Children's home run by Social Care Services Limited in Stockport

Good

The children's home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 Young people make good progress across all aspects of their lives, particularly in terms of education, health and social development. They benefit from the stability of the staff team, which allows young people to develop warm and trusting relationships with staff who they respect.  Young people fully participate in all aspects of care planning so they know what progress they are making. Their views are central to staff practice. A particular strength of the home is the promotion of equality and diversity. Difference is embraced and promoted through open and honest discussions in a safe environment.  Staff demonstrate a good understanding of the risks associated with young people and know how to keep them safe. They are supported by strong policies and procedures and receive effective training that ensures young people’s safety and welfare is promoted.  Staff work closely with outside agencies such as health, education providers

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The children's home provision is good because:

and therapists. This collaborative approach has enabled appropriate strategies to be consistently applied for some young people.  The Registered Manager is a good role model to staff. Staff confirm that they are well supported and guided and are provided with good training that ensures they have the necessary skills to meet the current and emerging needs of young people.  Individual routines and boundaries are fair and clearly understood. Rewards and incentives are used effectively to help young people self- regulate their behaviour. Incidents of young people going missing from this home have significantly reduced as young people settle into their placement.  Physical restraint is rare and the use of sanctions is minimal. A clear written record of any incident is kept in the homes record books. Young people would benefit from a clearer account of the incidents being kept on their care files to assist their future understanding of these events.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 Activities are varied and individually tailored to the interests of each young person. Staff encourage young people to develop their talents appropriately, helping them achieve their goals. Placing authority care plans are fully implemented by staff. Young people learn practical independence skills within the home at a pace that takes account of their age and understanding. Some young people would benefit from taking age appropriate risks in order to develop emotional and mental resilience to prepare them for the next stage of their lives.  The home is a large spacious house that provides young people with a safe and secure environment. The Registered Manager has a location and premises risk assessment that confirms the home is suitably located. This document requires an annual review, which the Registered Manager is addressing. The home is regularly maintained but there are ongoing signs of wear and tear throughout the property. For example, woodwork and some

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The children's home provision is good because:

communal areas look tired and further maintenance work and new furnishings may provide a more homely and comfortable environment for young people and staff to live in.

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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

support children and young people to develop emotional and mental resilience to cope without the home’s support in preparation for moving to another placement or to live independently (The Guide, paragraph 3.27, pg.17)

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Recommendations

 provide a homely environment. In particular, ensure the home is well- maintained and furnished (The Guide, paragraph 3.9, pg.15)

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Recommendations

 provide clear records on young people’s care files of all individual incidents of restraint, sanctions and where children go missing from the home (The Guide, paragraph 9.31, pg.45)

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Recommendations

 ensure the registered person reviews the suitability of the location and premises of the home at least once a year. (The Guide, paragraph 15.1, pg.64)

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Information about this children's home:

This is a privately run children’s home that provides care and accommodation for up to three young people with emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

05/01/2015 CH - Interim sustained effectiveness

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GOOD

Young people make good progress; they enjoy high quality care in a home that provides a calm nurturing family environment. They enjoy positive relationships with experienced staff and relate well to each other. The staff are patient, calm and good-humoured in their exchanges with young people. They are equally confident about challenging young people when their behaviour warrants it or giving them the time and space to work things out for themselves. Staff are able to make excellent use of their relationships with young people to effect change. Professionals confirm that young people are happy and settled in the home.

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GOOD

Young people play a full part in decision-making in the home and feel that their contribution is taken seriously. They have frequent opportunities to explore their wishes and feelings on an individual basis and to share their views on the quality of service they receive. They play an active part in the design and decoration of the home and contribute to their review meetings, which enables them to influence planning decisions concerning their future. Staff strongly promotes open and honest communication, recognising it as a key factor in ensuring that young people are engaged successfully with life in the home and wider community.

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GOOD

Information about making a complaint is readily available for young people. They confirm they know how to make a complaint should the need arise. In addition, staff make constructive use of their individual sessions with young people to address their worries and concerns before they develop into anything more serious. This proactive approach ensures young people’s potential grievances are addressed promptly. There have been no complaints since the last inspection.

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GOOD

Young people have excellent education attendance and make good progress from their starting point. They benefit from the support of staff that are committed to promoting the value of education. For example, staff are proactive in their support of individual education programmes, helping to promptly resolve any barriers to young people’s participation in education. Young people receive support with homework and revision and have access to learning resources in the home. Achievements are celebrated and this has additional positive effect on young people in terms of boosting self-esteem and confidence. Young people have positive aspirations for their future and are supported to access further education opportunities to help them achieve their potential.

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GOOD

Young people enjoy good health and are supported to develop a healthy self- image. Health appointments are well attended and some young people benefit from regular therapeutic support and keyworker sessions. The sessions address behavioural issues and consider the impact of their earlier life experiences. Staff are skilled in working directly with young people and have developed strong relationships with them. As a result, young people begin to develop confidence and emotional resilience. They learn to relate to others and begin to express themselves more appropriately. Placement stability, a consistent core staff team and the nurturing care approach helps young people develop and sustain strong and positive attachments. Risk-taking behaviours, such as self-harm and going missing from home have significantly reduced as placements settle.

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GOOD

Young people actively participate in a range of positive activities, such as horse riding, singing, walks, cinema, bowling and playing football. They enjoy the physical and mental health benefits associated with regular exercise and are supported to engage in a positive way in the local and wider community. They are encouraged to develop friendships and friends are welcome at the house.

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GOOD

Young people make progress in developing practical independence skills in accordance with their age and ability. They are well supported by staff in this aspect of their lives. As they grow and mature, young people are prepared for the transition to adulthood through individual planned work that takes account of their age and needs. This enables them to take small steps to gain confidence in their own ability and understand the implications of being independent in the wider community. Some young people require more carefully planned programmes of time away from the home to ensure their safety and welfare. Close monitoring and risk assessment of these plans is required by the placing authority social worker and staff to provide meaningful opportunities for some young people to take age appropriate risks.

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GOOD

Young people’s sense of identity is promoted through meaningful and safe contact arrangements with family, which is agreed with the placing authority. Staff are vigilant about contact and promptly intervene where contact is not thought to be in young people’s best interest. Staff work effectively with young people’s families and support them to build strong relationships. Some contact is supervised to ensure it is safe. This enables young people to maintain and reinforce important relationships and reach an understanding about their past experiences. This contributes to a strong sense of well-being.

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GOOD

Strong partnership working with families, health, police, education and placing authorities means that young people receive the support and intervention to which they are entitled. Staff work closely with parents and carers and young people to tailor and implement placement plans that meet their individual needs.

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GOOD

Staff value training and learning and are sensitive to matters of attachment, loss and relationship building. They receive a broad range of training that incorporates the homes therapeutic crisis intervention model. There are arrangements in place for regular supervision, team meetings and annual appraisals. This ensures staff have regular opportunity to reflect and develop their practice and keep up-to-date with relevant changes.

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GOOD

Young people say they feel safe, secure and well cared for in the home. They say they can talk to any member of staff if they are worried or concerned about anything. Some young people have access to independent advocates to help them get their views across at their review meetings.

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GOOD

Staff are fully trained in safeguarding procedures and receive regular refresher training. They are confident and competent in implementing the home’s policies and procedures if they have any concerns, or allegations are made about young people’s welfare. There are no issues of bullying at this home.

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GOOD

Young people receive high levels of support and supervision to promote their safety and welfare. Electronic monitoring devices are used at night on young people’s bedroom doors to ensure their safety. The use of this measure quickly alerts staff to young people who may choose to leave the home without permission. If young people do leave the home without permission staff know the local area and community well and immediately go looking for them. They contact and visit known addresses to return them safely back home.

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GOOD

Staff have established strong links with the local police and specialist police services. If incidents do occur, there are clear procedures and agreements in place that staff understand. The home’s written records show the frequency of young people going absent without permission has significantly reduced. All such episodes are monitored, fully considered and reviewed to promote young people’s safety and welfare. Young people are provided with an independent person to speak to on their return home. This helps to consider any information that may help protect them from going missing again, from risks they may have been exposed to while missing or from risks within the home.

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GOOD

Interventions are thoughtful and underpinned by clear care planning and individual risk assessments. Positive behaviour is promoted with clear and consistent boundaries to help young people understand the effects of their behaviour on themselves and others. This enables some young people to take managed and considered risks in preparation for living independently. Some young people need to experience increased free time away from the home in a carefully planned and considered way to help protect them and develop trust and respect. The home is developing good links with other professionals in respect of assessing and managing young people’s risks. Staff have developed a risk referral document to assess new admissions. This helps to assess young people’s needs and decide whether they are compatible with those currently in the home. This promotes young people’s safety and well-being and ensures their needs are well matched.

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GOOD

Regular individual sessions, target setting, incentives and rewards are used to good effect to help young people develop socially acceptable behaviour. Risk- taking behaviour such as self-harm and going missing from home has significantly reduced for some young people. They learn appropriate boundaries; require minimal sanctions and the use of physical restraint is used only as a last resort to ensure young people’s safety. Staff prefer to use therapeutic intervention techniques, such as de-escalation, humour and time-out, which are effective in diffusing young people’s behaviours. The home is calm and nurturing and young people confirm they feel staff genuinely care about them.

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GOOD

The Registered Manager ensures staff are carefully selected and vetted before starting work in the home and visitors are routinely checked and appropriately supervised. This helps deter unsuitable people having access to vulnerable young people. Good practice around storage, handling, administration and disposal of medication also safeguards young people’s welfare. Young people enjoy a safe and secure home environment because there are good health and safety arrangements in place.

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GOOD

The home benefits from strong leadership. It is managed effectively by a suitably qualified and experienced Manager who has been a registered with Ofsted since October 2009. The manager was appointed to this home in August 2012 and is working towards a relevant leadership and management qualification.

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GOOD

The Registered Manager has strong support from a committed, motivated and stable staff team. He has an inclusive approach, is valued by staff and his skills and support are held in high regard. Together, they provide a high level of stability for young people. They support them to achieve their potential and fully understand their needs. A placing social worker spoke positively about staffs’ relationship with a young person and their ability to manage their behaviour. They commented that, ‘the young person has settled well due to the consistent care and firm boundaries put in place by the staff team.’ The home is sufficiently resourced and delivers the services and support outlined in its Statement of Purpose. There are sufficient numbers of staff on duty to ensure that young people’s individual needs are met and that they are safe. The Registered Manager also completes a number of individual shifts each month.

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GOOD

The staff team work effectively with parents, professionals and other agencies; this provides a consistent approach to young people’s care. Professionals speak positively about the care and support young people receive. A teacher said, ‘I hope (name) will stay at this home, as (name) is the happiest and most settled that I have known (name) be.’

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GOOD

Staff confirm they are well supported by their colleagues and the Registered Manager. They benefit from regular supervision and team meetings, which enables them to reflect on practice and identify developmental needs. Training is strongly promoted, and in addition to mandatory training, staff are encouraged to access a wide range of courses that are designed to meet young people’s needs. This ensures that staff have the right skills and are fully aware of current good practice.

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GOOD

Young people’s records are well-structured and generally present a good overall picture of their experiences at the home. Recording is mostly of a good standard and young people have opportunity to access their care files to receive an accurate description of the time they have spent at the home. The Registered Manager could improve the quality of some records with clearer recording on young people’s care files of all individual incidents of restraint, sanctions and when children go missing from the home. Files are stored securely, ensuring that confidential information is safe. This shortfall has not impacted negatively on the care provided to young people.

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GOOD

The Registered Manager makes good use of regular monitoring and quality assurance processes to ensure young people enjoy a high standard of care. These include independent monthly visits to the home and monthly senior manager meetings to review young people’s progress and report on activity within the home. The Registered Manager has ensured the shortfalls identified at the last inspection have been addressed. The home has a working development plan that is regularly reviewed and will continue to set realistic targets to drive forward further improvements.

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GOOD

The home is a large spacious old property that receives regular maintenance and repairs. Despite this, there are signs of wear and tear and some communal areas look tired. Further attention to the woodwork and walls along with furnishings may provide a more homely, warm and comfortable environment for young people and staff to live in. The homes location and premises risk assessment should be reviewed to ensure young people placed at the home continue to be safe. These improvements will ensure the home continues to operate in the best interests of young people.

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What the inspection judgements mean

The experiences and progress of children and young people are at the centre of the inspection. Inspectors will use their professional judgement to determine the weight and significance of their findings in this respect. The judgements included in the report are made against Inspection of children's homes: framework for inspection. Outstanding children’s home provides highly effective services that contribute to significantly improved outcomes for children and young people who need help and protection and care. Their progress exceeds expectations and is sustained over time. Good children’s home provides effective services that help, protect and care for children and young people and have their welfare safeguarded and promoted. In a children's home that requires improvement , there are no widespread or serious failures that create or leave children being harmed or at risk of harm. The welfare of looked after children is safeguarded and promoted. Minimum requirements

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What the inspection judgements mean

are in place, however, the children's home is not yet delivering good protection, help and care for children and young people. A children's home that is inadequate is providing services where there are widespread or serious failures that create or leave children and young people being harmed or at risk of harm or result in children looked after not having their welfare safeguarded and promoted.

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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 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

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Information about this inspection

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, 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

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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