Children's Home run by East Riding of Yorkshire Council in East Riding of Yorkshire

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 benefit from staff that are caring, supportive, motivated and committed.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 Young people make good progress from their initial starting points. In the minority of cases where this is not so, action is taken to rectify this.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 Staff have a very good understanding of young people’s diverse needs. They have the necessary experience, skills and are competent to meet them.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 Young people are safe and the high quality of care results in the majority of young people reducing their levels of risk taking behaviour. On the rare occasion that behaviour remains risky, care is reviewed on a multi-agency basis to ensure appropriate safeguards are put in place.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 There is good management of the home to continually improve and adapt care to meet the changing needs of young people.

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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 independent person must produce a report about a visit ("the independent person's report") which sets out, in particular, the independent person's opinion as to whether-

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Requirement Due date

(4)(a) children are effectively safeguarded; and (b) the conduct of the home promotes children's well-being.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 44 (4) (a) & (b)) 31/12/2015

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further the service should take account of the following recommendation(s):  The registered person should only accept placements for children where they are satisfied that the home can respond effectively to the child's assessed needs as recorded in the child's relevant plans and where they have fully considered the impact that the placement will have on the existing group of children. (The Guide to the Quality Standards p56, paragraph 11.4). In particular that admission impact risk assessments clearly detail how this impact is considered in making a decision to admit a child.

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Information about this children's home

This home is owned by a local authority and is registered for up to six children with emotional and behavioural difficulties.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

16/02/2015 Interim Improved effectiveness

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good

Staff are nurturing, empathic and committed to providing young people with positive experiences and development opportunities. This helps them make the transition to more independent living or return home to live with their family. A professional commented that, ‘Young people mature from the staff support and motivation.’

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good

There are strong relationships between staff and young people that are rooted in trust, openness and honesty. The care and sensitivity staff provide, gives young people a secure base to test boundaries, feel accepted and valued as individuals. One care leaver commented, ‘I have had my happiest time here, there is plenty of support and advice.’

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good

Improvements in education, training and employment are sustained by young people. As a result they significantly increase their attendance, (one has achieved 100%), succeed at college, and find employment that contributes further to their learning and development. Considering past experiences, young people show determination to succeed. There resilience increases over time from the support they receive.

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good

Young people’s wellbeing improves significantly from regular informal conversations with and guidance from staff. This is highlighted by comments from a professional about different young people, ‘X smiles a lot more now, engages with others, has a better understanding of self…Y feels good’. Emotional health is also promoted though access to children and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) and specialist counselling to meet individual needs.

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good

Good physical health is promoted and staff always support young people to attend their medical appointments. One young person has quit smoking altogether; there is support for others to do so. Incidents of alcohol use are rare and staff respond effectively to these. Young people take part in a range of different physical activities including hill walking, rock climbing, swimming, squash, cycling, football and using the local gym.

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good

Young people take part in a wide range of activities. This includes outdoor pursuits, going out for meals, trips to the cinema and membership of the local Children in Care council. They see their friends and family on a regular basis as far as possible. When family relationships have been strained staff have persevered to promote family engagement with positive results. As a result young people develop good links in the local community and do not become socially isolated. This is significant progress for young people who rarely came out of their room when they first moved in.

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good

The mountaineering activities in places such as Snowden, Helvellyn and local rock- climbing wall promotes safe risk taking, personal success and boosts young people’s individual confidence.

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good

Young people are on the whole articulate and have well developed communication skills, which are used to good effect. Their views are listened to and taken account of in decisions about care planning, future placements, diets, activities and the décor of the home. For those less confident to speak up, staff are empathic and engaging. There is also a range of advocacy from independent professional and local Children’s Rights group. This ensure that the voices of all young people about important matters to them are heard and acted upon.

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good

To help plan the transition to adulthood young people complete an assessment of their independence skills. They try out ‘independence’ in a training flat, where they are responsible for doing more for themselves. Young people use these experiences as a stepping stone to supported lodgings and independent living.

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good

Young people are safe and their well-being is regularly monitored and reviewed. A significant development is the use of a ‘signs of safety’ model. Young people engage with this much more, which helps them understand both why staff might be concerned and what needs to happen to make sure they are safe. This new approach contributes to a better shared understanding of risks and influences care practice positively. For example it enables more open discussion with young people about missing from home behaviour and potential for exploitation.

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good

Risk taking behaviour such as self-harm and missing from home has for the majority of young people reduced significantly. Safeguarding practice is strong and involves local agencies such as the police and Children’s Rights. Professionals from these agencies visit young people and check on their safety after any missing from home incident. The Registered Manager sits on local safeguarding panels in connection with missing young people and exploitation. This level of scrutiny keeps young people safe.

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good

When young people do not respond and continue to place themselves in risky situations their care is swiftly reviewed. Different strategies are adapted and this has been successful in altering patterns of behaviour. If necessary and as a last resort the continued viability of a placement in the home will be strongly considered with safeguarding as the ultimate objective.

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good

Deliberation is given to any new placements so that the impact of any young person moving in on existing young people can be anticipated and controlled. This process is not fully documented and accounted for. As such there is the potential for an admission to have an avoidable negative impact

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good

Staff understand the reasons for young people’s challenging behaviour. They are skilled at using different strategies, avoiding triggers, de-escalation and distraction techniques. They are resilient, patient and understanding in supporting young people. As such incidents are rare and the need to use physical holds to keep young people safe is even less common and a last resort. Incidents are monitored thoroughly, there is a good level of reflection and young people are encouraged to behave more positively. Trends and patterns are identified and different strategies used to identify what is most effective on an individual level.

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good

The Registered Manager has been in post for 11 years, is appropriately qualified and manages the home competently. He is supported by a senior team who are able to deputise in his absence, ensure continuity of leadership and maintain standards of care.

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good

The manager ensures a good level of internal monitoring covering young people’s progress, care practice and record keeping. There is further monthly scrutiny by an independent visitor. The resulting monthly reports do not fully comply with regulations on procedural matters but do help maintain standards of care for young people. For example improving levels of consultation and reviewing use of sanctions.

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good

From the wide ranging monitoring the manager has developed an action plan to continually improve the service; for example additional education opportunities for young people post 16 and further developing practice around ‘signs of safety’. The manager is realistic about the strengths and weaknesses of the setting as well as progress that young people make. This ensures that improvements are targeted at enhancing the experiences and outcomes for young people.

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good

The staff team are experienced, very confident in their work, motivated and have a range of skills. All staff have achieved, or for new staff are working towards the required qualification. Diverse skills are promoted for example outdoor pursuits qualifications. This enables familiar, friendly staff to take young people away and provide exciting opportunities they would not have otherwise experienced. In one case it was the first time a young person had an overnight stay away from the home.

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good

Staff work well as a team; there are good levels of communication, support and supervision. This contributes to the consistency and high standards of care young people receive.

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good

The Statement of Purpose for the home setting out the aims and objectives is currently under review. The Registered Manager is aware of the need to send the new version to Ofsted. The current standards of care, safeguarding practice, experiences and progress of young people reflect a setting that is meeting its existing goals.

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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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