Children's Home run by Progress Children’s Services Ltd in Walsall

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 enjoy positive relationships with the staff caring for them.  Staff are committed, attentive and want the very best for the young people in their care.  Young people are kept safe.  Staff know young people well and have a very good understanding about their particular vulnerabilities.  Young people’s quality of life improves. They enjoy activities at the home and in the community. Their self-esteem is promoted.  The staff team work very well together. They are led by a committed registered manager who is child focused and ensures young people’s progress is maximised.  Partnership working is highly effective and ensures young people progress in all areas of their lives.  Parents and professionals consistently praise the standard of care and progress achieved by the young people  There are a few shortfalls. Safe recruitment practices have not always been consistently followed and damage in some young people’s bedrooms have

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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

6: The quality and purpose of care standard

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Requirement Due date

In order to meet the quality and purpose of care standard the registered person must ensure that they

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Requirement Due date

2. (b(vii)) provide to children living in the home the physical necessities they need in order to live there comfortably. This is with specific regard to children’s bedroom flooring. 29/02/2016

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety. They must ensure full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2.This is with particular reference to employment history. (Regulation 32 (3(b)) 29/02/2016

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Information about this children's home

This home is one of a number of homes operated by a private company. The home provides care and accommodate up to six young people with learning disabilities.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

30/03/2015 CH - Interim Sustained effectiveness

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good

Young people make good progress as a result of living at this home. One social worker commented ‘this is a great placement. He is making superb progress. Staff are very consistent with routines and expectations’. One parent comments ‘we know he is safe, secure and happy. Knowing this means we can sleep well’. Young people develop warm and trusting relationships with staff. As one social worker reports ‘staff know him well, he is really relaxed in their company. It feels like home’. Staff consistency and support means that young people understand what is expected in terms of behaviour. Incidents and physical interventions have decreased and young people benefit from living in a calmer and well-managed environment. They learn to respect each other and their differences. Young people say, ‘Staff are nice to me. I like them ’. Young people who previously had limited engagement with the outside community

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good

are now able to make positive choices about how to spend their leisure time. They now enjoy trips to the theatre, leisure centres and are members of local clubs. One recently took part in an indoor sky dive. Young people benefit from a sensory room in the garden which is a relaxing space for them to enjoy. They also help staff construct menus for the week and feel involved and know that staff listen to and value their views. All young people benefit from full time education. Those who were previously reluctant attenders now attend regularly and actively engage in school life. They receive seamless care as staff and school communicate effectively with each other. This is enhanced by the effective use of home school books ensuring each are informed of any positives or difficulties in the young people’s day. All are making good progress. As one teacher commented ’he has made real progress. He feels happy and safe there’.

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good

Young people’s health needs are constantly promoted and reviewed. Staff work effectively with local health care professionals to ensure young people’s emotional, physical and mental health needs are addressed. One mental health professional reports ‘I am always impressed with the effectiveness of the strategies they implement. They work well with families and engage effectively with services’. Young people are effectively supported to understand their own health needs. They understand why they take their medication and are helped to identify practical techniques to manage their anxieties. Young people contribute to the running of the home wherever possible. This includes helping with chores at meal times, keeping their rooms tidy and collecting their laundry. Young people develop appropriate skills that help them move towards increased independence with suitably equipped life skills. Young people’s meetings are regularly held. Staff strive to improve their ability to communicate

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good

with young people. A variety of methods are employed to do this. As a result, young people’s ability to communicate effectively has significantly improved since living here. Young people are welcomed to the home through careful planning and matching. The impact of new young people arriving and others leaving is carefully considered by staff in relation to other young people living at the home. This ensures all young people’s emotional welfare needs are met. Where young people are moving on to other planned placements or staff are leaving, work is completed with the young person who is leaving and those staying to ensure they are well prepared for the changes. Their home is currently being refurbished and young people have been actively involved in choosing the décor. This provides a bright, warm comfortable environment to live. However, this homely feel has been compromised by poor prompt repairs in some young people’s bedrooms.

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good

Staff support young people and their families and promote good quality contact. Families say that staff have helped their confidence in relation to managing challenging behaviour. This in turn has improved the quality of contact they have with their child. Young people who previously only enjoyed one hour’s supervised contact a week have progressed to spending overnights with their family. A parent commented ‘they are brilliant I can call at any point, they always listen and take notice of our concerns and suggest ideas’.

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good

Young people say they feel safe. Staff know the young people well. They have a clear understanding about their vulnerabilities and what they have to do to ensure they stay safe. Risk assessments are regularly reviewed and updated. Young people are safeguarded as staff have strategies in place to minimise risks. Young people have complex needs and staff ratios ensure that young people are constantly supported throughout the day to stay safe. As a consequence, young people do not go missing and their risk of sexual exploitation is reduced. Staff are aware of the risks and there are appropriate clear policies in place to address these. Young people are aware of the risks of going missing and understand what action staff will take to ensure their safety. Some young people have challenging behaviour and staff awareness and understanding of their needs ensure they stay protected. Young people have made significant progress in self-regulating their behaviour since living at the home and

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good

incidents have notably decreased. As one social worker comments ‘staff are well trained to recognise triggers and are effectively able to deescalate’. As a result, young people enjoy a calmer atmosphere in their home as they understand the expectations and consistent boundaries implemented by staff. For some young people the use of physical restraint has been necessary part of managing immediate risks. Sanctions are also sometimes used and are appropriately matched to individual circumstances. Both are effectively reviewed and evaluated with young people and staff. Staff have a good understanding of how to manage safeguarding allegations and appropriately refer to the designated officer. A recent safeguarding incident has been appropriately managed and there has been effective communication with appropriate agencies. Staff closely monitor young people’s relationships and any inappropriate behaviour is quickly challenged. Recent incidents of bullying have been appropriately

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good

addressed with the support of parents and other professionals. Young people live in a home that is safe and secure. There is a safe and robust system for managing young people’s medication. Regular safety checks are undertaken with gas, electric and fire systems to ensure good working order. Young people are familiar with the need for checking fire alarms and completing fire evacuations from time to time. Staff have devised an information sheet for young people. This helps promotes their safety. Safe recruitment practice is not consistently undertaken. Staff employment histories are not robustly considered at selection. This means young people are not effectively protected from adults who may wish to harm them. Judgement grade

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good

The home is led by a manager who has recently completed the level five diploma in Leadership and Management for Children and Young People, Residential services. She is ably supported by a deputy who holds the same award. She is committed and focussed on the needs of young people. She drives forward the progress of young people by her oversight of their development. Their welfare is promoted by the swift identification and rectification of any shortfalls of information. Young people benefit from a mixed experienced staff team who are enthusiastic and committed. Staff vacancies have been appropriately managed using sessional staff familiar to the young people and agency staff employed on a temporary to permanent contract basis. This has been effective in ensuring continuity for young people. Staff have a thorough induction and say that they feel prepared for working with young people. Staff say that they are well supported through monthly

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good

supervisions, annual appraisals and regular staff meetings. The staff reflect on their practice to help improve and promote young people’s welfare. This in turn ensures high standards of care are maintained. The registered manager ensures staff receive mandatory and additional training to meet individual young people’s needs. For example, in autism and anti-bullying awareness. This commitment to learning ensures staff stay knowledgeable and confident in meeting young people’s global needs. Partnership working is strong. As one social worker comments ‘they really embrace effective multi-agency working. They recognise their strengths and effectively ensure they get appropriate support for young people in areas where they need specialist services’. They effectively advocate on behalf of young people to secure services for example from children and adolescents mental health services (CAMHS). The registered manager and staff have excellent systems in place to

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good

ensure effective liaison with families and professionals. A social worker comments, ‘staff communication with me has been excellent. They provide concise and meaningful analysis of any incidents’.

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good

Record keeping and file management is well organised. This means that staff have relevant and updated information about young people in their care. This collaborative approach means that there is clear coordinated support to meet young people’s needs. The registered manager consistently monitors and self-evaluates the home’s effectiveness to ensure that young people’s needs are fully met. Feedback is sought from young people, their families, visitors and professionals. Young people benefit as result of the high level of scrutiny and transparency given to monitoring the quality of care they receive. For example, the home’s independent visitor contributes a source of independent scrutiny which the register manager actively uses to drive forward improvement. There were no requirements and recommendations from the home’s last inspection.

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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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