Children's Home run by One To One Crisis Intervention Ltd in Devon

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 young person is in a suitable placement to access the help which she needs. Staff provide good, nurturing care and the manager demonstrates effective multi-agency working. The group regularly discuss the strategies which are in place to keep the young person safe and review the suitability of the placement.  The young person feels safe and comfortable living at the home. She has good quality time with her family and is doing well with her education. The young person is also engaging with staff and health professionals to reduce her risk taking behaviour.  The young person has greatly improved health outcomes. Her diet is balanced and nutritious. She has had important dental work carried out and has been prescribed glasses.  The young person has a good relationship with the staff, she enjoys taking part in activities with them and will also discuss her thoughts and feelings. The young person has joined local youth groups and has made some

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The children's home provision is good because:

friends.  The manager and staff respond well to challenging behaviour shown by the young person. They also accentuate the positives choices she makes each day. Staff have developed intervention strategies, which reduce the frequency of the young person going missing from the home.  The manager communicates effectively with all parties involved in the young person’s care. She also shares any concerns about individuals in the local area promptly with the police. The monitoring of the home and the consultation of the people involved is effective. It is used to improve the quality of the service provided.

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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

In order to meet the protection of children standard the registered person must (2) (a) (i) ensure that staff assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child's relevant plans, and if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child. (Regulation 12 (2) (a) (i)). 31/10/2015

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Requirement Due date

13: The leadership and management standard

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Requirement Due date

In order to meet the leadership and management standard, the registered person must (2 (a) lead and manage the home in a way that is consistent with the approach and ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set out in the home's statement of purpose; with reference to completing admission risk assessments for young people admitted to the home. (Regulation 13 (2) (a)) 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):  There may be circumstances where a child can be prevented from leaving a home – for example a child who is putting themselves at risk of injury by leaving the home to carry out gang related activities, use drugs or to meet someone who is sexually exploiting them or intends to do so. Any such measure of restraint must be proportionate and in place for no longer than is necessary to manage the immediate risk. The registered manager must implement a system to monitor its use in such circumstances. (Guide to the Children's Homes Regulation including the quality standards. 9.52)

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Information about this children's home

The children’s home provides acre and accommodation for one young person of either gender, who may have emotional or behavioural difficulties. The home is operated by an independent provider who has other similar homes locally.

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Information about this children's home

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

p.5

Good

The young person has made good progress while living at the home, despite having to deal with some difficult situations in her life. The young person states ‘I like it here and I like the staff, they are really nice and I feel that I can really talk to them. I also feel that they listen and take my thoughts and feelings into consideration.’

p.6

Good

The staff provide good care and ensure that the young person has access to health and support services. The manager works effectively within a multi-agency group, which provides an efficient network of help to the young person. The young person is the key figure within the group and will often attend the meetings, which ensures that she feels included and listened to.

p.6

Good

The young person is making good progress with her education. Since her placement began she has changed schools. She is now much happier and has excellent attendance. The young person is completing Maths, English and Science GCSE’s, an outdoor adventure scheme and a Duke of Edinburgh Award. She is also keen to develop her career options and is looking into college courses. The staff support her education needs comprehensively and work effectively with her school to manage any concerns.

p.6

Good

The young person maintains regular contact with her family. Her sister will sometimes stay for a sleep over or they will go on a shopping trip together. The young person benefits greatly from this, as staying in touch with her Mum and sisters is very important to her. The staff help to make the contact with her family successful by taking the young person to meet them or welcoming them into the home. Staff will also supervise the arrangement where necessary. The feedback from the young person’s family is positive; her Mum states that she is ‘making far better choices than previously’ and her sister states that ‘the staff care very well for her needs.’

p.6

Good

The young person has made many friends. She attends army cadets and a youth club without staff supervision. The young person states she is pleased that her home ‘looks normal and does not stick out like a children home.’ She feels confident to invite friends back. The young person comments that she has everything that she needs in her room, she really enjoys the activities with staff and scores the home 9/10. The young person’s health has improved because of her placement at the home. Staff ensure that the young person receives vital dental work and that she also now has glasses. The young person has regular meetings with specialist health services, which support her emotional well-being and provide her with advice about substance misuse. Staff provide effective support to help the young person develop coping strategies for when she is feeling distressed. As a result, although her progress is not always linear, she is in a better frame of mind since the start of

p.6

Good

The young person learns a range of independence skills. She reports that she can cook some meals for herself and also helps with chores around the house to earn some extra pocket money. The young person can use public transport and is capable of going shopping by herself. The young person is learning how to build respectful relationships and stay safe, while out by herself and using a mobile phone. Staff support the young person to develop her awareness of her own personal safety and offer her guidance on sexual health and relationships.

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Requires improvement

The help and protection offered to young people requires improvement because staff have not completed an assessment of the risk of sexual exploitation to the young person. The young person goes missing from the staff’s care frequently, she is vulnerable and is at risk of exploitation.

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Requires improvement

The staff follow an up-to-date missing from home protocol and trail the young person when she goes missing. The manager links effectively with the police and placing authority to ensure that the response to the young person is a safe as possible. A multi–agency meeting takes place monthly to review the suitability of the placement and the strategies which are in place.

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Requires improvement

The incidents of the young person going missing have reduced as the staff learnt about the trigger events and emotions which cause them. Staff now prevent many more incidents from happening than actually do occur. The staff regularly review their strategies and feed them into the risk assessments and protocols to keep the young person safe.

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Requires improvement

There have been five restraints used. The young person reports that they understand why they took place and confirm that they were spoken to after the event. The staff are instructed to lock the front door in exceptional circumstances, if they feel that they young person is going to go missing and put herself in imminent danger. This is recorded as taking place on one occasion. The manager is required to implement a monitoring system to review each occasion when it is carried out, to ensure that it does not become common practice.

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Requires improvement

The staff link effectively with a Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) key worker, who knows the young person and her background well. Together they discuss appropriate behaviour management responses, which have helped to reduce the young person’s incidents. The young person is receiving help and support which may not be available to her in other more secure settings, while at the same time she is learning to keep herself safe. The CAMHS professional feels that the young person has had ‘a valuable time at the home and has built some positive relationships with the staff.’

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Requires improvement

The staff’s response to incidents of self-harming offers good protection to the young person. Staff understand that the underlying reason for the action needs to be addressed, as well as any immediate medical response. Staff are patient with the young person and offer her many opportunities to discuss her feelings and experiences.

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Requires improvement

The manager reports any concerns of abuse to the appropriate parties. An allegation against a professional was referred promptly to the Local Area Designate Officer for their independent oversight. All new staff are thoroughly vetted before they start their work with the young people. As a result, young people are effectively safeguarded.

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Requires improvement

The manager uses a variety of rewards and positive re-enforcement methods. Such as, a memories book, an instant rewards gift box and a ‘wow moment’ recorded and fed back to the young person at the end of each day. The young person understands the rules and rewards systems and feels that they are fair. As a result, the young person has developed her confidence and decreased her negative behaviour.

p.8

Good

The Registered Manager has been in post since April 2015 and registered with Ofsted since July 2015. The manager has the necessary skills and experience for the position. The manager has addressed the actions from the previous full inspection, as such a comprehensive monthly monitoring system is now in place, the young person understands how their views are taken into account and the missing from home procedure has been shared with the police, social worker and the young person’s CAMHS key worker.

p.8

Good

The transition arrangements for the current young person into the home were good. The manager did not accept the young person until the home had all the necessary resources in place to manage her needs. The placement objectives were agreed with the social worker prior to the young person moving in.

p.9

Good

The manager works closely with all the professionals involved in the care of the young person. Her communication is excellent and all parties feel very well- informed of the young person’s needs and progress. The Independent Reviewing Officer states that ‘the staff manage the young person’s risks and behaviour well.’ A police representative reports that ‘she has had nothing but positive dealings with the home, she has no concerns and the staff are very supportive.’

p.9

Good

The statement of purpose is up-to-date and clearly describes the service without making statements that the staff cannot back up in practice. The young person comments that the children’s guide is good and that it was useful before she moved in. The manager ensures that staff receive regular professional supervision to guide them in their role and annual appraisals to develop their potential. Staff have the appropriate training to meet the needs of the young person.

p.9

Good

The manager uses the monitoring exercises of the staff’s practice to enhance the working strategies and the support offered to the young person. The manager monitors the outcomes for the young person to ensure that she can demonstrate the young person is making progress. The independent visitor reports are conducted monthly and are used by the manager to scrutinise her procedures and improve the quality of care.

p.9

Good

The manager is extremely motivated and has high expectations of the staff. The young person generally responds well to the environment created at the home and acknowledges the staff’s and manager’s commitment. The young person is satisfied that she receives an answer to complaints which she has raised. She feels safe at the home and ‘would not change a thing about it.’

p.9

Good

The previous manager did not complete an admission risk assessment for a young person who has since moved on. Although the staff did have strategies in place to help the young person and they linked with appropriate agencies - the outcome for this young person was poor. The placement was not appropriate as the staff were not able to keep her safe. She moved to a secure children’s home soon after her placement at the home had begun.

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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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