Children's Home run by Five Rivers Child Care Limited in Wiltshire

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 improved effectiveness .

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The home’s registered manager and staff continue to provide very good quality, nurturing care, which is tailored to meet the children and young people’s unique individual needs. As a result, the two long-term residents have made significant progress since the previous inspection.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Both the young people attend school every day. One child, who is about to progress to secondary education, has been to visit a mainstream school with a view to starting there in September. This is a remarkable achievement.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Some young people have had difficulties in school, but have still made good progress. The registered manager ensures that if there is a problem in education time, that staff from the home meet with school staff and debrief together. This ensures effective communication and reduces the potential for any misunderstandings between the adults involved with each young person.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

One social worker is undertaking exceptionally creative life story work with their child, supported by the staff in the home. The manager ensures that there is effective communication between the life story worker and the staff team, so that there is continuity and consistency in the messages to the young person. Both the young people have memory boxes. Not all of the young people are ready for structured life story work, but the staff encourage them to explore their personal identities at their own pace. The registered manager has also helped another home within the group, by sharing her skills in promoting positive images of people from different ethnicities and cultures. This shows that practice within the home is worthy of wider dissemination.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The registered manager’s strategy of involving the police to underline the seriousness of previous incidents of racial abuse has been effective. The young person has not been criminalised as a result, but is beginning to take responsibility for their behaviour. There have been no further incidents of racial discrimination. The two young people now live together reasonably harmoniously and can be left together playing for short periods of time. This is a very positive development. As a result, the two young people now thoroughly enjoy shared as well as individual activities. They love to go swimming, trampolining and to Lazerquest. They have also been bowling together, with the staff. One child particularly enjoys her gymnastics club, and has met a young friend there. These two children have enjoyed sleepovers at each other’s homes. This is normal behaviour for children of their age, but is sometimes difficult for looked-after children to achieve. It is

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

positive that the home has helped the children to overcome these barriers. Some young people, who find peer relationships very difficult, are beginning to feel more settled in the home. This has helped them to reduce the number of serious incidents in which they are involved, and to explore relationships with peers and staff in a more positive way. These young people have also benefited from a positive overnight stay at home.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The registered manager has recently reviewed the way in which the staff team responds to challenging behaviour, with a particular focus on truthful, authentic communication and taking personal responsibility. This strategy is starting to have a positive impact. For example, there have been only three incidents within the home since the previous inspection, which is a very positive achievement for the young people and the staff.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The continuing improvement in relationships between the staff and the young people has also led to an overall reduction in incidents and in physical interventions. For example, there have been only three holds in the past 18 weeks, compared with 11 holds in the same timeframe prior to the full inspection. The home continues to be exceptionally well led and managed. The registered manager is an inspirational and highly motivated leader. She now has a full staff team, with two new appointees. Management monitoring remains strong, with clear and detailed internal and external reporting on the progress and development of the home.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

During the inspection, the staff had been set to work to decorate and repair areas of the home. The manager ensures that any maintenance work is done promptly so that the young people live in a high-quality environment.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The two recommendations from the previous inspection have both been met. One recommendation was that the home reviewed the use of prone restraints. Although these were used only rarely, and as a last resort, prior to the previous inspection, the home has now ceased to use this technique. When it becomes necessary to hold a young person, the staff use a less restrictive technique.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The second recommendation concerned the need to record details of reference verification telephone conversations. This matter was passed to the company’s human resources department. The inspector spoke to a representative from this department during the inspection, and was assured that all references are verified and the outcome is now recorded on the reference itself as well as on the audit sheet. The inspector was also told that the company conducts risk assessments on prospective staff prior to appointment, if there is a query with regard to any of their recruitment checks. The responsible individual signs off all the risk assessments to ensure an appropriately high level of scrutiny. Files for the two new staff members were not present in the home during the inspection, because they had not yet started in post, but they will be reviewed at the next inspection.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The manager and staff continue to promote effective and productive professional relationships with other agencies, with appropriate challenge when necessary. The home regularly invites other professionals to dinner, to share a meal with the young people and the staff team. This enables the young people to become accustomed to entertaining, and the visiting professionals to get to know everyone in the home and to put any professional involvement with them into context.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

No requirements or recommendations have been made as a result of this inspection.

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Information about this children's home

This privately-owned children’s home is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to six girls or young women between eight and 17 years, who may be experiencing emotional and behavioural difficulties. Emergency admissions are not accepted. The provider operates a range of children’s services nationally. This home is one of a group of six owned by the provider in the south west of England.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

09/12/2014 CH - Interim improved effectiveness

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Recent inspection history

31/12/2013 CH - Interim Satisfactory Progress

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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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