Children's home run by Cherry Cottage Limited in Wigan

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 enjoy living here. They like the staff and feel safe and secure.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 Leadership and management are strong and effective, setting very high standards of care that are followed through by the staff.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 Young people make very good progress from their starting points, attending school regularly and achieving their targets.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 Excellent multi-agency working takes place to address young people’s needs to promote their progress and safety. Young people have reduced cigarette smoking and are no longer involved in damaging behaviours, such as substance misuse.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 The staff have excellent relationships with partner agencies and young people’s family members. This provides consistency for them to settle in the home.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 Young people participate in a range of activities, have part time jobs and learn new skills and experiences to set them up for adulthood.

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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

34. Policies for the protection of children. In order to meet the leadership and management standard the registered person must –

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Requirement Due date

(4)(a) ensure that the missing child policy is implemented. This specifically relates to including the steps taken and to be taken to prevent young people going missing, within the risk assessments. 01/11/2015

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Requirement Due date

13. Leadership and management standard In order to meet the leadership and management standard the registered person must –

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Requirement Due date

(2)(h) ensure that monitoring and review systems make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided; this relates to reducing the number of restraints and improving key working sessions. 15/11/2015

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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 the wishes and views of young people, following consultation meetings, are promptly responded to. (The Guide to quality standards page 22 paragraph 4.10)

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Information about this children's home

The children's home is one of only two homes operated by a private company. It is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to four young people with physical disabilities and learning disabilities.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

04/02/2015 CH - Interim Sustained effectiveness

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good

Young people are cared for by a committed staff team in a homely and nurturing environment. They place the wellbeing of each individual young person at the heart of their practice irrespective of the challenging behaviour presented. They are treated with dignity and respect and receive care that is sensitive and responsive to their needs. Moreover, a trained specialist is involved with young people, which benefits their emotional health. This is seen in the good progress they are making in settling in the home, building relationships with staff and developing a positive self-image.

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good

The staff have high aspirations for them and encourage their success. They attend school and college regularly and achieve the targets set for them. School reports state ‘excellent attendance record and highest achievement in literacy.’ The staff are interested in their school experience and chat to them about their day. They attend parents evening and provide equipment, such as, lap tops and extra mathematics tuition to encourage further learning and success.

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good

Each young person's day-to-day health and wellbeing needs are fully met. The staff work together with trained therapists and medical professionals to help young people to reduce smoking and substance misuse. This has been successful with them. Additionally, they are registered with general medical practitioners, opticians and dentists and appointments are kept to ensure they remain in good health.

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good

Young people participate in a range of social and recreational activities including; swimming, skate parks, fishing trips, holidays, visiting their friends and having friends visit them at home. A young person has a part time job, others are learning to cook and manage safer relationships. Again, a young person has taken his first flight on an aeroplane. They are also growing in confidence, which is seen in young person chairing a meeting with the placing authority. These are all fine examples of them developing skills to manage their future adult lives.

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good

The staff support young people to stay in touch with their family and have a good understanding of their family history and relationships. Also, memory boxes are made with young people to help make sense of their journeys. Practical arrangements are also fully supported by staff that transport and accompany them to contact that is a long way from the home. Staff work proactively with parents and placing authorities to ensure contact is safe, enjoyable and promotes continuity of care. Young people are involved in the running of the home. They participate at house meetings, talk with staff and complete questionnaires to get their views across. For instance, they contributed their ideas for the décor of the home and changed around bedrooms at their request. Although, the written records of the house meetings do not always show that young people’s wishes are promptly responded to.

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good

Young people are new to the home and impact risk assessments and thorough planning are part of the process to enable them to be involved in decisions and feel part of home life. Also, booklets and guides are in place and clearly explain the routines of the home including, pocket money and safety. A young person described the home, staff and care as ’10 out of 10 brilliant.’

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good

Young people feel safe and protected living here and the staff have a good understanding of their duties in ensuring each young person’s safety. Additionally, vulnerabilities and risks are identified within written assessments but these do not include the measures taken by staff to prevent young people going missing. Multi- agencies meetings do regularly take place to share information to protect them. The police community support officer (PCSO) also visits the home informally, to discuss any specific concerns with young people. This further promotes their safety and awareness of risks.

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good

There are detailed written policies and procedures in place to promote the protection of young people. Conditions where restraint may be used are clear in terms of preventing harm or damage. Records are kept of these incidents and young people and the staff are supported following a restraint. There are a high number of restraints that are proportionate and only for a short time ranging from seconds to minutes. Young people understand why restraints are used and can confidently explain this during inspection. These are monitored, however, trend analysis is not done to spot patterns and learn and improve practice to reduce these.

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good

The staff work with young people to educate them in keeping themselves safe. For example, they have guidance from them on using the internet and social media safely. They also have individual key working sessions including, safe relationships and emotions and feelings which are very good. Although, some are simply a recording of a quick conversation rather than meaningful time together away from the group to build resilience and confidence. Young people going missing from home are very rare here which reflects the very good safeguarding practice. There has been only one incident in the past 13 months. The staff ensured the safe return of the young person, but did not fully record the details of this as a missing from home incident. This has not negatively impacted the welfare of them to date.

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good

The staff are all recruited and selected through a process that takes account of safe recruitment practice to promote the safety of young people. This includes checks with the disclosure and barring service, checks with previous employers and taking up references. This helps to safeguard young people against unsafe adults.

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outstanding

The Responsible Individual, Registered Manager and deputy manager make up the management team. The Registered Manager has been in position for approximately three years and knows the service very well. She is due to complete a management qualification at the end of September 2015. Together they have rich experience and skills in working with young people. They have high aspirations for them and a warm and nurturing culture is prevalent within the home. This filters through to the staff. Notably, the Responsible Individual’s passion for high quality care has created an environment of thoughtful and sensitive practice akin to regular home life. This is a key strength of the home.

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outstanding

The quality of relationships between the manager, staff and partner agencies is excellent. All professionals spoken with report very high levels of satisfaction with the care and progress of young people and the professionalism of staff. They comment: ‘I commend the manager she is excellent, communication is very good and they keep me informed, very good settled placement.’ Another stated ‘this is the best home, it’s like a home should be, and the manager is excellent.’

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outstanding

Quality audit systems are in place and provide an overview of care practice. For example, independent monitoring is robust and actions set are welcomed by the leaders and managers to learn and improve. A development plan is in place and sets the direction for the home; such as further training specific to young people’s needs. The one recommendation from the last inspection has been addressed and the decor of the home has been improved.

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outstanding

Staff spoken to enjoy their work and are highly complimentary of the management team. Although, some members of staff are new to the home, they have picked up the culture of high quality care and can compare this positively to their previous experiences of care work. Again, they are very well trained, supervised and appraised to ensure their care practice meets the very high standards set. Records clearly reflect the needs of young people and how the staff are meeting them. They are encouraged to comment on their records. There is a clear sense, from the records, as to how young people are doing on a daily basis. Their progress and achievements are well monitored and reports and summaries to the placing authorities are thorough and informative . This reflects the staff and manager’s commitment to promoting their success.

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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.

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What the inspection judgements mean

An 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. A 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 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

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What the inspection judgements mean

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, 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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