Children's Home run by Cumbria County Council in Westmorland and Furness

Inspection date 08/10/2015

Previous inspection judgement improved effectiveness

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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 provides a good standard of care for young people with emotional and behavioural difficulties who are succeeding in their education and gaining qualifications.  Young people are provided opportunities to experience a range of activities they may not otherwise access. They have the opportunity to develop friendships with their peers and are supported to gain social and life skills  The Registered Manager works effectively in partnership with other professionals and his staff team. There is good communication between the home, families and school.  The voice of the child is a priority in the home. Young people have numerous avenues to voice their views and opinions, including designing the colour schemes for their bedrooms and communal areas.  Young people are kept safe, their welfare and safety are promoted. Staff are informed of the increased vulnerabilities and risks associated with individual

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The children's home provision is good because:

children and young people.  The service provides very good health support from organisations that support young people with their sexual and emotional well-being.  Staff are available in sufficient numbers to provide good levels of care to young people. Staff know the young people well.

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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 staff have the knowledge and skills to recognise and be alert for any signs that might indicate a child is in any way at risk of harm. The registered person should ensure that skills in safeguarding are gained, refreshed and recorded in the homes workforce plan.(Guide to the Quality Standards 9.12)

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Information about this children's home

The home is registered to accommodate six young people of mixed gender, aged between 10 and 17 years old who have an emotional and/or behavioural difficulty. The home is managed by the local authority.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

09/02/2015 CH - Interim improved effectiveness

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Recent inspection history

03/02/2014 CH - Interim Inadequate Progress

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good

Young people who have had very difficult experiences in learning settings are accessing education and achieving very well. Young people have made good progress from their starting points and have exceeded expectations. This is because the staff and tutors are supporting them to do well. Young people who were disaffected are now aspirational and those who were having difficulties in school, are now being educated full time in community schools and colleges.

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good

Children and young people enjoy opportunities they may not otherwise be able to access. They enjoy participating in planned activities with their peers. Activities arranged, on site or in the wider community, include swimming, cinema, visits to the beach and going for walks. A recent break to London has been a particular highlight for young people over the summer. Activities successfully reflect their creative, intellectual, physical and social interests. In addition young people are supported to achieve life skills such as budgeting, keeping themselves safe online and using public transport. This has seen their confidence significantly grow.

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good

All achievements are celebrated. Many photographs around the home capture the young people having fun. Relationships between children and young people and the staff are sensitive and caring. Staff respond very well to individual personalities and characters to ensure they are happy.

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good

Communication between home and education establishments is good. Staff have built very good relationships with schools, families and carers and keep them informed of changes, supporting young people to successfully engage in education.

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good

Young people are supported to make choices and express their views. For example, they make choices in what activity they wish to do and how they would like their room decorated. They can also voice their views and opinions during individual consultation with a staff member and the young peoples’ meetings.

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good

Young people receive good health care. Staff are aware of the increased vulnerabilities in regards to meeting individual health needs. They are good at ensuring young people are well and able to participate in activities and attend school. The sharing of information between the home, school and families is good. Judgement grade

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good

Safeguarding policies and procedures are clear and robust. Staff are aware of the increased vulnerabilities young people and of the associated need for heightened protection. As a result children and young people are kept safe by a team of staff who demonstrate good knowledge of safeguarding practices.

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good

Staff are trained in recognising actual or potential harm or abuse, working in accordance with the local safeguarding authority’s child protection and safeguarding procedures. The Registered Manager has developed good working relationships with the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) and consults with them over appropriate concerns. The Registered Manager regularly reviews the records of any safeguarding concerns and takes appropriate action where necessary. At times staff have not been alert for signs that might indicate a young person is at risk of harm, including knowing the whereabouts of a young person when they have an intention to go missing.

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good

Behaviour management systems ensure that staff care for young people safely. Staff practice is calm and skilled in diffusing incidents. Individual behaviour management plans are developed and implemented in consultation with young people and other relevant professionals, they outline the potential behaviour and the strategies staff should apply to manage particular behaviours. This includes proactive strategies such as avoidance, distraction and diffusion, as well as any physical intervention that may be necessary. Staff are trained in the safe deployment of physical intervention, ensuring that risks associated with physical intervention are minimised and that children and young people are safe during such incidents.

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good

There have been 53 incidents of young people going missing since June 2014. There are appropriate procedures available for staff to follow in the event of such an occurrence that are in line with local police procedures. Staff are aware of these procedures and of their responsibilities to keep children safe.

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good

Young people do not bully, but there are sometimes disagreements between the girls living in the home. Staff are alert to any relationships or actions that may upset a young person and intervene appropriately.

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good

Staff have good knowledge of e-safety and child sexual exploitation. Staff use one to one opportunities to guide young people to learn safe use of social media. Recruitment arrangements are robust with all necessary checks undertaken. Only adults assessed as suitable to work with children are appointed.

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good

The maintenance of the home is good with all health and safety checks completed. The garden has play equipment that young people enjoy. The paddock now has three sheep and a clutch of chickens with eggs for the young people to collect.

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good

The manager has been registered since August 2015. He has relevant experienced of working with children and young people with emotional and behavioural difficulties. He holds the national vocational qualification (NVQ) at Levels 3 and 4 in Health and Social Care and is currently completing the Level 5 Diploma in Leadership and Management for Residential Childcare

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good

The manager ensures that young people are involved in all decision making about their care plans and about developments in their home. Young people are given the opportunity to feedback about their care through questionnaires, complaints processes, residents meetings, and individual management consultations. He is also skilled in facilitating impromptu group discussions. He role models listening skills, mediation and compromise to his staff team and as a result, young people feel listened to and invest in their home.

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good

The managers have excellent working relationships with professionals within the local authority. They attend matching panel meetings and share knowledge and skills with commissioners and providers. This means that any referrals are openly discussed and considered so that safe and responsible decisions are made about placements. One social worker said,’ Overall I am satisfied that the placement continues to meet (name) needs and they keep me informed of any incidents that arise’.

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good

Children and young people respond positively to the care and professional relationships staff build with them. Staff members are suitably trained with relevant experience to care for young people with emotional and behavioural difficulties. The Registered Manager constantly reviews the adequacy of staff numbers so adjustments can be made to ensure the changing needs of young people are continually met. Staff morale is good. Staff are fully supportive and praising of the management of the home. They receive regular, good quality, reflective supervision in addition to daily on-going support.

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good

Monitoring of the service is good. Auditing systems in place address any areas that require improvement and inform future planning. An independent visitor provides an objective view with recommendations that the Registered Manager actions.

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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

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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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