Children's Home run by Bay View Child Care Limited in Lancashire

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.

p.2

The children's home provision is outstanding because:

The home provides consistent outstanding care to young people with a background of trauma, sexual, physical and emotional abuse. Managerial oversight is highly effective, enabling young people to progress Excellent systems for assessment and analysis of young people’s progress, supports the local authority plan and delivers the aims of the placement. The management team and staff members are good role models and work to a model of positive parenting. They meet young people’s needs extremely well, and long lasting relationships are secured Respect for young people’s views is exceptional. As a result young people engage in important, challenging and interesting conversations about their issues and as a result feel listened to and develop a positive self-view The home has an extensive range of resources to support effective direct work with young people. These arrangements complement their daily experiences and

p.3

The children's home provision is outstanding because:

enhance young people’s emotional, social and psychological well-being Solution focused therapy identifies what it is young people want to achieve and promotes positive behaviour This is a safe and stable home.A skilled leadership team prioritises the welfare and safety of young people extremely well. Reflective practice and lessons learned improve the quality of care provided to young people Thorough decision making and planning for admissions ensure young people are compatible. Risks are considered and this reduces any likely impact on young people. Staff members help young people to move in and move on with considerable, insight, sensitivity and respect Staff feel supported, they receive regular supervision and training to give them the competencies to meet the changing needs of young people Partnership working is effective. The management team and staff members work well with other professionals to support young people

p.3

Information about this children's home

 The home is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to four young people with emotional and/or learning difficulties (EBD)  The home is privately owned  The home will focus primarily on ensuring young people will feel safe and secure in their surroundings. Staff will develop caring and nurturing relationships with young people. These relationships will centre heavily on trust, openness and mutual respect, as written in the home's statement of purpose

p.4

Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

p.4

Recent inspection history

16/03/2015 CH - Interim declined in effectiveness

p.4

outstanding

Young people experience very positive changes since their starting point in the home and continue to make excellent progress. Their previous disruptive lives have often been characterised by levels of risk taking behaviour and inconsistent boundaries. Young people have been supported to successfully change their ways and turn their life around.

p.5

outstanding

Positive, trusting relationships with staff and with each other enable young people to develop confidence and self-esteem. Staff demonstrate an excellent understanding of young people’s individual personalities, interests, strengths and needs. Young people thrive in the home. Their needs and welfare are central to all aspects of how the home operates. They are listened to and collectively agree all staff listen to them and provide them with explanations in relation to questions they raise. This develops a level of self-respect, with young people knowing their views are valued and giving them a sense of belonging.

p.5

outstanding

Young people’s attendance and engagement at school is excellent. They enjoy going to school, and participating in school activities and residential trips. Partnership working with teachers is effective and ensures staff members advocate on behalf of young people. This promotes a consistent level of management of young people’s needs during school time and when they return to the home after school. Staff are interested in their day, spend time with young people and encourage them to complete their homework.

p.5

outstanding

There is a variety of interests and activities undertaken by young people including holidays with each other and staff members. Young people enjoy their time with each other and with the staff members, and are involved in many in-house activities and sporting pursuits all of which are chosen and led by them. Young people say, ‘This is a good home, with lots of interesting things to do’ and ‘I feel and I am cared for brilliantly in the home.’ Collectively young people say they have no issues in the home, but do know and have information should they wish to raise a concern or a complaint.

p.5

outstanding

Excellent arrangements are in place to ensure young people’s physical health needs are met. The local health clinic where they are registered is near by the home. None of the young people are currently taking prescribed medication. Procedures, that are understood by staff are in place to ensure any medication in the home is safely stored, administered correctly, disposed of when necessary and records maintained accordingly. This ensures all medication is accountable. Young people are provided with very good support to meet their emotional and social needs. External qualified professionals provide therapy and staff re-inforce this work with young people in the home. This reduces their anxieties, supports them when change happens and sensitively addresses any issues arising from young people’s contact arrangements with their carers or family. Young people respect the home and are proud of their environment and friends and family are

p.5

outstanding

Effective care planning arrangements show how staff respond promptly to the changing emotional and social needs of young people. All young people’s plans are up to date and tell the story of the progress made by them. Young people contribute and sign their names for agreement in their ‘journey file’ and fully understand ‘where I was, where I am now and where I want to be.’ Staff members complete direct work sheets which feed into the key worker sessions which then inform the care plan. This is an efficient process in line with their placing authority plan and improves the work carried out with young people ensuring consistency for them.

p.6

outstanding

One professional says, ‘I feel he is well looked after by staff and there is concrete planning in place, which is followed consistently along with the work and support we provide to the young person. Staff are not afraid to ask questions and seek support for themselves in order to meet the complex needs of young people. Staff are really good at keeping me informed of all events’.

p.6

outstanding

Young people engage in daily tasks within the home and share responsibilities for household duties, in the same way they would do in a family home. They enjoy preparing food, cooking and baking and these responsibilities will benefit them in the future. Young people who have moved on from the home have done so following a planned and considered transition. They followed an independence programme, which equipped them with the skills and knowledge to manage their independence. Continued contact with staff supported them during the transition period.

p.6

outstanding

Young people are safe in the home. Staff members have undertaken effective training in safeguarding and their knowledge and application of these principles is excellent. They know the responsibilities of agencies charged with protecting young people and how to report suspicions of abuse, including the homes whistleblowing policy. There are no safeguarding concerns and the environment has all the necessary facilities to keep young people safe. There is no bullying or intimidation in the home as young people support and have respect for each other. Internet and social media use is monitored and has user- appropriate filtering and parental controls, in agreement with young people. This prevents them for accessing unsuitable sites and protects them from on-line abuse, bullying or grooming.

p.6

outstanding

Social workers are very positive about the care and protection young people receive, and say, ‘It is really an amazing place and I receive a thorough report regularly about my young person, sharing of information is very professional. The emotional support provided to him is incredible, just what he needed. I am confident that he is safe there, I have no issues about this home’.

p.7

outstanding

And, ‘Staff are proactive, good listeners, supportive and meet the needs of young people. I have worked with this organisation in the past and I have no concerns about the care they provide, it is actually very good. My young person is safe at this home. While at the same time they afford him independence, all of which is risk assessed. I am quite impressed at how staff work together especially when issues arise from contact visits, and this benefits the young person and their family’.

p.7

outstanding

Assessing young people’s risks and risk to others has been strengthened as a result of lessons learned from the compliance notice. Thorough planning and risk assessments are in place and discussed in a confidential way with placing social workers, prior to young people being accommodated. This reduces any likely impact of a young person’s placement on them or on others already living in the home. Staff members demonstrate well their knowledge of individual and group risk and know the agreed strategies to follow. Risk assessments are regularly monitored and updated.

p.7

outstanding

Risks to young people are low, and there are no concerns or incidents of young people being missing or absent from the home. Records from the last incident in August 2015 show a return home interview being carried out with the young person concerned. This allowed information to be considered and an agreed change to the young person’s time spent with their friends, resulting in a trusting relationahip and a reduction of incidents to zero with no further incidents taking place.

p.7

outstanding

There are no concerns in relation to young people’s behaviour and they are very settled in the home. Staff members understand and work to a solution focussed model where communication, negotiation and mediation help young people to address inappropriate behaviour. As a result, restraint and sanctions are not used. A strong emphasis is placed on positive relationships and rewarding young people’s behaviour which they understand and respond well to. This approach has enabled young people to make significant progress, become more responsible and change their behaviour. Young people do not smoke or take illegal substances and there are no concerns of them experimenting with legal highs or drinking alcohol. The dangers of experimenting are regularly communicated to young people through discussions with staff members and they have lots of information of the social issues caused by these substances. Young people are afforded the same opportunities of those as

p.7

outstanding

their peers and staff act as any responsible parent would do. This ensures young people’s friendships outside of the home are positive and reduces any possibilities of them be mixed up with the wrong crowd and being criminalised.

p.8

outstanding

Robust recruitment procedures are followed when new staff are employed in the home. This ensures young people are protected. All visitors to the home are asked for identity and sign in and are not left unsupervised with young people. These arrangements protect young people from undesirable people.

p.8

outstanding

Regular health and safety checks are carried out and recorded including maintenance by professional contractors on the domestic appliances in the home. Regular fire alarm tests and evacuation drills are carried out. These measures keep young people, staff and visitors safe in the home.

p.8

outstanding

The home is decorated and furnished to a high standard and has recently had new carpets fitted throughout, new cooker and a programme of decoration. Young people’s bedrooms are personalised to their individual taste and there are no outstanding repairs.

p.8

outstanding

In the absence of the registered manager the organisation has been proactive in ensuring suitable management arrangements are in place. The interim manager has a Degree in Social work and a wealth of experience in residential children’s settings. He has submitted an application to Ofsted, within the required timescale to be registered. He is supported by an experienced assistant manager. Management oversight is highly effective and these changes have had no impact on the care of young people or how the home is operating.

p.8

outstanding

The management team and staff members have a clear understanding of individual goals for young people and the progress they achieve and have made. Young people’s progress is measured, regularly analysed and communicated back to their family and social worker. This ensures they are aware of the progress young people make and that the home is caring for them as agreed in their care plan. Staff members confirm they are provided with excellent training opportunities, and receive regular support and supervision to give them the competencies to meet the changing needs of young people. The responsible individual regularly visits the home, knows the young people well and is supportive of the interim manager.

p.8

outstanding

The strengths and weaknesses of the home are known and monitored through the homes development plan. The management team have made and implemented improvements to the admissions process, how risks are assessed and by reducing information within young people’s files. These changes have been clearly communicated to the staff members and have contributed to the improvements made by the home. Further improvements to the way the home consults with external professionals and parents, in order to seek feedback on the service the home provides and assessing new staff members competencies during induction are within the development plan.

p.9

outstanding

Comprehensive monitoring systems result in high standards of care. The independent person visits the home each month and produces a detailed, evaluated and effective report. Shortfalls identified in monitoring visits or audits by the management team are discussed during team meetings and supervision and are quickly rectified. This maintains a high level of care provided to young people.

p.9

outstanding

Young people attend their review meetings and are consulted and engage in discussions about their future. They are supported by their key worker who advocates for them if needed. All review outcomes are clearly explained to young people and recorded within their plans. There is effective partnership working between the home, families and other professionals. The management team are not afraid to challenge in order to ensure young people receive the professional support when they need this.

p.9

outstanding

The home is operating in line with its statement of purpose which is kept updated and provides a good description of the services the home provides, including the staff, their qualifications and experiences.

p.9

outstanding

The home is fully staffed the majority of whom are qualified to level 3 or higher. New staff are in the process of completing their qualification. Staff work together providing young people with consistency and stability, they have delegated responsibilities which they take seriously within the home which provides them with a sense of shared involvement in the running of the home.

p.9

outstanding

No requirements or recommendations are made at this inspection.

p.9

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.

p.10

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

p.10

What the inspection judgements mean

harmed or at risk of harm or result in children looked after not having their welfare safeguarded and promoted.

p.10

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

p.11

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 .

p.11

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,

p.12

Information about this inspection

The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.12

Information about this inspection

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.12

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

p.12