Children's Home run by The Partnership of Care Today in Leeds

Outstanding

The children's home provides highly effective services that consistently exceeds the standards of good. The actions of the home contribute to significantly improved outcomes for children and young people who need help, protection and care.

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The children's home provision is outstanding because:

 Children and young people have made excellent progress in all areas of their development. In particular, the support they receive in ensuring that they have educational placements that suit their abilities, needs and wishes.  Children and young people are cared for by a committed staff team who have high aspirations for them and provide nurturing care where they thrive.  Children and young people feel safe and are safe. Since their admission the incidents of going missing and the risk of child sexual exploitation has ceased.

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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 may only employ an individual to work at the children’s home if full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2. In particular; Two written references, including a reference from the person’s most recent employer. (Regulation 32 (2) (3)(d) and Schedule 2. 3) 01/01/2016

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Requirement Due date

The leadership and management standard (1) The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that – (2) In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to- (d) ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child; (Regulation 13 (1)(2)(d)). In particular, to review the staffing establishment to ensure that staffing of the home is not reliant upon staff who do not work permanently at the home. 01/02/2016

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further the service should take account of the following recommendation:  The design of the home should provide staff that sleep in the home overnight with appropriate accommodation and facilities to do so. (The Guide to the Quality Standards. page 17 paragraph 3.26)

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Information about this children's home

This children’s home is operated by a private company and is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to four children or 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

09/03/2015 Interim Declined in Effectiveness

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outstanding

Children and young people have made some exceptional progress. This has been made possible by the support they receive from a highly committed staff team who prioritise their needs and have high aspirations for them. They are proactive in ensuring each child or young person accesses the education provision that is appropriate to their needs, abilities and wishes. This has enabled young people to engage with their education and maximise their potential. School staff say, ‘Since his placement there, we have seen huge improvements in (name), his behaviour is much improved.’ And, ‘Last academic year when (name) moved to (name of home) he was based off site due to his high level of need, this is no longer the case, he is now attending (name of school) full-time and is being a real success’. For other young people who were clearly unhappy at their school, staff advocated on their behalf. An alternative placement was secured in a provision that provided a more

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outstanding

nurturing approach to learning where the young person has flourished. This impacts positively on their self-esteem and enhances their life experiences and opportunities.

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outstanding

Children and young people enjoy warm nurturing care from staff. This is a young vibrant staff team who speak fondly of their charges. They have an in-depth understanding of the complex needs of the children and young people. All the children and young people say that they feel well cared for by staff. One young person gave it, ‘Ten out of ten’, others said, ‘It’s fun here.’ All the children and young people identify a member of staff who they could talk to.

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outstanding

Children and young people’s health needs are well met. Staff encourage a healthy lifestyle, they are encouraged to have a healthy diet and engage in exercise. Staff have a good insight into the emotional needs of a young person and recognise when she is feeling vulnerable or sad and support her to live with past traumas.

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outstanding

Children and young people are central to how the home operates; this ensures that they feel valued. Each has a confidential one-to-one meeting with one of the management team to ensure that their wishes and feelings are heard. There are also weekly young people’s meetings where young people discuss activity arrangements, menus and any other topics affecting them. All the young people say that staff listen to them and if they have a complaint they are confident that this would be dealt with to their satisfaction.

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outstanding

Children and young people enjoy a wide range of meaningful activities. For example, they go ice-skating, the cinema, swimming; some attended a sports camp and go to girl guides. Some of the young people play football with young people from other children’s homes within the organisation and community. This is well supported by, particularly the male members of the staff team. A young person is very excited about her forthcoming Christmas show that she is to participate in which will be attended by staff. This promotes young people’s sense of belonging and builds on their self-esteem.

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outstanding

Young people are encouraged to develop their skills that they will need in adulthood. The eldest young person shops for and cooks her own main meal, she is taking driving lessons and staff support her with job applications. She considers that she has the necessary skills to make a successful transition to adulthood, saying, ‘I have done all the independence stuff, it has been good.’ The other children and young people are encouraged to practice their skills; they help with meal preparation, their laundry and other domestic tasks. One has requested that they be allowed to prepare some of their meals regularly. This enables them to have a good understanding of healthy eating whilst developing their culinary skills under suitable supervision.

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outstanding

Children and young people benefit from the proactive approach of the staff team who ensures that family contact is a positive experience. A social worker said, ‘Staff have taken the role of lead facilitator to ensure the young person has meaningful/ enjoyable family time with his brothers.’ Judgement grade

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good

Children and young people are safeguarded by the good understanding of the staff team who are vigilant in ensuring they are safe at all times. A view shared by professionals who say, ‘I have not had any safeguarding concerns.’

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good

However, despite the company’s human resources department endeavouring to obtain suitable references for two new employees, they were only able to obtain confirmation of employment from their most recent employers; neither of whom were involved in the care sector. It is therefore difficult to ascertain how their suitability was established and does not ensure that only suitable people are employed.

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good

Children and young people are protected by the adherence to detailed risk assessments which identify potential dangers with strategies to guide staff to minimise the risk.

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good

None of the children or young people go missing, despite this being a major concern prior to admission. Staff have guidance on what action they should take in the event of a young person leaving the home without permission. This is particularly pertinent for the more vulnerable young people where a ‘walk about plan’ is strictly adhered to. Staff will follow to ensure the safety of the young person who uses ‘going for a walk’ as an effective de-stress strategy.

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good

None of the children and young people are involved in child sexual exploitation despite concerns of the risk with one of the young people prior to admission. On arrival this young person was heavily involved in substance misuse, missing and major concerns with regard to inappropriate relationships. The staff have worked hard with this young person and the strategies used were effective in changing her behaviour. This has led to her return to school to sit exams and secure a college placement, which has significantly enhanced her life opportunities.

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good

Children and young people’s behaviours are well managed. They respond positively to the structure and firm boundaries that are linked to incentives that encourage them to behave. Young people are involved in devising their own sanctions and they consider that staff are fair. This enhances children and young people’s feelings of being well-cared for and promotes their well-being. Judgement grade

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good

This is a well-managed home. The Registered Manager holds the Registered Manager’s award and has been employed by the company for ten years; he has been the Registered Manager since February 2012.

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good

The Registered Manager is enthusiastic and highly committed to the children and young people. He shares these qualities with his staff team who in the main are qualified and experienced, coming from a range of disciplines including social work, children’s rights and youth work. Staff feel that they are well supported and have good training opportunities. They have a good understanding of the children and young people’s needs.

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good

There has been a stable staff team for a significant period but a number of staff have moved on since the last full inspection. This has prompted the recruitment of new staff. The staffing establishment remains at six full-time equivalent staff. Rotas seen demonstrate that staff who are employed on zero hours or from other homes within the company are relied upon to supplement the rota on a regular basis. This does not ensure consistency of staffing which could compromise the stability of the home. Usually there is always a permanent qualified staff member of staff on duty but this is not always the case.

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good

There is not a designated sleep-in accommodation for staff. One sleep-in member of staff is required to sleep in the office on a camp bed and the second in the dining room. These arrangements are unsatisfactory. This does not set a good example to children and young people to see staff ‘sofa surf’ and does not provide staff with privacy.

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good

Children and young people make excellent progress; this is recognised by other professionals who consider, ‘(Name of home) to be attuned to her needs, approachable and keen to provide a high standard of care.’ Regular updates are provided to placing authorities who welcome this communication , saying , ‘ They ensure his safety and well-being is promoted and share information through weekly updates.’ School staff say, ‘The staff have invested time in (name) and he sees the good communication between school and home and this I feel makes him feel valued and encourages him to succeed.’ Effective monitoring of the home ensures that the manager has a good understanding of areas for development. A development plan identifies these areas for improvement which will enhance the service to children and young people. The Statement of Purpose is a comprehensive document setting out what services the home has to offer children and young people. The management team is vigilant in

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good

ensuring that any referrals would be a suitable addition to the current group of young people to assure the continued stability of the home. The home enjoys effective relationships with other professionals who speak highly of the home, saying, ‘I would recommend their home.’ The local community police officer is a regular friendly visitor and the looked after children’s nurse has obtained bikes for the children and young people. They work at developing relationships within the community and act as good neighbours.

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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

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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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