Children's home SC062537

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged requires improvement 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 manager and staff have made an excellent and measurable improvement across all areas of the home, especially in consulting and involving young people in their care. One young person has attended the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) in London to give her views on being a child in care. She said, ‘I was very nervous but excited at the same time. It was really good and gives you the opportunity to raise issues for yourself or on behalf of others.’ She also applied and has successfully completed an interview for the Youth Cheshire Commission Board for Cheshire police. She said, ‘I applied and got shortlisted for a telephone interview. The call lasted over forty minutes and they lady told me that I had done so well that they offered me a place straight away. I cannot wait for the first meeting next week.’ The manager said, ‘We are so proud of her. She has come a long way.’ A member of staff said, ‘She would not have had the confidence to do

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

this a year ago. It shows how much she has grown.’ As a result, young people are working with a range of professionals to discuss issues that affect them and others who are looked after. The manager was very disappointed with the homes last judgement from Ofsted and took decisive action. She identified that young people in their care did have good outcomes but they were not very good at showing this within their records. She contacted another local authority whose homes are currently outstanding. She visited and looked at how the service has evidenced all the excellent practice and outcomes for young people. In addition to this, she has attended several Action for Children seminars and has spoken with several providers and Ofsted inspectors to improve the home. She said, ‘The main thing I learnt was that everything that they do is underpinned by research and practice and that they represent the child’s

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

voice. So we stripped everything back and started afresh.’ This shows that the manager is keen to improve the service and many things have changed within the home. The young people’s files have been changed and simplified with a focus on them being the young person’s files. One file is for young people to hold records that are used daily, important to them or help staff know how they wish to be cared for. The young people have decorated these in individual art work, completed pen pictures of themselves, completed an ‘all about me’ document, and give an overview of their month. They keep certificates gained, photographs, key worker sessions, and review notes on this file. This has helped young people become more involved with their care. The manager identified that it was often difficult to get young people to engage in consultation to change, improve, or develop things within the home. She gave them full control of their young people’s meeting and they now take turns chairing

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

it. The new blank record is produced each week with photographs of what the young people have been doing that week and suggestions for the week and coming months by staff. This has improved their involvement and they are now making plans for the Easter and summer holidays. For example, young people have requested to do an Easter egg hunt. The manager responds directly to the young people within the record. For example, she has said yes to the hunt and would like to be included in this. This means that the young people get a quick response to their requests, thoughts, and ideas. The manager met with the local authorities design officer to discuss young people’s involvement through having competitions and having a poster to capture their interest. Previously, the young people had difficulties with some of their relationships with each other and although this was addressed at the time, the manager thought that a project on bullying would benefit them. Therefore, a

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

competition poster was designed to ask young people to complete a poster, DVD, song or poem to be used by the local authority. This also had a monetary award. Young people researched issues around bullying themselves and completed different posters showing their knowledge. The Divisional manager of the local authority judged this on completion and a young person from the home won. His poster has now gone back to the designer to be printed. This means that they have learnt about different forms of discrimination, racism, bullying language and what action they should take if they came across it and that they see the benefits of joining in. The success of this competition has prompted a new one to design a welcome booklet for young people coming into the home The home has improved their paperwork to include young people’s starting points when they first came to the home, their views, the action the home has taken and

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

the additional support they have acquired to help them improve. This means that young people can see their journey throughout their placement and the progress they have made. Other improvements include; the homes medication sheet now includes the stated times that a medication is to be given; the homes records have improved because staff clearly correct mistakes they have made within the records and all visitors are signed in and out of the home. These improvements ensure that young people are safe and records are clear. All the young people are now receiving full time education. This is because the manager has challenged the local authority and Virtual Head for education to secure identified placements. One young person has now gone from ten hours a week education to full time. He is unsure of what career he wants to do when he leaves school, so as part of his curriculum he is completing taster sessions at

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

college. He has also recently sat his mathematics exam and he is expected to get a good grade. Another young person’s attendance dropped after the half term break. The home worked closely with the school and a teacher came to the home to complete education. The young person quickly went back to school. The manager has identified that this is a pattern, so she is already working with the school on the same scheme, if the young person struggles to return to school after the Easter break. This shows that the home is very proactive in pre-empting difficulties, take appropriate action, and challenge professionals to secure good outcomes. This means that young people are not out of education for long periods and programmes of education are tailored to their individual needs. An ongoing complaint has now been closed and all professionals and the young person were happy with the outcome and action taken by the home. The young

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

people have revisited the complaints system within their young people’s meeting to ensure that they are all aware of how to raise a concern. They were also made aware of other avenues they may wish to take such as talking to the independent visitor, Ofsted, advocates or their social worker. One young person said, ‘We all know how we can complain if we are unhappy but our manager is really good and she listens to us well.’ This means that young people have several independent people they can contact if they wished to. One young person has been held for her safety. Staff are fully trained in this area and because of the good systems that enable young people to reflect on the incident, the young person has been able to inform staff that different strategies may have helped better such as being given her time alone. These have been incorporated into her behaviour management plan and there have been no incidents since these changes. This shows that by involving young people in their

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

care that they can make a positive contribution. A new development in the home is that the young people set their own goals for the week and the reward for completing them such as a personal item, money, or top up for their mobile phone. In addition to this, the home has incorporated a lucky dip box. This allows staff to acknowledge good behaviour or achievements straight away. For example, one young person received a certificate from school for excellent progress in school and was given the opportunity to take a lucky dip. She got a Frozen mug, which she loves. As a result of these good systems young people have not been sanctioned since the homes last inspection. Young people have not been reported missing from this home. Staff follow the local area protocol for reporting young people when necessary and good risk assessments identify the vulnerability of the young person and the agreed action that staff should take if an incident was to occur. There has been one reportable

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

safeguarding incident since the homes last inspection. A new resident obtained some paracetamol tablets and although it was not known if she had taken them, quick action was taken and the records within the home show this. All parties were informed and an investigation is underway to find out how she got them. In addition to this, she is receiving additional support from a mental health professional. This shows that the appropriate action was taken and young people are safeguarded by the good arrangements in place at the home. There are currently three staff vacancies at this home and a recent recruitment advertisement did not produce a good response. The manager has discussed with the local authority that having the National Vocational Qualification at Level 3 as an essential requirement is a barrier to finding people with experience or transferable skills. As a result, another advertisement has gone out. In the interim, three

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

identified casuals are being used to cover shortages within the staff group and permanent staff are doing overtime. This ensures that young people receive consistency of care by staff who know them well. At the last inspection, the home was asked to ensure that the independent visitor makes a rigourous and impartial assessment of the quality of care within the home. The manager said, ‘I met with the independent visitor and there has been a small improvement, especially in how they consult with young people and professionals but they continue to say the record is in the office rather than saying what they have viewed and what the quality of the record is like.’ She continued to say, ‘I am currently in discussions with the local authority with a view to looking at other services to support our regulation 44 visitors.’ Therefore, the recommendation has been partially met and has been repeated. In contrast to this,

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

the manager monitors the quality of care within the home on a monthly basis. A good reflective report shows how consultation with young people and professionals is put into practice. This is further demonstrated within the homes development plan. These good arrangements by the manager, ensures that the home continues to develop and improve.

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Information about this children's home

This local authority children’s home can accommodate up to four young people with emotional or behavioural difficulties.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

06/01/2016 CH - Full Requires improvement

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Recent inspection history

05/02/2015 CH - Interim sustained effectiveness

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Recent inspection history

06/03/2014 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 any individual appointed to carry out visits to the home as an independent person make a rigours and impartial assessment of the quality of care within the home. (The Guide to the Quality Standards page 65, paragraph 15.5)

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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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