Children's Home run by North Yorkshire Council in North Yorkshire

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 home has improved by meeting the five requirements and seven of the eight recommendations made at the previous inspection as follows.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Young people’s needs are now reflected within the care and progression plans. Systems are in place to ensure the language used sensitively represents young people’s behaviours and what staff do to help them. Young people can access these records and there are plans in place to involve them more in completion of these. Promoting young people access to information held about them in this way respects their rights. Ensuring that information is written in a child centred way also aids their current and future understanding about this period of their lives. A member of staff said, ‘Now we have to complete the plans and pass them to senior staff by the 10th of every month for checking.’

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff ensure meaningful action takes place to help young people return to education, college or gain employment. One young person out of education for a number of years receives daily visits by an education tutor who, along with staff, proactively helps the young person re-establish a school routine. Overtime this approach helps young people realise they can change their behaviour and make more positive choices if they want to. Staff are also helping another young person in the process of moving onto supported housing to access college. An education professional said, ‘We have been trying to get (Name) engaged, we had a good session with him on Wednesday, we want him to know we are going to keep trying.’

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The registered manager ensures staff are clear about their roles and responsibilities to keep young people safe and to promote their wellbeing. Staff training and written guidance delivered within team meetings increases understanding about the necessity of providing young people with consistent responses and support. This creates a cohesive staff team and purposeful care practice. This reduces young people’s anxieties and improves behaviour because there is clear understanding about boundaries. A member of staff said, ‘The staff team is starting to bond and the house norms are being thrashed out. Things are a lot clearer about what we are doing and where we are going.’

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

An identifiable member of staff is in charge of each shift. This ensures the accountability of staff and makes clear to young people who they can go to if needed. A member of staff said. ‘We are getting some blackboards for young people and we are going to invite them to write up which staff are on duty so they know in advance who is on duty.’

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Young people now have free access to communal areas of the home. This approach respects young people’s rights. Staff promote structured routines and shared mealtimes that help young people adjust to a predictable, call domestic setting. This establishes trust and improves young people’s independence and social skills. A member of staff said, ‘We don’t really lock doors since the upgrades we don’t really do that anymore the home is quite free flowing for young people now.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Young people are now given a choice about whether or not they want to sign any of their documentation. Relaxing this expectation promotes young people’s rights by ensuring they are not subjected to compliance with unnecessary administrative tasks. Treating young people in the same way as their non-looked after peers helps minimise feelings of being different.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Young people live in a home that has undergone a huge investment resulting in major improvements to the fabric of the building and furnishings. This sends a clear a clear message to young people that they are valued and deserve to live in building that reflects their worth. A member of staff said, ‘Young people love it, (Name) says it’s a bit like a posh hotel.’ Another member of staff said, ‘We have not had any damage done to the building or any graffiti since we moved in.’

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The amount of hours worked by staff are now clear within the staffing roster. Some shortfalls in staffing have been addressed by staff working additional hours, which have not negatively affected the running of the home. The impact of this is monitored by the registered manager aimed at managing any concerns. In some instances additional hours are undertaken for key workers to maintain contact with young people in secure accommodation. Consequently, relationships with the most vulnerable young people are maintained improving the likelihood of a successful transition back to the children’s home. A member of staff said, ‘We went to visit (Name) at Christmas, she was thrilled. It’s important that she knows that no matter what we are not going to give up on her.’

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff know what to do to keep young people safe and ensure their wellbeing at times of lone working. Proactive planning and risk management promotes confident care practice because even at times of a crisis staff are clear about what if any action needs to be taken. Risk assessments are comprehensive and make clear to staff what they need to do to keep young people safe. This promotes young people’s safety and wellbeing. Restraints and sanctions are occasionally used to manage young people’s behaviours. Whilst there is no concern about the use of these, the home’s documentation does not include a description of the impact and effectiveness of the measures. This means that any underlying issues affecting young people’s behaviour may be overlooked. Young people no longer go missing. This is a significant improvement and demonstrates a reduction in young people’s risk taking behaviour. Additional safeguards have been introduced should a vulnerable young person go missing

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

that include access to an independent advocate in addition to a visit by an independent social worker. Offering this type of support overtime helps young people reflect on their behaviour and recognise the choices available to them. A member of staff said, ‘We have not had young people go missing for the last three months, that’s amazing.’ Staff work effectively with other professionals, which means important information affecting young people is swiftly shared promoting their safety and wellbeing. A police officer is one of the team of other professionals based at the home that includes a clinical psychologist and a speech and language therapist. Young people have open access to these individuals who use their expertise to offer individual support. This innovative joint working delivers purposeful care and enhances all aspects of young people’s safety and progress. A police professional said, ‘In the

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

six months that I have been here I have not had to respond to any criminal activity by a young person. Reports written by the registered manager demonstrate the difference the home is making to improve the lives of young people. These reviews identify further actions aimed at ongoing improvement. However, the reports about independent visits to the home still do not demonstrate sufficient rigor; nor do these reports evaluate whether the care provided to young people promotes their welfare and keeps them safe. This undermines systems aimed at establishing effective internal monitoring to ensure the safety and wellbeing of young people and to improve practice.

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Information about this children's home

The home may only provide care and accommodation for six young people with emotional and behavioural difficulties. The home is owned and operated by a local authority. The home may also provide care and accommodation for a further two children for up to 28 days offsite.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

23/02/2015 Interim Improved Effectiveness

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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 the 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 within 24 hours of the use of a measure of control, discipline or restraint in relation to a child in the home, a record is made which includes the effectiveness and any consequence of the use of the measure. (Regulation 35(3)(a)(vii)) 29/04/2016

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that an independent person visits the children's home at least once each month. The independent person must produce a report about a visit ("the independent person's report") which sets out, in particular the independent person's opinion as to whether children are effectively safeguarded; and the conduct of the home promotes children's well-being The report should rigorous and evaluative. (Regulation 44(1) and (4)). 29/04/2016

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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

 Any individual appointed to carry out visits to the home as an independent person must make a rigorous and impartial assessment of the home's arrangements for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of the children in the home's care. In particular that reports evaluate the quality of care and the impact of this for children (The Guide to the Quality Standards, page 65 paragraph 5.5)

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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

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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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