff know what the young people are good at and what still needs to be done. This enables young people to work towards independence at a pace which is right for them and optimises learning. A young person used the skills he had developed by budgeting for and making a buffet for his own review meeting.

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good

Young people access a wide variety of activities and leisure opportunities based on their individual hobbies and interests. One young person is taking driving lessons. They are encouraged to maintain contact with their families and significant others based on their individual circumstances. This helps with young people’s attachments to those important in their lives and promotes their personal identity.

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good

The Registered Manager and staff have good working relationships with other professionals and agencies including the placing authorities and the police. They work collaboratively when there are concerns of young people going missing and putting themselves at risk of child sexual exploitation. They agree safe working strategies and protocols in order to promote young people’s safety and to manage risk.

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good

Bespoke and comprehensive individual risk assessments, including missing from care and child sexual exploitation assessments promote young people’s safety and well-being. Young people are encouraged to take appropriate risks in line with their age and development such as meeting up with peers from school and college and staying overnight with friends. This helps build their confidence and resilience to make better informed choices.

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good

There are clear individual protocols in place for staff to follow in the event that young people are missing from the home or absent without permission. Young people, their parents and placing authorities are very clear that these strategies have ensured incidents have significantly reduced. Behaviour management records are not consistently good, with some lacking clarity on how staff have managed behaviour. Some sanctions issued as a result of young people’s behaviour were not proportionate, agreed by managers or assessed for effectiveness. The manager recognised this shortfall during the inspection and has taken steps to a have thorough management overview with clear, agreed sanctions bespoke to individual young people’s presenting behaviours.

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good

Young people have confidence in the complaints procedure. One young person said ‘I complained about another young person and they took it all really seriously and told me what was happening. I was very happy with how it was dealt with.’

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good

Feedback from stakeholders is positive, a social worker commented, ‘he is very well looked after by a committed experienced staff team, they have done exceptionally well at getting him to attend dental and podiatry appointments which he refused in the past’.

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good

Young people appear relaxed in this home, they are able to ask staff for anything and expect them to act in their best interests. One young person when asked if he could speak to an adult he trusted said ‘of course I can, I would talk to any of them.’

p.10

good

In general the home is well maintained and very comfortable. However, one of the young people had been sleeping in a bed without any bed linen on. The young person said ‘I am meant to put new sheets and that on a Saturday but I didn’t cos I find it hard with the cover.’ Although it is recognised that young people undertaking independence plans are set tasks such as changing bedding, staff should ensure that young people are supported in doing so.

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good

The Registered Manager, who is appropriately experienced and qualified, manages the home effectively. She has a good awareness of the strengths and weaknesses of the home. There is regular internal and external evaluation of the quality of care provided. If the independent visitor identifies recommendations for improvement, these are acted upon in order to improve the delivery of care. The requirement and recommendations from the previous inspection have been met. The Registered Manager and staff team are committed in providing high quality of care. They place young people at the centre of their care.

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good

The manager maintains and where needed instigates relationships with other professionals who provide support services to young people. This includes links with education providers, the police, child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) and other health professionals. The manager is a keen advocate on behalf of young people; this is evident from her persistence to achieve full time suitable education for a young person.

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good

The manager and staff team have been able to support young people from difficult backgrounds and for some this includes numerous previous placement breakdowns and moving home at short notice. Relationships between staff and young people are warm and caring, staff have a clear understanding of the progress they have made and are optimistic for their future. A staff member said ‘we have a good group of lads and they have all come on leaps and bounds.’

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good

Placing authorities speak very highly of the commitment of the Registered Manager and staff team. One social worker said ‘the staff are excellent, whenever I am here I can see the respect they have for the young people and the pride they take in their jobs.’

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good

Staff receive effective supervision and an annual appraisal. They are an experienced staff team who promote continuity and consistency of care. The Registered Manager ensures that there are adequate numbers of appropriately skilled and trained staff on duty at all times. The staff team receive regular mandatory training. In addition, they have received specialist training in child sexual exploitation and self-harm. This ensures that staff receive the appropriate training in order to meet the needs of the young people.

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good

Staff practice is supported by comprehensive guidance, policies and procedures. The home has appropriate systems in place to notify Ofsted and other relevant bodies of significant events that occur within the home or with young people. This ensures that those with an interest in young people’s welfare are kept appropriately informed.

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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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