Children's home run by Key Change Children’s Service Limited in Westmorland and Furness

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

This service was judged outstanding at the full inspection. At this interim inspection, Ofsted judges that it has improved effectiveness . The judgement of improved effectiveness at this inspection reflects the growing strength of the leadership and management in providing this mobile service. This clearly has a significant impact on the progress that young people make from their starting points and, for many, the ability to move forward successfully to achieve longer-term stability in future placements. The registered manager demonstrates a thorough knowledge of the young people in his care. He works in close partnership with placing authorities, parents and other professionals, to ensure that young people are effectively supported by high- quality placement planning and well-structured activity programmes. Staff provide a caring and nurturing environment, that encourages young people to feel safe and

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

well supported to explore their behaviours and issues that cause concern. Placing authorities speak highly of the service and the progress that young people make. One social worker said, ‘The placement has been excellent for this young person. It has given him intense involvement with adults and it is notable how he has improved his skills in talking to adults. He now opens up and talks at a deeper level rather than giving token answers.’ Another social worker spoke of a ‘marked improvement’ in the young person whom she had placed. Young people continue to enjoy the bespoke nature of care and support that this service can offer. Generally, they are placed at a crisis point in their lives when traditional residential settings struggle to make a significant impact on reducing their challenging and risk-taking behaviours that have compromised their safety. For some, this includes frequent and prolonged episodes of being missing, misuse

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

of illegal drugs and extensive criminal activity. The home demonstrates a good track record of success in reducing such behaviours and encouraging young people to channel their energy into more socially acceptable, adventurous activities that enable them to develop a good understanding of risk and how to manage it. This mobile service extensively utilises the flexibility that it has to support young people in a variety of safe and sometimes remote locations. Staff create a relaxed and friendly environment that is successful in encouraging young people to engage and to contribute to a programme of activity that serves as a learning platform. Young people enjoy a wide range of challenging and exciting activities that include camping, canoeing, kayaking, climbing, mountain biking and farming-related tasks. Young people also have good opportunities to learn and to develop domestic skills, such as cooking and baking. These shared experiences prove valuable in

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

developing young people’s independence, resilience and trust in adults. As a result, young people generally make tremendous progress in developing confidence and positive self-esteem. A social worker commented, ‘The placement has built positive interests for him, especially around mountain biking, that he can take on to future placements.’ The service engages well with young people’s families, communicating regularly to make sure that they are kept up to date with their young person’s progress. Staff successfully support contact arrangements, regardless of the distance involved, to ensure that young people maintain and build on those relationships that are important to them. A social worker noted, ‘With family contact, staff have tried to involve parents where they can with the activities the young person is doing and have worked well to establish good relationships.’ Two recommendations resulted from the last full inspection of the service in

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

November 2015. These have been successfully addressed. As a result, the registered manager is achieving more detailed and higher quality evaluation from the findings of his monitoring activity, and this is being used to support the home’s continuous development and improvement planning. Additionally, more effective recording of fire evacuation drills has been achieved. This improves fire safety on the narrow boat in particular, enabling the registered manager to have good oversight of the drills success and the ability to take action if required to improve young people’s safety. The service has recently achieved one particularly successful transition to another residential home operated by the provider. The young person has benefited from well-structured planning that has enabled him time to explore and to be suitably introduced and settled into his new placement. A social worker commented, ‘The assessment report has been very beneficial in highlighting the young person’s

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

longer-term needs and in identifying the next placement, and the staff have been good in organising the transition.’

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Information about this children's home

 The service is a mobile programme provided by a private company.  It is registered to provide care and accommodation in separate locations for up to three young people, aged between eight and 17 years old.  It is registered to care for young people with emotional or behavioural difficulties.  It can offer emergency placements and must ensure that placements do not exceed 120 days.   The service is required to keep Ofsted advised of all children and young people in placement and of their locations and to ensure that those locations are suitably risk assessed.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

25/03/2015 Interim Sustained effectiveness

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Recent inspection history

03/03/2014 Interim Satisfactory Progress

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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 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 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 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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