Children's Home run by Radical Services Limited in Westmorland and Furness

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 improved effectiveness .

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The home continues to be effectively led and managed by an experienced registered manager. He works closely with his staff team to ensure that the home provides a consistently nurturing and supportive environment for the young person who lives there. The registered manager and staff team share a thorough knowledge and understanding of the young person’s history and needs. This reflects the quality and quantity of information that they have gathered to promote effective care planning, ensuring that the young person achieves good outcomes.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

At the last full inspection of the home in December 2015, one requirement and two recommendations were made. These have all been suitably addressed. The home has strengthened its monitoring arrangements, internally and externally, to ensure that quality assurance processes are more robust to inform development planning and continuous improvement within the home. Reports from a new independent visitor demonstrate improved scrutiny of the home’s operation. The registered manager’s six-monthly review of monitoring activity is not yet due, but he has identified particular themes arising from good evaluation of his monitoring activity that will inform his report to Ofsted.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

In addition, the home’s practice has improved in specifically addressing those occasions when a young person returns to the home following a period of being missing. There has been one recent occurrence since the last inspection, and this was managed effectively by the home. This resulted in the young person returning quickly, safe and well. The registered manager was proactive to ensure that, in addition to his own discussion with the young person, a return interview was conducted by a person independent of the home. This means that young people have a good opportunity to raise concerns that they may not feel able to discuss with either staff or the registered manager. This further supports young people’s safety and well-being.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Since the last inspection, one young person has successfully moved on from the home to a new placement closer to his home area. Staff provided good support to ensure that the young person was able to make a smooth transition that would enable him to settle quickly into his new home environment. Staff were equally supportive in facilitating another young person’s move into the home, participating in introductory meetings and facilitating a visit to the home prior to his move. This enabled him to learn more about the home’s expectations of him and what he could expect of the home. These arrangements were effective in helping him to settle quickly into the home, feeling safe and appropriately secure in his new home environment.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff warmly welcome young people when they arrive at the home. They demonstrate considerable care, empathy and acceptance to engage young people’s trust and respect. Consequently, the young person recently admitted that he feels happy and well supported, and identifies this as a place where he is safe and well cared for. He recognises the early impact that living in this home is having, identifying a significant reduction in risk-taking behaviours such as running away and being involved criminal activity. The young person said, ‘My last home was outstanding. This is a hundred million times better. Staff are really good.’

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff consistently work well as a team, critically evaluating the progress being made to help the young person to achieve his goals. They encourage the young person to participate fully in his planning, enabling him to have his voice heard and to invest in what the home has to offer. This approach is successful in securing placement stability and commitment from the young person to engage successfully in his care plan.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff encourage regular school attendance and actively support the young person’s learning, both in school and in the community. They encourage the young person to engage in a range of activities that extend his knowledge and skills, ultimately to promote his independence. These include home study to support curriculum education, games and trips out that improve his general knowledge, and other tasks, including budgeting, shopping and cooking, that will give him the necessary practical skills to live independently.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff encourage healthy eating and young people’s interests in active sports to improve their health and well-being. The young person enjoys playing football and has already joined a local team. This successfully enables him to socialise, making friendships with a positive peer group. It also supports his growth in confidence and development of positive self-esteem.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The home has achieved good working partnerships with parents and a range of professionals concerned with the care of young people who live in this home. The home successfully draws on their experience and expertise to ensure that young people in their care receive the optimum support and attention that they require to meet their needs.

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Information about this children's home

 The home is registered to provide for one child.  It is one of several homes owned by a private company.  It provides care and accommodation for children with emotional and behavioural difficulties (EBD).

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

11/03/2015 Interim Improved effectiveness

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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.

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Information about this inspection

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 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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