Setting in Birmingham

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 quality of care and progress made by young people remains good.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Leadership and staff commitment remain strong. The requirement from the previous inspection is met because the management team take care to risk assess the impact and compatibility of newly admitted young people.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Admissions processes are thorough in identifying the risks presented by young people, and the feelings of and impact on the existing young people at the home. The management team is assertive and works well with line management to ensure that matching is effective.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Managers are adept at self-reflection and evaluation. When admissions are not so good, they use this insight to learn, in order to promote better experiences and outcomes for young people. For example, staff now understand the dynamics that arise when young people forge girl and boyfriend relationships among themselves. While there was no indication on admission that this might happen, the staff took swift and practical action to keep young people safe and to discourage these relationships. Drawing boundaries, holding resolution meetings and face-to-face work have been essential in managing these dynamics and potential bullying.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

As recommended at the last inspection, improvements in recording are ongoing and include consultation with young people. A more child-centred approach to recording young people’s experiences is emerging and shows good development. Records are detailed and accountable. Behaviour management plans are good in terms of identifying and reinforcing positive behaviours. This strength can be seen in the growing confidence of young people. However, access to information is still hampered by the volume of information about managing risk and behaviour.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The management team acknowledges that there is still some work to be done in these areas. The recommendations from the previous inspection about recording are, therefore, repeated. Safeguarding procedures and responses remain robust. Staff know how to keep young people safe due to close partnership working with the police, social workers, and drug and ‘missing from care’ agencies. Young people seldom go missing from the home and, until recently, there have been no concerns about involvement in sexual exploitation.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

New and emerging concerns regarding the safety of young people were referred effectively to safeguarding agencies at the time of this inspection.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Young people develop greater awareness of racist behaviours. Zero tolerance to racism, and collaboration between police, staff, youth offending services and young people result in young people having a better understanding of diversity. This enables them to improve both relationships in the home and their own positive integration into a multicultural society.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Young people make significant progress. They thrive and exude confidence as they develop their own identity. They all attend and enjoy full-time education. This is possible because staff, school and therapeutic agencies work together to support young people. As a result, young people manage their anxieties about transition between school years and other behavioural barriers to learning.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Greater confidence means that young people are more able to make friends at school, and this enhances their academic and social learning. One young person is currently enjoying a holiday with school and is pleased to have a particular friend to share a dormitory with. Staff are extremely nurturing and give attention to the smallest details, for example making sure that this young person has their favourite cakes to take and share with friends when away from the home.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Young people benefit from well-managed family contact due to staff input and improved behaviour. As a result, some young people now plan to live with family members on a full-time basis.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Young people enjoy good health, with a healthy diet and a range of activities to keep them fit, and to build their confidence and emotional wellbeing.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Managers and staff are good at reaching out to other agencies, and this impacts positively on the skill set of staff and the outcomes for young people. For example, recent training in behaviour management is extremely useful for both staff and young people to look at how they deal with conflict. Staff are clearer about things that they will negotiate, things to let go and things that are not open to negotiation. Clearer boundaries and greater stability have been essential in managing recent group dynamics in the home.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Young people appreciate the support that they receive from the manager and staff to move onto new fostering arrangements. Some young people acknowledge that they can talk to staff because they are ‘open and try and reason with us’. These outcomes give a good indication that transitions to and from the home are positively managed.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The registered manager uses independent monitoring, his internal managerial checks, consultation and staff training both to drive improvement and to sustain the good operation of this home. Managers and staff greatly value consultation. Young people grow in confidence because they are listened to and are able to influence the running of the home. They contribute to the manager’s ideas for development and further improvements.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Strong leadership promotes an environment where both young people and staff develop and feel valued.

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Information about this children's home

This local authority children’s home is registered to care for five children with emotional and behavioural difficulties. The home’s statement of purpose states that children can be of either gender and between the ages of 10 and 17 years. The home provides medium- to long-term care.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

11/03/2015 CH – Interim Improved effectiveness

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further, the service should take account of the following recommendation(s):  Information about the child must always be recorded in a way that will be helpful to the child (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4).  All children's case records (regulation 36) must be kept up to date. This is with particular regard to streamlining and prioritising information in young people's files. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.3).  Children and their parents should be supported to understand the nature of records kept in the home and how to access them. Staff should understand their role in encouraging the child to reflect on and understand their history, according to their age and understanding. Staff should keep and encourage children to keep appropriate memorabilia of the time spent living at the home

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Recommendations

and help them record significant life events (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.5). 

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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 ‘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

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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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