Children's Home run by Courtyard Care Limited in Tameside

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:

 Children and young people make good progress in all aspects of their lives, and are safe and protected within the home. This is because they receive a high level of dedicated care and support by a trained and knowledgeable staff team.  The manager ensures that the planning and transition process is thorough for all children and young people joining and leaving the home. This ensures they receive a high level of care on admission and the correct level of care and support, from a multi-disciplinary team when they move on.  Children and young people maintain contact with those who are significant to them because staff encourage, support and facilitate this sensitively.  Family members and professionals have confidence in the staff team. They report that the staff are skilled at building relationships with children and young people, know them well and, support and enable children and young people to continue to make positive progress in all areas of their lives.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 Staff are effectively supported and trained, and thereby are committed to delivering a good standard of care. This ensures each child and young person is cared for well and their individual needs are consistently met.  The manager is dedicated to further develop the care practice within the home. She uses the information from the robust monitoring systems which are in place, to continue to improve the lives and experiences of children and young people.  Areas for improvement identified within this inspection relate to: the handling, recording and administration of all medication; ensuring staff work within the prescribed protocols, especially when administering medication; providing appropriate clinical supervision for professionally qualified staff, and ensuring that all agencies are informed of any significant events within the prescribed timeframes, specifically during any periods of the Registered

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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 make arrangements for the handling, recording, and safe administration of all medicines received into the children's home. (Regulation 23 (1)) 01/01/2016

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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 is responsible for ensuring that all staff consistently follow the home’s policies and procedures for the benefit of the children in the home's care. This specifically relates to ensuring that the staff monitor, comply and record the expiry dates of all medication within the records correctly and record the administration of such medication accurately and without error (The Guide to the Quality Standards, page 54 paragraph 10.20)

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Recommendations

 The registered person must have a system in place so that all staff receive supervision of their practice from an appropriately qualified and experienced professional, which allows them to reflect on their practice and the needs of the children assigned to their care. Professionally qualified staff employed by the home, should be provided with relevant professional or clinical supervision by an appropriately qualified and experienced professional (The Guide to the Quality Standards, page 61, paragraph 13.2)

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Recommendations

 The registered person must have a system in place so that all serious events are notified, within 24 hours, to the appropriate people. This system should cover the action that should be followed if the event arises at the weekend or during a public holiday, or in the absence of the manager. (The Guide to the Quality Standards, page 63, paragraph 14.13)

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Information about this children's home

 The home is managed by a private organisation. It is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to six children and young people with physical and learning disabilities and complex health needs. The home enlist the support of a clinical nurse three days a week in their development and implementation for care planning.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

18/03/2015 CH - Interim Sustained effectiveness

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Good

Children and young people make good progress in all aspects of their development. They benefit from consistent, stable placements which enable them to develop and sustain positive and nurturing relationships with the established staff team. Staff have high aspirations for children and young people and are strong advocates for them. They actively pursue and challenge other agencies to ensure children and young people receive the care and services they require. This proactive response ensures they receive the correct level of support and services from placing authorities, health and education providers.

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Good

Children and young people’s physical and emotional health is valued and promoted. Staff work tirelessly with a wide range of health professionals such as: occupational therapist; speech and language therapist; community nurses; paediatricians; and the company’s registered nurse who provides support and medical input into the home three days per week. This collaborative practice ensures young people receive a high level of individual care and support from a skilled, knowledgeable and multi-disciplinary team. Consequently children and young people experience less disruption to their care as the need for their admission into clinical settings, such as hospital, is reduced; young people benefit from improved health outcomes which are suitably managed within the home environment.

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Good

Education for all children and young people is actively supported by the staff. The clinical lead provides support and training to all staff, including the transport and education staff. This ensures that all key staff are fully trained to provide safe and consistent care both in and outside of the home to all children and young people. Those who have been unable to attend school due to their diverse and complex health needs, have been assisted and supported to be reintegrated back into the school environment successfully. As a result children and young people are making progress towards their own individual education goals and targets.

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Good

Staff value family contact for children and young people and promote and encourage this sensitively. Staff are proactive and effective in forging positive working relationships with family members. This supportive approach has assisted some families to re-establish their links with their children to ensure direct family contact takes place for those whom it is safe and appropriate to do so. Furthermore staff welcome family members into the home and regularly invite them to activities and celebrations that are taking place. Family members and professionals are complimentary about this and how this support from staff has assisted in re-establishing important family links to improve children and young people’s sense of belonging and identity.

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Good

Children and young people are supported and prepared well for their transition into and out of the home. Thorough placement planning ensures that children and young people’s needs can be suitably met on the point of their admission, and then when they move into adult services. Staff understand young peoples’ capabilities well and give them the opportunities they need to develop and learn new skills in a safe and supported way. Young people’s transition into adult services are thoughtfully planned and coordinated with all the necessary agencies. As a result young people receive the correct level of care and support they require during significant periods of their lives.

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Good

Children and young people live in a large, comfortable home which is personalised to their individual needs. Staff ensure that children and young people’s achievements are celebrated and their art work and creations are displayed around the home for all to enjoy. Children and young people benefit from the large bedrooms which they enjoy. Their toys, belongings and photographs ensure that this space provides them with a warm, nurturing homely environment in which to relax. Parents and professionals comment positively on the décor and ambiance of the home and attribute this, and the care staff provide, to the progress that children and young people make.

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Good

Children and young people are kept safe. Staff are well supported and receive good training. They fully understanding children and young people’s needs and are confident in their delivery of good levels of care. Children and young people’s strengths, vulnerabilities and triggers are highlighted within their individual care plans and risk assessments. These plans are understood by the staff team who routinely implement them. Plans are routinely reviewed by leaders and managers who systematically update these plans; sharing relevant information with children and young people’s parents, social workers, health professionals and care staff. This ensures their holistic needs are adequately met.

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Good

The manager responds appropriately and swiftly to any complaints, allegations or concerns raised about the home. The manager has investigated and responded appropriately to a complaint raised by a family member, who confirmed during the inspection that they were more than happy with the way their complaint was dealt with and the successful outcome achieved. The staff team understand their safeguarding roles and responsibilities and are fully aware of the whistle blowing policy. The manager undertakes thorough investigations when issues are raised and, despite not sharing this information with Ofsted within the required timeframe, the investigation and the outcome of her enquiries are shared promptly with: social workers; parents; police; and the Local Area Designated Officer. The Local Area Designated Officer confirmed during the inspection that the manager follows the protocols which are in place. She said:

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Good

‘The manager contacts me before she starts her investigations. The investigations are always very thorough.’

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Good

The arrangements for admitting some medication into the home are not robust. The system for signing children and young people’s medication into the home, for those who visit the home regularly, involves their medication being accounted for within their inventories on admission. Important details, such as expiry dates for medication are not being checked and verified however to ensure appropriate and safe administration is maintained for all children and young people. Furthermore despite staff receiving a high level of support and training in the administration of medication, staff have failed to follow the protocols that are in place when checking, recording and administering medication for one young person. As a result one person received out of date medication for two days. The manager took swift action to address this shortfall. For example, she sought medical advice, informed parents and the placing authority and ensured appropriate medication

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Good

was provided. In addition the manager has addressed this with the staff concerned to prevent further errors occurring and to promote good physical health for all children and young people.

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Good

Suitable health and safety arrangements within the home ensure children, young people and, the staff live in a physically safe environment. In addition the provider's robust recruitment and employment arrangements help ensure that staff who are recruited to work with young people are safe and suitable.

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Good

Children and young people live in a home that is successfully managed by a proficient and suitably qualified manager who has been registered with Ofsted since January 2014. The manager is supported by four experienced team leaders who share her ambitions and enthusiasm to provide a high standard of care to all children and young people, as outlined in the home’s updated Statement of Purpose. The managers’ knowledge, skills and experience to provide clear leadership and management to the committed and stable staff team is recognised by parents and their partner agencies. One parent said: ‘The manager is a strong manager, she supports the team well and doesn’t take any messing.’

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Good

One of the two recommendations raised at the last inspection has been suitably addressed. The manager’s monitoring arrangements now include a review of any action plans set. However the arrangements for ensuring appropriate clinical supervision is provided to professionally qualified staff remains outstanding.

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Good

There are suitable staffing levels in the home to ensure each child and young person’s individual needs can be met. During the inspection children and young people were observed to be happy in the home and had lots of smiles and interaction with staff. Staff who were spoken to talk positively about working at the home and said they feel well supported to deliver a high standard of good quality care by the management team. They confirm that regular team meetings, annual appraisals and relevant training ensure they are kept up to date with the children and young people’s emerging needs. While the manager and all the care staff receive regular and sufficient supervision, suitable arrangements have not been made to ensure the nurse receives appropriate clinical supervision. At such it is unclear if she is appropriately supported, and maintains the knowledge, skills and abilities she requires to continue to meet the children and young people’s needs.

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Good

The progress of young people is carefully monitored. The manager regularly reviews the progress that all young people make and discusses any concerns with the relevant parties. Good relationships with parents, social workers, education providers, and health professionals mean that the manager is able to discuss progress and share concerns appropriately. Feedback from several professionals throughout the inspection confirmed that there is effective communication with the home. A mother said: ‘They tell me everything that happens and they listen to me when I have something to say.’ A social worker for two young people said: 'Communication is excellent. There is always someone available to speak with who know (names) well. I am updated on the young people’s progress regularly, and they keep me informed of everything that is happening.’

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Good

The manager uses a range of internal and external quality audit processes to monitor the home’s operation and the progress that young people make. An independent person undertakes the monthly regulation 44 monitoring visits and provides a report of their findings to the manager and Ofsted within the prescribed time frames. This and the manager’s internal monitoring systems ensure the quality of care remains under regular scrutiny and review, and the managers and staff continue to develop the services with the home for all young people.

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Good

Children and young people’s records reflect their everyday lives and the work that is undertaken by the staff team. Information is stored securely and only shared with authorised persons; which ensures children and young people's right to privacy is maintained.

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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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