Children's home run by Quantum Care UK Limited in North Northamptonshire

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 is a good home with a number of outstanding features. Young people are very happy and settled in the home. They thrive in a nurturing environment and most young people make very good progress given their starting points.  The home is well managed and staff are committed to improving the lives of young people.  Staff are skilled in supporting young people to manage, change and take responsibility for their risk-taking behaviours. As a result, young people become safer and they are better prepared for adulthood.  The voice of the child is very strong and is at the centre of decision making. Young people feel listened to, which helps them to feel safe and valued.  Education, training and employment are top priorities. Young people access education based on their individual needs and they make significant academic progress during their time at the home.  Recruitment practices are robust. Young people are actively involved in

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The children's home provision is good because:

recruiting new staff.  Partnership working is good, which helps to ensure that young people’s needs are met holistically.  Two recommendations have been made regarding updating, signing and dating records and the completion of compatibility risk assessments for the admission of new young people.

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further, the service should take account of the following recommendations:

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Recommendations

 The registered person should only accept placements for children where they are satisfied that the home can respond effectively to the child’s assessed needs as recorded in the child’s relevant plans and where they have fully considered the impact that the placement will have on the existing group of children. This is with specific reference to ensuring that compatibility risk assessments always include details of potential risks posed to all children (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 56, paragraph 11.4).  Ensure that children’s case records are kept up to date and signed and dated by the author of each entry (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.3).

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Information about this children's home

This children’s home is part of a large organisation operated by a private company. The home provides care for up to six children and young people with emotional and behavioural difficulties.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

17 March 2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness

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Recent inspection history

4 September 2014 Interim Improved effectiveness

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Good

Young people benefit from positive relationships with staff, who they trust, feel safe with, and have a lot of fun with. A young person commented, ‘The staff care and they let you build up the trust so you are able to do everything a child not in care would be able to do.’ Young people are very happy and settled in the home. Two young people have chosen to remain in the home until they are 18 years old rather than move back to their family homes or go into foster care. Admission practices are generally good. Young people receive an individualised welcome pack, which gives them information about the home’s routines and what they can expect. This helps them to settle in. The registered manager uses the referral information to complete a compatibility risk assessment to ensure that the admission of a new young person does not have a negative impact on the existing group. However, the compatibility risk assessments do

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Good

not always give sufficient information of potential risks posed. The registered manager has learned from the recent admission of a young person when the referral information did not include information about all behaviours. The registered manager has now updated her admission procedures to ensure that she is able to obtain full and accurate information about young people’s needs and behaviours. Young people receive a very good standard of individualised care because staff have an in depth knowledge of their needs and understand them. Care plans, risk assessments and associated care records are regularly reviewed, although these are not always updated when needed. Not all documents are signed and dated by the author. There is no evidence that these shortfalls have affected the provision of care. Young people are given every opportunity to learn about and understand their past. Staff ensure that young people’s cultural and religious needs are met.

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Good

Young people keep memory boxes and albums with mementoes and photographs of their experiences at the home. Young people become healthier. This is because their risk-taking behaviours reduce, they access routine health appointments and eat healthily. They are supported to access specialist support services, including the child and adolescent mental health services and other support services, which help them to stop smoking and misusing drugs and alcohol. Key work sessions and young people’s meetings are used effectively as learning forums. Young people’s education, training and employment are top priorities. Staff are very clear about their responsibilities in enabling all young people to reach their full academic and social potential based on their individual needs. One young person was attending a drama course during the half-term school holiday, which they were thoroughly enjoying. Young people’s attendance in school and

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Good

college is excellent, and for young people who have not been at the home long and who had a history of non-attendance, this is exceptional progress. As a result, young people’s chances of reaching their potential have really increased. Staff are currently supporting a young person to look at different universities and attend open days. Some young people have part-time jobs, which helps them to prepare for their next stages of life. Young people are given both practical and emotional support to keep in contact with families and people who are important to them. Young people’s relationships with their families improve and as a result they see their families more often. A young person told the inspector how much better their relationship was with their mother. Young people are actively supported to make new friends and maintain these friendships. A young person commented, ‘Staff encourage us to choose the

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Good

right behaviour and we gain trust so we can then do things we want to do, such as go and see our friends and have sleepovers.’ Empowerment of young people is a key strength. They are central to decision making about their futures and the running of the home. Consequently, young people feel listened to, which helps them to feel valued and improves their self- esteem. The following comments were made by young people: ‘They [staff] always try to explain things to us when we don't agree with them’, and ‘My interests are listened to and we always have a house meeting to bring up anything we want to discuss.’ Staff are committed to ensuring that young people can pursue their individual interests and hobbies, as well as try new activities. Some young people have joined local sports teams and have been able to make friends in the local community. Others go to the gym regularly. Young people have a lot of fun while

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Good

at the same time developing social skills, which helps to increase their confidence. Young people live in a home which is decorated and furnished to a good standard. Photographs of young people and staff are on display, which gives a homely feel. Young people’s bedrooms are personalised and reflect their interests. There is a large garden where chickens and rabbits are kept and young people help to look after them.

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Good

Safeguarding young people is embedded in staff practice. Staff are well trained in keeping young people safe and they fully understand their responsibilities in reporting any child protection concerns. Staff work closely with a range of agencies, which helps to protect young people from the risk of harm and abuse. Young people’s safety improves significantly given their starting points. Young people told the inspector that they feel safe and they have really benefited from living at the home. Young people’s risk-taking behaviour reduces and staff help them to take assessed risks in a supportive and nurturing environment. This helps young people to learn to take responsibility for their actions and prepare for adulthood. Young people know how to make a complaint, although complaints from them are rare. One young person told the inspector that they do not need to use the procedure as staff sort things out without having to make a formal complaint.

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Good

Records demonstrate that the registered manager deals with complaints promptly and appropriately. The management team, including the responsible individual, meets to discuss ‘lessons learned’ from any formal complaints when appropriate. This is good practice and helps to keep young people safe. Staff are good at managing young people’s behaviour, and the emphasis is on recognising and rewarding positive behaviours. Most young people make very good progress in changing their risk-taking and negative behaviours. This is because staff set clear and consistent boundaries so that young people know what is expected of them. A young person commented that, ‘Staff are very good at realising my mood changes and know when to talk to me and when to leave me alone.’ The admission of new young people earlier in the year resulted in the home being unsettled for a period of time. Behaviours displayed by the new young people

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Good

resulted in an increase in the number of incidents of some young people going missing and the involvement of the police. Staff worked closely with the police, including the police missing person’s coordinator. The registered manager also worked closely with the young people’s placing authorities. However, despite this close multi-agency working and the skills of the staff team, the registered manager gave notice on placement to one young person. This was because staff could not keep them safe and because of the negative impact that the young person’s behaviour was having on the other young people in the home. During this period, there was an increase in the use of restraint. However, in general restraint is used infrequently. Bullying, of any form, is not tolerated. Staff are good at providing young people with information and literature about bullying, which they use effectively in key work sessions and young people’s meetings. For example, staff sourced a poem

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Good

about people’s skin colour and used it in a key work session along with other materials with a young person who was making racist comments. The young person was later heard explaining what they had learned and understood to another member of staff. The management of health and safety is good. Regular servicing of equipment and regular fire drills help to keep young people and staff safe. Robust recruitment practices help to protect young people from the risk of harm and abuse. Young people are part of the recruitment process, which means that they are part of decision making in the running of the home. This also helps them to feel valued and increases their self-confidence and skills.

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Good

The registered manager has many years’ experience of working with children and young people in a residential setting. She has been the registered manager of this home since it opened in 2013. She has relevant qualifications, including the level 4 award in management. Her experience, qualifications and motivation enable her to provide clear leadership and direction. There is a real commitment to continual improvements and development. The registered manager has addressed the requirement made at the last inspection by changing the locks on doors in communal areas. This means that young people have unrestricted access to communal areas. This inspection has identified that the management team understands the home’s strengths and areas for improvement and that they learn from complaints. The home has a detailed development plan and some new tools have been introduced since the last inspection. For example,

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Good

the management team has produced an ‘arena of safety’ tool. This is used in staff supervisions and staff meetings, which helps to ensure that staff are clear about safeguarding procedures and practices. The home does not have a full complement of permanent staff. Existing staff and staff from the company’s nearby children’s home have covered staff vacancies. This has helped to ensure continuity of care. Due to staff vacancies, the registered manager has kept a bed vacant to ensure that there are sufficient staff to meet the needs of the existing young people. The registered manager has recently recruited some new staff and further recruitment is taking place. There is no evidence that staff vacancies have affected the quality of care provided. Staff spoke positively about working at the home, and about the management team who they said is approachable and always available if they need advice or support. Staff feel listened to and valued. They receive regular, good-quality

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Good

supervision. Staff receive a range of training relevant to the work. Four staff members have the level 3 qualification in working with children and young people, one member of staff is currently undertaking the qualification, and three members of staff have submitted applications to enrol on the course. The statement of purpose provides clear details of services provided and the registered manager updates it when required. Practice is in line with the statement. There are a number of quality assurance systems, which help to monitor the care provided to young people and staff practice. Young people’s care is discussed in monthly staff meetings and staff produce monthly reports for each young person, which give an overview of events and measures and monitor progress. Staff send these reports to young people’s social workers, which helps them to monitor whether their needs are being met. The management team reviews and signs off a

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Good

range of records. This enables them to carefully monitor staff practice, identify any shortfalls, and inform future developments. Internal monitoring systems are complemented by monthly reports produced by the independent visitor. Partnership working is a key strength and is an integral part of daily practice. This helps to ensure that young people get the support and care that they need. Social workers confirm that staff are very good at communicating with them.

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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 looked after children 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 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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