Children's home run by Archways Care Limited in Wolverhampton

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:

 Staff have a good understanding of safeguarding and child protection policies and procedures. They work in partnership with other agencies to effectively identity, manage and reduce risks.  Risk-taking behaviours, including going missing from home episodes and self-harm, continue to reduce because young people receive the help and support that they need.  The registered manager and staff work in effective partnership with other agencies and professionals. This ensures that young people have easy access to the services that they need to support their development.  Internal care planning processes ensure that young people recognise and celebrate their achievements and progress. This supports the development of their self-esteem and self-confidence.  Young people grow in self-esteem and self-confidence. They regularly participate in activities that develop their hobbies, interests and interpersonal skills. This supports their emotional resilience.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 Strong monitoring systems are in place to support managers to continually review the quality of care provided by the home. However, young people’s views are not included in service development plans.

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further, the service should take account of the following recommendation:

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Recommendations

 Ensure that children are regularly consulted with on their views about the home's care, to inform and support continued improvement in the quality of care provided. Due consideration should be given to the child's cognitive ability in the development and implementation of any consultation processes. Children should be able to see the results of their views being listened to and acted upon. This specifically relates to reflecting consultation in the home's development plan ('Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards', page 22, paragraph 4.11).

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Information about this children's home

The home provides care and accommodation for up to four young people with emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. It is owned and operated by a private organisation.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

p.5

Recent inspection history

26 February 2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness

p.5

Recent inspection history

9 June 2014 Interim Improved effectiveness

p.5

Good

Young people are purposefully engaged in appropriate educational outcomes. This is an improvement since the inspection in February 2016. For some young people, attendance can be occasionally sporadic but they are always supported with maintaining their routines and afforded help and support when needed. There has been demonstrable progress for all young people. College courses have been applied for and places confirmed, exams are being taken and young people have also secured part-time employment. The staff team model a commitment to enabling young people to succeed. A young person commented that ‘I feel ready for the real world’. This is further underpinned by effective care planning, centred on the views and needs of young people. All care plans are closely adhered to and regularly updated to reflect progress. Where concerns arise, they are swiftly resolved through excellent partnership working with involved professionals.

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Good

Comments from teachers reflect the progress being made, ‘the young person has really settled down and is doing well. We are pleased with progresses and ‘the young person has done exceptionally well’.

p.6

Good

Young people are encouraged to develop and maintain healthy lifestyles. Exercise and an active way of living are keenly promoted. Young people enjoy making use of the local leisure facilities including fitness suites, ice skating and the local countryside. In turn, young people have made marked progress with improving their self-esteem, confidence and general fitness. This has, in some cases, led to a significant reduction with substance misuse and challenging behaviour. A young person commented that ‘I do appreciate the home’. Furthermore, comments from young people demonstrate their awareness of the good progress that they are making ‘two years ago, I never thought I would be in education and succeeding’ and ‘I am a lot more settled. I feel free, content, happy with me. I have found myself.’

p.6

Good

A key strength of the home is the relationships between staff and young people. There is clear mutual respect and genuine warmth in the home. A young person commented that, ‘It is a kind home. Staff are nice, they will bend over backwards for you. They will help you when you need it.’ Staff and young people spend time in the home and it is evident that there is a harmonious and familial atmosphere. There is also a very real sense of young people having ownership and responsibility for decisions in the home. Meals are chosen by young people and young people are encouraged to cook for the whole house. Young people enjoy spending time with staff around the dinner table, taking time to discuss their days, plans and any concerns. This is reinforced by regular link work sessions with staff and house meetings.

p.6

Good

The home is appropriately decorated and, on the whole, well presented. Some recent damage to the interior of the home is in the process of being repaired. The registered manager is ensuring that remedial work is underway and staff are working hard to make the home more aesthetically pleasing. Young people are afforded ample communal space to relax, chat to staff and engage in their individual hobbies and interests. This is further enhanced through a converted garage that serves as additional space for young people.

p.7

Good

The staff team encourages young people for the next stage of their lives while enabling young people to enjoy their adolescence. This results in young people developing their key skills in budgeting, cooking, cleaning and wider awareness of the responsibilities of independence. Where applicable, those young people approaching adulthood benefit from bespoke plans to further equip them for their next placements. As a result, young people feel ready for moving on and do so in a planned and appropriate manner.

p.7

Good

The home provides a safe environment for young people.

p.7

Good

The registered manager maintains links with the local police and regularly discusses the needs and vulnerabilities of young people in the home. Since the last inspection, there have been no occasions of young people going missing. Similarly, there have been no serious incidents requiring notification to Ofsted. The registered manager ensures that all staff working in the home know how to respond should significant events occur. This also extends to potential risks that young people may face. For example, all staff are trained and aware of potential indicators of child sexual exploitation and radicalisation. As such, staff are alert to behavioural changes and know how to raise concerns should they arise. Young people are involved in discussing how their safety is managed. Regular discussions with staff underpin their safety and when changes to risk management plans are needed, they are discussed with young people. This supports young people’s

p.7

Good

understanding of danger and reduces tension between young people and staff. Young people understand that staff care about them and want them to succeed, stay safe and not come to harm.

p.7

Good

There is a good understanding of risk and how this is best managed. The registered manager is proactive in ensuring that the environment is safe and appropriately maintained. Fire safety is promoted in the home and young people know how to react should an emergency arise. Regular drills reinforce this knowledge and all required checks are up to date. Similarly, staff maintain a diligent approach to safely maintaining the environment. Where defects are noted, they are swiftly resolved. This promotes a sense of pride in the home and encourages young people to respect their surroundings.

p.7

Good

Restraint is rarely used and only where absolutely necessary. All staff are appropriately trained and skilled in the home’s chosen method of physical intervention. Since the last inspection, no physical interventions have occurred with young people. Sanctions are similarly rare; there has been one since the last inspection. This was appropriately given for the purposes of promoting socially acceptable behaviour. The use of rewards far outweighs the use of sanctions. As a result, there is an emphasis on recognising, and on occasions, rewarding positive behaviour. This supports young people’s understanding of managing their frustrations and emotions. In turn, incidents of challenging behaviour are declining and young people are developing their maturity and readiness for adulthood. This is effectively underpinned by a supportive atmosphere in the home where young people are able to share their feelings with a trusted staff team.

p.8

Outstanding

This home was last inspected in February 2016 and was judged to have sustained effectiveness. Two recommendations, relating to location risk assessment and promoting education were made.

p.8

Outstanding

The registered manager has ensured appropriate actions have been taken to meet the previous recommendations. The home’s location assessment is comprehensive and more detailed. A range of assessment criteria have been utilised including views from a wide multi-disciplinary field. This results in a detailed assessment that clearly defines the opportunities, and risk factors, that the local environment presents. Similarly, improvements have been made to education. There is a tenacious approach to ensuring that young people are encouraged to source, and maintain, educational opportunities. This is further enhanced though staff’s efforts in helping young people to find, and maintain, part-time work.

p.8

Outstanding

The home has two staffing vacancies and efforts are underway to bring the staffing levels back to the home’s full complement. In the meantime, existing staff are covering vacant posts and familiar bank staff are used. This supports young people’s attachments as a small team of staff is providing consistent care. Staff recruitment is robust and all staff are subject to strict vetting prior to their employment starting. A thorough induction process ensures that new staff are supported in learning the home’s routines and expectations. The registered manager oversees staff recruitment and consults with young people about their experiences. This also extends to reviewing new admissions to the home. Young people’s views are keenly sought about other young people being placed in the home.

p.8

Outstanding

The registered manager is experienced, qualified to a suitable level, skilled and highly effective. Young people live in a home that is very well managed. There are clear plans for further developing the home. These include realistic targets and achievable timescales. However, the home’s development plan lacks any direct and demonstrable input from young people. Consequentially, there is the potential for young people’s views and ideas to have little influence in the home’s current development plan. There is, to date, no demonstrable impact on young people’s outcomes as a result of this aspect of practice.

p.9

Outstanding

The statement of purpose is clear, detailed and, in places, innovative. This is because the required elements of this document have been translated into specific targets for the home. As a result, the statement of purpose gives a clear sense of what the home is trying to achieve. Furthermore, young people, parents, carers and placing services are able to relate the home’s offerings to the needs of those interested in the service. This transparent approach is reflected in the running of the home. Staff are involved in decision making and empowered to effect change. The settled staff team work well together and share a common vision for improving young people’s lives. This is effectively underpinned by effective training and supervision that is regularly delivered to all staff in the home. Staff are current in their skills and knowledge and the organisation ensures that refresher courses are booked and attended. The staff team is appropriately qualified and provides

p.9

Outstanding

The registered manager employs a range of diverse and creative approaches to further improving the service. For example, the registered manager has developed a forum for social care providers and the police to meet and discuss risks, intelligence and any concerns. This ensures that management oversight extends beyond the home and encompasses wider intelligence from within the sector. As a result, the safety of young people is further assured and any identified risks are shared with a wider professional group.

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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 that 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

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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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