Children's home run by Dame Hannah Roger‟s School

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:

 This home conveys a real sense of a developing service, ambitious to introduce further improvements that will benefit children and young people.  The newly registered manager is dynamic and effective. She has an excellent working relationship with the lead nurse. Together, they have successfully striven to introduce and embed many developments in systems, procedures and practices. The responsible individual is very involved in the home and provides excellent support. Along with a newly appointed deputy, the senior team meets regularly to review the quality of the provision and to identify where further improvements can be implemented.  The home provides excellent flexibility. Children and young people benefit from living, or having extended stays and regular short breaks, at this setting. They enjoy nurturing, sensitive and highly personalised care that meets their diverse and complex needs. Children and young people

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The children's home provision is good because:

enjoy their experiences, which enhance their lives. They have opportunities to mix with peers and to participate in a wide range of activities, both at home and in the community, which support their enjoyment and learning.  The manager and staff work very effectively with parents, social workers and health professionals. They feel confident in the service and feel that the home has an inclusive approach. One parent described the service as ‘absolutely fantastic’, adding ‘I really cannot fault it’. Another parent described how effective and considerate staff had been in preparing her daughter to move on to adult services. A social worker was particularly complimentary about the ‘invaluable support’ that the staff had provided during a young person’s extended hospital stay.  During this inspection, one requirement and one recommendation were made. The independent visitor’s report must be more explicit about their

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The children's home provision is good because:

opinion as to whether children and young people are appropriately safeguarded. The inspector also suggested ways to improve the homeliness of the physical environment further. Shortfalls in some staff not achieving a level 3 diploma within the expected two-year timescale are being positively addressed by the registered manager.

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions which must be taken so that the registered persons meet the Care Standards Act 2000, Children's Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the ‘Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards’. The registered persons must comply within the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

44: Independent person: The registered person must ensure that an independent person visits the children's home at least once each month. The Independent Person must produce a report about a visit, which sets out, in particular, the Independent Person's opinion as to whether children are effectively safeguarded and the conduct of the home promotes children's well-being. (Regulation 44(1)(4)(a)(b)) 30 June 2016

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further, the service should take account of the following recommendation:  For children's homes to be nurturing and supportive environments that meet the needs of their children, they will, in most cases, be homely, domestic environments. Children's homes must comply with relevant health and safety legislation; however, in doing so, homes should seek as far as possible to maintain a domestic rather than institutional impression ‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9).

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Information about this children's home

his children’s home provides long-term care and accommodation, extended stays and short breaks for up to 15 children and young people with leaning and physical disabilities. The provision is operated by a charitable trust. Education is also available on site.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

24 February 2016 Interim Improved effectiveness

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Recent inspection history

24 February 2015 Interim Declined in effectiveness

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Good

Children and young people enjoy positive experiences at this home, which contribute to their progress. Often, their achievements and progress exceed expectations. A health professional said that a child under her care has ‘demonstrated significant development due to the level of stimulation he gets’, while visiting for regular short breaks. She added that the home provides a ‘lifeline’ in supporting individual families to stay together as families. Staff are particularly effective in communicating with children and young people. The therapy team ensures that children and young people are assessed and provided with bespoke communication aids, from simple cue cards to a range of electronic devices. In this way, staff are able to include children and young people in decision-making and to share meaningful conversation and banter. One parent explained how beneficial being able to include photographs on her daughter’s

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Good

tablet had been in providing opportunities for discussion and catch up. Staff demonstrate a strong and positive regard for the children and young people in their care. Relationships are excellent. Observations of staff working with children on a one-to-one basis showed how attuned staff are to each individual. A social worker also commented that on her visits to the home she had observed ‘really intensive interactions and fantastic communication’ between staff and young people. The health needs of children and young people are given very good attention. The home provides a qualified nurse on each shift. The nurses have access to a wide range of external specialist support, which is used effectively to cascade understanding and training to the whole staff team. For example, staff are provided with training in key areas of care such as feeding and epilepsy, and their competence is assessed and verified before they can take responsibility in this

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Good

area. The arrangements for managing medication are safe and effective. Considerable time and effort have been put in place to improve systems, procedures and protocols. Staff feel confident that their working practices are increasingly thorough and safe. Regular audits quickly identify if minor errors have been made, and a thorough approach is taken to find the reason why, and to reflect on how further improvements can be implemented. The physical environment of the home is spacious and suitably equipped. Good access is provided throughout and into the extensive grounds, which include a large patio area and sensory garden. Staff have worked hard to provide an attractive and child-friendly home. Young people’s identity and accomplishments are celebrated in the lovely displays of photographs and artwork. All this helps to mitigate what is an older-style, institutional layout. The discrete storage of disposable gloves and aprons and a better design of the entrance would further

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Good

enhance its child-friendly and homely appearance.

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Good

The staff team has appropriate safeguarding training and demonstrates a good understanding of the particular vulnerabilities of children and young people who have disabilities. Staff have an excellent insight into each young person’s diverse and complex needs. They understand how to report any concerns and are instructed to be transparent and thorough in their actions to protect the children and young people in their care. Thorough assessment and planning take place when a new child or young person is admitted or leaves the home. Very careful attention is given to known vulnerabilities and likely impact. A clear assessment of their needs, with strong partnership working with parents, social workers and health professionals ensures that the needs of individual children and young people are met and that they are protected from harm. Parents and professional alike commented that they felt that children and young people are safe at this home.

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Good

Each child and young person has a detailed plan of care that is highly personalised and informative. These include, for example, information about feeding regimes and bed rest along with detailed nursing risk assessments. The detail in these records informs staff of the quality of care required to keep children and young people healthy and safe. Personal care needs are met sensitively. Very good attention is given to small details, for example, to ensuring that staff understand fully the importance of washing and drying behind someone’s ears so that they do not feel uncomfortable or become sore. As well as thorough staff handovers, a system is in place in care files to notify staff of any changes to the care to be provided. Positive behaviour is consistently promoted. Children and young people are treated with dignity and respect, and staff enable them to form positive attachments that indicate that they feel safe. Discriminatory obstacles are challenged by staff who

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Good

advocate strongly for the children and young people in their care. No physical interventions have been carried out within the home for two years. There have been no missing-from-care incidents and sanctions are not used. Staff recruitment procedures are thorough and prevent unsuitable staff from being appointed. Thorough checks take place including verification of references, which the manager intends to formalise more clearly as part of the evidence trail. The home provides a safe and secure physical environment. The extensive range of equipment, such as hoists and adapted baths and beds, are regularly checked and serviced. Personal medical equipment used by individual children and young people is checked by each member of staff as they start working with the individual, and the nurse on duty provides overall oversight. Fire safety procedures are carried out with regular testing of alarms and practice drills. A fire risk

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Good

assessment is in place, along with personal evacuation plans.

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Good

The registered manager is ambitious and effective in her management of this children’s home. Since being in post, she has made many improvements and continues to strive to develop the service to benefit children and young people. The manager and the lead nurse have an excellent working partnership. They have a mutual respect and feel that their different backgrounds and skills complement each other. The recent appointment of a deputy adds further support to the senior structure. The responsible individual is closely involved in the service and has supported the improvements that have taken place. There have been some further changes in staffing since the last inspection, but it is felt that the staff team is now settling down. The induction programme for new staff has been reviewed and improved. New staff participate in a three-day training course, followed by extensive shadow shifts. One new starter advised that he had

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Good

completed three weeks of shadow shifts and had felt ‘really supported and confident to do a good job’. All staff have to complete a wide range of competency-based assessments on the tasks that they are expected to complete. Staff are only signed off when their competency is assured. Any subsequent concerns result in the member of staff having to complete another assessment successfully before resuming the task. Positive comments were received about the provision of ongoing training, along with the regular practice-related supervision that is in place. The lead nurse has external clinical supervision and takes responsibility for providing supervision to the nursing team. The registered manager has a level 4 qualification and is currently completing a level 5 diploma in leadership and management for residential childcare. Nearly two thirds of the staff team have a level 3 qualification and nine staff members are

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Good

currently completing it. The registered manager is aware of the requirement that all care staff achieve this professional qualification within a two-year timescale and has taken decisive action to address this shortfall. The registered manager has high aspirations to improve the service further and responds thoroughly to any complaints. Action is taken to respond positively to the specific concerns raised, as well as to learn from these more widely, and to improve the quality of the service for all children and young people. For example, as a result of a recent complaint the staff team now has a very detailed list of all adapted toilet and changing facilities close to their favoured outings. This useful information has also been shared with parents. The independent visitor undertakes a thorough visit each month. The subsequent report is valued by the manager, and action is taken to respond to any shortfalls.

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Good

The report, while detailed, does not explicitly state the visitor’s opinion as to whether children are effectively safeguarded and whether the conduct of the home promotes their well-being. The manager has recently reviewed and updated the home’s development plan, which now includes aspirations relating to children and young people. The manager’s review of quality is comprehensive and evaluative, reflecting her understanding of the home’s performance and future targets.

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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 children looked after 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 that 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 whom 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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