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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

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

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The registered manager has good systems in place to monitor the quality of care of young people. Monthly quality assurance checks are carried out, and these are currently being sent to Ofsted. However, the internal report, which should identify any actions required for the next six months of delivery and how those actions will be addressed, does not reflect this. Neither is it being used as a tool for continuous improvement in the home.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The registered manager makes herself readily available to young people and staff. She and other managers in the home regularly spend time with young people, seeking their views. The manager has a realistic improvement and development plan in place, and the plan is young person-centred.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Young people who have left the home have done so in a planned way. Those new to the home experience a high level of consultation and planning. Robust risk assessments ensure that the needs of young people are understood. Young people already living in the home are fully involved prior to the arrival of any new residents. This helps to develop and maintain trust between staff and young people.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The safety and welfare of the young people is the first consideration of all staff. Young people do exhibit risk-taking and harmful behaviours. Staff are proactive in response to these. They regularly spend time with young people helping them to find solutions to the difficulties they may and do face daily. These include young people’s emotional, behavioural and physical needs. As a result, incidents of missing from care or being absent without permission have decreased, as have occasions of self-harm.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Restraint is used in a minimal way and only when absolutely necessary. The risk of child sexual exploitation, following robust assessment with partner agencies, is also minimised but carefully monitored. Incidents of negative behaviour between young people do occur and these are managed effectively by staff. However, an administrative weakness was discovered during this inspection, as it was found that the records of bullying behaviours do not reflect what actions staff need to take when such a disclosure is made by a young person.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The managers and staff exhibit a clear enthusiasm to work productively with partner agencies, with multi-agency partnership meetings taking place regularly, well attended by managers and staff, who contribute well-written reports to influence the strategies put in place for young people by external agencies.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Since the previous inspection, there have been three formal complaints made by young people who are well supported in using the system. These have all been managed and resolved in an appropriate way, not always to the satisfaction of the complainant, particularly when the complaint has concerned risk-taking behaviours.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

At the previous inspection, three requirements and one recommendation were made. These have all been met. This is a clear indication of the manager’s and staff’s ability to address identified service weaknesses. Consequently, staffing in the home is stable, morale is good, and the outcomes for young people are well supported.

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Information about this children's home

This children's home is registered to accommodate five young people with emotional and behavioural difficulties. The service is delivered and managed by a charitable organisation.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

15/01/2015 CH – Interim Declined in effectiveness

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Recent inspection history

16/01/2014 CH – Interim Satisfactory progress

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further the service should take account of the following recommendations:  ensure that the policy for the prevention of bullying in the home sets out the procedure for dealing with an allegation of bullying to support the staff to intervene, protect and address bullying behaviours effectively (‘Guide to Quality Standards’ p 39, 8.16).  ensure that the six monthly regulation 45 report enables the registered person to identify areas of strength and possible weakness in the home’s care, which will be captured in the written report. The report should clearly identify any actions required for the next 6 months of delivery within the home and how those actions will be addressed. The whole review process and the resulting report should be used as a tool for continuous improvement in the home (Guide to Quality Standards, p 65 15.4).

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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, 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

The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

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Information about this inspection

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

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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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