Children's Home run by John-Edwards Care Homes Limited in Swindon

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:

 The home is exceptionally well managed by an experienced and well qualified registered manager and management team. Young people’s safety, well-being and development are at the heart of care practice. Leaders and managers of the home have a clear understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the home.  Health care at the home is managed and delivered to an outstanding standard, ensuring young people’s health care needs are robustly met  Young people are cared for by a well trained staff team who are particularly skilled in a variety of communication methods.   Young people enjoy living or staying at the home and are making outstanding progress in all aspects of their lives.  Care plans are bespoke and frequently revised to ensure they meet the young people’s current and emerging needs.  Staff have effective relationships with young people and each other. These relationships, combined with the high staffing ratios, ensure young people

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The children's home provision is good because:

receive high quality care. This is enhanced by the excellent quality of formal supervision staff receive from their line manager and the informal support they provide each other.  The staff team works extremely effectively with all other professionals to ensure consistency of care and improved outcomes for young people. 

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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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Information about this children's home

 This children’s home is registered to provide care and accommodation for five young people with learning disabilities (LD) and or physical disabilities.  This children’s home is operated by a private provider.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

13/11/2014 CH - Interim improved effectiveness

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Good

The staff team provides young people with detailed bespoke care packages which are frequently reviewed. Consequently, young people’s current and emerging needs are met. The basis of the staff team’s work with the young people is the exceptionally effective relationship they have with them. These relationships are founded on trust, respect and treating the young people with dignity particularly when carrying out their personal care needs. Staff have high expectation of themselves and the young people.

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Good

There is a great deal of effective communication between the staff and young people. Staff are exceptionally skilled at understanding the young people’s individual communication methods. They provide a number of opportunities throughout the day for young people to utilise their communication skills, express their views and make choices. This can range from choosing the menu or activities to being involved in the décor and setting their goals. Staff said the most important thing to do when communicating with the young people is to take time, listen carefully and observe.

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Good

From their starting point at admission, young people make outstanding progress in all aspects of their lives. This includes social skills and interaction, independence and accessing the local community. As a result young people’s self-confidence has increased and they have developed new social circles. This is the first time some have formed meaningful relationships with people outside their families. Parents commented that they now feel more able to participate in in the community activities with their child, as a direct result of the work undertaken by the team.

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Good

The management of transition for young people in and out of the home is outstanding. Staff work closely with young people and their families in preparing them for leaving the home. Staff offer support to the family by accompanying them to visit new services. Each young person has a record of their time at the home which includes photos of events, trips and activities as well as records of their achievements which they take with them when they leave. Admissions to the home are carefully managed. A rigorous process, well established; which includes matching to the current young people resident at the home. When admitting young people, staff take great care to avoid disruption to resident young people The introduction process is tailored to the individual young person and their families. Young people benefit from careful planning as part of their introductions. This can include young people coming in the same nights as their friends.

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Good

Young people make excellent progress in their education. Staff work closely with schools in developing plans and sharing practice. Consequently, young people receive a high standard of consistent care. Families have also adopted some of the strategies used by the staff at home. The staff team has been praised by the school for the commitment to young people and the high standard of communication they provide

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Good

The work the team undertake to ensure young people’s health care needs are met is outstanding. Systems for the receipt, storage, administration and recording of medication are robust. A number of the young people have extremely complex health care needs which have to be closely monitored. The Registered manager ensures that her nursing practice is up to date and takes advantage of opportunities to work in external health services.. This enables her to keep up to date with developments in the medical field and incorporate aspects of good practice into the homes’ practices.

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Good

Staff act as advocates for young people and their families. An example of this has been challenging health professionals about the need for equipment to be replaced or updated as young people grow and their needs changed. Young people access a range of external specialist services and professionals. These are sourced by the staff to enhance the young people’s well-being and progress. Professionals contacted during this inspection commended on the exceptionally high standard of care the staff team provide.

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Good

Staff receive training to enhance their knowledge of different religions. This enables them to provide good support in meeting the religious needs of all young people at the home.

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Good

Young people flourish in an environment which is comfortable and furnished to a very high standard. They benefit from being able to access a sensory room and hot tub and spacious communal areas.

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Good

Young people enjoy living in a safe, nurturing environment in which they thrive. Robust risk assessments are in place for all aspects of the young people’s lives and accommodation. These are very detailed with frequent review and updated. The assessments not only reflect the current level of risk but also highlight the additional risk a young person with learning or physical disabilities may encounter. The risks are thoroughly assessed with clear strategies to address and reduce them. The staff team has exceptionally detailed knowledge of the young people’s individual behaviours and what can trigger these. Information on how to effectively address these triggers is contained within their behaviour plans. As with the risk assessments a review of past plans demonstrates the effectiveness of the strategies used in the reduction of negative behaviours. Behaviour management is based on positive reinforcement. The use of sanctions is minimal and when used

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Good

they are of a very low level. There have been no incidents of restraint since the last inspection.

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Good

Since the last inspection there have been no incidents of young people going missing or leaving the home without permission. Appropriate policies and procedures are in place should a young person leave the home without permission. The additional risk and vulnerability of the young people is clearly identified within young people’s individual plans. The staff team has worked with the local police on raising their awareness of these additional risks. This work has led to the local police frequently visiting the home on social calls to meet the young people. They particularly enjoy sitting in the police car and setting off the siren.

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Good

A appropriate recruitment and vetting procedure is in place to protect young people from adults who may harm them. The registered manager has devised a proforma with a list of questions to be asked during the verification phone call to increase the consistency of the recruitment process.

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Good

Staff interviewed demonstrated an excellent working knowledge of safeguarding and child protection procedures. They again acknowledged the additional risks present with the young people they care for. Staff saw this as one of the foundations of all their work and took their duty of care very seriously. The team has developed good working relationship with the Local Authority Designated Officers who spoke positively of the team work in this area.

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Good

Each young person has a dedicated keyworker with whom they have regular sessions. Part of the role of the key worker is to act as an advocate for the young people. As well as their keyworker and staff team, young people have access to an independent advocate and visitor. Both of these people are experience in working with people who have disabilities.

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Outstanding

Since the last full inspection a new registered manager has been appointed and is managing the home exceptionally well. The registered manager has the required qualifications and considerable experience working with young people in residential care at a senior level. The manager demonstrates a robust understanding of child protection and safeguarding including an understanding of the increased vulnerabilities of resident young people due to their conditions including some who have no verbal communication.

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Outstanding

There is clear evidence of the registered manager’s understanding and commitment to ensuring equality and diversity is threaded through all the work the staff team undertakes, their training and throughout the homes documentation. An example of this is the work they undertake to ensure young people are supported in their chosen faiths and their work as acting as advocates for young people and their families. This advocacy work has led to the team challenging the decisions made by the placing authority which the team felt was not in the best interest of the young person.

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Outstanding

The registered manager has a good understanding of the homes strengths and areas for improvement. This is evident in the comprehensive development plan. The work identified within the development plan is ongoing. The registered manager has revised an number of the homes policies and procedures to increase their effectiveness and benefit young people’s development.

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Outstanding

Robust monitoring systems are well embedded to ensure the care delivered to the young people is of a high standard. The registered manager has high expectation of the team and for the young people. This monitoring not only includes evaluating the records the staff maintain to ensure they reflect the young people’s current and emerging needs but also observation of the staff team practices.

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Outstanding

The staff interviewed spoke very highly of the registered manager and the management team. They felt the management team leads by example and does not ask the staff to do anything they would not do. They felt they were inspirational and drove them on to being the best they could be.

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Outstanding

There has been some staff recruitment since the last inspection which has enabled the team to maintain its staffing levels as detailed in young people’s individual plans. Despite there being a number of new members of the staff team it is very cohesive and provides a high standard of consistent care. Due to the recruitment activity, it has been a time of intensive induction and training for staff. The registered manager feels that the investment in quality induction and training benefits the young people as staff will deliver a high standard of care. New staff felt their induction prepared them very well for their roles. Staff commented that training was given a high profile at the home.. The registered manager maintains a training schedule s so as to ensure all required courses are provided. In addition, the registered manager keeps up to date with developments and research in their field, and disseminate this to staff. At the core of all this work is the well-being and

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Outstanding

Staff receive an outstanding level of support, supervision and appraisal. These provide the registered manager with a forum to discuss practice and any development, training or additional input staff may require to enhance their work. Information gathered from these forums is then incorporated into individual staff training plans. Staff felt the level of support they receive from not only their managers but their colleagues is outstanding.

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Outstanding

An independent visit takes place on a monthly basis. The reports produced is comprehensive and is evaluative. This is linked with the robust monitoring report the manager completes to drive the service forward.

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Outstanding

The statement of purpose is detailed and accurately reflects the current practice of the home.

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Outstanding

Excellent case records are maintained which provide a clear picture of the young person’s time at the home, the progress they have made and their achievements.

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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

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Information about this inspection

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Information about this inspection

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