Children's home run by Horizon Care Limited in Cannock Chase

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:

 Young people experience stability from consistent staff who provide them with good support that enables them to make progress from their starting point in the home.  Relationships are built on trust and firm boundaries that give young people a sense of belonging. This allows them to reflect on previous negative behaviours and encourages them to change their ways.  Partnership working is effective. As a result, young people’s health and educational needs are identified and met, and their emotional, social and psychological well-being is addressed.  The home has access to the organisation’s clinical psychologist who visits the home regularly. She provides support to staff in relation to the therapeutic work undertaken with young people.  Young people have carefully assessed and supported contact with their family and friends. This meets the needs of the young people and keeps them in touch with those significant to them who live a long way from the home.

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The children’s home provision is good because:

 Consultation is central to how the home operates. Young people feel listened to and valued, and this increases their self-esteem and strengthens their emotional resilience.  Staff have a clear understanding of any risks associated with young people. Boundaries are distinct, with reward schemes and praise encouraging young people to develop socially acceptable behaviour and self-regulation skills.  Young people are safe in the home and say they feel safe. Staff have the necessary knowledge and skills to identify, respond to and report any abuse to the appropriate authorities.  Incidents of young people being missing from the home have decreased, as have restraint and self-harming behaviour.  The registered manager is supportive and advocates well on young people’s behalf. He leads and supports a team that prioritises the needs of young people well.  Two recommendations are made. These are in relation to young people’s risk

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further the service should take account of the following recommendations:  Staff should continually and actively assess the risks to each child and the arrangements in place to protect them. Where there are safeguarding concerns for a child, their placement plan, agreed between the home and their placing authority, must include details of the steps the home will take to manage any assessed risks on a day to day basis (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 42, paragraph 9.5).  Ensure when a child returns to the home after being missing from care or away from the home without permission, the responsible local authority must provide an opportunity for the child to have an independent return home interview. Homes should take account of information provided by such interviews when assessing risks and putting arrangements in place to protect each child (‘Guide

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Recommendations

to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 45, paragraph 9.30).

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Information about this children's home

 The home is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to three young people who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.  The home is privately owned.  Young people’s range of needs for whom the home intends to provide care include, going missing persistently, exhibit verbal/physical aggression, expose themselves to risk of harm, are victims of abuse, self-harm, are in a cycle of criminal offending, or have poor life skills and are approaching independence as written in the home's statement of purpose  The home has an allocated clinical psychologist who visits twice a month to provide therapeutic input for the young people and care team, as outlined in the home’s statement of purpose. 

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

10 March 2016 Interim Improved effectiveness

p.5

Good

Young people receive individualised support and make good progress from their starting point in the home. The home provides them with a caring environment where staff provide consistency in their lives. Staff listen to them and provide a good level of support. Their previous traumatic experiences are addressed by a child-centred approach and this gives them a sense of permanence and belonging. Comments from professionals and parents include:

p.6

Good

 ‘This is the best placement we could have found as stability has been secured and support towards young people is excellent. I have no issues about the care provided in the home.’ (Social worker)  ‘I have daily telephone contact with the home, and they are very good at providing updates and information to me.’ (Social worker)  ‘My son loves staying where he is and has a good relationship with his key worker.’ (Parent)  ‘They (staff) treat me fantastic and keep me informed and they listen to me. He enjoys living at the home and staff look after him really well.’ (Parent) The atmosphere in the home is supportive and friendly where positive relationships exist between young people and staff who know them well. Staff are nurturing and good role models for the young people. They spend time with them on a daily basis. These positive trusting relationships enable the young people to grow in confidence. Two commented:

p.6

Good

 ‘I like it here. I have no issues with any one.’  ‘I get the support I need, yeh. I’m doing well and we all get on together.’

p.6

Good

Young people have educational placements and regularly attend school. There is effective partnership working with local schools. This enables suitable placements to be sought for young people, prior to or on admission to the home. Staff know how well the young people are achieving and support them to make progress, such as by assisting with homework and attending meetings and parents’ evenings. There is a good selection of educational materials in the home, such as arts and crafts and books.

p.6

Good

Young people’s health needs are met through local services and they regularly attend routine appointments, such as for doctor, dentist and eye examinations. Health assessments and plans are within young people’s case files. This ensures that any need for intervention is actioned by the staff.

p.6

Good

Young people’s emotional, social and psychological well-being is known by staff and they are sensitive to the individual needs of the young people. Any need for intervention is carried out by qualified professionals, such as therapy from the clinical psychologist and local mental health services. Detailed progress reports show the benefit young people receive from these services and their well-being is regularly reviewed.

p.7

Good

Young people are active, have structured daily routines and enjoy a range of activities inside and outside the home. Hobbies and interests are carried on and they enjoy day trips and holiday breaks away with staff. Staff support young people’s local friendships and their friends are welcomed into the home: they are invited to stay for tea and join the young people on days out during school holidays to theme parks. The young people are given the same opportunities that they would receive in a family home.

p.7

Good

Staff support young people to keep in touch with their family and friends. Appropriate arrangements are in place with future dates set for family to visit the home. Young people understand if contact has to be supervised and are transported to and from contact by staff. These arrangements keep young people in touch with the significant people in their lives who may live a considerable distance from the home.

p.7

Good

Young people are regularly consulted and feel they are listened to. They confirm that staff are quick to respond to any questions they raise, and they have confidence and trust in the staff who look after them. They know how to complain and have information about independent organisations and advocacy services. The young people have not made any complaints and confirmed that they are happy with the care and services they are receiving at the home.

p.7

Good

Young people contribute to their review meetings and are aware of the plans for their future. Although they are not old enough for a full independence programme, or ready to move on, they are involved in daily household tasks. Those young people who have moved on from the home were prepared well for independence and supported into their next placement. Judgement grade

p.7

Good

Young people are safe in the home and say they feel safe. Their previous risk- taking behaviour has significantly reduced since they arrived at the home. Safeguarding arrangements are managed well. Staff are trained to recognise or manage potential or actual child protection concerns. This includes self-harm, internet safety, bullying, radicalisation and whistle blowing. Reflective practice and refresher training keep staff up to date with relevant guidance and how to manage risk. Young people say they feel confident to talk to any member of staff about anything, and know they will be listened to.

p.8

Good

Staff responses are prompt when young people take risks, and they know the strategies to follow to reduce and prevent risk. They routinely follow young people should they leave the home without permission. Records are kept showing a chronology of events where staff have liaised with other services and attempted to contact young people and encourage them to return to the home safely.

p.8

Good

Incidents of young people being missing or absent from the home have decreased. This is because staff and young people communicate with each other, staff have checked out addresses that young people frequent and they advise them on how to stay safe as any responsible parent would do.

p.8

Good

The manager is in communication with one of the placing authorities as there are currently no arrangements to provide an opportunity for a young person to have an independent return interview, should they be absent or missing from the home. As a result, a recommendation is made. This is to ensure that the responsible local authority must provide an opportunity for the young person to have an independent return home interview, and that staff should take account of information from such interviews when assessing risks and putting arrangements in place to protect each young person.

p.8

Good

Staff work closely with other professionals and are involved in multi-agency meetings that review risks and agree strategies. Any action agreed is communicated to young people in order for them to understand and keep themselves safe. The police from the safeguarding team confirm that they have no concerns about this home or the young people accommodated.

p.8

Good

Young people’s risk assessments are in the process of being moved from a generic system to one that will be individualised, although this task is incomplete. The home uses a computer recording system, along with printed hard copy records within young people’s files. However, although young people’s risks are understood by staff, any updates made to risk assessments entered onto the computer system are not always routinely printed off and placed in the young people’s case files. As a result, a recommendation is made. This is to ensure that all young people’s risk assessment records provide accurate and up-to-date information and guidance for staff on the management of young people with risk-taking behaviours.

p.8

Good

Young people are involved in agreeing the rules and boundaries in the home and have suggested incentives for the reward scheme that is in place. Young people respond well to these arrangements and as a result restraint is rare, self-harm has stopped and consequences for inappropriate behaviour are minimal.

p.9

Good

Financial rewards for reaching set daily targets are managed well, ensuring that money is put towards young people’s individual activity or something they are saving up to purchase. All staff members are trained in de-escalation and safe restraint techniques. This ensures that should intervention be required, this would be carried out in a safe and consistent manner.

p.9

Good

Improvements have been made in relation to thoroughly assessing referral information and considering how compatible young people will be with each other. The manager feels supported in the decisions he makes about placements. The home has had a vacancy for some time as referrals were considered to be a compatibility risk to other young people. As a result, the home is settled.

p.9

Good

The home has a qualified and experienced registered manager and he is supported by three qualified and experienced senior residential childcare workers. Together they fully prioritise the needs of the young people and support staff to deliver a service to meet the young people’s needs.

p.9

Good

Staff say they feel supported by the management team and receive regular supervision. This provides them with an opportunity to reflect on their current practice and identify future training needs. Key objectives are set and annual appraisals enable the manager to assess individual staff competencies. These arrangements contribute to the quality of care the young people receive in the home. The home is sufficiently staffed to provide care to the young people. Six of the eight staff, including the registered manager, are qualified, having completed their level 3 or higher qualification. Two staff are undertaking their level 3 qualification and will have completed this within the two-year timescale from the time they started work in the home, as required by regulation 32.

p.9

Good

Most staff have worked at this home for a considerable time and all are vetted on a regular basis. There are careful selection and recruitment procedures to ensure that any new permanent or bank staff are vetted before they start work in the home. This is overseen by the manager and prevents any unsuitable people being recruited and having the opportunity to harm young people or place them at risk.

p.10

Good

All visitors are required to show identity and sign in the visitor’s book. They are not left unsupervised with young people. Regular health and safety checks and fire drills take place and all appliances are certified by professional contractors. These arrangements keep young people, staff and visitors safe.

p.10

Good

The management team and staff have a clear understanding of the progress young people have made and are making across all aspects of their development. Detailed plans, which young people contribute to, are in place and show progress from their starting point in the home. Journey files are individual to young people and show their achievements and progress in the home. Young people’s progress is analysed regularly and all achievements are celebrated with them.

p.10

Good

The strengths and weaknesses of the home are known and a clear development plan is in place. Regular monitoring by an independent person and the management team ensures that any shortfalls identified are quickly acted on. Reports from the monitoring carried out focus on how effectively young people are safeguarded and how the home supports young people’s well-being. The independent person confirmed during this inspection that she has no concerns about how the home operates.

p.10

Good

The home is meeting the aims and objectives set out in the statement of purpose. This document provides accurate information to placing authorities and families about the service the home provides and who provides these services. Young people are informed of the services that they can expect to receive in the form of a children’s guide and they are clearly engaged with this document.

p.10

Good

The manager is not afraid to challenge other services and advocates well on behalf of young people. As a result, positive outcomes have been achieved for young people. For example, young people’s education has not drifted, their contact arrangements have improved and the necessary support is in place to safeguard and protect them.

p.10

Good

No requirements or recommendations were made at the last inspection.

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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’. 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 children is safeguarded and promoted. Minimum

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What the inspection judgements mean

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 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 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

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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