Children's home run by Cambian Childcare Limited in Stockport

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged Good at the full inspection. At this interim inspection Ofsted judge that it has declined in effectiveness .

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

In the five months since the full inspection seven young people have lived in the home or the attached independent flats. Four young people have moved on from the home in this period. A member of staff said some young people return to visit, but „things have not worked out well for all of them.‟ Their moves to foster homes, host families, and independent living have not lasted. The home has not prepared young people well enough for their next moves to succeed. Some staff lack sufficient skills in consistent therapeutic care. Young people‟s moving on plans have been rushed in some cases because of poor matches with new young people coming into the home. Staff do not work quickly enough or creatively enough with local authorities to help young people overcome the problems they experience around: contact with family and friends; education; and poor self-esteem. The home is not proactive enough to: supply therapeutic relationships; advocate about education; or propose contact

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

arrangements and practical ways they will help young people make the most of contact visits. Young people therefore feel angry and resort to going missing from contact and are only minimally engaged in the life of the home. Effective work with placing authorities was a weakness raised at the last inspection. Some young people feel lonely and isolated in the independent flats. Some staff do not help young people with these problems in insightful and proactive ways. They issue fines for damage to furniture and impose boundaries preventing young people in the flats coming into the house. It is not clear how much young people understand or learn from these measures. It is not clear whether staff balance these measures with helpful and therapeutic relationships. Young people‟s engagement in developing independence skills and taking pride in themselves and their environment is held back as a result. Nevertheless, a social worker said, „I am

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

seeing some level of investment from my young person – he has relationships with staff and is down from 2:1 to 1:1 staffing, so I am pleased.‟ One young person remains settled after almost two years here. He is working gradually towards independence and enjoys good relationships with all members of staff. He fed back to the new manager, „they give me positive advice, motivation and advice towards a better future.‟ Young people live in a well maintained and generally relaxed environment. Most of them say they feel safe here with staff and that their views are heard and taken seriously. They are mostly positive about living here. One young person recently came back to the home and told young people to make the most of their time here. Staff provide good routines and help young people feel special, for example, when it is their birthday. They have birthday cake and decorate the house with balloons and banners.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The leadership and management of the home has changed since the last inspection. A new, qualified and experienced manager joined the home in December 2015. He describes the three senior staff who have worked here since the last inspection as „golden‟. However, sickness and long periods of absence mean that the senior team has been very short most of the time since the last inspection. Despite working hard on shifts and taking care to handover to the next shift in good detail, staff have not received sufficient support, advice and training to develop their skills in therapeutic ways of working. Some staff have not been able to defuse and calm situations. Staff practice and relationships with young people have been compromised at times. Nevertheless, staff say that a recent day‟s training course on attachment theory was useful to them. The new manager has struggled to familiarise himself with the systems and

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

procedures of the organisation. He has had insufficient support or supervision from the registered individual who left the company a few weeks ago. He is not working effectively enough with the organisation and placing authorities. He puts issues about young people‟s free time, behaviour management sanctions and family contact back to social workers for decisions and solutions too often. He does not present social workers with his and staff‟s own plans, insights and ideas. Young people therefore do not receive the most dynamic, creative and insightful care. Young people sometimes undermine one another‟s potential for progress. The new manager is not completing timely reviews of the care in the home and does not have a clear overview of where and how staff practice needs to improve. This is a continuing weakness in the leadership and management of the home which was raised at the last inspection. This means that many young people do not

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

make as much progress as they could. The manager says that he does not receive sufficient clinical advice and support to the home. He also says his monthly visitor‟s reports do not come promptly and do not help him identify where he needs to make improvements. Ofsted have not been informed of the departure of the registered individual or the arrangements to provide cover.

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Information about this children's home

The home provides care and accommodation for up to six young people with emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. The accommodation includes two flats for semi-independent living. The provider is a large private limited company.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

16/02/2015 CH - Interim Improved effectiveness

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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

Ensure that the registered person completes a review of the quality of care provided for children (“a quality of care review”) at least once every 6 months. Supply to HMCI a copy of the quality of care review report within 28 days of the date on which the quality of care review is completed. (Regulation 45 (1) and (4)(a)) 10/03/2016

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Requirement Due date

Ensure that notice is given in writing to HMCI, as soon as it is reasonably practicable to do so, if there is any change in the identity of the responsible individual. (Regulation 49 (e) (iii)) 10/03/2016

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further the service should take account of the following four recommendations: Ensure that the registered person and their staff engage proactively with the placing authority to contribute fully to the relevant plans for the child‟s care on an ongoing basis. (The Guide to the Quality Standards, page 56, paragraph 11.3) Ensure that staff have the capacity and competence to build constructive, warm relationships with children that actively promote positive behaviour, provides the foundations for managing any negative behaviour. Staff should have the skills to respond to each child‟s individual behaviour. Where necessary they should manage conflict, maintain constructive dialogues and react appropriately if challenged by a child in their care. (The Guide to the Quality Standards, page 39, paragraph 8.14) Ensure that the registered person decides what each review should focus on, based

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Recommendations

on the specific circumstances of the home at that particular time and any areas of high risk to the children that the home is designed to care for, such as missing or exploitation. Registered persons should use their professional judgement to decide which factors to focus on. The review should enable the registered person to identify areas of strength and possible weakness in the home‟s care, which will be captured in the written report. The report should clearly identify any actions required for the next 6 months of delivery within the home and how those actions will be addressed. The whole review process and the resulting report should be used as a tool for continuous improvement in the home. (The Guide to the Quality Standards, page 65, paragraph 15.4) Ensure that all staff, including the manager, receive supervision of their practice from an appropriately qualified and experienced professional, which allows them to

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Recommendations

reflect on their practice and the needs of the children assigned to their care. A record of supervision should be kept for staff, including the manager. The record should provide evidence that supervision is being delivered in line with regulation 33(4)(b). (The Guide to the Quality Standards, page 61, paragraph 13.2 and 13.3)

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What the inspection judgements mean

At the interim inspection we make a judgement on whether the home has improved in effectiveness, sustained effectiveness, or declined in effectiveness since the previous full inspection. This is in line with the Inspection of children's homes: framework for inspection.

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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 focused on the effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of children and young people since the most recent full inspection.

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Information about this inspection

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 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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