Children's Home run by The Partnership of Care Today in Wolverhampton

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:

 The manager provides strong and effective leadership to her team that has a clear benefit to children.  There is very little turnover of staff.  Children get on well with the staff and make good progress from their starting points.  If the home is not meeting young people’s needs well enough they are supported to move elsewhere.  Children benefit from vigorous attention to their safety and welfare.  There is a high standard of communication with other agencies and parents.  Children enjoy a well-presented property that has good access to community facilities.  There are a few areas of practice that require improvement. These relate to young people’s privacy, behaviour management, new admissions and the monitoring of the service.

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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 include in the statement of purpose a description of the home’s policy and approach in relation to children’s rights. This is with regard to saying what rights children have. (Regulation 16, schedule 1, section 9(b)) 22/02/2016

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees undertake appropriate continuing professional development. This is with regard to providing training on anti-radicalisation and the responsibility of staff to report female genital mutilation. (Regulation 33(4)a) 22/02/2016

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40(4)(e)) 22/02/2016

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further the service should take account of the following recommendation(s):  Accept placements for children only where the registered person is satisfied that the home can respond effectively to the child's assessed needs as recorded in the child's relevant plans and where they have fully considered the impact that the placement will have on the existing group of children. This is with regard to showing such impact assessments in each child's records. (The Guide to the Quality Standards, page 56, paragraph 11.4)

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Recommendations

 Meet the child's basic needs in the way that a good parent would, recognising that many children in residential care have experienced environments where these needs have not been consistently met – doing so is an important aspect of demonstrating that the staff care for the child and value them as an individual. This is with regard to ensuring that children's privacy in their bedrooms is maintained by suitable blinds or similar items. (The Guide to the Quality Standards, page 15, paragraph 3.7)

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Recommendations

 Ensure that all incidents of restraint are subject to systems of regular scrutiny to ensure that their use is fair and the above principles as set out in 9.35 are respected. This is with particular regard to incidents involving the registered manager. (The Guide to the Quality Standards, page 46, paragraph 9.36)

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Information about this children's home

A large provider operates this home for up to four children who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. It is located in an urban area.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

p.6

good

Children experience care and consideration when they are admitted to the home although many arrive with very little preparation. They have comfortable bedrooms, which staff and children keep clean and tidy. Minor damage is evident in a small number of places but the standard of maintenance is generally good. Missing and damaged blinds compromise the privacy of children who have bedrooms at the front of the property where there is a busy road and other houses.

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good

Staff ensure that each new child understands the rules and routines. A significant proportion of children remain for less than six months. Of these, many move on in a positive way to more suitable placements, such as their families. However, since the last inspection about 30 per cent of new children have remained for only about a week or less. This turnover of children creates regular disturbance in the home that is not sufficiently well justified. Written individual assessments, for example, of the likely impact of proposed individuals on the group, and vice versa, are not used. This creates a potential risk of new placements not being a suitable match with existing children.

p.7

good

Children experience minimal bullying in the home although there is some inoffensive banter between them from time to time. As a result, they feel safe and do not blame the home for any negative feelings they may have. Even when things are not going smoothly, children consider the setting to be their home. Since the last inspection, children have regularly confirmed this to staff during the wide- ranging consultation opportunities. One said that his key worker is ‘awesome’. Another said, ‘I’m happy with everything they’ve done, especially Christmas contact with my mum.’ Parents and social workers are also impressed and have recently said things like, ‘I’m very happy with the level of care he is receiving’, ‘they are doing a great job’, and, ‘I’m very impressed.’ There have also been very few complaints.

p.7

good

Children benefit from excellent communication between the staff and their parents, however far away they live. They acknowledge and appreciate this. For several children this input has been a major contributing factor to their effective return home. The manager and her team are highly proactive and engage promptly with parents, other professionals, and any other individuals that have an effect on the children. This style of working is a major feature of the service, which serves to maximise the help that children receive.

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good

For many children there positive progress means the frequency in which they put themselves at risk falls markedly. Others learn healthy patterns of personal care and eating. For one child, eating in a group was a notable achievement that led to many other benefits. Children gain in self-respect and social skills. Children who remain for sufficient time become more emotionally stable because they re- establish meaningful relationships with their families. Children use specialist mental health services, when required.

p.8

good

All the children enjoy full timetables. Their programmes of education start as soon as possible after admission. Children engage sufficiently well with their schools or colleges to learn new and important daily routines. Some move onto career paths: one is enjoying a catering course and another holds ambitions to join the armed forces. This occurs in tandem with a clear programme of independence training in the home. Consequently, children in these positions prepare well for greater independence and adult life. The social worker for one such child said, ‘He’s grown up a lot.’ Some children have benefitted substantially from staff supporting them temporarily after they have left the home. This demonstrates the high level of flexibility that staff use to maximise the progress that children make.

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good

In a short space of time, new children are involved in community activities, for which the home is well located. One professional commented that her child has done a greater variety of activities in a few months than in several years at his previous placement. The recent Christmas celebrations were a highlight for children. For some it was the first time they had opened presents or received the gifts they wished for. Staff and children also respect the events associated with other religions, particularly if a child is in placement has a different cultural background. The parents of one such child wrote, ‘The staff have been very kind and respectful to our needs at all times.’

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good

In the vast majority of ways, the manager keeps the safety of children at an excellent standard. The policy on admissions, as described above, is the only factor that compromises this standard of care and regularly exposes children to new and unknown challenges. An example, during the inspection led to two children going missing for several nights. Children absenting themselves is the most significant safeguarding matter. However, the staff are extremely energetic in identifying, minimising, and addressing such risks. Staff manage children’s access to social media as much as possible. The home has an internet site that missing children can use to confirm they are safe.

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good

Local police officers are particularly impressed with the efforts of staff to keep children safe. Compared to other children’s homes, they consider that this is the best they know at communicating with other professionals, searching for children who are missing and arranging meetings. This positive approach has helped several children cease their criminal activities and entirely prevented any child being exploited. This significant and important progress allows children to engage in legitimate activities and recover their self-esteem. The staff also challenge undesirable acquaintances, with the help of the police if necessary. The manager ensures that independent professionals see children when they return. She uses the information gained to educate children and reduce the risks to which they expose themselves. A member of staff said, ‘If children are not willing to engage, educational materials are given to them so they have access to this information

p.9

good

The standard of consultation by staff with other professionals is compromised slightly by some incidents not being considered serious enough to be reported to Ofsted. This includes infections that affect visitors and require precautionary treatments. This reduces the ability of the regulator to ensure that regulations are being met and the ability of the manager to demonstrate that high standards are being sustained.

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good

Staff disrupt patterns of negative behaviour and put alternatives in place. Other professionals, including placing social workers consider that the methods of behaviour management are effective. One social worker said, ‘The staff are doing a good job of managing his challenging behaviours in line with his needs.’ A youth offending worker said, ‘There are good boundaries in place. The rules are clear and there are fair consequences.’ Staff use a reparative approach to address negative behaviours, wherever possible. The young people cleaned up after an incident, for example, in which they had thrown eggs at a neighbour’s property.

p.9

good

It is a positive reflection on the good relationships between staff and children that staff very rarely use physical intervention. However, there are shortfalls in the description of the holds used. The monitoring of physical interventions undertaken by the manager herself has not benefitted from input from her supervisor or the director who oversees such incidents. Robustness is necessary in order to identify lessons and re-assure relevant parties that the procedures followed are legal. Judgement grade

p.9

good

The service benefits from a highly experienced manager who has gained qualifications in social work and management. She has been in post since the home opened in 2009 and managed other homes previously. Her skill is evident in the confident and effective way in which the staff engage with their professional peers and with children on every shift. It is also to her credit that there has been minimal turnover of staff since the last inspection, which is a substantial benefit to children. The manager reviews the benefits of the service to each child so they either profit from it or move to more suitable placements. Recent improvements in the tracking of children’s progress makes these journeys more evident.

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good

The home provides children with the service that is described in the statement of purpose. The statement of purpose is thorough in most regards but does not describe what rights children can reasonably expect staff to uphold. This is an important parameter of the service to children.

p.10

good

There are a small number of shortfalls in the monitoring undertaken by the manager, her supervisor, and the independent visitor. Also, there has been a delay in updating staff about certain developments in the profession. However, the systems for monitoring the home and its impact on children have benefitted from recent improvements. There is now, for example, good attention to children’s progress and a minor improvement has been made to the evaluation of what the accumulated data means. As a result, the overall service to children is better than it was previously. The last inspection led to improvements in behaviour management strategies so children learn more from them. Night-time fire evacuations have also been improved so they educate children to stay safe in emergencies.

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good

Staff demonstrate a high level of both technical knowledge and care for the children. They enjoy coming to work and show it. One said, ‘I love it here!’ This creates a positive atmosphere in the home, which children appreciate. Each member of staff receives regular training and supervision in order to provide the care each individual child needs. For example, to meet their health needs. On the other hand, the manager has not informed staff about their new responsibility to report female genital mutilation and they are not familiar with the anti- radicalisation agenda. Both these issues are highly relevant to the conversations that staff have with 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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