Children's home run by Peterborough City Council

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 Improved effectiveness.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The management team have addressed the requirements and recommendations of the previous inspection. They have amended the assessment form so that it reflects how a young person’s ethnicity, cultural background or language impacts on the care they receive. All staff now receive regular formal supervision which is organised in advance and fully documented. Workers are more confident how they record their work with young people and are more reflective in their comments. However, the management team acknowledges that there is still room for improvement so that staff reflect on the outcomes for young people. They have organised specific key worker meetings to address this and matched more experienced workers with new staff. This means that the team consistently scrutinises the quality of reports.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The registered manager works alongside senior managers and social care teams to review all new referrals. If these are accepted, managers complete a comprehensive assessment of needs and risks including information from the local school and health professionals. Families are fully involved in this process. The social worker for one young person said: ‘The main thing is that staff understand that families also really need a break.’ As a result of this highly integrated approach, young people make a confident start to their stays.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Some young people are at the point where social workers are planning their transition into adult services. Staff work closely with other professionals to minimise the trauma of adapting to a new placement. However, on occasion serious problems have arisen over how they can access adult resources. In answer to this senior managers in the placing authority have recently set up a pilot project team. This will include the registered manager from this service, representatives from families and colleagues from education and health. This initiative is in its infancy but the objective is to simplify the process and improve the life chances for young people who come to the home.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The management team are ambitious for the service and benefit from robust external monitoring which helps them focus on improvements. For instance, they are currently focusing on how to enhance the participation of young people who are may be non-verbal. Staff are being trained in advocacy and are learning to reflect on changes in behaviour or body language in their recordings. They prepare DVD’s about individual young people and attend all reviews. Independent reviewing officers are encouraged to come and meet young people in the home. As a result young people are better represented.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Young people have no sense of danger so staff and managers are committed to providing a safe environment for them. The goal of the management team is to make it safe while taking young people’s needs into account. For instance, fire drills are planned carefully so that staff know exactly what to do but do not cause young people unnecessary stress. As a result they are safeguarded in the home.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Young people benefit greatly from being cared for by a team of staff who are well established in their roles and work closely with colleagues in other areas. The social worker for one young person said: ‘The level of partnership is so good for him. When staff from the home walk him over to school, his head is down but then he recognises staff in school and brightens up. It is the same the other way around.’

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Parents are full of praise, commenting on the trusting relationships that staff have developed with them. One mother said: ‘I like the things they do with her. For instance she loves the wind on her face so even when it quite cold, they wrap her up warmly and take her out. She loves it. I love the fact that she is gaining much more than just being cared for.’

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Information about this children's home

The home is owned by a local authority, it provides both shared care and short breaks for children and young people with severe and complex learning and physical disabilities including sensory impairment. The home is accessed by children up to the age of eighteen years.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

06/02/2015 Interim Improved 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):

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Recommendations

 Ensure that staff are familiar with the home's policies on record keeping, with particular reference to providing balanced and reflective reports that focus on outcomes for the young people. 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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