Children's Home run by Oracle Care Limited in Staffordshire

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 making good progress in comparison to her circumstances on arrival to the home.  Young people in the process of leaving the home are able to do this in a planned and coordinated way, helping them achieve their plans for independence.  Young people benefit from informed, coordinated and planned approaches to meeting their care, education and social needs. Successful teamwork ensures this happens in practice.  Young people’s safety and protection are paramount and they receive the necessary levels of support that successfully meets their welfare needs.  Young people feel safe in the home and have some good relationships with the staff who look after them.  Young people are able to make meaningful contributions to the running of the home because they are listened to and their opinions valued.  Staff act as good role models so young people can learn from responsible adults who provide stability and continuity of care.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 The manager and staff team are conscientious and committed to managing the home in a way that best suits young people and their circumstances.  The registered manager’s quality assurance processes do not formally reflect or evaluate the feedback received from young people. Timescales to address the recommendations made in the home’s latest fire risk assessment are not clear.

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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 ensure that the requirements of that Order (the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005(a)) and any regulations made under it, except for article 23 (duties of employees), are complied with in respect of the home. This relates to the completion of works as recommended in the home’s latest fire risk assessment. (Regulation 25(2)(b))

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31/01/2016

In order to complete a quality of care review the registered person must establish and maintain a system for monitoring, reviewing and evaluating the feedback and opinions of children about the children’s home, its facilities and the quality of care they receive in it and any actions that the registered person considers necessary in order to improve or maintain the quality of care provided for children. (Regulation 45(2)(b)(c))

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Information about this children's home

This children's home is registered to provide care and accommodation for three young people with emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. The home is operated by a private company.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

03/03/2015 CH - Interim Sustained effectiveness

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people living in the home are

Young people who have a range of complex needs and difficult backgrounds are provided with care and support that helps them to make good progress from their starting points. Young people experience placement stability which helps facilitate planned moving on arrangements that are successful in practice. Newly arriving young people experience a residential environment that is stable and welcoming and this helps them adjust to their new surroundings and circumstances. The new manager and staff team prioritise continuity and consistency of care so young people get to experience a home life that is familiar and comfortable.

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people living in the home are

The staff team have a good insight into young people’s backgrounds and circumstances which helps them personalise their approaches to care and support. Young people are able to build their confidence and develop new skills to help counter previously harmful, risky and escalating behaviours. Risks are reduced because of the direct work undertaken by the team as well as the continued engagement with more specialist staff, such as therapists. This helps young people look ahead positively as they take the right steps forward in their lives.

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people living in the home are

Regular discussions and consultation with young people supports their growing independence and personal responsibility. Plans for greater independence are progressed according to each young person’s needs and circumstances. This means that young people are given the time and support to learn how to become more self-sufficient as their skills and confidence develop and grow. They are helped to expand their social networks and develop their skills and confidence in relation to becoming more independent and responsible. Young people experience a home environment where they can be themselves and develop their own identities as they move towards adulthood.

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people living in the home are

Young people's potential and educational achievements are effectively promoted. Staff have good relationships with schools and colleges that helps to ensure young people's daily attendance and progress is known. This benefits young people greatly as they experience support and help that is tailored to each of them and their learning needs. Staff promote and encourage good attendance because they value and understand the benefit of education. Several young people have a near 100% attendance record. One young person has already achieved some encouraging exam results including a number of GCSEs. A newer young person has yet to establish a consistent pattern of attendance and attainment but is engaged in a plan to improve this situation. Young people’s continued good health and well-being is a priority and detailed plans help staff learn about individual needs. Staff encourage young people to talk about their health and lifestyles so they have opportunities to learn about what will

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people living in the home are

help them maintain or improve their well-being. Young people easily access services they need because of the knowledgeable and responsive practices of the staff team. Sound advice and guidance helps young people make informed choices about their health and fitness.

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people living in the home are

Young people are provided with good support to stay in-touch with family and other people who are significant in their lives. Arrangements are negotiated and agreed sensitively and in consultation with young people. Staff provide the necessary help, guidance and practical support that helps young people cope with problematic relationships and to move on from difficult experiences. Young people benefit from the skills and expertise of the staff team in continually supporting family ties and relationships.

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people are helped and protected

Young people feel safe and comfortable in the home. Staff have a secure understanding of how to keep them safe. They receive training in child protection and frequently discuss safeguarding practices within team meetings, shift handovers and discussions with supervisors and managers. Staff know what to do should they have any concerns about a young person's safety or welfare. The provider organisation uses safe recruitment procedures that ensures young people are looked after by staff who have been appropriately checked and vetted.

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people are helped and protected

The home provides a safe environment in which risks are carefully considered and managed. Staff support young people to take age-appropriate risks while taking suitable precautions and measures to keep them safe. This helps young people understand what staff consider to be acceptable and what is judged as being risky. Through this process, young people learn about personal safety as they become more independent and responsible for themselves. For example, the use of the internet is monitored closely and incorporated into a range of discussions that staff have with young people. Because of this focus, online safety is being continually assessed. Staff balance their practice between the need to oversee young people’s internet usage along with carefully encouraging age appropriate access.

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people are helped and protected

The manager and staff team have the knowledge and experience needed to work in partnership with others if young people’s safety is a concern. Young people do not go missing from care or leave the home without permission. Staff are very good at ensuring they know where young people are. This approach is reflective of the service’s wider aims to create a home environment where young people want to be rather than somewhere they want to run away from.

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people are helped and protected

Young people are protected by the proactive approach taken to behaviour management, which has not included the use of physical restraint for some time. Staff are trained in behaviour management techniques and consistently apply these in practice. Staff value young people and treat them with respect. The use of praise and incentives as well as the use formal sanctions are balanced and proportionate in helping young people manage their behaviour and relationships.

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people are helped and protected

The home is physically safe and appropriately secure to take into account the needs of the young people. Detailed risk assessments and fire safety checks are undertaken to promote everyone’s safety and well-being. Fire evacuation drills are carried out routinely and involve young people so they know what to do in an emergency. A new fire risk assessment has just been completed resulting in a number recommendations to improve fire safety in the home. The improvement work is yet to be scheduled and timescales for completion are currently unclear.

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leaders and managers

There is a new manager in post who is in the process of applying to Ofsted to become registered. The manager has lots of experience in managing adult social care and has the necessary qualifications for this sector. The manager has already assessed that his current qualifications are not transferable to a children’s setting so will be starting the necessary diploma level course shortly.

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leaders and managers

The management and organisation of the service is good. The provider organisation, the new manager and staff team have high expectations for young people in their care. The expectation that all young people will do well is reflected through a range of records and plans as well as being reflected in the discussions and dialogue within the staff group. The whole team have good working relationships with each other and key professionals in other agencies. There is a development plan in place which has been drawn up as a result of the manager’s monitoring and evaluation processes. The manager has identified areas for improvement that will directly impact on the quality of care and young people’s experiences of being looked after. The recently updated statement of purpose is accessible and comprehensive. Young people are clear about what the home sets out to do in order to help them achieve their goals.

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leaders and managers

Although there have been some recent changes in the composition of the staff team, a core group of qualified staff remain who have continued to provide continuity of care. Some agency staff have been used but this has been kept to a minimum in order to lessen the impact of changes within the team. The staff group are well balanced in terms of age, gender and life experience, which provides young people with a good diversity of carers. New staff are well supported to learn about their role and to develop the required skills and knowledge through induction training, coaching and mentoring arrangements. Most staff are experienced and have access to a range of on-going training that relates directly to the needs of young people they look after. The manager and staff team also have access to a suitably qualified therapist who helps shape their practice and approaches according to the needs of individual young people.

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leaders and managers

The manager has a regular cycle of quality assurance and monitoring activities that produce a detailed range of information about how well the home is operating. This includes monthly independent monitoring visits as well as internal quality assurance activities that are linked to key areas of the home's operation. Managers are well informed about successes as well as areas that the home needs to develop or strengthen. Currently, these more formal arrangements do not reflect what young people have to say about the service or what action has been taken as a result of this feedback. Although consultation takes place, the manager’s monitoring does not currently evaluate or detail this information. This is a missed opportunity to formally reflect on feedback received about the service.

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leaders and managers

Individual case files and electronic records are kept up to date, stored securely and contribute fully to an understanding of a young person’s life at the home. Established procedures are also in place to share information about significant incidents with the appropriate agencies including Ofsted, which detail events and actions taken to safeguard and protect young people.

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leaders and managers

The manager and staff have well-established networks and relationships with a range of agencies and professionals who are involved in meeting the needs of young people. For example, staff work closely with teachers, children’s services professionals as well as maintaining necessary links with local agencies and advocacy services. Managers strongly promote young people’s needs and are ready to challenge partners if necessary.

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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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