Children's Home run by Cambian Childcare Limited in Torbay

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 create a nurturing environment which the young person is embracing. They collate a wealth of information about young people’s identity to inform the care plan.  Young people build positive relationships with staff. Over time young people feel confident to engage in conversations about the complex issues they are dealing with in their lives. Staff provide exceptional emotional support to young people who start to consider the impact of their decisions on their future.  Staff build a strong links with specialist agencies to support young people. Young people engage well with these services. Collaboration with the police about the local area and known risks increase the team’s ability to safeguard young people.  Young people start to make safe choices whilst they live here. Criminal behaviour decreases. Staff monitor drug misuse and provide targeted support to prevent this. Young people keep in contact with staff if they are absent from the

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The children's home provision is good because:

home.  Staff use praise and encouragement to recognise young people’s achievements and positive behaviour. This method is effective, incidents are rare and physical intervention is not used. Behaviour management plans provide staff with clear de- escalation strategies which help young people manage their own behaviour well.  The registered manager is clear about her responsibilities to safeguard young people. Staff report and share information appropriately in line with the child protection policy.   Young people are encouraged to keep in touch with their family. The registered manager challenges restrictions on family time in care plans when appropriate. This has resulted in a young person being trusted to spend extended time with their family this Christmas.  The registered manager monitors the care provided to young people effectively. Staff engage in reflective discussions about their practice to improve

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The children's home provision is good because:

young people’s experiences in the home.  The home is cosy and well furnished. It is clear who lives here as photographs of young people and their family are on display all around the home. 

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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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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further the service should take account of the following recommendation(s):  'review the effectiveness of the young person's notice board to ensure the environment has a consistent homely feel' (Guide to the Children's Homes Regulations including the quality standards, paragraph 3.9, page 15)

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Information about this children's home

This home is owned and operated by a national provider of children's services. The home looks after young people who may display complex emotional and behavioural needs. The service has good internal and external links to specialist services to work with young people with those complex needs.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

15/01/2015 CH - Interim sustained effectiveness

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Good

Staff plan care for young people meticulously to focus on their presenting needs. Reflection on young people’s previous experiences enables staff and young people to agree on the best way to deliver care. One young person is enjoying the nurturing experience staff provide them. Young people benefit from a small team of staff who nurture and care for them with warmth. The staff team is stable which enables positive attachments to form between young people and their carer’s. Relationships are relaxed and open. The registered manager considers the gender balance of staff well, this provides young people with positive role models of both genders. Education plans are bespoke and concentrate on engaging young people in their educational interests. Young people have good attendance in education when this has previously been a challenge. Staff assist them to keep a focus and form a positive view to learning.

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Good

Young people develop suitable friendships in the local area. Staff encourage young people to invite their friends to the home to hang out, eat dinner or play on computer games. Staff talk to young people about how to develop healthy social relationships. Staff listen to young people’s views and advocate on their behalf if they wish to challenge a decision about their care. As a result young people now have free time in the community which was previously restricted. Young people also enjoy exploring their interests with staff and go fishing or looking at cars and bikes. Young people have access to health services they require. When young people move in staff quickly register them with the local dentist, health services and optician. Health checks help to distinguish additional health needs young people require specialist support with such as quitting smoking or reducing drug misuse. A parent said ‘he is settled there, it’s one of the best places he has been to, they

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Good

have done a lot for him’. Young people are able to keep in touch with their family independently. Young people have their personal mobile phone and have access to the homes land line and computer which is internet enabled; social media is accessible. Staff create a homely environment for young people to live in. Photographs of young people and important family members on display throughout the home. It has a sense of a family home and young people respond well to the environment. Judgement grade

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Good

Child protection policies are in place to keep young people safe. Staff have a clear understanding of their responsibilities to safeguard young people. The registered manager maintains information from local authorities and the police about safeguarding strategies to provide staff with current data and protocols. Effective relationships with the police help to protect young people from risks in the local community. Staff support young people to reflect on their behaviour deemed as a risk, such as drug misuse. Young people engage well with agencies in place that aim to reduce drug taking and criminal behaviour. Young people start to make positive choices in relation to risk. A social worker said ‘he has stabilised significantly in terms of his behaviour’. A clear protocol is in place when young people go missing which staff follow efficiently. Records that detail periods of absences and missing are well defined

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Good

and tell a story of events that occur. Staff go looking for young people and make every attempt to get in touch with them to get them home safely. Young people decline independent return home interviews. Despite this consultation with the registered manager identifies triggers for young people who go missing. Causes are established and shared with local authorities. As a result the local authority conducted a review of one young persons care plan to include free time. Missing occurrences then decreased. Risks associated with young people are clear and strategies are in place to reduce these. Monthly reviews of such paperwork evidence the progress young people make whilst they live here. Young people get rewards and recognition for positive behaviour. Some difficult behaviour such as self-harm diminishes. Behaviour management plans identify trigger points when young people’s behaviour may escalate. Staff

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Good

embrace the homes ethos to de-escalate and provide young people with space to calm of their own accord. This approach is successful. Physical intervention is not a technique used in this home.

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leaders and managers

The registered manager is responsible for two small children’s homes in close proximity of one another. The registered manager prioritises her time efficiently between the two. The registered manager has the qualifications required and fulfils her role effectively. Suitable supervision arrangements are in place to ensure she reflects on her role. A member of staff said ‘she is always there for us, 24/7’.

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leaders and managers

Training is available to staff that equips them with skills to provide good quality care. Mandatory training including safeguarding occurs regularly. When needs arise specialist training is sourced that benefit young people, particularly in relation to their mental health. Staff feel supported by the registered manager. Supervision is frequent and focuses on the experiences young people have in the home.

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leaders and managers

The registered manager shows warmth and nurture towards the young person in her care. Her aspirations for young people are high; she is an excellent role model for staff. The home is open and transparent. Young people are included in conversations about their care and the day to day running of the home. Team meetings are held in the home and can be attended by young people if they wish. These aspects are reflective of the ethos of the home as described in its statement of purpose.

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leaders and managers

Young people contribute to the running of the home and make changes as they see fit. The registered manager encourages an open dialogue that she uses to improve practice and develop the home. Young people confirm they know how to complain and who they would talk to. A recommendation is made to review the notice board; its effectiveness in relation to providing pertinent information to the young person against the ethos of creating a homely environment.

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leaders and managers

Staff review the plans that describe the care young people require regularly to adapt and meet their needs. Regular communication with young people and staff keep the registered manager informed about day to day matters in the home. The registered manager monitors care in the home effectively; records clearly evidence the Managers rigour and effective oversight of care giving.

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leaders and managers

The registered manager builds good relationships with professionals who provide support to young people. Strong links with agencies such as the police, Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS), youth offending team and health services improve outcomes for young people. A professional said ‘ I have nothing but admiration for the manager’.

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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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