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

Outstanding

The children's home provides highly effective services that consistently exceeds the standards of good. The actions of the home contribute to significantly improved outcomes for children and young people who need help, protection and care.

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The children's home provision is outstanding because:

 An experienced Registered Manager leads this home, supported by a team of care staff, who all receive training to meet the needs of the young people in their care.  Staff demonstrate a strong commitment to young peoples’ well-being and welfare. Regularly updated care plans and risk assessments guide care and maximise young people’s safety thoroughly.  Staff value young people, they talk proudly of their achievements and progress. Young people develop trusting relationships with staff; they share their worries and concerns and receive the help that they need.  Young people make excellent progress in this home. All young people are engaged in education and receive the health services that they require. They take part in leisure activities and community projects and build self-esteem. Young people are able to recognise and take pride in their achievements.  Staff have established strong effective links with specialist services, including

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The children's home provision is outstanding because:

police, education, careers and health. This enables young people and their families to receive support and allows staff to access specialist advice to meet young peoples’ needs.

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Information about this children's home

The home is local authority owned and is registered to provide accommodation for four children with emotional and behavioural difficulties. The home operates as a short break service and is open at weekends and school holidays.

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Recent inspection history

20/03/2015 CH - Interim sustained effectiveness

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outstanding

Young people develop strong, secure relationships with staff and a sense of belonging. A Social Worker comment ‘he has a good relationship with the team; he enjoys it when he goes to stay’. Staff speak warmly of young people, take pride in their achievements and reward their progress. Progress exceeds all expectations at the point of referral. Staff place the wellbeing of young people at the centre of practice and make decisions in their best interests. They also ensure that young people have opportunities to have fun and enjoy new experiences. As a result, young people feel highly valued. They are clear about how to make a complaint but have not complained.

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outstanding

Young people who have a history of difficult relationships or difficult life experiences are supported to develop positive, healthy relationships. Young people have greatly improved emotional health; incidences of sexualised behaviour and low mood are significantly reduced. One young person said: ‘Since I have been coming to stay here I am much happier, I get a break and play pool with my brother instead of fighting with him.’

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outstanding

All young people engage in education. Schools report an excellent relationship with staff at the home ‘we have a very good relationship with staff, we have regular phone contact, we work in partnership with the home’.

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outstanding

Health services are available according to individual need. Staff access specific health services, including family workers, child and adolescent mental health (CAMHS) and sexual health services. They work in partnership with health services to improve young peoples’ health and well-being.

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outstanding

Young people access social and recreational opportunities inside and outside of the home, according to their interests. They make decisions, including their activities on the home’s annual camping trip. Young people comment ‘it’s really good, we go on holidays, we go swimming, out and about on our bikes, we spend time with staff, watch movies with them and go out’. Young people report feeling safe and do not wish to change anything about where they come to stay.

p.5

outstanding

The home is comfortable, well-decorated, well maintained, and safe. The young people say that they are proud of the home. Rooms are personalised when they come to stay, they are encouraged to take responsibility for their bedroom and assist with cleaning and cooking in the home. They enjoy having photographs around the home of their days out and significant events. Consequently, young people respect the home and each other’s space.

p.5

outstanding

Young people learn new skills at their own pace and undertake independence skills training. Young people learn strategies to manage their emotions and to talk about their feelings; including emotional and practical aspects of growing up.

p.5

outstanding

Young people have significantly grown in confidence. Staff provide nurturing care and consistent boundaries required for young people to feel secure and make progress. Young people talk with pride about their achievements. They say ‘I have changed, I’m less angry now’ and ‘I’ve changed quite a lot, I go out more and meet friends’. Young people make progress; this equips them in the present and for their future independence.

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outstanding

Staff receive training in a range of safeguarding policies and practice. They are familiar with and understand indicators of child sexual exploitation. They know how to minimise the impact of risk taking behaviours such as running away from home, substance misuse, and self-harm. This means that any safeguarding concerns are promptly identified and referred to social workers, health, and police as appropriate. The Registered Manager consults with the Local Authority Designated Officer for advice and information in respect of safeguarding issues. Agencies work together effectively to keep children safe.

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outstanding

The home provides a safe environment where young people settle. Incidents of young people missing or requiring physical intervention are infrequent. Where they do occur, good recording and monitoring is in place and links to risk assessment update.

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outstanding

A full permanent staff team provides care to young people. Arrangements for recruiting staff are safe and effective. Staff are confident in their understanding of safeguarding and their knowledge of safeguarding procedures. Safeguarding issues receive prompt response; recording is clear and evidences action taken and the outcome of safeguarding concerns.

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outstanding

Young people and staff have a good awareness of on-line safety and internet use is an ongoing discussion between staff and young people. Internet use within the home has a safe-search facility allowing staff to monitor young people’s computer use.

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outstanding

Young people have comprehensive individualised risk assessments with clear plans to minimise risks. Regular updating of risk assessments means that risk planning reflects young people’s current situation. They are highly skilled in good parenting. There are appropriate staffing levels to provide safe care. Staff maintain detailed records and ensure a detailed handover of information, in this way any difficulties can be anticipated and planned for. Records are summarised to provide weekly updates for case responsible social workers. This also enables staff to identify emerging themes or changing needs. If there are setbacks with young people’s behaviours or moods, staff are sensitive and non-judgmental. They ensure that there is a review of the behaviour and an agreement about how to move forward. This means that young people continue to make good progress.

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outstanding

Young people talk of the positive relationships they have with staff. Open communication between young people and staff takes place informally day-to-day and during the daily group meeting.

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outstanding

The home cares for young people with diverse and complex needs. A bullying policy is in place but this home does not have a culture of bullying; young people learn to empathise and understand one another. Daily group meetings discuss and resolve day-to-day issues and foster a culture of acceptance. Staff support young people to understand one another and learn to communicate their feelings rather than acting them out. Judgement grade

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outstanding

A permanent Registered Manager with extensive experience effectively manages this home. She is undertaking a Diploma Level 5 childcare qualification to enhance her leadership of this setting. She is passionate about young people making progress. She recognises the importance of young people building positive relationships with staff and places great emphasis on demonstrating respect for young people’s views, wishes and feelings. The ethos of the home is to offer consistent, stable care so that young people can reach their potential. She also wants them to have fun and to leave with positive memories of their experiences.

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outstanding

A full staff team is in place with the majority of staff having been in post long term. Fifteen staff hold an NVQ Level 3 qualification; five new staff are due to begin this training. All staff attend full induction training and ongoing mandatory staff training.

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outstanding

Staff receive regular, high quality supervision that is overseen by the Registered Manager. Staff report that they value supervision and case discussions. The Registered Manager feels supported in her role and staff say managers have an open door policy so that support and advice are always available. Staff enjoy their work and feel part of a strong team, staff comments include ‘the team is brilliant, I get a lot of support from other team members, and it’s a very supportive and experienced team’.

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outstanding

A range of quality assurance mechanisms ensure that the home is carefully monitored and reviewed. This includes internal auditing by managers and senior staff, monthly audits undertaken by an independent visitor, and monthly health and safety inspections. There are also quarterly quality assurance meetings for homes across the organisation. The manager responds promptly to any recommendations for actions. The analysis and evaluation informs development planning within the home. Rigorous monitoring ensures that staff and managers are delivering a safe, accountable service.

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outstanding

Staff listen to young people and their ideas and feedback influence the day-to-day decision-making in the home. Young people attend and contribute to the decision making about their lives. Up to date care plans guide the care of young people. Staff support young people to understand their lives and background. Young people’s individual case files record their achievements and rewards are in place to recognise and celebrate young people’s success. Young people develop trusting relationships with staff and staff speak warmly and positively about young people. ‘I think we do a lot to build relationships between staff and young people. We provide a lot of opportunities to spend time with young people and talk to them’. Young people share their ideas and concerns with staff, in response staff listen and take action.

p.7

outstanding

Proactive work with specialist agencies enhances the support available to young people and enables staff to gain specialist advice to meet young people’s needs. Schools report good working relationships with staff, and staff effectively support young people’s education. Network meetings are regular and enable the professional team to think together about young people’s needs. Staff work in partnership with parents and provide weekly updates.

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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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