Children's Home run by Stoke-on-Trent City Council in Stoke-on-Trent

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:

 Staff and young people have strong and caring relationships.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 Young people feel safe. They no longer go missing.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 Risks are clearly identified. Proactive steps are taken to reduce these.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 Young people make good progress in key areas of their lives because of the support they receive.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 Young people’s views strongly influence the day-to-day running of the home. They feel empowered as a result.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 The registered manager has made significant improvements in the home; he is motivated and continues to strive for greater improvement.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 On rare occasions, ‘sanctions’ used in relation to negative behaviour are not restorative in nature and young people’s views are inaccurately recorded.

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further the service should take account of the following recommendation(s):

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Recommendations

 The registered person must not use the views of parents or carers as a proxy for children's views. (The Guide to the Quality Standards, page 24 paragraph 4.25)

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Recommendations

 Any sanctions used to address poor behaviour should be restorative in nature, to help children recognise the impact of their behaviour on themselves, other children, the staff caring for them and the wider community. In some cases it will be important for children to make reparation in some form to anyone hurt by their behaviour and the staff in the home should be skilled to support the child to understand this and carry it out. (The Guide to the Quality Standards, page 46 paragraph 9.38)

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Information about this children's home

The home provides care and accommodation for up to two children or young people with emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. The home is owned and operated by a Local Authority.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

23/02/2015 CH - Interim Improved effectiveness

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Recent inspection history

23/02/2015 CH - Interim Improved effectiveness

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Good

Young people receive high quality, individualised care from a consistent, caring staff team. Relationships between staff and young people are strong. Staff know young people well and understand their needs. Consequently, they are able to support them effectively. Young people are extremely positive about their staff. One stating, ‘I give them 10 out of 10’, another, ‘I give them 100 out of 10’ adding, ‘they are all great, I love them.’

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Good

Young people make good progress because of the support they receive. Staff have high aspirations for them which ensures their self-belief increases. Young people have good attendance at school and college and achieve more academically due to this. One young person is rightly proud of their recent success stating, ‘I passed all my exams’. For some young people this is a significant improvement.

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Good

Staff encourage young people to engage in a range of positive activities. For some young people this has been hugely successful and has sparked a number of interests including amateur dramatics. In addition, a young person took part in a ‘take-over day’ filling the role of a senior manager in the Local Authority for the day. They were empowered by the opportunity and the feedback they received. This increases their self-esteem and their confidence in their own opinions.

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Good

Staff and managers actively seek young people’s views, which are central to the running of the home. This affects day-to-day activities and wider issues including the recruitment of new staff. On rare occasions, staff interpret young people’s views and fail to record them accurately, using their own words instead. This reduces the quality of otherwise effective practice.

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Good

Some young people have experienced traumatic events in their lives. Staff offer good support during these times and ensure young people have access to specialist services when this is required. This promotes their emotional well-being. Young people confirm this, one writing to each of the staff to thank them for their support during, ‘a hard time’. Other professionals are equally positive. A social worker stating, ‘the support has been fantastic… Staff are really supportive every day.’

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Good

Planning for young people’s futures is detailed and generally effective. Staff carefully balance young people’s need to be independent with the need to keep them safe. Independence work and transitions are well planned and involve a range of other agencies. Staff help young people to take small steps and build on the skills they acquire. As a result, young people develop the skills they need to live more independently.

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Good

Young people feel safe. Risks are well identified and understood by all staff. This includes risks to young people who go missing and are at risk of child sexual exploitation. Consequently, staff take effective action when concerns arise. Staff work with young people proactively, helping them to identify risks for themselves and consider how best to manage them. This helps young people to become increasingly safe. Young people no longer go missing. For some young people this is highly significant and is testament to the relationships they have developed with staff. An Independent Reviewing Officer reflects, ‘staff went over and above…they went the extra mile to safeguard the young person’s welfare and well-being.’ Staff also support parents to understand young people’s behaviour and the risks they may face. Generally, this is well received and helps ensure positive relationships between staff and young people’s families.

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Good

Challenging behaviour is well managed by staff, who ensure that consistent boundaries are maintained. A social worker highlights this stating, ‘credit to the staff…they are consistent and know young people really well…They have solid relationships, good boundaries, and manage behaviours well.’ This helps young people to make progress. A mental health professional confirms this stating, ‘young people make an effort to turn their life around thanks to the consistent and firm rules and boundaries.’ Staff celebrate and reward positive behaviour. ‘Sanctions’ are used at times in response to negative behaviour. The majority of these are effective and appropriate. In contrast, a small number are not restorative in nature, as such they do not help young people recognise the impact of their behaviour on themselves, other young people, the staff caring for them and the wider community. Robust staff recruitment procedures help to protect young people from unsafe

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Good

adults working in their home. There has been a significant improvement in the recording and verifying of pre-employment checks. Senior managers in the organisation and the registered manager have led this. Judgement grade

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Good

An enthusiastic manager, registered in March 2015, runs the home. He is suitably experienced and is currently working towards the Level 5 Diploma in Leadership and Management for Residential Childcare. An effective assistant manager supports him. They have improved the service significantly, and strive to develop it further. Managers keep young people’s well-being at the heart of everything they do. They have high aspirations for them and instil this throughout the staff team. As a result, young people achieve and develop, particularly in relation to their self- confidence, education and behaviour. Managers are aware of the progress young people make and challenge other agencies when their response is not effective. This ensures that young people get the support they need. Monitoring and review systems are robust. The registered manager understands the home’s strengths and weaknesses and takes proactive steps to address issues

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Good

quickly. All of the shortfalls identified at the last inspection have been addressed. In addition, reports produced by the home’s independent visitor have improved significantly, following challenge by the registered manager. They provide robust analysis and offer clear opinions as to whether young people are safeguarded and the conduct of the home promotes their well-being. These systems improve the quality of care young people receive. Staff talk positively about the support they receive. Appropriate training is provided in key areas including safeguarding and is underpinned by regular, good quality, supervision. Effective team meetings discuss young people’s needs. Recently, these have been enhanced by the input of a psychologist. This helps staff further understand young people, and develops the support they provide. The registered manager has good links with professionals from a number of other agencies

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Good

(including social care, health, and education) and invites them to be part of these discussions. This has resulted in the effective sharing of information and a consistent approach. This benefits young people and helps to keep them safe.

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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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