SC 040491

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:

Managers and staff are dedicated to the children in their care. They are attentive to needs, and relationships towards children are caring and affectionate. All children have targets for development. Staff speak enthusiastically about the progress children make, such as sleeping in a bed for the first time or learning to wash their own hair. Children enjoy spending time in this home where they are safe and treated as unique individuals. Children spending time together are carefully matched to provide opportunities for developing friendships and improving social skills. The range of activities provided enhances children’s experiences and allows them to try out new things. Introductions of new children to the home are careful planned by the staff. Information about children is collected from parents and other stakeholders. This practice contributes to staff understanding needs and informs care planning.

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The children's home provision is good because:

Managers and staff have a clear and informed understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the home. Since the previous inspection many improvements have been made to benefit children. Development work is on-going. The managers and staff are enthusiastic and keen to provide the best possible service to children. Staff understand how to manage the behaviour of children with additional and complex communication needs. Despite these difficulties all children are considered able to communicate and make choices. The staff are imaginative and inventive in finding ways to offer choice and help children understand what is going on. Staff receive essential and specialist training which equips them with the knowledge and skills needs to provide effectively for children. Following any incidents the manager and the staff involved reflect on practice to encourage learning and see if things can be done differently.

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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

49: Notice of changes The registered person must give notice in writing to Ofsted, as soon as is reasonable practical to do so, if any of the following events take place. In particular, any change in the identity of the responsible individual. (Regulation 49 (a)(iii)) 05/02/2016

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further the service should take account of the following recommendation(s):  Ensure, that as set out in regulation 31 to 33, the registered person maintains good employment practice. They must ensure the recruitment of staff safeguards children and minimises potential risk to them. In particular that Schedule 2 information is clear and meets the standards required of safer recruitment practice. (The Guide to the Quality Standards page 61 paragraph 13.1)  Ensure that any decision to limit access to any area of the home is only made where this is intended to safeguard the child's welfare. All decision should be informed by rigorous assessment of the individual needs, and be properly recorded and be kept under regular review. In particular ensure children have access to the safe outside areas and garden of the home.(The Guide to the Quality Standards page 15 paragraph to 3.10)

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Recommendations

 Ensure children have access to a computer and the internet to support their education and learning, unless there are specific safeguarding reasons why this would be inappropriate. In such cases, the home should consider whether and how it can support the child to access the computer and the Internet safely.(The Guide to Quality Standards page 29 paragraph 5.19)  Ensure staff are familiar with the homes policy on record keeping and understand the importance of careful, objective, and clear recording. Information about the child must always be recorded in a way that will be helpful to the child. In particular ensure that progress is recorded. Also that any night time monitoring of children is subject to reviewed risk assessment.(The Guide to the Quality Standards page 62 paragraph 14.4)  Ensure staff provide a nurturing and supportive environment that meets the needs of the children, this will in most cases, be a homely and domestic

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Recommendations

environment. In particular ensure that instruction for staff and unnecessary signs are not posted in areas used by children, and that bedrooms are as cosy and personalised as possible. (The Guide to the Quality Standards page 15 paragraph 3.9)  Ensure that the system in place for staff to receive supervision of practice by an appropriately qualified and experienced professional includes opportunities for staff to discuss the needs of children assigned to their care. (The Guide to the Quality Standards page 61 paragraph 13.2)

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Information about this children's home

The home is registered to provide a short break for up to four children and/or young people who have learning difficulties. The home is managed and owned by the local authority.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

24/03/2015 CH - Full Requires improvement

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Recent inspection history

18/03/2014 CH - Interim Satisfactory Progress

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Good

Careful planning helps those staying in the home for the first time, to feel at home and safe. Prior to their admission a member of the staff team visits the child in their home, collecting information from parents and observing them in their familiar environment. They also collect information from other professionals especially education providers. Staff attend planning meetings and reviews attended by parents and other professionals. This enables them to understand the needs of the child, their vulnerabilities and likes and dislikes. In addition, children’s support needs are well documented and this in turn informs care planning and target setting. Each young person has individual development targets alongside their care plan. There is an emphasis on young people making progress towards independence, improving social skills and broadening their experiences. Staff are attentive to children’s development targets, encouraging them to try new things, develop

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Good

communications skills, or practice waiting. Whatever is needed to aid progress. Alongside developing skills children benefit from spending time with peers. For some this is the only opportunity they have outside of a school environment to make friends and socialise with children of the same age. Children enjoy a good variety of activities both in the home and outside in the community. This includes regular visits to most of the attractions in this county and making use of the more local community facilities. Children enjoy ice-skating, playing golf and visiting activity centres. Continuity of staffing supports children to build effective and secure relationships with those caring for them. Staffing numbers are such that each child usually has at least one member of staff paying particular attention to their needs. A parent commented that he particularly appreciated the stability of the staff team as this

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Good

benefitted his child who becomes anxious about change. Young people do not currently have access to Wi Fi in the home which limits their opportunities to use computers and tablets as a communication aid and/or to provide further educational opportunities and explore the wider world. Some storage issues impact on the environment. Specialist equipment used for some children is not suitably stored when it is not needed. This includes a large shower chair and floor mattress. In addition notices for staff and an abundance of signs in some areas distract from what is otherwise a suitable and homely environment.

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Good

Attention to making sure young people are safe is good. The manager and staff maintain good links with parents, including attending reviews and planning meetings. This helps staff by informing risk management and care planning.

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Good

Young people make steady progress in their development of positive behavioural skills. Behaviour management techniques used by staff focus on distraction, praise and guidance. The approach of staff is carefully considered, calm and nurturing. Staff are skilled at interpreting behaviour and respond to de-escalate difficult situations and avoid incidents. The use of restrictive physical intervention to protect children is rarely needed in this home.

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Good

The manager has information from the police and links with the children’s safeguarding board to produce an accurate local community risk assessment. Risks in the local community remain low. Children staying in this home have between them variable understanding of risk and their disabilities can make them vulnerable. As such they do not go out into the community unaccompanied and have not gone missing. Neither is children’s behaviour criminalised.

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Good

Children do not have unrestricted access to the safe garden and outside areas of the home. Despite the efforts of the manager to get locks changed the door into the safe garden area remains locked.

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Good

Children appear comfortable and at home in this environment. They are able to let staff know how they are feeling and for the most part can effectively communicate their needs and express likes and dislikes. The staff understand the needs of the children and act quickly to alleviate any signs of anxiety or distress.

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Good

Staff understand and have acted effectively to protect children. All staff receive training and know how to report any safeguarding concerns. Notifications of any issues are made to parents and professional stakeholders as appropriate so that children receive the protection, help, and support they need. Recent updates to safeguarding practice include additional training and guidance for staff.

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Good

Staff complete health and safety checks of the environment to avoid accidents and to make sure the home is safe and secure. Young people are protected from the risk of fire; all the staff have fire safety training. The home is equipped with early detection systems and doors which open in an emergency to allow people to escape. All children and staff take part in evacuations and know what to do in the case of emergency. Employment of a member of staff dedicated to health and safety monitoring, maintenance and repairs helps to avoid children being exposed to unnecessary risks. Repairs are completed in a timely way.

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Requires improvement

Ofsted have not always been kept up to date with changes to managers and leaders. This should include detail of arrangements for cover in the absence of those registered with Ofsted and the formal resignation of those who have left the service. This practice compromises the clarity of accountability and legal responsibility for services. Since the last full inspection and in recent months a new manager and deputy manager have been working in this home. An application for the manager to register with Ofsted is currently being processed. Between them the manager and deputy have a wealth of experience and knowledge of working with children and managing services. Both are suitably qualified. While the strengths and weakness of the service are understood it has not been possible in a short space of time to make sufficient changes, implement and embedded these in practice to demonstrate consistently good leadership and

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Requires improvement

management practice. The manager is committed to the task of improvement and has the support and confidence of the staff team. Not all records are reliably completed to provide concise, precise and sufficient information. This includes detail of how to achieve development targets for all children, progress records and night time monitoring reports. Night time monitoring of children is not supported by reviewed risk assessments. This practice has potential to compromise children’s right to privacy and dignity. Although information tends to be available somewhere, staff recruitment records do not demonstrate attention to safer recruitment practice. There is a lack of clarity in some employment histories and up to date photographs are not kept on file. Much of the manager’s recruitment information is not held on the premises. Support for staff has improved since the appointment of a new manager. Team meetings are facilitated on a regular basis. They provided opportunities for

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Requires improvement

discussion, reflective price and additional training for staff. Supervision is provided monthly and includes opportunities for reflection to improve practice. Not all supervision sessions include discussion around children who the care staff have particular responsibility for to make sure the best possible service is being offered. Observations of staff practice by supervisors provided additional opportunities for staff development and appraisal. Work in partnership with parents and other agencies is good, and supports children’s personal, social and emotional development. Speech and language professionals and occupational therapist commonly provide guidance which contributes to care planning. Communication methods between education providers and parents includes a diary which all parties write in. Care staff often include photos of children (involved in activities) in these diaries. This brings the

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Requires improvement

detail of their stay in the home to life. Staff training opportunities support their development and understanding. Essential training is provided to all on a regular basis, such as how to deal with safeguarding issues. Staff also undertake specialist courses where this will inform their practice to benefit children.

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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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