Children's home run by Five Rivers Child Care Limited in Wiltshire

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 receive good quality, nurturing and safe care from a well- trained, qualified staff team. The team has regular access to professional psychological consultation to guide their practice.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 The staff work hard to build good relationships with the young people. They have strong aspirations for the young people and support them to re- establish their education when they have been unable to achieve this in the past.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 The young people’s care is guided by highly effective planning and close collaboration with the placing authorities and other agencies.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 The service is well led and managed. The manager is realistic about the home’s strengths and areas for development. He works very effectively with the other professionals around each young person to ensure that the home can continue to meet their needs.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 The young people enjoy a very pleasant, attractive rural environment which supports a healthy lifestyle. They lead active lives with a wide variety of interesting and fun activities, and are increasingly involved in activities in the local community.

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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

In order to meet the positive relationships standard and with particular reference to the prevention of bullying, the registered provider must ensure that:

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Requirement Due date

(1) children are helped to develop, and to benefit from, relationships based on— (a) mutual respect and trust; (b) an understanding about acceptable behaviour; and (c) positive responses to other children and adults. (2) In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— (a) that staff— (ii) help each child to develop socially aware behaviour; (iii) encourage each child to take responsibility for the child’s behaviour, in accordance with the child’s age and understanding; (iv) help each child to develop and practise skills to resolve conflicts positively and without harm to anyone; (v) communicate to each child expectations about the child’s behaviour and ensure that the child understands those expectations in accordance with the child’s age and understanding; (vi) help each child to understand, in a way that is appropriate according to the child’s age and understanding, personal, sexual and social

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Requirement Due date

relationships, and how those relationships can be supportive or harmful; (xi) de-escalate confrontations with or between children, or potentially violent behaviour by children; (xii) understand and communicate to children that bullying is unacceptable; and (xiii) have the skills to recognise incidents or indications of bullying and how to deal with them. 30/10/2015

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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 children are provided with nutritious meals suitable for each child’s needs. In particular, ensure that young people receive sufficient wholesome, nutritious food to promote their health and development, and proportionally reduce processed foods and fizzy drinks in their diets (Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations 2015, paragraph 3.8)

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Recommendations

Ensure that case records are kept up to date and signed and dated by the author of each entry. In particular, ensure that records are kept of direct work undertaken with each young person, and related to that young person’s targets. (Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations 2015, paragraph 14.3)

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Information about this children's home

This privately-owned children’s home is operated by a national company. The provider also operates other children’s services in the same area. The home is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to four young people of either gender, who may have emotional and behavioural difficulties.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

27/01/2015 CH - Interim sustained effectiveness

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good

The home provides good quality, individualised care which is tailored to young people’s needs. The registered manager has a clear understanding of the home’s strengths and supports his staff well to respond to challenging behaviour.

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good

The home is currently caring for two young people who arrived relatively recently, and who have, therefore, had limited time to settle. Although there are some behavioural difficulties, both young people have begun to show some improvement in their stability.

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good

For example, one young person came to the home with a concerning history of repeatedly going missing and misusing street drugs. Although he has continued to go missing since admission, some elements of his risk-taking behaviour have started to improve.

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good

The home provides a pleasant and attractive environment. It has a large garden with plenty of space for the young people’s activities. The rural environment provides lots of opportunities for country walks, and its village location works well for young people who are at risk in an urban environment. Although one young person sometimes travels very long distances away from the home in their attempts to return to their own area, the home’s location has helped to reduce the frequency of their absences.

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good

Young people have positive relationships with the staff team, who have worked hard to engage young people who do not find it easy to discuss their feelings. There are signs that even young people who find it very hard to engage with adults are beginning to respond to the staff’s efforts and that they see the home as a safe haven.

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good

The staff maintain very good quality care planning information that helps them care effectively for young people. Placement and behavioural management plans are robust, with clear strategies and targets.

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good

Key-working is linked to the young people’s individual targets, and these are reviewed monthly. The young people say that they enjoy talking with their key workers, and it is clear that the work undertaken is of value to them, but some of the sessions have not been recorded effectively. When important conversations are not recorded, there is no evidence that the work has taken place, and this has an impact on the home’s ability to monitor whether the young people’s outcomes are improving.

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good

The young people’s healthcare needs are generally met well, and their outcomes in this area are positive. For example, one young person had not been to the doctor or the dentist for many years before coming to the home, but he showed great maturity recently when he attended two medical appointments in one day. The staff were delighted, and took him out to buy a Chinese takeaway meal as a treat.

p.7

good

The young people can access specialist mental health services to help them with specific emotional needs. The staff team receive regular consultation with the company’s child psychotherapist, who supports them in their work with the young people. Any long-term medical conditions are fully documented and taken into account in all aspects of the young people’s care. For example, young people with respiratory conditions may not be physically restrained, unless there is no other option available.

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good

Some young people smoke, and the staff talk to them about how to reduce their cigarette consumption. The young people also receive good advice in relation to healthy eating, and with some keen cooks on the staff team, there is the potential for the home to provide a nutritious diet. This is not always achieved, because some young people use their pocket money to buy unhealthy foods and drinks. This exposes them to high levels of fat and sugar and reduces the amount of healthy foods that they consume.

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good

The young people in this home have struggled with maintaining education placements, but after a period when they thought they would have to move schools, they have decided to renew their efforts to settle in their existing school. This is very positive. The staff have a very good understanding of the young people’s educational needs, and are working with them to encourage positive education choices which will have a lasting impact on their future lives.

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good

Some of the young people are placed a long distance from their home. They have found academic work challenging, but the staff have helped to obtain a place at an alternative education centre, where they learn practical, technical and land-based skills. The staff are encouraging the young person to embark on a college course. The home has good links with relevant schools and the virtual head teacher, which helps to support the young people when they have difficulties in school.

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good

The home consults with young people about all aspects of their day-to-day care. They are involved in regular house meetings, in menu planning and activity programmes. The staff work well with young people to help them to understand their emerging identities. Cultural differences are valued and staff promote equality and diversity.

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good

The young people are not yet ready for formal independence planning, but they help around the home. They enjoy cooking meals with the staff, and have acquired some independence skills. One of the young people is very mature and confident in his ability to access public transport. At a relatively young age, he travels into the nearest town to meet his friends. This normal, relaxing teenage pastime has been very beneficial in increasing his self-esteem.

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requires improvement

The registered manager ensures that the home operates according to well- constructed and realistic risk assessments in all areas of its work. Individual risk assessments on young people are clear and contain robust strategies to promote personal safety. All the required risk assessments and health and safety checks are in place to ensure that the home provides a safe environment for young people and staff to live and work.

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requires improvement

The staff and the manager respond very well to unsafe situations, but the effectiveness of their response is limited by the present residents’ stage of development and maturity. The staff are working hard to reduce incidents where young people go missing, and also have had to respond to incidents of homophobic bullying. Although there are no specific shortfalls in the home’s practice, these two areas require improvement because the outcomes for young people are not yet optimal.

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requires improvement

In terms of bullying, the staff’s strategies are starting to have an impact, because the young people sometimes relate well to each other and can show consideration and kindness. They are very different and although there was no reason to predict that they would not get along well, relationships are not always harmonious. The registered manager has been very observant and attentive in monitoring some areas of difficulty, which have in the recent past included homophobic comments. The staff have tried various strategies to promote understanding between the young people, with some success. Both the young people’s behaviour is complex and it is not always easy to unravel exactly how incidents begin, although staff make great efforts to find out. The manager has decided to respond to two recent incidents as formal complaints. Detailed records show that these incidents are identified and evaluated sensitively.

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requires improvement

The manager has been in contact with the responsible individual to raise concerns about the young people’s relationship. This shows that the home has acted correctly to tackle potential and actual bullying, but there is still work to be done before this behaviour ceases.

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requires improvement

The registered manager has also acted correctly in how he has recorded, monitored and dealt with incidents of young people going missing from the home. For example, the manager called a strategy meeting in July, which provided a forum for information-sharing and action. The meeting concluded that there is no pattern to the missing from home incidents, and the duration of periods when the young person was missing varies from one to 20 hours at a time. There is no evidence that the young person has come to significant harm as a result of his behaviour, but he has on occasion returned intoxicated. On the positive side, there was a three week period with no absences at all for this young person.

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requires improvement

The home has a good relationship with other agencies, including the police, to help keep young people safe. There is frequent contact with the home’s two community beat officers, and the missing persons’ coordinator has been very supportive. The police have visited to speak with young people who go missing, to see if there are any measures that could be taken to help them to reduce this behaviour.

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requires improvement

The manager has received effective training in safer recruitment, and has a robust system in place to help him make wise judgements when appointing staff. The vetting process includes undertaking risk assessments on all members of staff, based on Disclosure and Barring Service information and an assessment of all the documents required by regulation. The home conducts effective staff interviews and checks all information thoroughly to inform decision-making. This helps to ensure that young people are not exposed to adults who may pose a risk to them.

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good

The home is very effectively managed and led, with young people’s needs at the heart of the service. The registered manager is skilled and experienced. He holds a national vocational qualification at level 4 for residential managers, and was registered to manage this home in May 2014. During the inspection, the registered manager indicated that he is due to leave the home and move to a new job in October 2015. The manager has a very good understanding of the need to evaluate progress in relation to each young person’s starting point. He ensures that there are clear targets for each young person, linked to their placement plan, and that staff intervention is focused on helping the young people to progress. As a result, both of the young people have made some progress during their short period of time in the home.

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good

The manager provides consistent and skilled leadership to his team. Team meetings are an important source of information, and each young person is discussed in depth. Updated information is shared with the team during handover meetings, for example, the outcome of young people’s reviews and any changes to their care and placement plans. The manager briefs the staff regularly to ensure that they are working to current knowledge about each young person. He provides the staff with regular supervision to support their work and promote their professional development.

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good

The home has sufficient staff to meet the young people’s needs. Each person receives a thorough induction when new in post, and good quality training, for example, in attachment, which helps them to understand the young people’s needs. The company’s child psychotherapist provides valued three-weekly consultation for the whole team to further inform their practice. This helps the staff to develop greater insight into the young people’s behaviour and facilitates the development of effective strategies to respond to their needs.

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good

The manager has revised and updated the home’s statement of purpose to reflect the new Children’s Homes Regulations which came into force in April 2015. He has worked hard with his team to promote their understanding of the Quality Standards and Guidance. The manager is well aware of the home’s strengths and areas for development. The team has contributed to the home’s development plan, which identifies areas for improvement. This helps to ensure that the whole team is unified and committed to shared objectives.

p.10

good

The manager has worked extremely effectively with placing authorities, the police, schools and other agencies to share information appropriately and advocate for the young people. He also works in partnership with parents and other family members to ensure that everyone around the young people has a shared commitment to supporting them. The manager is well able to challenge and raise concerns, both within and outside his own organisation, when he believes that young people’s needs are not being met as well as they could be. He is a confident professional who brings skills gleaned from previous employment to enhance his present role.

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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, 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

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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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