Children's Home run by Cambian Childcare Limited in North Yorkshire

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home has not yet had a full inspection. At this interim inspection, Ofsted judges that it has Sustained effectiveness .

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Ofsted brought forward its first inspection as a result of concerns for the safety and well-being of young people being brought to its attention. The inspection identified that, while there has been significant staff turnover affecting the care of young people, this situation has now stabilised. For example, staff who are unsuited or not sufficiently experienced have moved on or are receiving additional support. Staff have amended rosters to ensure that experienced staff share the responsibility of providing guidance to anyone new to working within a residential setting. These actions ensure that staff receive the necessary support so that young people’s needs are effectively met.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

While young people are admitted to the home on a planned basis through completion of a pre-admission assessment, this process does not elicit all known risk factors potentially affecting young people’s safety, such as fire setting. This hampers proactive risk management of young people’s behaviour. Young people addicted to nicotine raised their concern about the impact of not being allowed to smoke on the external premises of the home, protesting that staff who smoke can choose to do so off site. As a result, young people feel that there are unrealistic expectations about their smoking behaviour and their rights compared to those of staff. A young person said, ‘It’s not fair no-one is ready to compromise’.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

It is clear that the registered manager takes appropriate action to ensure that young people understand the impact of their behaviour, for example by involving the fire authority. However, failure to notify such an incident to Ofsted prevents any overview by the regulator as to what action was taken at the time of the concern.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Young people are not provided with a dedicated phone for their sole use. This hinders staying in touch with parents and carers, and accessing independent sources of help and advice. Young people’s rights to see their families are upheld and actively promoted. This is because staff understand their responsibilities to challenge placing authorities when there is any drift with agreed plans. A young person said, ‘They are sorting out seeing my family for me with my social worker’. It is evident that most young people are confident that staff are acting in their best interests. Young people see that staff are invested in helping them progress, and this builds trust and helps establish meaningful relationships between them. A young person said about the home, ‘It’s brilliant, the staff want what’s best for me’.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Young people take part in a varied range of activities, such as going to the gym, the cinema, ice skating and eating out. This meets their social and emotional needs. The staff team is in the process of receiving training about attachment and the impact that trauma has on young people’s development. This improves staff’s knowledge, skills and abilities to respond to the underlying needs of young people. This means that staff can tailor their responses, helping young people to reflect more on the choices they make. A health professional said, ‘I think staff are developing relationships with young people, you can see this because there is a reduction in young people’s distressed behaviour’.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The registered manager demonstrates a proactive commitment to improving the safety, care and well-being of young people. For example, the views of other professionals, including young people’s social workers, are canvassed on the quality of care that young people receive. This approach helps to establish shared understanding about young people’s needs and builds professional relationships.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Young people live in a large, modern detached property set in a rural area. The home is decorated and furnished to a high standard, and is warm, welcoming, clean and tidy. It is clear that any damage to the fabric of the building is swiftly attended to. Ensuring that young people live in good quality, homely surroundings builds a sense of belonging and helps them feel valued. Young people are encouraged to personalise their bedrooms and there are good facilities for them to develop their independent living skills. This approach helps to develop young people’s social skills, preparing them for adulthood. A member of staff said, ‘(Name) is really proud of her bedroom: she’s chosen what she wants on the walls, she keeps it really tidy’.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Young people benefit from direct access to onsite psychological support. A clinical psychologist and an assistant psychologist offer flexible one-to-one sessions to young people, and deliver training and consultation to staff. As a result, staff develop an understanding of the impact of young people’s difficult experiences. A member of staff said, ‘The whole therapeutic model is fantastic. I wasn’t sure if young people might not engage with it but they are [engaged].’

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Effective written behaviour plans are in place so that staff recognise and respond to young people’s distressed behaviour. The home’s clinical team works with young people and staff so that there is a shared understanding about how best to support them. This means that young people receive a consistent response from staff, helping them to learn alternative ways of managing difficult feelings. A health professional said, ‘The plans show what the young people tell us about how to help them’. Staff make a meaningful contribution to the reviews of young people looked after. A comprehensive report shared within the review meeting demonstrates that young people receive effective help so that they make steady progress. This means that other professionals gain a shared understanding about young people’s needs and the most effective ways of helping them. As young people learn to see the benefits of routines and structured activities, they re-enter education and build

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

relationships with their peers. This promotes improved outcomes in adulthood.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Young people sometimes go missing from the home. In this event, staff are clear about what to do and they are effective at working with other professionals to ensure that young people are safely returned to the home. An independent person sees the young people upon their return. This provides them with an opportunity to raise any concerns that may have contributed to their missing behaviour. Ensuring that these safeguards are in place promotes their welfare. Young people’s rooms are searched when there is a significant concern that they are in possession of any items that could compromise their well-being. Detailed records demonstrate that this only happens when necessary and, in such an event, the young people are appropriately informed.

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Information about this children's home

The home may accommodate up to four children with emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. The home is owned and operated by an independent provider.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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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 ‘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

The registered person must ensure that children are provided at all reasonable times with access to the following facilities which they may use without reference to the persons working at the home. A telephone on which to make and receive telephone calls in private (Regulation 22 (3)(a) 30/3/2016

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. In particular, any fire setting behaviour (Regulation 40(4)(e) 30/3/2016

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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

Staff should continually and actively assess the risks to each child and the arrangements in place to protect them. When there are safeguarding concerns for a child, their placement plan, agreed between the home and their placing authority, must include details of the steps that the home will take to manage any assessed risks on a day-to-day basis. In particular, it will ensure that the preadmission assessment establishes any known risk-taking behaviour of young people. This includes any history of fire setting, and will take into account the impact on any young person who is addicted to nicotine of not being allowed to smoke anywhere on the external premises of the home (‘Guide to the quality standards’, page 42, paragraph 9.5).

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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 ‘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, work- based 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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