Children's home run by Stoke-on-Trent City Council in Stoke-on-Trent

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 sustained effectiveness .

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Since the last inspection, several young people have moved into and out of the home. On rare occasions, young people leave the home quickly in challenging circumstances. Despite this, the registered manager and staff team ensure they receive effective, individualised support. Generally, young people move in an assessed and thoroughly planned way. Young people are consulted and engage well in the decision making process. This helps young people to feel secure and to settle quickly when they move. It also ensures that staff are equipped to meet their needs. As a result, young people develop strong relationships with staff and enjoy spending time together. They talk positively about the care they receive and are supported to make progress in important areas of their life. This includes significant improvements in some young people’s behaviour. Parents also talk positively about the home and the staff team, one parent commenting, ‘they are

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Several young people continue to achieve 100% attendance at school despite, a times, facing personal challenges. They are rightly proud of this. Other young people’s attendance improves from their starting point because of the support they receive from staff. As a result, all young people achieve more academically. A social worker highlights this citing a, ‘clear improvement in grades at school’.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

A small number of young people have been missing from the home since the last inspection. Significant concerns in relation to child sexual exploitation and drug use are well assessed by staff who have a good awareness of these issues. Staff respond well to the vast majority of incidents and continue to work very effectively with other agencies. Other professionals confirm this, one social worker comments, ‘everyone was out looking for the young person when they went missing, the registered manager co-ordinated this really well…staff were creative…staff ensured communication was really good between all agencies including this police’. In contrast to this, on two occasions staff did not act on pertinent information in a timely way and failed to take effective action. The impact on the young person was minimised by other safeguards in place. The registered manager’s monitoring and review processes failed to identify this

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

shortfall in a timely way. This hindered her ability to make improvements in the quality of care provided on these occasions. In contrast, the registered manager has improved other elements of the home’s quality assurance processes. A new independent person visits the home every month. Reports following these visits have significantly improved and are now of a good quality. However, there is often a delay before the registered manager receives the report. This prevents her from making best use of the information provided or addressing required actions quickly. The registered manager has also improved elements of her own monitoring. Day-to-day scrutiny has generally improved. In addition, actions identified through formal ‘quality of care reviews’ have started to identify weaknesses and drive improvement. Consequently, she has addressed the majority of the shortfalls identified at the last inspection. These improvements have the

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

capacity to improve the quality of care provided to young people but are not yet fully embedded.

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Information about this children's home

The home provides care and accommodation for up to 2 children with emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. The home is managed by a Local Authority.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

11/02/2015 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

In order to meet the protection of children standard, with particular reference to missing from home, the registered provider must ensure that staff: -

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Requirement Due date

(vi) take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child's welfare. 25/03/2016

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Requirement Due date

13. The leadership and management standard

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Requirement Due date

In order to meet the leadership and management standard with particular reference to missing from home records, the registered person must: -

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Requirement Due date

(2) (h) use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. 25/03/2016

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further the service should take account of the following recommendation(s):  Ensure that the registered person actively seeks independent scrutiny of the home and makes best use of information from independent monitoring (including under regulation 44). (The Guide to the Quality Standards, page 55, paragraph 10.24)

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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

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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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