Children's Home run by The Partnership of Care Limited in Barnsley

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 are cared for by a committed staff team who provide good quality care where young people make progress.  Young people are safe. The incidence of them going missing has significantly reduced to a minimum, with these incidents generally being late returns.  Young people have educational placements and the good communication with education providers ensures that young people participate.

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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 compile in relation to the children’s home a statement (the statement of purpose) which covers the matters listed in Schedule 1. (Regulation 16 (10) and Schedule 1. 16) In particular; a description of the homes approach to the monitoring and surveillance of children 01 Jan 2016

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Requirement Due date

The independent person must produce a report about a visit (the independent persons report) which sets out, in particular, the independent persons opinion as to whether, children are effectively 01 Jan 2016 safeguarded and the conduct of the home promotes children’s wellbeing. ( Regulation 44 (4) (a) and (b))

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further the service should take account of the following recommendation(s):  The design of the home should, where appropriate, enable children to develop independence skills within the supportive environment of the home, including through encouraging independent use of the kitchen and laundry areas. (The Guide to the Quality Standards. page 15 paragraph 3.10) In particular, ensure that the cellar is made accessible to enable young people to have free access to the laundry facilities.

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Recommendations

 The design of the home should provide staff that sleep in the home overnight with appropriate accommodation and facilities to do so. (The Guide to the Quality Standards. page 17 paragraph 3.26)

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Information about this children's home

This children’s home is operated by a private company. It is registered to provide care and accommodation for five young people with emotional and behavioural difficulties and/or learning disabilities.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

30/03/2015 Interim Sustained effectiveness

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

14/01/2014 Interim Satisfactory Progress 10/07/2013 Full Outstanding

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good

Young people and the younger adult have made progress since their admission to the home. This has been made possible by the supportive relationships that they have with the staff team. They say, ‘It’s been good here, it has changed me, they have proper helped me.’ Care is highly individualised and staff have a good knowledge of the young people and younger adult. This ensures that there is a consistent approach to their care.

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good

Relationships are built on mutual respect and trust. Young people and the younger adult say that they have someone they can talk to. The younger adult is going through an extremely harrowing time but she is managing to maintain her college placement and says, ‘It’s the best care I have received, it’s like a family home.’

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good

All the current young people and the younger adult were placed in an emergency. These placements have been maintained with one young person being here for two years. His parent said, ‘He came here a little boy and is maturing into a man.’

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good

All are in education and there are effective links with the majority of them. The staff are good advocates for young people and will endeavour to provide acceptable solutions in order for young people to engage in their education. One young person who has presented some problematic behaviours at school has received an outstanding learner achievement award.

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good

Health needs are well attended to. For example, one young person who has a fear of dentists and has not seen one for a number of years agreed to attend an appointment. This has laid the way for the urgent orthodontic work to be carried out. A number of the young people had not had their immunisations, these have been organised. This ensures that young people are protected against a number of infectious diseases; and their general health needs are well met. Young people and the younger adult’s views are sought in all areas of their lives and how the home operates. They say that they feel listened to and know that if they made a complaint it would be resolved. Young people and the younger adult enjoy living in this homely environment. Some enjoy spending time with staff, while another runs his own business in an antique market. The young people and younger adult are of an age that they mainly organise their own leisure time although there are occasional activities organised

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good

The staff work hard in supporting the younger adult with securing housing. They have committed to on-going support once she has moved to her own tenancy. All young people are encouraged with meal preparation and maintaining their personal space. The older ones budget, shop and cook their own meals. The young adult commended the support that she has received in helping her to develop skills that she needs to make a successful transition to adulthood. She said, ‘This has been good for me, as before I came here I did not know anything.’ However, the laundry room is housed in the cellar but young people do not have free access to this facility, requiring staff supervision because of the layout of this area. This does not promote their independence; particularly with regard to the age group of the young people.

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good

The staff work effectively with significant family members to ensure that contact is maintained and a positive experience for all. Staff will supervise contact in the home and family members are made welcome. This promotes young people’s wellbeing.

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good

Young people and the younger adult are safe in the home. There have been major concerns for the safety of the younger adult and the possible impact of this on the home. Appropriate steps have been taken to ensure the safety of all. Good links with the missing person’s police co-ordinator ensure information is shared and effective strategies implemented.

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good

Young people and the younger adult are safeguarded by the adherence to individual risk assessments. These identify potential areas of concern with strategies identified to minimise the danger.

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good

The incident of missing is minimal, despite this being an area of concern prior to admission for a number of individuals. Staff are proactive when the whereabouts of young people is unknown and will go in search of them. Young people feel that staff are concerned for the welfare. The younger adult said, ‘This is the safest I have ever felt in my life.’ Robust recruitment processes ensure that young people are cared for by suitable people.

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good

Effective behaviour management plans support young people to manage their behaviours. The staff have a good understanding of the young people and the individual approach they have promotes young people’s wellbeing.

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good

Young people and the younger adult’s safety is promoted by all health and safety checks being carried out regularly.

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good

This is a well-managed home. The Registered Manager is appropriately qualified and experienced; she has been in post for two years. A trainee manager supports the Registered Manager providing an effective management team. They lead a team of qualified and experienced staff who have good training opportunities, are well supported and provide a nurturing environment where young people make good progress. There is a good gender balance and the staff team reflect the heritage of the young people. The core staff team are supplemented by a number of casual staff although rotas demonstrate that there is always a permanent member of staff on duty. This ensures that young people are cared for by established staff.

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good

The management team have a good understanding of the home’s strengths and areas for development. The development plan is a working document and sets out how the service can be improved.

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good

There is only one sleep-in bedroom but there are two staff who sleep-in each night. One member of staff is required to sleep in a communal room on a sofa. This does not set a good example to the young people who see staff ‘sofa surfing’ and it compromises staff’s privacy.

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good

The Statement of Purpose is a comprehensive document outlining what services the home has to offer.

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good

There is good monitoring of the home. The Registered Manager sends regular updates of young people’s progress to parents and social workers and questionnaires to ascertain the views of stakeholders.

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good

One of the requirements raised at the last inspection has been met. There has only been one notification since the last inspection which has been sent to Ofsted. The use of the postal system has an inbuilt delay as the home does not use the automated system. None-the-less the regulator was informed of this incident promptly. The second requirement, relating to the view of the independent visitor is yet to be addressed. However, there are on-going discussions with the visitor to ensure that they meet this regulation.

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good

The requirements and recommendations raised at this inspection do not impact on the welfare of the young people and the younger adult.

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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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