Children's Home run by Staffordshire County Council in Staffordshire

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged Outstanding 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 service has begun to admit young people for a maximum stay of four weeks. The aim of this is to reduce the time they spend in residential care by increasing the focus on a rapid return to the stability and security of long- term placements. The registered manager has updated the statement of purpose to reflect this. She has also to set aside one of the beds as an emergency bed, in order to support young people’s long-term placements when crises occur. The registered manager and staff team have approached this new challenge with characteristic creativity, enthusiasm and commitment.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Young people experience a warm and welcoming home where staff skilfully and sensitively support them through a turbulent period in their lives. The importance for young people of being able to develop trusting and positive relationships with staff is central to the ethos of the home. Recent changes in staff shift patterns means that they are now benefiting from spending more time with and getting to know the night staff, who now come in before bedtime. Young people say that they like this.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Young people are happy here, can personalise their rooms and especially enjoy the food. They express themselves at group meetings where staff listen carefully to them. They also benefit from and engage in focused key work sessions. Young people are actively involved in their care and placement plans. Refurbishment of the games room provides young people with space where they can play a range of games together and have fun writing graffiti on the specially prepared walls. They go into the community for a range of leisure activities, including the local youth club, boxing club, swimming, bowling and football. The spacious and well- maintained rooms provide young people with opportunities to be together or apart and the large garden allows them to play ball games and enjoy barbeques in warm weather.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff proactively identify and address young people’s identity and diversity needs on all levels. The cook researches and provides foods to support young persons’ culture and religion, and for young people who do not speak English, staff have displayed the alphabet in 3 languages in the education room. A globe is an interesting recent addition to this room and staff hold regular cultural evenings for young people to explore different cultures. Importantly, staff also strongly support sexual diversity. Staff skilfully use opportunities such as television programmes, to get young people discussing a range of personal and social issues that support their education, emotional and social development. Family relationships are a priority and the warm, cosy contact room enables young people to enjoy time with family members, and make private telephone calls. Regular access to language interpreters enables unaccompanied young people who do not speak English, to

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

communicate their views wishes and feelings. This helps them to settle into the home.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Enthusiastic staff support young people to regularly attend education. One young person started going to school in September, having not attended before she came here. Young people also make excellent progress in independence skills. With the focus on shorter stays, the service has already successfully enabled one young person to return to his family after only 2 weeks of being in placement. Staff ensured that he could remain at his own school, which he attended every day and maintain vital links with his family members. This work paved the way for a planned and successful return home.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

When young people are admitted, staff provide them with a warm welcome, but also with important information about the home and their care plan. This reduces the sense of confusion that young people often experience when they start a placement.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The registered manager holds a level 4 qualification in management and has over 30 years’ experience in residential childcare. She is a highly proactive and effective leader and manager who has made significant progress in focusing the service on reducing delay for young people. Staff are fully engaged in the changes to the service and are able to express their views and ideas to ensure that the service is effectively meeting the needs of young people. The registered manager is closely monitoring the staffing requirements, as the shorter stays involve staff in work that is more intensive and in many more meeting with parents and foster carers.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff supervision is up to date and staff have undertaken training in child sexual exploitation and diversity since the last inspection. The registered manager makes improvements on an ongoing basis, whether to the property or to how the staff work with young people. She has identified the need to improve communication between staff and has initiated the use of a notes system in addition to formal records. She constantly monitors and reviews paperwork and responds rapidly where she can make positive changes that benefit young people.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Some young people exhibit challenging behaviour, but staff are always alert to risks and understand and follow procedures to keep young people safe. Highly trained staff help young people to understand how to keep themselves safe with relevant discussions on daily basis and in key work sessions. Staff have effectively addressed issues of self- harm, bullying and fire-setting. Staff and the registered manager regularly review and update risk assessments and behaviour management plans. This ensures that staff identify and meet the care and safeguarding needs of each young person.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff continue to work in partnership with a wide range of agencies including health and education, drug and mental health professionals, the police and youth offending service. The increased emphasis on enabling young people to return home quickly means that staff work closely with family members and foster carers to improve the experience and progress of young people. The registered manager has prepared written information for foster carers about the new system. She has also instigated meetings with the local family support workers, to clarify the support that each family will receive when a young person returns home. The registered manager actively challenges other agencies if she considers that they are not providing the services that young people need.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The registered manager has responded positively to the recommendation from the last inspection, resulting in staff reflecting on and talking about the importance of how they record and report on young people. Fuller and more detailed recording enables the registered manager, staff, and young people to identify the progress that young people are making.

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Information about this children's home

This is a local authority owned children’s home. It is registered to care for up to five children and young people with emotional and behavioural difficulties. The home provides care for up to five young people aged between 12 and 17 years on a short- term basis. Young people normally stay no longer than 4 weeks, during which time staff support assessments and enable them to return home or move on to appropriate long term placements 

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

17/03/2015 CH - Interim Sustained effectiveness

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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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