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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 manager and staff team continue to provide a good quality of care. Children are safe and enjoy spending short breaks in this home. Many children make considerable personal progress in a short space of time. Some of the simplest tasks are major achievements for these children such as having a bath, washing their own hair or going to bed without making a fuss. Staff remain enthusiastic about working with children whose achievements they relish. Developments to the home have continued to benefit children. The new management arrangements have supported improvements in leading an experienced and skilled team of workers to review and update work practice and records. A parent commented ‘management has changed, wildly for the better, the approach is now much more family centred’. Electronic locking systems which restricted access to the garden and outside play areas have been adjusted. Children can now get outside into these safe areas. In

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

addition and after much waiting, the children can now access the internet in the home. Wi-Fi has been connected and children can make best use of tablets and other connected equipment to enhance their learning and to explore and better understand the world around them. Several records which support care and understanding of children have been reviewed and updated. Night time monitoring of children is subject to risk assessment and consultation with parents. Regular review confirms that children’s rights to privacy and dignity are considered and any monitoring continues to be in the child’s best interests. Work on improving target setting and evidencing progress for children has continued. All children now have these records in place, they offer clear guidance for staff in the detailing steps to achievement and the progress made. Once achieved new targets are set to ensure children have continuous development

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

opportunities. Development of records is ongoing and the manager is intent on improving written communication between parents and the home to make this communication more meaningful. Refurbishment of the home is ongoing. Since the previous inspection unnecessary signage has been removed from communal areas to avoid an institutional look. Children’s bedrooms have been made more cosy with the addition of rugs, personalised canvas and bedding. The lounge continues to provide several different areas which meets the varied needs of these children spending time here. Good use is made of the large dining table where children and staff eat meals together. It also doubles as a craft and messy play area. Wheelchairs can move about the spacious environment easily. A parent remarked ‘it’s just like a home from home, I have recommended this service to other families’. The manager now has recruitment information for all staff in order. It is possible to

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

see that relevant checks are in place before people are employed. This demonstrates a commitment to safer recruitment which avoids unsuitable adults working with vulnerable children. Formal supervision is provided to all staff on a regular basis. This now commonly includes reflection on practice and staff discussion about the needs of the children assigned to their care. Keyworkers provided updates of the children they have responsibility for. Success or concerns and can be discussed and any actions needed are identified so that supervision contributes to practice developments. Children continue to enjoy a range of activities both out in the community and in the home. A parent commented that her daughter ‘likes swimming and roller skating but especially loved going out for coffee and cake’. The manager does not have effective oversight of the administration of non- prescribed medication. While there is no evidence of any harm caused to children

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

the system for storage, administration and records of this medication (commonly liquid paracetamol used for pain relief) is not meeting expected standards.

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Information about this children's home

The home is registered to provide a short break for up to four children and/or young people who have learning difficulties. The home is managed and owned by the local authority.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

24/03/2015 CH - Full Requires improvement

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Recent inspection history

18/03/2014 CH - Interim Satisfactory Progress

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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 as set out in Regulation 23 the registered person makes suitable arrangements to manage, administer and dispose of any medication. This particularly applies to non-prescribed medication. (The Guide to the Quality Standards Page 35 paragraph 7.15)

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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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