Children's Home run by Durham County Council in Durham

Outstanding

The children's home provides highly effective services that consistently exceed the standards of good. The actions of the home contribute to significantly improved outcomes for children and young people who need help, protection and care.

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The children's home provision is outstanding because:

 The leadership and management of the home are very strong. The registered manager is experienced, skilled, confident and ambitious for the children and young people. He has a positive approach to the work and trusts and empowers his staff to work in the same manner. The senior staff team is also experienced and highly motivated, and is able to work to very high standards to provide excellent-quality care.  Communication in the staff team is excellent. The staff are highly motivated to provide consistent care for the children and young people and spend a great deal of time ensuring that all information is shared and that care planning is always good. Staff understand that attention to detail is vital and they are able to provide highly individualised care for all the children and young people.  The children and young people have excellent relationships with the staff. Staff are open, honest and clear about what they expect of the children and

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The children's home provision is outstanding because:

young people. Staff not only provide a relaxed and nurturing environment, but they also provide clear and appropriate expectations and boundaries.  Family contact is given a high priority by the staff team. Children and young people are supported to improve contact with their families when possible. The children and young people are also supported to develop friends in the community by taking part in a wide range of activities and organised events and clubs.  All the children and young people are now doing well at school or college. Their attendance is good and they are achieving well. Staff offer a great deal of support to help to maintain these placements when there are difficulties, and the children and young people benefit greatly from this effort.  The children and young people are kept safe at this home. Staff understand risk and plan well to minimise risks. One older young person has gone missing in the past, and staff have worked well with this young person, their

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The children's home provision is outstanding because:

family and friends and the police to keep them as safe as possible. Other than these incidents, there are very few concerning incidents at this home.

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Information about this children's home

The home is run by a local authority and is registered for the care and accommodation of up to five children with emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

17 February 2016 Interim Improved effectiveness

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Recent inspection history

25 March 2015 Interim Improved effectiveness

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Outstanding

In the statement of purpose for the home, it is stated that staff are committed to go the extra mile and put the child at the centre of everything that they do. This certainly describes the approach of the staff team to the work that they do. The children and young people receive very well planned individualised care, which is characterised by attention to detail and by staff being ambitious, motivated and enthusiastic about what they are doing. The children and young people are able to build strong, trusting relationships with staff. Staff provide honesty and openness and give children and young people clear expectations as well as attentive care. The home has a relaxed atmosphere, and there is a good deal of laughter and light-heartedness, but children and young people know that they can spend time with staff when they want to discuss more serious or difficult issues. When the inspector asked one of the young people about

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Outstanding

what was best about the home, they simply said, ‘the staff’. There are clear placement plans in place for all children and young people, and key-work is carried out to support these plans. The day-to-day planning is excellent. When staff hand over to other staff coming on duty, the handover is very thorough and very detailed, and this means that all the small day-to-day issues that are often so important are dealt with in a thorough and unhurried way. This, perhaps, sums up the approach that staff have. After finishing their duties, staff do not rush home. They take time to ensure that the staff coming on duty have full information. Communication in the staff team is excellent and demonstrates their commitment and motivation. The children and young people are involved in all aspects of their care. They contribute to their own planning and assessing their own risks as well as having a say in all the day-to-day running of the home.

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Outstanding

The children and young people make good or very good progress at this home. Two older young people have recently left and moved on to semi-independent living situations. Both had work placements and training placements arranged before they left and both had been prepared well for the move. One of these young people continues to make very good progress by attending his work placement where he is happy and where he will get further work opportunities. The other young person is less settled and is undecided about future work, but they do have part-time work and a secure living situation. The staff have recently admitted a child to the home. There was concern that this admission was likely to be particularly fraught as the child’s situation and history are complex and concerning. However, both the previous foster carer and the placing social worker have said that staff took over the admission. They visited the

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Outstanding

child a number of times and arranged visits to the home in such a caring and considered way that, in fact, the admission went extremely well and the child appears to have settled well, straight away. Again, child-centred planning, attention to detail and an unhurried, open and honest approach have meant that the experience for the child has been very good. All the children and young people go to school or college and all attend well. Most are making very good progress at school and there is clear evidence that they are achieving at or beyond their predicted grades. Most of the children and young people visit outside professionals for specialist help with particular areas of difficulty, and this complements the staff effort well. The health of all the children and young people is also well cared for with appointments being kept up to date and treatment being accessed as required. Staff take great care about the administration of medication and are particularly thorough here.

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Outstanding

The staff are particularly strong in supporting children and young people with keeping in contact with their families. Several of the children and young people have improved relationships with their families, and one young person has greatly improved relationships due to staff support and encouragement. Parents spoken to by the inspector were glowing about staff efforts. One parent said that the work done by staff was, ‘unbelievable’. The foster carer of one recently admitted child said that the home was, ‘warm and lovely’, and that she, ‘couldn’t be happier’ with the care being offered. Placing social workers and independent reviewing officers that were contacted were equally glowing. One social worker spoken to said that they were really impressed and that staff were really creative in their approach. An independent reviewing officer said that the young person they were responsible for had told them how happy and settled he

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Outstanding

was in this placement. Certainly, the atmosphere in the home is warm and relaxed. Children and young people are encouraged to take part in a range of activities and leisure pursuits. Staff have built a large shed in the garden for storing and maintaining bikes, as this is a popular activity. Staff and children and young people continue to organise and to take part in long-distance bike rides to raise money for charities close to their hearts. One child was growing strawberries in the back garden and was interested in this. Other young people take part in a wide range of activities including swimming, fishing and baking and a number of the young people regularly attend the Children in Care Council in order to have their say about their lives and situations. This is all positive and helps to build confidence and self-esteem. Children and young people are well prepared for independence and equally importantly are supported after they have left. Staff continue to be involved in the

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Outstanding

lives of a number of young people who have moved on, and many young people pop back on a regular basis to touch base. During the inspection, one young person who has recently left popped in to sort out an issue. They were offered a bacon sandwich and a cup of tea, and staff sorted the issue with them.

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Good

The children and young people at this home are kept safe. The staff have a clear understanding of risk and work to minimise any risks in innovative ways. One young person who had a history of being a risk to others has worked well with staff and external professionals and is now described as, ‘low risk’, having completed this work. One older young person who has recently left had a history of frequently going missing from home, and this has been a difficult situation for the staff and local police to deal with. This young person is local and has an extensive network of friends and family with whom he is able to spend time. The staff took time to meet and make relationships with many of these friends and family and so were able to keep track of where the young person was most of the time. This helped to keep the young person safe and was a creative way of working with a difficult situation. Otherwise, missing from home is not currently an issue for any child or young

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Good

person at this home. There have been no safeguarding incidents, no concerns about child sexual exploitation, no bullying and no complaints made. The staff use sanctions occasionally, but this is only done when it is targeted at a specific issue and it works. The staff have very clear expectations of the children and young people and put in clear boundaries. These are negotiated or imposed as required. The inspector observed one senior member of staff skilfully discussing risks and boundaries with a newly admitted child, which resulted in the child being completely happy that they not only know what is expected and allowed to do, but also happy that this is fair at the present time. The children and young people clearly feel safe at this home, and several young people spoken to said that there was no bullying and that staff dealt with any issues well. The home is well maintained and free from any health and safety hazards.

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leaders and managers

The registered manager is highly experienced and very well qualified. He has been in post for a considerable time. He has developed a strong team of staff who are able to work well as a team and under their own initiative. The manager delegates responsibility well to his senior team members who are particularly strong and they in turn can support and encourage other staff. The registered manager is able to stand back and take an overview and he monitors the home and the work well. However, he is also closely involved with the details of everyday work and has excellent relationships with all the children and young people. This balance is hard to achieve, but the registered manager does this well. He retains close links with the local university and arranges for postgraduate social work students to have their long placements at the home. This not only provides fresh ideas and allows for a continued input of research and academic perspectives

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leaders and managers

into the staff team, but also gives the students an excellent grounding in residential care. These students use the placement to complete a piece of research for their course and this is available for staff. The inspector read a recent study about the issue of identity of children and young people looked after, and the current student was looking at the issue of resilience. Staff are keen to learn and value the input of these students and to do their own research. One senior member of staff had recently produced a dissertation on ideas associated with ‘staying put’. During the inspection, it was apparent that one child had asked to be christened. It was clear that the child did not really understand what they were asking for, but that this was in some way very important to them. Staff took this very seriously and spent considerable time thinking around this subject and about how they could approach the issues involved. This was an excellent discussion and demonstrated

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leaders and managers

very well the awareness that they have of issues of equality and diversity as well of religion and faith, and the knowledge that they have of the topics. The inspector was left feeling confident that this child’s needs in respect of this request would be dealt with thoroughly and sensitively. The home’s statement of purpose is accurate, and staff meet the aims and objectives contained in this document. The registered manager has very good professional relationships with external workers and agencies and uses these well to ensure that the children and young people get the best service. He is certainly able to challenge others when this is required. He worked closely with the police when one young person was missing and has been able to move this young person to more appropriate semi- independent accommodation, in a balanced and reasonable way. One independent reviewing officer described the way in which the registered manager was ‘fighting

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leaders and managers

the corner’ of a young person in order to get the best services for him to move on to. The staff say that the manager is very supportive. The staff receive regular supervision and appraisals, and these are detailed and comprehensive in their range of discussion and content. All the staff are appropriately qualified and all update their training regularly, as required. The registered manager and his senior team clearly prioritise the needs of the children and young people. They take the lead on ensuring detailed planning and excellent communication, and are excellent role models by being unhurried, caring and enthusiastic in their work. The registered manager continually looks for improvement, and is organised about planning this. He is able to continue to develop the service. Recently, the home has been nominated for a prestigious national award, and it will undoubtedly stand an excellent chance of success.

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leaders and managers

There were no requirements or recommendations from the last inspection, and none was made at this 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’.

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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 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 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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