Children's Home run by North Lakes Children’s Services Limited in Cumberland

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 engage positively with staff and benefit greatly from the good and caring relationships that have been established. As a result they feel trust in staff and confidence in the care they receive.  Pre-admission planning is very thorough and enables staff take effective action to keep young people safe.  Young people are given regular opportunities to discuss ways to keep themselves safe when out in the community. This ensures the young people live in a home that supports them to keep themselves safe.  Recording of young people’s experiences and significant events represents a meaningful narrative of their lives within the home.  Staff display a strong commitment to ensuring young people have the best outcomes possible and reach their potential. The Registered Manager is a good role model for staff who speak positively about his management style, indicating that ‘he leads by example’.  All young people effectively engage in education. Attendance and

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The children's home provision is good because:

attainment are at least good with some young people making outstanding progress form their starting points on admission. All young people recognising the value of education and enjoying celebrating their achievements.  The management team provides clear leadership to the staff team. The standard of management monitoring is good, so the managers are well aware of the home's strengths and areas for further development.

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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

must ensure that all employees receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience. This relates to the need for regular formal supervision of the Registered Manager (Regulation 33.4(b)) 22/01/2016

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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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Information about this children's home

This section should outline: This five-bedded children's home is one of four run by a limited company. It is registered for five males, with emotional and behavioural problems. Education is provided in a purpose-built school on one of the company's other sites.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

23/03/2015 CH - Interim sustained effectiveness

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good

The home provides young people with a stable, secure and happy environment in which they are able to grow and develop. Young people and staff share close, trusting relationships and as a result young people feel well cared for and protected. Young people value the interest staff routinely demonstrate in their day to day experiences. This results in a feeling of confidence that staff are genuinely interested in their welfare. As a result they feel supported to make more complex decisions about their lives.

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good

Young people’s prospective admission to the home is carefully considered. This entails the completion of a thorough pre-admission assessment that also takes into account the impact for those already living in the home. This helps reduce young people’s feelings of apprehension at times of transition and increases the likelihood of them getting along with their peers.

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good

Young people benefit from comprehensive care planning, enabling them to contribute to planning for their future. Placement plans recognise each young person's individual needs and are built around outcomes from planning or statutory review meetings. This ensures plans are clear and have achievable goals for young people to reach. The home works well with placing social workers to ensure that young people's needs are fully documented and can be met. Social workers confirm that the home keeps them up to date and say the level of staff support for young people is very good. One professional said’ ‘I am pleased with the progress the home have made with the child in my care. I am in regular contact with the manager if any issues arise and they provide detailed reports for his review. They think about his progression to independence and ensure that he is supported in taking more responsibility and that he understands sanctions if he takes advantage

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good

Young people receive excellent support from the home to attend education. Two have been successfully re-integrated into mainstream education. Staff are very ambitious for young people and effectively liaise with education providers if progress is slipping or behaviours deteriorating. Meetings are sought and the impact of decisions made followed up in order to ensure the best way forward for young people. Young people have access to the equipment they need to assist their learning, this ensures that they do not feel they are limited from opportunities other young people may be able to access. As a result all young people continue to make good progress. They are all well aware of the value of educational attainment on their future life choices. Young people’s health care needs are fully assessed and access to specialist support sought when necessary. They have good access to support for their assessed physical and emotional health needs;this ensures that they receive

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good

support to address personal issues that impact on their health and wellbeing.

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good

Young people take part in a wide range of stimulating and fun activities. Staff consider the needs of each young person to ensure that they have social opportunities in place to meet their chosen interest or hobby. Young people also take part in group activities such as boxing and football. Such opportunities, enable young people to feel very much part of their local and wider communities and increases their sense of value and confidence. A young person said’ We had a great summer. I went on a residential camp with cadets. It was brilliant. Then three of us went on holiday to Cornwall. We chose were we went and what we wanted to do. Every one, staff and us, really had a good time’.

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good

Young people placed are often some distance from their place of origin and their families. However, the home ensures that this does not present as a barrier in promoting contact with those people that are significant to young people. Frequent and regular contact with family and friends is extremely well promoted with staff facilitating and transporting young people home for day and weekend visits. If family relationships are difficult staff work effectively with all parties to ensure contact is a positive experience for everyone.

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good

Young people say they feel safe and well protected. Their safety is well prioritised by staff to ensure that they are kept safe from harm. Staff receive regular training to ensure that they are familiar with current procedures and guidance and well informed of the potential risks that exist for young people in their care. Young people share positive relationships with staff and each other and do not feel that a bullying culture exists within the home. However, they are aware that bullying in any form would not be acceptable and feel confident that staff would quickly intervene to support them should this ever occur.

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good

Young people benefit from individual risk assessments and behaviour management plans that take good account of known and potential risks that are relevant to the young person placed. As a result all staff are familiar young people’s likely behaviours; the level of risk they may present; and how best to reduce or eliminate such risks. Staff are well informed and have a clear understanding of the support and action they need to take to promote positive behaviour and keep young people safe. Staff use the positive relationships they have with young people to engage with them and help them to achieve their personal objectives.

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good

Staff are supported in their role, with regular training in behaviour management strategies and the use of restraint techniques. Staff take pride in the skills they have acquired in de-escalating potentially difficult situations. They recognise that by using these approaches consistently they are able to support and maintain their positive relationships with young people. There have only been two physical interventions since the home re-opened. This indicates that the behavioural strategies used are effective in helping young people to change aspects of their lives that have proved unhelpful to them in the past. Young people learn to take responsibility for their own behaviours. Sanctions are rarely used, as young people respond positively to praise and reward from staff. Reparation is encouraged for any damage and this supports young people to be aware of the impact of their behaviour on others.

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good

There have been no incidents of young people being absent from the home since it re-opened. However, each young person has a very individual plan in place of how staff should respond in the event this occurs. Staff are familiar with local authority procedures and have formed links with the local missing from home co-ordinator. Young people are allowed free time, when they meet with friends in the local community.

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good

They are supported to take age related risks. For example, one young person has regular overnight stays at a friend’s house However, when he requested to attend an overnight party, where no adults would be present this was turned down. He fully understands the reasons for this and the anxieties staff have about his welfare. Consequently he is able to accept that decisions are made to promote his safety and welfare.

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good

Appropriate links are in place between the registered person and the local authority designated officer and advice from this person is sought when necessary. This ensures the safety and wellbeing of young people.

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good

Recruitment practices and records are robust. They ensure that young people are only cared for by staff that are deemed suitable to work with children and young people. Judgement grade

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good

The home has experienced significant change during the past 12 months including a change of managers. A new manager was appointed in February 2015 and has been the Registered Manager from August 2015. The delay in registration was in part as a consequence of changes in the regulators information technology systems. However, this has had no apparent impact on the young people living in this home. The manager possesses appropriate experience and qualifications having recently completed his Level 5 diploma in Leadership and Management, Residential Services. He has confidence in his leadership and management skills. Management arrangements are now well embedded and the Registered Manager has overseen significant improvement within the home.

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good

The Statement of Purpose clearly identifies the aims and objectives of the home and a young persons’ guide is available, which is bright and welcoming and age appropriate to the needs of young people that live in the home. This ensures that young people, staff and the placing authority have a clear understanding of the service provided and the details of the staff team that work there. It supports young people to have a smooth transition into the home. It provides them with guidance on a range of professionals who they can go to if they are unhappy about their care.

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good

There have been no reported concerns or complaints made to the home since the last inspection and none for a considerable period of time. Systems are in place to respond to any formal complaints or concerns, which may be raised.

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good

The home is adequately resourced and good arrangements exist to monitor its activity and the quality of care children receive. The manager has established a clear system for the regular monitoring of the home’s activities and makes good use of the reported feedback from the home’s independent person. These arrangements enable the manager to evaluate the progress of young people and the effectiveness of staff practice.

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good

Staff are well motivated and carry out their roles with enthusiasm, eager to ensure that young people have a positive experience in the home and achieve good outcomes. Staff value the advice and guidance they receive on a day-to-day basis from their manager alongside the more structured staff supervision and appraisal arrangements. New staff have received a thorough induction which has helped them gain skills and confidence prior to taking on their new roles. Consequently, they feel appropriately supported and confident in their role. Staff training is appropriately prioritised and ensures that they have good opportunities to keep up to date and successfully develop their practice. This enables them to continue to meet young people’s identified needs.

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good

The home keeps good, secure records to document the support young people receive and this guides future planning. It also ensures that young people have a permanent record which they can access, now or in the future, to help their understanding of their time in the home.

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good

The service reports all significant events to the relevant agencies, including Ofsted, as required. This helps to ensure that there is effective communication and that the regulator is aware of any significant incidents in the home.

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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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