Children's Home run by Radical Services Limited in Cumberland

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

The home’s Registered Manager has continued to provide consistent support and guidance to her staff team since the home’s last inspection in November 2015. She is currently preparing for an extended period of leave and has effectively prepared her deputy manager to step up to lead and manage the home in her absence.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

One requirement was made at the last full inspection to improve the quality of reporting by the home’s independent visitor. Although reporting is starting to show some greater evaluation of the home’s operation and activities, it is not yet sufficiently comprehensive to suggest robust independent monitoring of the home’s operation and activities. The home is reviewing this further with the independent visitor to remedy this situation.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

In addition, three recommendations resulted from the last inspection. The Registered Manager continues to effectively monitor and analyse progress being made in the home. She has already identified some key areas, including some further staff development opportunities that will feature in her six-monthly review report that is due in April 2016. Although improvement in reporting cannot yet be confirmed, the manager appears to be on track with this task.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Young people’s health and safety remains a key priority. The home has successfully revised arrangements for the storage of non-prescription medication, ensuring that stock of pain relief medication is kept to a minimum to further promote the safety of young people in the home.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Young people’s risk assessments now clearly state actual known risks following their admission to the home, rather than the exaggeration of risks that was identified at the last inspection. This provides a more realistic view of young people’s individual risks and concerns. Staff acknowledge that they are now clearer about their understanding of young people’s needs in line with written records, making it easier to identify when risks to young people increase or decrease.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff ensure that young people’s care and support is well planned and co-ordinated. They work in close partnership with young people’s parents, placing authorities and a range of relevant professionals that can provide additional support and advice to help young people. In particular, the home has worked hard to develop community relationships. The home encourages informal visits from police community support officers and also has a member of staff that volunteers in this role. Together, these arrangements have helped to build trust and some meaningful rapport between young people and the police.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Young people continue to make good progress in many aspects of their development. Staff have been particularly effective in promoting young people’s health, encouraging and supporting a number of young people that smoke to significantly reduce their intake of tobacco. Staff are proactive in providing young people with advice and educating them on the potential harm and long term health risks associated with tobacco and other substance misuse.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff are eager to support young people with their learning, but not all are currently attending formal education. For those young people, the home is actively seeking support of their placing authorities to remedy this. However, in contrast some young people are making considerable progress, having excellent attendance and engaging well with a bespoke curriculum offered at an independent school operated by the provider.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff effectively promote contact with young people’s families ensuring that they have good opportunities to maintain relationships with those that are most important to them. Staff often travel some distance to facilitate and support arrangements as most young people are placed some distance from their home area. For one young person, staff have successfully supported arrangements enabling the young person now to travel by train for weekend visits. This demonstrates positive progress in developing his independence and has improved his personal confidence in his abilities.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Young people report to feeling safe and well supported by staff. They speak positively about the good relationships they have built with staff and can recognise the improvements they have made since coming to the home. For most, this notably includes a significant reduction in being missing from home, as this was a frequent occurrence prior to placement. One young person commented, ‘I’m a totally different person now. I’m not with the same people. This home has given me the experience to know the difference. The staff that I trust help me very much. My key worker tells me how it is. It is like a family in this house. It doesn’t feel like a care home sometimes.’

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Information about this children's home

 The home can provide care and accommodation for up to 4 children  It is owned and operated by a private company  The home provides care and accommodation for children with emotional and/or behavioural difficulties (EBD)

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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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

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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