Children's home run by Inmind Childrens Services Limited in Wokingham

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 have made good and sustained progress from some difficult starting points in their lives. In particular, attendance and behaviour at school have improved.  The emotional health and well-being of young people is a key priority. They receive good psychotherapeutic help.  Parents have confidence in the care provided, and praise the relationships between staff and young people.  Some young people have made significant improvements to overcome the harmful effects of alcohol and drugs. They are making better and informed decisions for themselves.  Young people are safer. The frequency with which young people have been absent from the home without authority have been reduced.  Positive behaviour is encouraged through good rewards and incentives provided to young people.  There are a number of areas for improvement, including the recruitment and retention of staff. Additionally, the manager should ensure that there is

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The children's home provision is good because:

a well-trained staff team providing a coherent approach to the care of young people. Young people should receive advice and guidance to prevent them smoking. The manager must provide challenge to a placing local authority in relation to poor care planning in respect of a young person.

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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 ‘Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards’. The registered person(s) must comply within the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

5: Engaging with the wider system to ensure children's needs are met In order to meet the engaging with the wider system to ensure children's needs are met standard, the registered person must, and must ensure that staff— (c) if the response of the placing authority or a relevant person is inadequate in relation to their role, challenge it to seek to ensure that each child's needs are met in line with their relevant plans. This is made in relation to securing the long-term care plan of a young person. 10 June 2016

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Requirement Due date

10: The health and well-being standard In order to meet the health and well-being standard the registered person must ensure that— (2)(a) staff help each child to— (ii) understand his or her health and well-being needs and to make informed choices and decisions about his or her health and well-being. In relation to supporting young people to stop smoking. 10 June 2016

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Requirement Due date

13: The leadership and management standard In order to meet the leadership and management standard the registered person must— (2)(c) lead staff to work as a cohesive team and ensure that they 10 June 2016 have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child in the home. In response to ensuring that all staff receive appropriate training and development to meet young people’s needs.

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Requirement Due date

13: The leadership and management standard In order to meet the leadership and management standard the registered person must— (d) ensure that each child receives care from a stable and sufficient workforce that is well supported and provides a consistent approach to care. With regard to ensuring there are sufficient staff who are consistent in young people's lives, and that staff are well supported. 10 June 2016

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Information about this children's home

The service is a residential school, also registered as a children’s home, to provide care for up to 30 young people in five small homes on one site. The service is owned by a private company and provides care for young people who have experienced emotional and psychological trauma. One home specifically provides care and accommodation for expectant mothers and young mothers with babies. Another home provides short-term assessment facilities. 

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

20 January 2016 Interim Declined in effectiveness

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Recent inspection history

19 March 2015 Interim Sustained effectiveness

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Good

Young people living in this home have made progress, from some difficult starting points, across all areas of their lives. In particular, attendance in education has improved. They are safer and are not engaging in concerning risk-taking behaviour. The core staff have been able to provide some young people with stability and continuity of care. This is leading to young people feeling confident, making progress and feeling far happier with their lives. One young person stated: ‘I love it here: best home I have ever been in, I like it, as there is loads to do.’ As a result, young people are gaining a sense of belonging, and developing relationships with each other and the core staff team.

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Good

The staff and manager actively promote educational achievement. Young people attend the registered school attached to the home and are making good progress. Some young people are currently studying for GCSE exams, others are taking functional qualifications and most are achieving good attendance of 97%. This demonstrates good progress for some young people who have experienced a history of significant educational instability. The headteacher of the school said: ‘There has been a big improvement with attitudes to learning and education. There have been changes in the dynamics in the group, with improvements being made’. As a result, young people are enjoying attending school and are making progress.

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Good

The health of young people is a key priority for the staff and manager, and central to their practice. Young people have primary healthcare professionals in place and attend routine and annual health appointments. Healthcare professionals provide advice and guidance regarding sexual health and relationships to young people. This ensures that young people remain informed about keeping safe and well in relationships. The staff team promotes a healthy diet and exercise. For example, they encourage young people to attend the gym and choose healthy food, and one young person has a keen interest and enjoyment in boxing.

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Good

Young people have made good progress, through hard work and good support from staff and specialist professionals, in overcoming the negative influence of drugs and alcohol. Alcohol and drug use is now rare and young people are making better-informed choices. They are in control of their lives and present as more confident, as they can rely upon staff and managers to provide them with support.

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Good

The service understands the importance of young people receiving emotional support and help. The managers have recently commissioned the services of a highly skilled and knowledgeable psychotherapist who will provide individual therapy to young people. In readiness for these sessions, in conjunction with the therapist, the managers furnished a suite of bespoke rooms for therapeutic use. Additionally, the psychotherapist will be offering support to the staff to help them to provide good care to young people. This means that young people can speak openly and privately, at a pace that suits them, regarding things that are important and meaningful to them.

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Good

Two compliance notices were issued following the previous interim inspection. These related to staff training in fire prevention and procedures, and the care provided to a young person not being adequate. A monitoring visit was subsequently undertaken and the home demonstrated that improvements had taken place. The compliance notices were deemed as met. Additionally, a number of requirements were set at the interim inspection. The manager has addressed these requirements quickly and decisively. The manager now ensures that staff complete assessments about each young person, taking into account specific areas of risk. Young people’s care plans have improved, and staff understand and implement these plans, meaning that young people receive effective care. Young people’s case records are reviewed and updated regularly. Recording practices have been strengthened, with particular reference to the use of measures of

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Good

control and discipline. The manager has reviewed and updated the statement of purpose, and has forwarded this document to Ofsted.

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Good

Most of the young people continue to smoke tobacco. The manager and staff have not been sufficiently robust or effective in addressing the problem, as it appears accepted by all. This shortfall has been made a requirement.

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Good

Young people continue to experience a number of different care staff looking after them, due to poor staff retention. This limits their opportunity to form close and caring relationships with members of staff. For example, a young person has regularly had agency workers care for her whom she does not know, making it harder for her to trust staff; for fear that they will leave. Judgement grade

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Good

The risks of young people coming to harm have been significantly reduced through members of staff receiving appropriate training in keeping young people safe. Staff understand and work in accordance with the home’s policy for safeguarding and child protection. They know what to do should a young person make a disclosure to them, or if they become concerned over a young person’s safety and well-being. Managers, likewise, have a good knowledge and understanding of what to do to keep young people safe. This further strengthens the home’s ability to respond to any concerns. The result is that young people are better protected from harm.

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Good

The manager has responded quickly, and in line with procedures, when young people have raised concerns about the conduct of staff. As a result, young people are assured their safety is of paramount concern to staff and managers, and that their views matter.

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Good

The frequency of young people leaving the home on an unauthorised basis has reduced. There is good practice from staff and managers in reducing young people going missing from care. Staff are vigilant to the triggers that may precede young people wanting to leave the site, and can act proactively to prevent this. When young people have left the site, where possible, staff and managers have followed the young person and persuaded them to return. Staff act in a timely manner, and contact the police and local authority. When young people return they receive a warm welcome. Managers and staff discuss these incidents and try to learn valuable lessons so that they may prevent a recurrence.

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Good

Staff understand and implement effective care plans, which include risk management strategies. For example, some young people are at continuing risk of self-harming behaviour, while others are at risk of sexual exploitation. These young people receive good support from staff, who provide good levels of supervision and have plans in place to provide immediate assistance and support.

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Good

The staff group implement consistent and strong boundaries. Young people’s behaviour is well managed. Those displaying negative behaviour have sanctions imposed, and conversely good behaviour is rewarded. For example, one young person is working towards keeping a pet guinea pig. Young people are treated as individuals by staff and managers, as they realise that each young person presents with different needs and are facing their own personal challenges.

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Good

Staff and managers provide an environment that offers good care, nurture and understanding. A parent said: ‘Staff are brilliant in providing information and keeping me informed. Staff have cared for my son since being here; he is with staff who care for him well.’ Consequently, young people understand what acceptable behaviour is and are encouraged to behave well by caring and supportive staff members.

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Good

Staff have used physical interventions as a last resort, when the behaviour of young people is such that the safety of individuals is at risk. Staff members have received training in the appropriate use of such interventions. Recording of these events are much improved. They now provide a greater level of detail, showing that de-briefing sessions are taking place with the young person and staff members involved. This supports the manager’s efforts to analyse and understand the circumstances surrounding such incidents better, which may serve to reduce the occurrence of such incidents, going forwards.

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Good

Young people benefit from an improved physical environment. Considerable work has recently been undertaken to refurbish the living areas. The environment has benefited from new soft furnishings and decoration. Young people’s rooms have been improved with the purchase of new beds, curtains and personalised items that has created a homely and comfortable environment. Young people were provided with their own budget for improving their rooms to their own likes and tastes. The manager and staff have endeavoured to ensure that the home does not have an institutional feel, but is one that young people can be proud to live in and enjoy.

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Requires improvement

A new manager recently started at the home. The manager has extensive experience in residential childcare and holds a qualification suitable for the role and responsibilities. The manager has submitted an application to Ofsted to become the home’s registered manager. This follows the home experiencing a period of turbulence and uncertainty with regards the management arrangements. The new management structure signifies a more settled and stable period. This is beneficial for the young people living at the home and the members of staff. There has been a long period of staff shortages and, as a result, heavy reliance upon agency and temporary staffing. At the time of inspection, there were five vacancies for permanent staff. This has placed core staff members in a position where they feel duty-bound to work additional shifts, resulting in excessive time on duty. One member of staff spoken to said that shifts were at times too long in

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Requires improvement

terms of hours, and that the number of sleeping-in shifts that were undertaken led to a poor work-life balance. A young person spoken with said: ‘I know the staff are working long hours at times and never get to go home. They are exhausted.’ It is evident that core staff members at times work excessively long hours, leading to them feeling tired. This affects motivation and their ability to provide the best care to young people. Young people are aware of the hours that staff are working. This is not an issue that young people should be concerned about. It is clear that there are insufficient numbers of permanent staff to provide continuity of care to young people, and is a shortfall.

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Requires improvement

Continuous change within the staff team have affected the levels of competence and professional development in the workforce, making it variable. This results in gaps in key areas of staff knowledge, when set against the diverse nature of the young people’s needs. For example, a number of staff have enrolled for the mandatory qualification for those working in residential childcare. However, there remain a significant number of staff waiting to start the course. Consequently, this leaves a skills, knowledge and time gap, where staff are waiting to undertake key training to provide the best care to young people.

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Requires improvement

The manager has not robustly challenged a local authority regarding care-planning decisions. A placing local authority provided the home with notice to terminate a young person’s placement. The authority concerned has not carried through this notice to terminate, leaving the young person and the home uncertain and anxious over the future. This comes at a time when the young person is studying for her exams, and it is negatively affecting her and her preparation at this crucial time.

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Requires improvement

The supervision, oversight and guidance of staff have improved. The manager has developed a new supervision tool to help to guide and support the supervision of staff. Staff receive regular professional supervision. This includes aspects of performance management, personal development and training needs.

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Requires improvement

The leaders and manager of the home made a decision to limit the admission of new young people, so as to be able to prioritise the needs of those young people already living at the home. The manager wanted to ensure that good systems were in place that promoted the welfare of young people. This meant improving staff training and development, and that the programme of re-decoration and refurbishment was well underway.

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Requires improvement

The new manager, in conjunction with senior management, have completed a strategic care improvement plan. This addresses the developmental needs of the service, going forward, and is in line with the new quality standards. The plan is ambitious and sets out realistic development targets. This demonstrates that the leadership of the service is eager to improve the care provided to young people.

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Requires improvement

Systems are in place to check the quality of care provided to young people. An independent visitor helps to create challenge to drive forward improvement. These monthly visits highlight the strengths, weaknesses and any actions required, for example ensuring that managers undertake staff appraisals due for review. This quality assurance mechanism, together with feedback from professionals, young people and staff, enables the manager to evaluate the services provided.

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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 ‘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 0300 123 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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