Children's home run by North East Lincolnshire Council

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged good at the full inspection. At this interim inspection, Ofsted judge that it has sustained effectiveness .

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The home has fully demonstrated its capacity to improve. All of the requirements and recommendations raised at the last inspection have been met. In addition, as of the 25 th November 2015, the acting manager was made permanent in the post. Her application for registered manager status with Ofsted is proceeding. A stable and experienced staff team provide young people with structured and consistent care. Young people report how happy they are with staff members, with one saying, ‘I trust all staff and I have some real favourites.’ The stability provided by the formal appointment of the manager has enabled staff to grow in confidence. They report that they feel well supported and records evidence that they have all now had their annual appraisals. All staff have been registered to attend training on the new signs of safety model. This is being implemented by all of the homes within the local authority. Young people benefit

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

from being cared for by a resilient and committed staff team who are trained to meet their needs. A staff member said, ‘To be fair I think this is the strongest staff team we have ever had.’ Young people enjoy living in a large home where they each have their own personally decorated bedroom. The repairs to the back garden provide them with an outside space to use, once the weather improves. In addition, the redecoration and repairs completed to the downstairs bedroom and bathroom enhance young people’s care experiences. A young person said, ‘I’m glad I’m here and I like it.’ Not all of the young people consistently respect or value their home. There have been a number of incidents where furniture was broken, and food destroyed. The staff are swift to repair the damage and ensure that the other young people are not negatively affected by such behaviours. This promotes a sense of belonging prompting young people to invite their friends to visit for the evening, or for a

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

sleep-over, as they would in a family home. Since the last inspection, one young person has moved on to independent living and another has moved into the home. Careful planning and multi-agency strategy meetings ensured that the new young person was an appropriate match for the other young people already resident. This enhanced her opportunity to achieve and promoted good relationships between the young people. The manager said, ‘It’s working well her being here. I feel I made the right choice in saying yes to the placement.’ Careful care planning ensures that young people’s individual and diverse needs are identified and worked towards. This includes working in partnership with professionals and family members to achieve the best possible outcomes for each young person. Consequently, young people are being prepared for independence; to pursue academic goals; to transfer to a mainstream senior school or

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

parenthood. Having their individuality recognised in this way promotes young people’s sense of self, while enhancing their feelings of well-being. A staff member said of a young person, ‘I think he’s come such a long way from where he was when you were last here.’ The proactive manager has worked extremely hard with the virtual head teacher and education providers. This ensures that all four young people are receiving appropriate education provisions, in line with their age and ability. For example, one young person attends a residential school during the week and another young person, who is pregnant, has completed her GCSE programme and is shortly to commence work with a home tutor. The manager said, ‘The school are really positive about him. When I attended the last meeting there was even talk of him becoming a prefect.’ Significant progress has been made by one young person who had been refusing to attend school for some time. He states that, ‘the penny dropped’ and he realised

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

how important it was for him to obtain qualifications, in order for him to pursue his career goal of joining the army. He has now had 100% attendance for a two-week period. The young person said, ‘Things are much better here. I’m really proud of myself that I’m back at school and, apart from today’s blip, I’ve behaved for two weeks. I’m much happier.’ The home’s behaviour management policy is a good, detailed document. It provides staff with clear guidelines on promoting a positive ethos and avoiding the use of physical intervention. Although some of the young people have continued to display aggressive behaviours and cause physical damage to the fabric of the home, there has been a period of calm over the past two weeks. This demonstrates that the staff’s commitment to the young people and their nurturing, consistent and caring approach is being acknowledged. A young person said, ‘I realised that they did care about me as me and not just because they had to. ‘

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff use restorative practice and the consistent use of positive rewards and sanctions to promote good behaviours. For most young people this is successful and they are clearly benefiting from these positive lessons. However, on occasion physical intervention has been necessary to prevent injury to staff and other young people. Each incident has been managed appropriately and well recorded, enabling them, and staff, to learn from the incident. Young people are safeguarded by these measures. A young person said, ‘Staff do listen to me except when I am shouting and swearing. I have to ask politely and then I get what I want. I am learning to do that but I still lose my temper sometimes.’ There has been a significant decrease in missing episodes over the past few weeks. Young people state that they are recognising the benefits of being in the home. They feel protected and value knowing that staff will actively search for

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

them to bring them safely home. On occasion, this has resulted in threats of violence towards staff from young people’s friends. For the most part, legislation is followed and all missing episodes are comprehensively recorded. However, it is not clear from the records whether young people are being seen by an independent person on their return. The complaints system is well embedded in practice. Young people can use the home’s suggestion cards or make a formal complaint to the local authority if they wish. When they have used this process, they have been satisfied that their complaint has been heard and that their views are respected. Young people increase in self-esteem and self-confidence as a result. A young person said, ‘I was really pleased that I was listened to.’

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Information about this children's home

This is a local authority long-stay children’s home. It is registered to accommodate up to four 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

12/03/2015 Interim Sustained effectiveness

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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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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further the service should take account of the following recommendation(s):  When a child returns to the home after being missing from care or away from the home without permission, the responsible local authority must provide an opportunity for the child to have an independent return home interview. Homes should take account of information provided by such interviews when assessing risks and putting arrangements in place to protect each child. (The Guide to the Quality Standards, page 45, paragraph 9.30)

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What the inspection judgements mean

At the interim inspection we make a judgement on whether the home has improved in effectiveness, sustained effectiveness, or declined in effectiveness since the previous full inspection. This is in line with the Inspection of children's homes: framework for inspection.

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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 focused on the effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of children and young people since the most recent full inspection.

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Information about this inspection

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 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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