Children's home run by CareTech Community Services Limited in Hertsmere

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, the registered manager and staff have worked hard to meet the requirements made at the last inspection. They have started to personalise young people’s bedrooms more; such as painting young people’s bedroom doors a colour of their choice. Young people’s rooms are all individualised and decorated with pictures and posters of their choice. The registered manager recognises the importance of young people feeling that it is their home. She has developed questionnaires for the young people in widget form so as they are able to fully share their views.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Young people continue to make progress and have fun experiences. For example, young people take part in swimming lessons and train rides to different towns. Young people’s achievements are celebrated and young people enjoy seeing photos of their achievements on the wall in their home. Young people attend school and are making progress. The registered manager monitors their progress within school and works closely and collaboratively with them. The registered manager and school implement new strategies and ways of working so as to effectively meet young people’s complex care needs. Behaviour management is fluid between the home and school. This offers young people consistency and promotes their emotional wellbeing.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff continue to promote young people’s safety. They follow young people’s detailed and individualised risk management plans. There are clear protocols in place for the use of medication, with a robust medication audit system. Staff work with other professionals, such as child and adolescent mental health services (Camhs) to regularly review young people’s emotional needs and medication requirements.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Since the last inspection, there have been no new admissions to the home and the young people remain in long term, settled placements. The children who come for respite care, continue to enjoy their time at the home. Staff know the young people and continue to be consistent in implementing boundaries. This is effective and young people’s behaviours become increasingly settled, with very few physical interventions. Young people have not gone missing. There have been no complaints since the last inspection. When young people have made allegations, these have not been robustly documented and specific outcomes have not been recorded in the young person’s file.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Since the last inspection some young people have had an increase in physical interventions. Overall, these are well recorded. However, staff do not document their observations of young people afterwards as a form of debrief especially as some young children do not use verbal communication. The registered manager has worked in partnership with a variety of professionals to find the possible cause of the change in young people’s behaviours. She and staff have reflected on their practice and young people’s risk management plans. They have reviewed the plans and interventions with Camhs, the company’s behaviour specialist and the physical intervention trainer. Staff have effectively implemented new ways of working and, at the time of this interim inspection, there had been a decrease in physical interventions.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The registered manager is child focused, and she and the deputy manager form a strong management team. There continues to be robust management oversight of staff practice. They have recently introduced staff handover meetings which gives the staff team opportunity to reflect and discuss each young person, their complex needs and new behaviour management strategies. This promotes consistency of care for young people. Staff say they feel well supported by the management team. Two recommendations have been made from this interim inspection.

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Information about this children's home

This is a privately owned children’s home. It is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to six children with physical and learning disabilities. It provides care for children who are permanently placed as well as respite care.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

27/01/2015 CH - Interim Sustained effectiveness

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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 staff understand how children might communicate their feelings through their behaviour, or non-verbally especially where the child has a disability which does not allow them to communicate as others might with specific reference to after a child has been involved in a restraint. (The Guide to the Quality Standards, Page 22, Paragraph 4.10).

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Recommendations

 Ensure that staff are familiar with the home's policies on record keeping, with specific reference to allegations young people may make. Information about the child must always be recorded in a way that will be helpful to the child (The Guide to the Quality Standards, Page 62, Paragraph 14.4). 

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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

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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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