Children's home in Barnet

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 live in a home that offers them a period of respite and stability. This enables them to settle, develop positive relationships with staff and prepare for transitions to new placements.  An experienced and stable team of adults provide care that meets the specific and complex needs of young people. This means young people reduce their challenging behaviours and engage in positive activities in the community.   Staff work closely with parents, carers and care professionals. This helps to support young people in their family/carer relationships as part of a cohesive approach to care and transition planning.  The management of the home ensures the needs of young people are paramount. This well run home is developing a unique culture that allows young people opportunities to take a step back from periods of crisis in their lives. As a result the home provides them with a stepping stone on their journey through

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The children's home provision is good because:

care.  Three discreet requirements are made to tighten up minor aspects of recording, training and environmental upkeep.

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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

6. The quality and purpose of care standard

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Requirement Due date

'6 In order to meet the quality and purpose of care standard the registered person must ensure staff:

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Requirement Due date

(c) (i) have the experience, knowledge and skills to deliver care; In particular that they receive training in the risks of radicalisation 17/04/2016

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Requirement Due date

6. The quality and purpose of care standard

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Requirement Due date

'6 In order to meet the quality and purpose of care standard the registered person must:

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Requirement Due date

(c) (i) ensure that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed and furnished so as to- meet the needs of each young person; In particular ensure a timely response regarding repairs and redecoration 17/04/2016

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Requirement Due date

35 Behaviour management policies and records

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Requirement Due date

3 (a) The registered person must ensure that-within 24 hours of a the use of a measure of control, discipline or restraint in relation to a young person in the home, a records is made which includes_

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Requirement Due date

(iv) a description of the measure and its duration 17/04/2016

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Information about this children's home

The home is privately owned and is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to four young people with emotional and behavioural difficulties. The home offers emergency and short term placements that normally last a maximum of 28 days.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

16/09/2015 CH - Interim sustained effectiveness

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Recent inspection history

02/07/2014 CH - Interim sustained effectiveness

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good

Young people share meaningful relationships with staff, the quality of which is a key strength of the home. As a result young people are able to settle quickly and use their short term stays positively. This means they make good progress, reduce their challenging behaviours, engage in meaningful activities and think about their future.

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good

A young person said, ‘I really like it here…staff are alright’. A social worker stated, ‘(name of young person) did make relationships with staff… staff were consistent and I was pleased to see how he did respond, losing weight and looking better and calmer.’

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good

Young people have a voice in the home. Effective procedures are in place to obtain their views, wishes and feelings. House meetings take place regularly with young people noting that, ‘we do get listened o’. This includes contributing to menu and activity planning. Information relating to independent advocacy services are available in the young person’s guide. Staff play a proactive role in ensuring young people have their views promoted, for example through involving them in care planning and enabling them to seek answers to questions regarding their future plans in statutory reviews.

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good

A robust procedure is in place to address matters of concern or complaint with young people saying they understand how to do so. There have been no complaints since the last inspection. This is a further indication of the high levels of communication and involvement of young people in decisions made about them by the home.

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good

The home ensures they are able to meet the needs of young people before agreeing to them moving in. A robust admission process includes comprehensively assessing individual needs and the impact new young people may have on the existing living group. This allows for the careful matching of young people and ultimately enhances the chances of successful placements. As a result young people are able to receive the high levels of care and intervention their short stays require.

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good

Care planning is extremely good with a high standard of assessment, planning and review ensuring young people have their specific needs met. Programmes of care take a full account of the holistic needs of young people and involve them, and those important to them, in their development. These focus on their emotional, social, behavioural and physical needs. Plans provide staff with clear guidance as to how to meet the needs of young people and they are followed in practice.

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good

A detailed assessment process is in place to review the needs of young people against their initial care plan. These weekly reviews consider all aspects of the aims and objectives of the placement and the progress made. They also enable the home to consider whether they are able to meet the needs of the young person concerned. All reviews take account of the plans for moving on which ensures staff provide young people with accurate information regarding their transition to new placements.

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good

Young people receive good health care with particular emphasis on meeting their emotional and psychological well-being. Close inter-agency working ensures young people normally receive help when they need it. When delays occur, such as planned intervention from the local Children and Adolescent Mental Health Service, the home are swift to challenge why this is the case. Such an approach ensures that addressing mental well-being is central the care provided and seen as a normal part of growing up.

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good

Young people live in a home that supports their learning needs. A majority of them arrive at the home without a school or college placement. Those that do receive support to attend with staff helping young people to complete home tuitions tasks. The home liaises assertively with local authorities to establish appropriate educational programmes. Young people are able to undertake a number of self- care skills, including cooking and budgeting, and they are supported to learn.

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good

Young people enjoy activities and pursuits that match their individual wishes. The routines of the home are set to provide structure, but at the same time are flexible and responsive to each young person's individual needs. The importance of engaging young people in meaningful pastimes and activities is a cornerstone of practice. Staff are motivated to encourage young people to participate in healthy physical activities, such as going swimming or using the gym. They also assist them to enjoy theme parks and pursue their interests such as horse-riding and playing pool. This means young people channel their energy, spend valuable time with staff and reduce their levels of stress or anxiety.

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good

Young people live in a home that provides a good standard of accommodation. There is plenty of space with the environment being comfortable and homely. The home is clean and generally well maintained. However delays had occurred in decorating some lounge doors, despite them being installed several months earlier. This gave a slightly cold impression and detracted from the otherwise high standard of accommodation. Judgement grade

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good

Staff in the home are good at keeping young people safe. Young people say they feel safe and that they receive help to reduce their negative behaviours. As a result young people live in a settled home the majority of the time.

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good

Robust networking with safeguarding agencies ensures a joined up approach is in place to address concerns as and when they arise. Staff are trained in safeguarding matters with the home taking a preventative stance with any issues which may indicate a child protection concern. No issues have occurred since the last inspection.

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good

The specific emotional and behavioural needs of young people are assessed in detail prior to their arrival. This ensures staff are fully aware of the risks they may pose to themselves or others. Risk assessments focus on key areas of concern, including self-harm, violence and child sexual exploitation. This has the desired effect of assisting young people to better manage and reduce their levels of vulnerability. This has been particularly successful in helping young people to stop running away from care. There have been no episodes of running away in this inspection period.

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good

Behaviour management is strong. Detailed risk assessments inform the strategies that staff follow in helping young people to address their challenging behaviours. For instance, they ensure a calm and low noise level response to a certain young person when they get angry. Staff implement this approach in a firm yet sensitive way. As a result the young person has reduced the occasions they act out their feelings in an aggressive manner. A young person said, ‘staff don’t get in my face…this helps me calm down…then I can talk about it’.

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good

Restraints are used appropriately and only as a last result. Staff are trained in the use of physical intervention. The levels of restraint are relatively low. The use of restraint is appropriate with staff using the relationships they share with young people to de-escalate situations when they are angry, frustrated or stressed. This culminates in an environment that predominantly feels calm and relaxed. On rare occasions police have been involved. This was appropriate and enabled young people to receive clear messages regarding their inappropriate behaviour without them being criminalised.

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good

A majority of restraint records are accurate. These describe the events, staff actions and the justification for a physical intervention taking place. However a few entries had missing information. For instance in one entry the length of the actual restraint hold was absent; this information was contained in the incident log. This shortfall does not place young people at risk. Staff liaise appropriately with other agencies, including youth offending services and police. This helps to create an environment where inappropriate or offending- type behaviour is not accepted. This has allowed young people to receive realistic messages that staff will not tolerate potentially illegal actions at the home.

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good

The use of sanctions is appropriate. Procedures have moved away from punitive measures toward implementing a more restorative approach. For instance after causing damage a young person helped staff repair the wall they had punched. This new approach has seen a gradual reduction in damage and the young person being able to discuss their anger issues with staff.

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good

The completion of health and safety checks ensure the well-being of all who live and work in the home. Fire drills regularly provide young people with opportunities to practice evacuation procedures. The servicing and testing of fire-fighting equipment, gas and electrical appliances further supports the maintaining of a safe environment.

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good

The good management of the home ensures young people receive effective care, support and guidance. The culture has grown to meet the complex needs of young people who require short term care and accommodation at periods of crisis and transition.

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good

Since the last inspection the manager has been registered with Ofsted. He has a considerable level of experience and holds relevant qualifications including the level 4 award in care and management. The Registered Manager has high aspirations for the home and leads by example in placing young people at the heart of care planning and intervention. His approach motivates staff to provide care that is sensitive and consistent.

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good

The home has addressed the requirement made at the last inspection. The fire doors to the lounge have been replaced.

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good

Comments from social workers were most complimentary. These confirmed that care practices focus on meeting the needs of young people. They said communication is very good and praised staff for the quality of their work.

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good

A robust monitoring process ensures the home provides acceptable standards of care. The Registered Manager completes regular reviews that evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of service provision. His reports are completed to high standards and provide an excellent overview of the home and in particular the progress made by each young person. This reflective work has enabled specific areas of care to be analysed leading to improved outcomes for young people, for example by amending the approach toward sanctions. Independent external monitoring takes place monthly which reviews how well the home is doing and includes consultation with young people.

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good

Good numbers of staff, who are committed and motivated, provide young people with individualised care. Approximately half of the staff team are qualified to the required level while all others are currently undertaking the award. Staff receive good continuing training opportunities which has recently included sexual health awareness. Staff display a good level of knowledge regarding contemporary issues, such as the risk of young people being radicalised, although they have yet to receive training in this. They receive regular formal supervision and note they are very well supported by the Registered Manager. A staff member said: 'I love working here…I get brilliant support…staff morale is brilliant.’

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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

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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