Children's Home, Residential special school run by The Sheiling Special Education Trust in Dorset

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:

 Young people make very good progress from their starting points. The skilled staff team supports young people through nurturing relationships and consistent boundaries. This enables young people to feel confident to make choices and become as independent as possible.  Young people feel safe living at this home. Staff enable young people to take appropriate risks while keeping them safe. Staff know what action to take on the rare occasion a young person goes missing from the home.  Young people are able to personalise their bedrooms and are encouraged to give their views wherever possible about the day to day running of the home.  Health care needs of young people are fully met. Healthy eating is encouraged and young people are encouraged to take part in exercise and activities to promote their health and fitness.  The leadership and management of the home is robust, with a focus on the continual improvement and development of the

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The children's home provision is good because:

home.  Young people enjoy trusting relationships with staff who use total communication systems to ensure all young people are able to communicate their needs and wishes.  Behaviour is very well managed through consistent boundaries and expectations. Young people learn to develop considerate relationships with each other at the home.  The four houses where young people live are generally well decorated and maintained. The use of health and safety signs that are prominently displayed throughout the houses and the lack of blinds or curtains at some obscured bathroom windows detracts from their otherwise homely appearance.  Restraints are only used to ensure the safety of young people or others. However, records of restraint do not always include full details of why the restraint was needed and what methods of de- escalation were used to try to avoid the restraint.

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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

ensure that within 24 hours of the use of a measure of control, discipline or restraint in relation to a child in the home, a record is made which includes details of the child’s behaviour leading up to the restraint, details of any methods used, or steps taken to avoid the restraint (Regulation 35 (3)(ii)(v). 15/01/2016

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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

 Homes should seek as far as possible to maintain a domestic rather than ‘institutional’ impression; in particular with regard to the use of health and safety signage and the provision of blinds or curtains in bathrooms to promote privacy and dignity. (The guide to the Quality Standards, page 15 paragraph 3.9)

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good

A real strength of the home is how young people, regardless of their ability to verbally communicate, are encouraged to express their wishes, needs and choices. This is achieved through the use of total communication methods by a skilled, patient and nurturing staff team, who have high aspirations for all young people and encourage them learn new skills and to be as independent as possible.

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good

Young people become more and more independent as they acquire new skills. For example, young people learn how to dress appropriately for the weather, learn to use the toilet, wash themselves and eat independently at the table with others. Comprehensive and regularly updated care plans detail what the termly targets are and how young people will be supported by staff to achieve these. Targets are regularly reviewed and amended according to progress. Young people are fully involved in this process, and take a full part at their review whenever possible, by presenting their achievements to the review meeting. One parent commented ‘there is so much warmth and positivity.’

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good

Staff use social stories to help young people understand, learn and make sense of their life and time at the home. Working relationships between the staff, placing authorities and parents is effective. Staff regularly communicate any incidents, progress or issues to ensure all involved are kept regularly up to date. One parent commented ‘there is a strong ethos of collaboration.’

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good

Young people make very good progress with their educational achievements, as recorded in their individual education plan and health and education plans. Staff work across both the school and homes and this ensures consistency of care. Young people’s attendance at school is high. Staff at the home continue the learning from school by, for example, reading with young people, and by helping them to use I-pads and the internet.

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good

Young people enjoy a variety of activities in and out of the home. These include swimming, horse riding,using the library, shopping and visiting a local café. One young person enjoys guitar playing and plays with a local band. On site activities include growing vegetables and fruit, go-karting, a variety of wooden outside play equipment and toys and games. The watching of television is discouraged, but can be arranged as part of an activity plan agreed with parents.

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good

The four houses that comprise the registered children’s home are generally well decorated and maintained and bedrooms are personalised with young people’s choice of posters and photographs that reflect their interests and likes. For example, one young person loves the Minions cartoon characters and has decorated their bedroom with pictures of these. Some bathrooms do not have blinds or curtains at the obscured windows, which does not promote the privacy and dignity of young people. Health and safety signs are prominently displayed throughout the houses, which detracts from the otherwise homely appearance.

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good

Young people enjoy smooth and well planned transitions in and out of the home. Prior to staying at the home, parents and young people are encouraged to visit the home and receive full information, in pictorial form for young people. The mix of young people in each house is carefully considered to ensure they are a good match. If it is found that a young person’s care needs are unable to be met at the home, then a planned transition to another placement is carefully implemented.

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good

The sometimes complex health care needs of young people are met. Medication is safely managed by trained staff. The service offers additional therapies such as speech and language and physiotherapy. Alternative therapies are available with the agreement of parents, such as the use of lavender oil to aid sleep. Staff receive comprehensive training, for example, in supporting young people with autism, diabetes and asthma.

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good

Healthy eating is encouraged, along with physical exercise to ensure young people maintain a healthy weight and learn to eat balanced, nutritious meals. Young people learn where their food comes from, through growing vegetables and fruit. They are supported to shop, prepare and cook meals and clear up afterwards. Mealtimes are sociable occasions where young people learn table manners and enjoy a sociable time with their friends and staff talking about their day.

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good

Young people say they feel safe living at the home and can identify a trusted person they would speak to if they felt unsafe. Staff are trained in and understand safeguarding and child protection procedures. They are confident to use them if necessary to ensure the safety of young people. Staff are vigilant and know the young people they care for well, so are able to detect any differences in behaviour that may indicate the young person is distressed or worried about something.

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good

Staff successfully achieve a balance of keeping young people safe whilst allowing them to take risks. For example, young people are allowed to ride go karts, use outside play equipment, ride horses and go shopping in to town. Risk assessments are comprehensive and clearly document control measures to be used by staff. They are in place for individual young people, activities, the location of the home and for the houses.

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good

Young people rarely go missing from the home. If they do, the staff take effective action to find them and safely return them to the home. Staff are knowledgeable about the home’s missing procedures and what action to take should a young person be missing. Managers have established good links with the local police, who visit to inform young people about the role of the police and how they can help young people to be safe.

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good

Staff effectively manage the behaviour of young people through establishing trusting relationships and the implementation of consistent boundaries. Staff praise and encourage positive behaviour. Staff really know young people well and what strategies they should use if a young person is upset or becoming anxious. For example, staff will sing to a young person or begin counting with them to help them to calm. Incidents of restraints recorded are comparatively high, but the vast majority are staff preventing young people pulling hair by removing their hand gently, or prevent young people striking another person by blocking their hand. All incidents are recorded so the behavioural therapy team are able to monitor patterns of behaviour and adjust behaviour management plans. On some occasions not all required information is recorded in the records of restraint. This information is usually recorded elsewhere, such as in incident logs, but not always. This means

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good

that on some occasions where a restraint has been used, it is not clear what de- escalation was used by staff to try to prevent the restraint.

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good

Staff are carefully selected through a robust recruitment procedure. All necessary vetting and checks are carried out to ensure only suitable people are employed. This includes the volunteers from overseas who come to work at the home.

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good

The home is effectively led and managed by an experienced and skilled management team who are committed to achieving the best possible outcomes for all young people living at the home. The Registered Manager has been in post for six months and the previous Registered Manager is now the Responsible Individual and is on site to provide advice and support.

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good

The management team is committed to ensuring the home continues to develop and improve. The requirement and recommendations from the previous inspection are met. The home’s development plan details how the home will continue to improve and provide young people with a service that enables them to make progress. Records are well organised and contain up to date, relevant information that informs staff of how they should care for young people and keep them safe. Management oversight of these records is effective and demonstrated through regular reviews and updates.

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good

Staff report they receive a comprehensive training programme, are regularly supervised and supported to carry out their roles. One member of staff said ‘I love my job, it is really child focussed here.’ Regular training, supervision and appraisal ensure staff have all the skills and information they need to effectively care for young people. Routines run smoothly and the staff are clear about their roles and responsibilities. Staff commented that they like that the management team are devolving more responsibility to them.

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good

Effective links are in place with other agencies, such as the Local authority designated safeguarding officer, the police, General practitioners and advocacy services. Managers and staff regularly communicate with parents so they understand the progress their child is making or if there are any issues or concerns. For example, parents are informed every time a young person is restrained.

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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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