Children's home run by The Partnership of Care Today in Stockport

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged Requires improvement 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 made progress in some areas since the last full inspection. The cohort of young people currently living in the home are settled and making good progress. For one young person recently admitted this is their first experience of a care setting and staff have worked hard to settle and support him to have a positive experience.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Young people are engaging in an increased number of activities outside and within the home organised by staff. The activities are varied and young people improve their social interaction skills and broaden their experiences as a result of this. Some activities involve developing independence skills and young people are therefore well prepared to move on from the placement into a more independent setting.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Two young people have been discharged from the placement, both due to receiving custodial sentences relating to criminal activity. Of these two young people one had settled well and was engaging in the placement, the other young person was spending increasing amounts of time away from the home and living with family and therefore was not progressing well in the placement. The level of criminal activity was the subject of a requirement at the last inspection. While court appearances have taken place for historical offences, there has been no additional criminal activity since the date of the last inspection.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Relationships between staff members and young people continue to be a strength of the home with positive feedback from a number of the young people placed as well as placing social workers. One young person commented ‘I enjoy living here and Eric (Registered manager) is the best.’ There has been one allegation against a member of staff for an accidental injury and one complaint since the last full inspection. Both have been dealt with appropriately with young people being content with the response.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Young people’s attendance at education has improved with some young people having commenced attendance at an educational provision outside the home where previously they had refused, and another young person having very good attendance on a college course. Attendance at education is rewarded on a daily and monthly basis which appears to have a positive impact on young people’s motivation to attend.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Young people’s personal Education Plans and Child Looked After review minutes are not routinely chased up with social workers and independent reviewing Officers to ensure the most up-to-date plan is on file. Additionally recording in some areas is difficult to decipher and the lack of clarity impacts on the effectiveness of the recording although there is no clear impact on young people as a result of this.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The young people currently placed at this home do not go missing from care. For some previously placed young people, missing from care episodes had reduced following changes to the resident group. Another young person spent increasing amounts of time missing or absent from the home prior to receiving a custodial sentence. The home experience difficulties at times in ensuring that independent interviews are completed with young people following missing from home episodes. This has been addressed with placing authorities through planning at the point of placement, where responsibility for return interviews is clearly set out.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

All staff have now received training in child exploitation and online protection (CEOP) and young people’s risk assessments clearly identify any risk associated with internet use. Some higher risk young people do not have access to the internet at the current time to ensure they are protected from harm.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

A requirement at the previous inspection in relation to notification of a serious event is only partially met and is repeated at this inspection as a recommendation. HMCI have been notified of serious incidents but an update to notify the regulator of the outcome of a serious incident has not been completed.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

At this inspection one requirement is repeated from the previous full inspection and one recommendation is made resulting in a judgement of sustained effectiveness, however there are a number of areas in which progress has been made.

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Information about this children's home

The home is run by a private company and provides care and accommodation for up to four young people with emotional and behavioural difficulties and learning disabilities. The home is organised so that it offers both a small family-group type of placement for two young people and two supported self-contained living units.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

24/03/2015 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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Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain records for each child which include the information and documents listed in schedule 3 for each child and are kept up to date. This refers specifically to ensuring that a copy of the more recent local authority review of the placement plan and the local authority personal education plan are on file. Regulation 36 (1) (a) and (b) 22/02/2016

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further the service should take account of the following recommendation(s): Regulation 40(4) requires the registered person to notify Ofsted and other relevant persons if one of the situations specified in regulation 40(4)(a)-(d) occurs, or if there is an incident relating to the protection, safeguarding or welfare of a child living in the home which the registered person considers to be serious (40(4)(e)). (Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards, 14.10)

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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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