Setting in Rossendale

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

Managers do not implement systems to ensure that the daily task of monitoring and cleaning bedrooms is undertaken by staff. One bedroom was found to have faeces smeared on the window and a wet bed, shortly before the young person was due to return home from school. No posters or pictures were on the walls of this bedroom, which were stained. Neither curtains nor blinds were at the window. This young person is not benefitting from a therapeutic and nurturing environment where he can feel valued and cared for. This demonstrates a lack of understanding by managers and staff regarding how previous trauma can impact on young people’s behaviour and how to therapeutically address these behaviours by providing a nurturing, clean and ordered environment. Another young person’s bedroom did not have a light shade. A young person’s suitcase was on the floor of another bedroom and not put away by staff, indicating a sense of impermanence.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

A compliance notice is issued to ensure these shortfalls are addressed and acted upon.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Since the previous inspection, one young person has left the home due to staff being unable to meet their mental health needs and keep them safe. Before they left, they caused extensive damage to parts of the home, most of which has been repaired. Some damage is yet to be repaired, such as the replacement of curtains that were pulled down and damage that was caused to the office door.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Health care needs of all young people are not always met. Managers do not seek expert medical advice to ensure there are well informed health care plans in place for each young person, so that staff can effectively support young people to manage their health care needs and be able to understand complex issues underlying a health care need.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Managers admit young people to the home before an individual risk assessment has been completed that clearly documents any identified risks and what control measures are in place to manage these risks, despite receiving this information from placing authorities. This means the staff are not aware of all potential risks and how to care effectively and safely for young people. On the day of the inspection, a young person was being admitted following a planned admission process. No care plans or risk assessments were in place for staff to refer to, other than a general impact risk assessment with regard to how the young person may impact existing young people and how this would be managed. One member of staff commented that she did not know anything about the young person who had just arrived, or how to meet their needs and keep them and others safe.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Managers and staff do not ensure that young people only have access to, and play, age appropriate computer games. This demonstrates a lack of understanding of the potentially negative impact playing inappropriate and violent games can have on young people. One young person was observed playing a violent computer game that was not age appropriate. One other game in his possession was also not age appropriate.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Managers have not met all recommendations made at the previous inspection. Two recommendations remain as not met. Windows are still not fitted with curtains or blinds. The children’s guide is not yet available in a format that is suitable for children and contains photographs of the staff and the house.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The registered manager’s position remains vacant. The previous registered manager resigned 8 months ago. The present manager has submitted an application to Ofsted and this is now being processed following delays in obtaining further information to support the application.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The staff succeed in supporting young people to achieve positive outcomes. One young person is preparing to return and live with parents after living in the home for four years. This young person has made good progress in learning to manage his behaviour, learning independent living skills and with his educational achievements. Staff have high aspirations for young people with regard to their education and all are settled in educational placements and making progress at school or college.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The staff promote positive behaviour in the home through the effective implementation of reward systems. Young people are able to earn treats such as a trip of their choice, for demonstrating positive behaviour or achieving their set targets. Young people said the rules are fair in the home and staff are consistent in implementing boundaries and expectations of behaviour. Records of restraint demonstrate that incidents of physical restraint are rare. If a young person needs to be restrained as a last resort to keep themselves or others safe when they first arrive at the home, incidents of restraint quickly reduce. Young people said they generally all get on well with each other and said they feel safe living at the home.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Managers arrange for bedroom door alarms to be in place and activated at night to keep young people safe, due to the complex care needs of the young people. The use of these alarms has been agreed with placing authorities and their use is risk assessed as being necessary at night. The manager reviews the use of these alarms to establish that their use remains as necessary to keep young people safe at night.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Managers and staff implement a robust missing from care policy and procedure, and incidents of young people missing from the home have reduced. No incidents are recorded of any young person going missing over the last three months.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Young people benefit from the reduced use of agency staff by managers. A full core team of staff is now established. Two new members of staff have recently been appointed. Robust recruitment checks are carried out on new members of staff to ensure they are suitable persons to work at the home. Each shift consists of experienced senior members of staff and bank or agency staff are only used to cover holidays or sick leave.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Young people said they enjoyed living at the home and were observed to enjoy positive and amiable relationships with staff. One young person said ‘I like living here, although I was sad to leave my previous home.’ Another young person said ‘young people have got much better since they have been here, they improve and staff have helped them.’

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Information about this children's home

This home is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to four young people who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. It admits male young people only. The home is operated by a private company that operate a number of children’s homes and schools nationally.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

31/10/2013 CH - Interim Satisfactory Progress

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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

6: The quality and purpose of care standard

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Requirement Due date

In order to meet the quality and purpose of care standard, the registered person must ensure that staff

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Requirement Due date

(2)(ii)Protect and promote each child’s welfare; in particular ensure that children only have access to age appropriate computer games. 25/03/2016

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Requirement Due date

6: The quality and purpose of care standard

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Requirement Due date

In order to meet the quality and purpose of care standard, the registered person must ensure that staff

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Requirement Due date

(2)(iv) Provide personalised care that meets each child’s needs, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans; in particular ensure that upon admission these plans are in place and available for staff and risk assessments detail individual potential risks and how these will be managed. 25/03/2016

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Requirement Due date

Ensure that the health and well-being needs of children are met; in particular that continence issues are managed through an informed plan involving relevant health care professionals and the child (Regulation 10 (1)(a)). 25/03/2016

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Requirement Due date

6: The quality and purpose of care standard

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Requirement Due date

Ensure that staff protect and promote each child’s welfare; in particular that children are supported by staff to keep their bedrooms clean, hygienic and tidy and help each child to understand and manage the impact of any experience of abuse or neglect (Regulation 6(2)(b)(ii)(v). 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):

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Recommendations

 Homes should seek to maintain a homely, domestic environment; in particular, ensure that all windows are fitted with curtains or blinds (The guide to the quality standards, page 15 paragraph 3.9)

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Recommendations

 The home must produce a children's guide to the home that must be provided in an age accessible format; in particular that the guide contains photographs of the staff and the interior of the home (The guide to the quality standards, page 24 paragraph 4.21).

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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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