Children's home in Manchester

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 sustained effectiveness .

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff have made good progress in recognising the needs and wishes of young people, and supporting their emotional and social development. Young people are at different stages of engaging with their placement. Two young people are new to the home, and new to the experience of living in a children’s home. Staff are working hard to build trusting and reliable relationships with them, although it is early days. Another young person is getting ready to leave the home. He has used his experience of receiving positive care and support to overcome past behaviour and difficulties, and is ready to start his semi-independent life with the prospect of a new job, better health and finance due to stopping cannabis use, and practical help with setting up his new home. He said, ‘I am ready to leave here, to start life on my own … I’m looking forward to it.’

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Further to requirements made at the last inspection, all local authority residential managers work together with senior managers to assess and match young people’s needs to the resources available, and in many cases this has improved their stability and progressed their plans to be prepared for their future lives. This forum also enables managers to challenge delay in the responses of other professionals, such as ensuring education plans are realised for those who have no school place, or challenging social workers to ensure young people’s health assessments and risk management plans reflect their needs. When placements are made with the purpose of ensuring clear assessments of need are undertaken, staff work to minimise any drift young people may experience in these plans. Keyworkers maintain clear records about the actions they are taking to chase other professionals, so that shift changes do not delay this process. When necessary,

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

managers escalate their concerns about drift within weekly contact meetings with senior managers. Young people have good placement plans in place that are updated regularly. They sit within a comprehensive and child focused document called a ‘Journey’ that provides a very clear picture of young people’s history; needs; challenges; efforts; aspirations and progress. Young people are asked for their views, wishes, and feelings and therefore contribute to their plans well. Staff are skilful in supporting them to represent themselves in meetings, to ensure their voice is heard. One young person went to her disruption meeting and talked for herself. She spoke about feeling trapped by the high level of supervision she was allocated as a result of previous harmful behaviour. This enabled discussion to take place about how she could build trust, and some actions to give her more freedom within a clear risk assessment. Plans now reflect the agreed arrangements and highlight any

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

restrictions. This means that all parties are aware of the plan and what action to take if safety becomes an issue.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Managers maintain good oversight of episodes of young people being missing, and ensure all protection parties are informed about their behaviour and risks. Appropriate planning and strategy meetings are conducted according to the level of risk presented by individuals. In a minority of records, usually when there are a large number of agency staff in the home, staff do not record clear details of young people’s return from being missing. This limits the information available to help prevent young people from going missing in the future. Some young people have family and social networks that encourage and enable young people to go missing. Staff work with the police and social workers to enforce civil and criminal procedures to prevent young people being harboured. For some young people this has made a significant difference to their safety because they are returning to the home more often, but success is inconsistent. One young person has continued in

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

entrenched patterns of behaviour that means he is absent overnight on a frequent basis. Although protection professionals feel he is mostly with family, and therefore have not escalated safety concerns, the manager has questioned the suitability of his placement through planning meetings. In the meantime, staff persist in offering support and guidance to him, and are focusing on helping him to see that he can be successful in a semi-independent setting as he is unable to move in with family members. This requires much perseverance and consistency in messages from staff to enable him to make progress in this area.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Young people’s behaviour within the home is very mixed, due to the range of needs and challenges young people present, and their varied starting points. Key workers ensure young people’s plans reflect appropriate strategies and boundaries, with rewards that are linked to young people’s specific interests and wishes. In general, these are consistently applied to good effect. For example, young people’s engagement with education has improved over time, although it is currently dipping again due to changes in those living in the home.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Similarly, young people’s investment in the home environment fluctuates according to how settled they are within it. Latterly, young people have caused a significant amount of damage to communal spaces. This has detracted from a number of improvements that had been made since the last inspection. In particular, the computer room has been damaged and therefore not available for use, and the young people’s telephone room was in similar disuse. Maintenance reports had been completed and work was undertaken during the inspection to repair broken doors and glass, and reinstate the telephone room, although it will take longer for the computer suite to be fully operational. Staff are working with young people to help them to invest in the living space by redesigning the dining area and creating a games room to play electronic games.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The manager oversees the suitability of any sanctions imposed by staff, to ensure they are fair, and enable young people to improve. In general, sanctions relate to paying back misused spending money or contributing to the replacement of deliberately broken items. Young people and the manager work together, to identify the right staff to be their key worker. They use their good relationships with young people, to engage them in thinking about ways to improve their conduct and relationships in the home and community.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

When staffing is inconsistent, such as when there are a number of temporary agency staff on duty, relationships and consequently the way behaviour is managed, becomes inconsistent. Records show that some sanctions such as turning the power off to electric sockets at night, have not been recorded and this hinders the manager’s monitoring of such practice. Daily records show that staff do not always follow agreed routines such as when young people can prepare meals, buy take-away food, or keep to their agreed times for coming home after an activity. This means some young people create antisocial routines, such as cooking meals or doing washing in the middle of the night that prevent other young people from settling to sleep. Managers respond promptly to any complaints or allegations made by young people against staff, and follow appropriate procedures to ensure all matters are addressed in a transparent and timely way.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The manager has a development plan for the home, which is in need of further review to ensure it captures all steps in the development of the home. Ensuring the voice of young people contribute to development is being arranged through staff appraisals that include young people’s opinion about them. The recommendation made at the last inspection will be repeated, to ensure all elements of the plan set out clear dates for review of progress. Very good progress has been made in the level of staff participation in training and reflection, within an ‘attachment focused approach’. Training in professional skills such as reflective supervision; the ‘PACE’ approach (Playfulness, Acceptance, Curiosity and Empathy); and building resilience, has been embedded by monthly staff development days; regular supervision; and increased consultancy with the local mental health team. Staff say they have become confident in the approach, more

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

aware of emotional needs, and more resilient and persistent to overcome the engagement difficulties presented by young people. This has improved young people’s safety and welfare. One young person has re-invested in relationships with staff, to disclose contact with an adult that made him feel unsafe. This has resulted in him getting the help and support he needs from the home and from independent protection agencies.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Independent visitors prepare regular reports arising from their visits to the home. They identify clear actions to improve the home arising from their discussions about young people’s plans and their progress, and the manager uses this information to further enhance her own monitoring. They speak to young people when this is possible, although frequently young people decline their offer. They do not ensure the reports evaluate the quality and effectiveness of staff actions to ensure the safety and welfare of young people. For example, visitors record the number of complaints made by young people, and episodes missing from home but do not comment upon the actions taken by staff. Senior managers have undertaken to deliver further training and familiarisation of local councillors to improve the quality of their monitoring and the engagement of young people, but there is no timetable yet in place to achieve this. This limits the capacity of the

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Information about this children's home

This is a local authority home that provides accommodation for up to six young people with emotional and behavioural difficulties.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

15/09/2015 CH - Full Requires improvement

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Recent inspection history

18/02/2015 CH - Interim declined in 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 maintain clear and updated records listed in Schedule 3, particularly regarding young people being missing and all sanctions imposed by staff (The Children’s Homes Regulations 2015, Regulation 36, (1) and Schedule 3, (14 and 15)). 09/05/2016

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Requirement Due date

The independent person, when carrying out a visit, must report their opinion as to whether— (i) children accommodated at the children's home are effectively safeguarded; and (ii) the conduct of the children's home promotes the well-being of the children accommodated there. (The Children’s Homes Regulations 2015, Regulation 44, (4)). 09/05/2016

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further the service should take account of the following recommendation(s):   Ensure that any actions set out to address improvements in the quality of care provided in the home are clearly set out, so as to measure their ongoing effectiveness and the timeframes by which they are expected to be achieved. (The Guide to the Quality Standards, page 65, paragraph 15.4)  Ensure that the use of agency staff is monitored and reviewed to ensure young people receive continuity of care in their relationships and management of their behaviour. (The Guide to the Quality Standards, page 54, paragraph 10.16)

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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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