Children's home run by Headstart Care LLP in Rother

Good

The children's home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

p.2

The children's home provision is good because:

 Young people have warm and trusting relationships with the members of staff who care for, and about, them.  Bespoke detailed care plans outline how each young person’s unique needs are to be met.  Young people achieve well at their educational settings, especially when taking their starting points into consideration.  Young people have access to a wide range of enriching activities which develop their confidence and social skills.  Members of staff ensure that all healthcare needs are very well met, and the emotional support for the young people is of a particularly high standard.  Clear safeguarding arrangements mean that staff are aware of what steps they need to take in order to ensure that young people are kept safe.  There is good communication with external professionals and other stakeholders, which ensures collaborative working to promote young people’s well-being and progress.  The registered manager provides clear leadership and good support to the

p.3

The children's home provision is good because:

committed staff team.  Shortfalls identified during this inspection have not had a negative impact on the safety or progress of the young people.

p.3

Information about this children's home

This is a privately owned children's home that is registered to provide care for two young people who have emotional or behavioural problems. This is the first inspection of this children’s home since it was newly registered in August 2015.

p.4

Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

p.4

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 ‘Guide to the Children's Homes Regulations including the quality standards’. The registered person(s) must comply within the given timescales.

p.4

Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that within 24 hours of the use of a measure of control, discipline or restraint in relation to a child in the home, a record is made which includes the effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the measure Regulation 35 (3)(a)(vii). 30 April 2016

p.4

Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further, the service should take account of the following recommendations: Ensure that all members of staff understand that restraint also involves restricting a child’s liberty. Restrictions such as these, and all other restrictions of liberty of movement, should be recorded as restraint. This is with particular reference to reviewing the practice of locking the kitchen at bedtime. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations including the quality standards’, page 47, paragraph 9.42.)

p.4

Recommendations

Ensure that placements are accepted only for young people the home can respond effectively to, as recorded in the child's relevant placement plans and where they have fully considered the impact that the placement will have on the existing group of children (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations including the quality standards’, page 47, paragraph 9.42.)

p.4

Recommendations

Ensure that staff are familiar with the home’s policies on record keeping and understand the importance of careful, objective, and clear recording; in particular that records accurately reflect what areas staff have searched when looking for a young person who is absent without permission and that the daily log is accurately maintained (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4).

p.5

Good

Young people have warm, trusting relationships with the members of staff. They feel that the staff genuinely care for them and support them closely. ‘They are calm and kind. They listen to you’, said a young person. The young people feel that their views count and that they can have an active influence on the running of their home and how they prefer to be cared for. Subsequently, they have an investment in their home, a sense of belonging and confidence in their carers.

p.6

Good

Staff develop an excellent understanding of the young people they care for and provide a nurturing and supportive environment. This helps the young people to make significant progress in all areas of their lives.

p.6

Good

Young people make good progress in education, especially bearing in mind their starting points. Staff make considerable and sustained efforts to enable the young people to engage in education. This has led to excellent attendance levels and improvements in achievement. These improvements have been noted and remarked upon by the young people’s teachers.

p.6

Good

Young people are supported to take part in a rich variety of activities. This promotes their social skills, self-esteem and confidence, as well as broadening their social circles. In addition, they receive sensitive support to increase their independence and self-care skills, this being done at a pace that each can cope with.

p.6

Good

Healthcare needs are known and met to a good standard. Young people receive good levels of support to attend routine health appointments such as dentists and opticians, as well as appointments with specialist services. The registered manager advocates strongly and tenaciously on behalf of the young people to ensure that they receive the specialist health care services they need. In addition to this, emphasis is placed on healthy living and maintaining active healthy lifestyles through exercise and sensibly balanced diets. Subsequently, the young people are living in a culture where their well-being is valued and they are encouraged to make the right decisions.

p.6

Good

Young people are able to visit the home prior to admission and have well planned transitions when they move out. An impact assessment is currently being developed as this has not been detailed or thorough enough in previous admissions. This has meant that the home has had an unsettled period due to the mix of the young people. Successful progress has been made to re-establish stability in the home. A recommendation is made regarding this matter.

p.6

Good

Young people are supported very skilfully and sensitively in considering how their behaviour affects others, especially when it has been challenging and aggressive. This enables them to reflect upon their actions, and to implement strategies to manage their feelings and frustrations. This approach has been very effective and is appreciated by the young people themselves. As a result, young people have developed a better understanding of their emotions and how to deal with these. ‘I get less angry now, I walk away from things’, was one comment made.

p.7

Good

Progress which the young people make is celebrated. They receive rewards and acknowledgement for the extra effort they make. The rewards given take into consideration each young person’s own interests. For example, a young person received a session at a recording studio as a reward for his sustained effort.

p.7

Good

Members of staff support young people in maintaining contact with their families in a particularly sensitive and reassuring manner. Strenuous efforts are made to support families and the young people if this contact is known to be volatile and unsettling. As a result, the young people feel that they have a safe haven to return to where their anxieties and frustrations can be acknowledged and resolved.

p.7

Good

Young people said they feel safe and cared for. They are confident to complain and express their feelings, and know to whom they can address any issues.

p.7

Good

Staff clearly know the young people very well. They are aware of their strengths and, importantly, their vulnerabilities and the areas in which they need to develop. As a result, they comprehensively assess and plan for the young people’s behaviours and put measures in place to protect them. The risk assessments completed by the staff are comprehensive, robustly monitored and regularly assessed to ensure that they are relevant and effective.

p.7

Good

Incidents of young people going missing or being absent without permission have reduced. There are protocols in place for the staff to follow when a young person is absent. These specify the actions that the staff should follow, for example which areas to search. Recording of staff actions is not always clear and does not always indicate whether they have followed the protocols. This shortfall has not compromised safety or well-being, and the staff have been conscientious in their efforts to ensure that young people return to the home safely. A recommendation is made to ensure that staff improve the recording of these events.

p.7

Good

Members of staff have received training in safeguarding matters, identifying young people who are at risk of child sexual exploitation and/or radicalisation. They know who to inform in the event that they have concerns about a young person’s welfare. Both young people and members of staff are trained to a good standard in the safe use of the internet. Subsequently, the young people are protected from harm and the potential of abuse.

p.7

Good

Any incidents of concern are notified to safeguarding agencies and to placing social workers, so that action plans can be promptly implemented and the safety of the young people further promoted and protected.

p.8

Good

Young people are supported to take appropriate risks and receive close support to develop their self-care skills. This includes close, nurturing support to develop skills such as independent travel.

p.8

Good

Established behaviour management plans provide young people with fair and consistent boundaries. Young people understand and respond positively to an incentive scheme, and are familiar with the likely consequences of negative or challenging behaviour. They say that the rules are fair. Sanctions imposed are relevant and appropriate. However, on occasion, the effectiveness has not been recorded. A requirement is made to address this issue.

p.8

Good

Physical restraint is rare, there being only one incident in six months. Records concerning the incident are clear and included debriefing sessions with the young person from an independent person, as well as reflective sessions involving the staff. This ensured that the incident was treated with gravity, and that staff and the young person had the opportunity to learn from it.

p.8

Good

The behaviour management support offered to the young people enables them to develop their coping skills, understand their behaviours and to develop strategies to manage stressful and challenging emotions. As a result, incidents of challenging behaviour have lessened to a significant degree.

p.8

Good

The kitchen has been routinely locked at night after young people have gone to bed. This practice was started as a safety measure, but there is no need for it to be continued. The practice has become habitual and has not been reviewed, and is now not necessary to ensure the safety of staff and young people. A recommendation is made for the practice to cease.

p.8

Good

Recruitment of new staff is thorough and ensures that all necessary background checks have been carried out. This means that only adults with appropriate employment histories are able to work with the young people.

p.8

Good

Regular health and safety checks are undertaken, ensuring that the home is safe Fire safety equipment is serviced and maintained, and regular fire drills take place. Judgement grade

p.8

Good

This is the first inspection of the home since it was registered in August 2015.

p.9

Good

The home has an experienced manager who is studying to achieve the level 5 Diploma in Leadership and Management for Residential Childcare. Members of staff are unanimous about the good quality support and leadership she provides.

p.9

Good

There are ample staff to provide the support and guidance which the young people need. The staff team are suitably experienced and received a varied training programme which ensures that they have up-to-date knowledge and skills. All members of staff receive regular supervision to a good standard, which helps ensure that they are carrying out their roles effectively and professionally.

p.9

Good

There is robust monitoring and evaluation of the quality of care provided. The registered manager is actively involved in assessing the effectiveness of plans and how each young person progresses. This provides close oversight and constant reflection on practice. Additionally, monthly visits are undertaken by an independent person. These also assess the performance of the home. The reports written as a result of these visits point out any shortfalls. The registered manager then writes an action plan which outlines how the shortfalls are to be addressed. Subsequently, there is no complacency, and a determination to improve outcomes and care standards for the young people.

p.9

Good

Senior members of staff oversee each young person’s care plan making sure it is up to date and relevant to meeting their needs. As a result, care packages thoughtfully prepared bespoke programmes which take into account each young person’s unique identity and needs.

p.9

Good

Feedback from other professionals and agencies, such as education and social services, is very positive about joint working and collaborating to provide consistent care and support. One education placement report states that joint working has enabled the young person, ‘To feel settled and wanting to learn.’ Feedback from parents is glowing, ‘Excellent. Absolutely brilliant. They completely understand him’ is a comment made by a parent. The home’s approach to maintaining high levels of communication with stakeholders about each young person has enabled the fluid exchange of information and a sense that everyone is working together seamlessly.

p.9

Good

All significant incidents are notified to the correct agencies, together with information on how these have been addressed and resolved. This gives transparency of practice and shows that the home works well with other professionals. The statement of purpose describes what the home intends to achieve for the young people who live there and the service it provides. Other records are, on the whole, of a good standard. One shortfall was found in the recording of a fire drill. This had not been completed in the home’s daily running log, but had been entered in the fire record. There was no impact on the safety of the young people as a result of this recording error, but it made it difficult for the registered manager to cross-reference the accuracy. A recommendation is made to address this issue.

p.9

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’. 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

p.11

What the inspection judgements mean

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 harmed or at risk of harm, or result in children looked after not having their welfare safeguarded and promoted.

p.11

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

p.12

Information about this inspection

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 .

p.12

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,

p.13

Information about this inspection

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

p.13

Information about this inspection

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

p.13

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

p.13