Children's home run by Adventure Care Limited in High Peak

Good

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

p.2

The children's home provision is good because:

 Children and young people currently living in the home are happy and settled. Their outcomes improve and they make progress in many areas of their lives.

p.3

The children's home provision is good because:

 Relationships between staff, children and young people are good. Staff are very committed to promoting the best outcomes possible.

p.3

The children's home provision is good because:

 The wide range of experiences and outdoor activities which children and young people engage in significantly enhance the quality of their lives. They have fun. They develop confidence and enjoy improved self-esteem.

p.3

The children's home provision is good because:

 As a result of robust actions taken by the manager since the last interim inspection, safeguarding practice is now good. Children and young people are kept as safe as possible as a result of staff interventions. Their behaviours improve and incidents of going missing are very rare.

p.3

The children's home provision is good because:

 The in-house therapy team works in close partnership with care staff and staff from the on-site school. Staff offer a wide range of therapeutic interventions, including equine therapy involving the home’s rescue ponies.

p.3

The children's home provision is good because:

 Some shortfalls and areas for improvement have been identified in relation to recording and monitoring issues and staff qualifications, and in relation to the home’s location assessment. These are matters which are not currently having an impact on the safety and well-being of children and young people.

p.3

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

Ensure that any individual who works in the home in a care role has the appropriate qualification (Regulation 32(4)). 18 November 2016

p.4

Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further, the service should take account of the following recommendation(s):  Ensure that the records of restraint enable the registered person and staff to review the use of control, discipline and restraint to identify effective practice and respond promptly where any issues or trends of concern emerge ('Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards', page 49, paragraph 9.59).

p.4

Recommendations

 The registered manager should have a workforce plan which is updated to include any new training and qualifications completed by the staff while working at the home, and should be used to record the ongoing training and continuing professional development needs of the staff ('Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards', page 53, paragraph 10.8).

p.4

Recommendations

 Ensure that the home's location assessment includes the identification of any risks and opportunities presented by the home’s location and strategies for managing these, with particular reference to the risks posed by the extremely rural location of the home ('Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards', page 64, paragraph 15.1).

p.4

Information about this children's home

This home is registered to provide care for four children and young people with emotional and behavioural difficulties on site, and for a further two children and young people off site, for up to 28 days. The home is owned by a private company.

p.5

Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

p.5

Recent inspection history

6 January 2016 Interim Declined in effectiveness

p.5

Recent inspection history

5 March 2015 Interim Improved effectiveness

p.5

Good

Children’s and young people’s experience and overall progress are good. A young person said: ‘My life has improved. I manage my emotions better and I can express myself better. I am doing well at school and go to cadets. I have got friends and have just got back from a camp.’ In terms of progress, a professional said: ‘While in this placement the young person developed confidence and an ability to talk to and work with professionals.’ Children and young people are given an opportunity to work through their difficulties and thrive.

p.6

Good

The positive relationships that children and young people have with staff provide them with a sense of stability and security. A young person commented: ‘I see the staff team as my family, as they care. My key worker has done everything for me. We are really close. She understands me, she believes in me and I know she thinks the world of me.’

p.6

Good

From their starting points, children and young people make good educational progress. All have individualised packages of education which reflect their needs and strengths. For example, some attend the home’s on-site school and others progress to return to mainstream education. Some, after having missed out on education for a significant period of time, develop an enthusiasm for learning. An independent reviewing officer said: ‘Educationally, the young person is making good academic progress and she has developed aspirations for the future. She has been supported well educationally and is really proud of her achievements. She receives lots of praise, which really boosts her confidence.’ As a result, future life chances improve.

p.6

Good

Children and young people are physically healthy. They are encouraged to eat a healthy diet and to participate in a wide range of exciting outdoor activities. A young person said: ‘A good thing about here is all of the activities I get to do, such as caving, rock-climbing, swimming and horse riding. I am now very active, I have stopped smoking, and I am healthier and happier.’

p.6

Good

Children and young people make progress in respect of their emotional and behavioural development. Work undertaken with them by the home’s therapists help them to start to understand their traumatic histories and experiences, and to develop resilience. In respect of one young person, an equine-assisted therapist advised: ‘Through the use of the ponies as a third person, this young person is now able to express her feelings. I have seen her transform from a very defensive young person into one who is open, and who has developed tolerance of others and empathy. She is so much calmer and happier.’ As a consequence, children and young people are better able to form and maintain positive relationships with others.

p.6

Good

Recent improvements made in relation to the home’s admissions systems help to ensure that children and young people are well matched with each other. Emergency placements are now very cautiously considered and, prior to any new admission, the manager very carefully considers all information available to her, their specific needs and the needs of the children and young people already living in the home. Upon admission, camps are sometimes used as a starting point, to enable children and young people to adapt to the rural location of the home, develop an understanding of the regime of the home and to get to know some of the staff before being fully introduced to the home. Such careful planning helps to maintain stability within the home.

p.7

Good

Children and young people feel listened to. They are consulted about their day-to- day care and feel that staff are genuinely interested in their well-being. Children and young people are also involved in their placement planning. A young person said: ‘Staff are helping me to achieve the goals I have set for myself.’ Such involvement is empowering and motivating. It helps children and young people to feel valued, and provides them with a sense of control over their lives.

p.7

Good

The manager and staff understand how important it is for children and young people to maintain links with their families. Staff work closely with parents and relatives, where appropriate, to help to rebuild relationships. In circumstances where regular contact is not possible, staff and therapists help children and young people to understand the reasons for this. They focus on children’s and young people’s strengths and help them feel proud of who they are. As a result, their confidence, self-esteem and sense of identity improve. A young person said: ‘I have developed respect for myself.’ Judgement grade

p.7

Good

Shortfalls in relation to safeguarding identified at the last interim inspection, which resulted in requirements being set, have been fully addressed. Some staff have been dismissed, and all remaining and new staff have been retrained and refreshed in relation to the home’s safeguarding policies and procedures. As a result, all staff are fully aware of their safeguarding responsibilities, including whistle blowing, and know how to respond should they identify practices in the home which could potentially place a child or young person at risk of harm.

p.8

Good

Children and young people’s sense of safety is promoted as a result of the positive and trusting relationships that they have with staff. A young person commented: ‘This is the best place for me. It feels safe. Staff have stuck by me, no matter what. I can trust them and talk to some of them about anything.’ An emotionally safe environment provides children and young people with a secure base from where they can develop.

p.8

Good

Although there are occasionally tensions and arguments between the children and young people living in the home, there are no instances of bullying. Staff mediate with young people, and reward them when they demonstrate thoughtfulness and understanding for others. This minimises the risk of bullying, and contributes to children’s and young people’s sense of safety.

p.8

Good

A multi-professional approach to how young people are helped and protected is effective. Regular meetings between the care staff, therapists and education staff promote consistency and ensure that placement plans and risk assessments remain relevant as risks and needs change. The risk assessments enable children and young people to enjoy new and exciting experiences, and to take reasonable risks as part of their growth and development without their safety being compromised.

p.8

Good

Despite a number of children and young people living in the home having a significant history of going missing and being assessed as being at risk of sexual exploitation, incidents of missing are rare. A professional said in respect of a young person: ‘Missing has significantly reduced. It has gone from almost daily to hardly ever.’ On the four occasions when children or young people have gone missing since the last inspection, staff have followed individualised missing protocols. The children and young people have been swiftly located and welcomed back home. A family member said: ‘Staff made sure my granddaughter was safe by supervising her closely. If she tried to leave the home, they followed her.’ High levels of supervision and work undertaken in respect of risk and personal safety are preventative and protective factors which increase levels of safety.

p.8

Good

Proactive behaviour management strategies and systems impact positively on children and young people. High levels of praise and rewards, alongside consistent routines and boundaries, have led to incidents of challenging behaviours being reduced and young people displaying more socially acceptable behaviours. A young person commented: ‘I like the routines in the home. I like the praise and rewards and I also actually like the strictness, as I know where I stand.’

p.9

Good

The use of physical intervention is being reduced. This is a testament to the skill of staff in de-escalating challenging behaviours. On the six occasions when physical interventions have been necessary, debriefings with children and young people and staff have followed. However, the records of staff debriefings lack any evidence of the reflection required to inform or improve future practice.

p.9

Good

The home’s location assessment is up to date, and provides information relating the home and resources in the local area. However, the assessment lacks any analysis of the potential risks associated with the extremely rural location of the home. Since individual risk assessments cover the strategies to follow should a child or young person go missing, for example, these do not impact on the safety of children and young people. However, improvements to the location assessment would provide placing authorities with clearer information about the hazards associated with the rural location of the home.

p.9

Good

The registered manager is on target to complete the required management qualification within the timescales stipulated in the Children’s Homes (England) Regulations 2015. She is very committed and enthusiastic, and has provided strong leadership and high levels of support to the staff team to ensure that the shortfalls identified at the last interim inspection have been addressed. Staff, new and old, have undertaken a full induction/re-induction and additional safeguarding training, and have attended team development days. As a result, morale in the home has improved, four requirements have been met, and a newly established and motivated staff team is working consistently and cohesively to meet children’s and young people’s needs to a good standard.

p.9

Good

Staff receive regular formal supervision. This is as well as attending regular team meetings, which include the in-house therapists, and education staff provide the opportunity to discuss practice issues and reflect on the needs of each child or young person. This provides scope for improvements in the delivery of care.

p.10

Good

Training in mandatory and additional areas of practice, such as attachment and trauma, and child sexual exploitation, equips the staff with the skill, knowledge and understanding required to meet the needs of children and young people living in the home. This will be further enhanced by training that is scheduled for the near future in relation to more specific needs, such as autism and emerging issues within residential care such as radicalisation, which have the potential to affect children and young people living in the home. However, records of all training completed lack clarity. This makes it difficult for managers to know with any degree of certainty who has undertaken what additional training and when updates may be required.

p.10

Good

The home’s statement of purpose is up to date. This and the children’s guide are readily available in the home to anyone who wishes to see them in order to understand what services are provided. The documents provide an accurate reflection of the home. The staff and managers are working in line with the aims and objectives stated in these documents.

p.10

Good

Managers and leaders effectively monitor the progress that children and young people make. Data collected on a daily basis in respect of any significant incidents and all aspects of care is incorporated into weekly reports for social workers and parents, and into monthly monitoring /progress reports. Through these systems, the manager is able to demonstrate how much progress children and young people are making, and the impact that living in the home is having on their lives.

p.10

Good

Quality assurance monitoring is effective. Internal and external systems identify strengths and any actions required or recommendations which derive from any shortfalls identified. These are promptly addressed. Both systems take into account the views of children and young people, staff, family members and professionals in order to drive further improvements.

p.10

Good

All staff who are not in their probationary period are either suitably qualified or working towards the required qualifications. However, one experienced member of staff had not completed the course, or attained the qualification, within the timescale stipulated by the ‘Children’s Homes (England) Regulations 2015’. As this member of staff works alongside staff who are qualified, the impact of this is minimised.

p.10

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’.

p.12

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

p.12

What the inspection judgements mean

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

p.12

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.13

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 .

p.13

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.14

Information about this inspection

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

p.14

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.14

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.14