Children's Home run by Enhanced Young Persons Care Limited in Middlesbrough

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 are only admitted to the home following a thorough pre- admission assessment.  Young people’s school attendance markedly improves.  Young people make good progress with social and emotional development taking into account their starting points.  The registered manager ensures young people have a strong voice that influences their care.  As a result of their good support and supervision, the knowledgeable staff team use their skills to build trusting relationships with young people.  Young people receive care tailored to their individual needs. This maximises each young person’s capacity to progress including the development of age appropriate independent living skills. Increasing the likelihood of a better transition to adulthood.  Staff receive specific training reflecting the needs of young people with sensory processing difficulties.

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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

The registered person must compile in relation to the children's home a statement ("the statement of purpose") which covers the matters listed in Schedule 1. Specifically:

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Requirement Due date

Details of any healthcare or therapy provided, including information about how the effectiveness of any healthcare or therapy provided is measured demonstrating the effectiveness and details of how the information or the evidence can be accessed (Regulation 16(1)) 29/01/2016

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must 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 the effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the measure. (Regulation 35(3)(a)(vii)) 29/01/2016

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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

Ensure staff continually and actively assess the risks to each child and the arrangements in place to protect them. Where there are safeguarding concerns for a child, their placement plan, agreed between the home and their placing authority, must include details of the steps the home will take to manage any assessed risks on a day to day basis. In particular make clear how the effectiveness of risk assessments are evaluated and how these link to behaviour support plans (The Guide to the Quality Standards, page 42 paragraph 9.5 ) Ensure that when a child returns to the home after being missing from care or away from the home without permission, the responsible local authority must provide an opportunity for the child to have an independent return home interview. Homes should take account of information provided by such interviews when assessing risks and putting arrangements in place to protect each child. (The Guide

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Recommendations

to the Quality Standards, page 45 paragraph 9.30 )

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Information about this children's home

The home may only provide care and accommodation for up to eight children with emotional and or behavioural difficulties and mental disorders, excluding learning disability. The home is operated by a private provider.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

14/08/2015 Interim Sustained effectiveness

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Recent inspection history

26/02/2015 Interim Sustained effectiveness

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good

Young people receive individualised care promoting their development and aiding their overall wellbeing. This level of nurture builds feelings of safety and security helping allay young people’s feelings of anxiety. A social worker said, ‘I have been really pleased with the staff’s commitment and enthusiasm. They have tailored a package of support to the young person’s needs that is child centred and therapeutic.’

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good

Young people learn that staff are worthy of their trust because their views are listened to and acted on. Responding in this way empowers and builds young people’s confidence helping them learn effective ways to assert their needs. A social worker said, ‘This is the most stable placement the young person has ever had.’ Parents said, ‘Here they let her our child choose their bedding and wallpaper even though it was a very quick admission.’ A young person said, ‘I think this is a nice place.’

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good

As a result of the support and guidance provided to young people their school attendance is significantly improved. Ensuring young people maximum opportunity to develop their cognitive and social skills increases their life chances in adulthood. A social worker said,’ The young person has made huge improvements.’ ‘She has turned her life around.’

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good

Young people take part in a range of activities that reflect their interests, abilities and talents. This develops young people’s self-esteem and sense of accomplishment. A senior member of staff said, ‘Everyone went to see the young person perform in the Christmas show, she has an amazing voice.’

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good

Young people develop age appropriate independent living skills. This increases the likelihood of their being better equipped to manage with the transition to adulthood. About some young people’s experiences staff said, ‘We worked on their independence and they cooked their own food, travelling on the bus and budgeting and paying bills.’

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good

Young people who live some distance away receive effective support from staff to maintain meaningful links to home where this is in their best interests. This enhances young people’s sense of identity and belonging. A social worker said, ‘Staff worked tirelessly with the young person to maintain links with their home area.’ Staff ensure the administration of medication prescribed to young people is well managed and safe. Improvements in this area meets a requirement from a previous inspection and ensures young people’s wellbeing. A senior member of staff said, ‘The night staff check medication and record sheets every night and I do an audit every month, there aren’t really any issues.’

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good

Staff ensure risk assessments are in place for each young person that reflect their vulnerabilities. Care practice to manage risks that some young people take, such as climbing on the building and impulsively leaving the home, are well managed. This promotes the safety of young people and builds trust. However the means by which the effectiveness of these risk assessments are evaluated is not clear. Nor are some young people’s assessments clearly linked to support plans. This leaves room for inconsistencies about what action to take in response to any concerning behaviour. Staff support improves young people’s safety and young people’s behaviour shows they feel safe. Young people learn that staff know how to keep them safe. The responses of staff at these times helps young people distinguish between responsible adult’s actions and unsafe adult behaviour. This promotes young people’s feelings of self-worth and their ability to reflect more on choices they

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good

make. About how good staff were at keeping him safe a young person said, ‘I’d score them nine of ten, and sometimes ten out of ten.’ A social worker said, ‘It feels that staff try hard to balance the young person’s safety needs without being risk averse, they contact me to discuss how best to manage any risks.’ Staff notice when young people behave positively and this is reinforced through rewards and incentives. This builds young people’s self-esteem and social skills. Some young people’s behaviour occasionally requires physical intervention to keep them and others safe. Afterwards a thorough debrief of staff involved is completed and young people are also afforded an opportunity to talk about what happened if they so wish. This increases understanding by both young people and staff about possible triggers that can escalate distressed feelings. About staff liaison regarding young people’s behaviour a social worker said, ‘I receive a weekly report which is

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good

very helpful. The young person’s behaviour management plan is rated red, amber or green which is also helpful, it feels like this is a live document.’ The details of the young person’s behaviour leading to the restraint measure and the effectiveness and consequence of this intervention are not sufficiently clear in some instances. While there is no concern about practice in this area, this oversight leaves room for misinterpretation. Staff entries about an incident of restraint are now signed off by the registered manager within 24 hours meeting a previous recommendation. Actions taken by staff show young people that their welfare is of paramount importance. This results in a marked reduction in young people’s missing behaviour. Young people learn that staff are trustworthy and they listen to the advice from staff enabling them to make more positive choices. A social worker said, ‘The young person is very settled, engaged and receiving lots of support. She

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good

is showing staff how she feels, she would never have done that. They have made her feel welcome she is realising that she doesn’t have to be something she is not.’ Young people are seen by their placing authority social worker following every incident of missing behaviour; plans for a person independent of the home to be available to young people are not yet finalised. This reduces the options available to young people aimed at increased understanding of their behaviour and safeguarding their welfare. Staff ensure effective links with safeguarding professionals including the police, the local authority designated officer and local safeguarding children’s boards. This joint working promotes young people’s safety. Staff support young people so they can access the internet safely; for example by ensuring unsuitable sites are inaccessible and that staff are alongside young people when using the internet.

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good

About how they keep young people safe staff said, ‘We listen to them we support them.’ ‘We discuss any needs and concerns and that is shared in handover meetings.’ Staff ensure young people know how to raise any concerns or complaints and in this event they are robustly responded to. This empowers young people by respecting their rights and promotes feelings of safety and security. Procedures to vet new staff are robust and make clear the outcome of reference checks which meets a previous recommendation. This level of scrutiny promotes young people’s safety. Staff ensure young people live in a setting that is clean, comfortable, well- furnished and homely. This helps young people feel valued and encourages them to take care of their environment. There is ongoing material investment in the fabric of the building. Senior staff said, ‘We have another small lounge for young people to use, we bought a new suite and a new television.’

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good

The external garden areas are extensive and well managed. For example, one area houses a number of chickens that exposes young people to small scale animal husbandry. This promotes a sense of belonging and young people’s emotional and physical development. Judgement grade

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good

The registered manager is well qualified and a very experienced children’s mental health practitioner who has been in post since October 2012. This person provides good support to staff and ensures young people’s needs are central to the running of the home. For example, regular community meetings take place that provide young people with a forum in which they can raise any matter. Thereby enabling them to exert due influence as to how their home is run; this also helps young people learn about negotiation and compromise.

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good

The registered manager ensures that prior to any admission a comprehensive pre- admission assessment takes place. This also takes into account the possible impact of a new young person for the existing group of young people. This approach helps allay anxieties at times of transition as both young people and staff are better prepared to introduce a new young person into the home. This is a significant improvement and meets a previous recommendation. About this process a social worker said, ‘I felt I was asked the right sorts of questions, I saw staff from the home completing their assessment with staff from the previous setting I was impressed with their approach.’

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good

Staff receive regular supervision from the registered manager and senior staff. Effective support from the homes in house clinical psychologist is also available. This level of oversight furthers staffs understanding about young people’s underlying needs. A health professional said, ‘Staff have had some training about young people with sensory processing difficulties.’ ‘The staff are good at bearing the child’s needs in mind.’ Staff support recognises the impact of caring for young people who have experienced trauma. This helps maintain their effectiveness and emotional wellbeing so they can afford young people similarly good support. A member of staff said, ‘We are recognising young people’s behaviour and sensory needs we can see what the issues are.’

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good

Young people’s needs and the strengths and weaknesses of the home are well understood by the registered manager and reflected within the homes extensive development plan. This type of proactive management promotes a culture of continual improvement in the best interests of young people.

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good

The homes is operating in compliance with its Statement of Purpose. This means young people are afforded good support as outlined within this document. However the effectiveness of the therapeutic approach young people receive; how this is measured; and how information about this can be accessed is not included within the Statement of Purpose. While this does not negatively impact young people’s care, it does mean that those involved with the admission of young people are not provided with all the necessary information.

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good

Staff ensure there are good relationships with professionals and young people’s families. Some family members spoken too at inspection raised issues about communication between staff and themselves these were taken on board by the registered manager and swiftly responded to. This helps young people learn that staff can work with them and their families achieving shared agreements about approaches that are in young people’s best interests.

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good

The registered manager and staff notify Ofsted as required by legislation when necessary. This provides an opportunity to ensure that the home takes all necessary steps to safeguard young people. A comprehensive locality risk assessment is in place in relation to the home that does not identify any concerns. Maintaining this level of awareness about the location of the home promotes young people’s ongoing safety.

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good

Internal and independent monitoring procedures of the home are good. As a result further opportunities for improvements that benefit young people are captured and speedily responded to.

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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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